Of Elder Scrolls and Huntsmen: Dragon Rose
by JessesanMan
Summary: Team RWBY finds themselves in a strange, new world where Grimm are nonexistent and magic is commonplace. They journey to find a way home, but along the way are caught up in several ancient prophecies and must save this world they find themselves in. As time goes on, they adapt to the dangerous land of Skyrim and fight against its foes be they small, large, or godly.
1. Under Unbroken Moons

Brought forth from SpaceBattles, worked upon by me, Jesse K and my co-author xTRESTWHOx, I give you all my ongoing story, Of Elder Scrolls and Huntsmen: Dragon Rose

* * *

"Now that I think about it, getting on a ship without knowing whether or not it's going to our destination was not a good idea," Ruby plainly stated, as if coming so some grand revelation. Her team just stared at her as the rickety boat sailed along, the crew nowhere to be seen and nothing but water on the horizon.

"You only just now realized that?" Weiss impatiently retorted.

"I mean, I've known it for a while. I just didn't-"

"Stop. We'll focus on where we went wrong after we ensure that we don't die while out at sea."

"Unfortunately," Yang called out while looking through a spyglass, "I don't really sea anything."

"There's a serious chance we could die out here," Blake flatly told her partner.

"Come on, there's not much material with no one else around!"

"That wasn't my point."

"What happened to the crew anyways?" Ruby asked, attempting to get her team back on track. "There were like fifteen guys just on deck yesterday."

None of the girls offered any explanation, as none seemed forthcoming. They couldn't tell if there was a raft missing from the stores, and there didn't appear to be any signs of a Grimm attack. So far, everything looked as though the entire crew had simply vanished into thin air. As they pondered the mystery and what to do about their situation, the sounds of seagulls hit their ears and the Huntresses looked up to see three of the birds perched on the mast. Another came and joined them, preening its feathers as it sat.

"Seagulls! That means land is nearby!" Blake said excitedly.

"They're coming straight from where we're headed," Yang pointed out.

"Arr! Avast me hardy crew!" Ruby said, mimicking the stereotypical pirate. "Set sail for ye land thartaway!"

"Aye aye, cap'n Ruby," Yang played along as she ran off to ensure they stayed the course. The others, deciding not to lower themselves to their level, used what little they knew about maritime maintenance to assist Yang's efforts. Soon, land could be seen in the distance, and a quick look through the spyglass gave them all relief.

"I think I see a city! We can get back to Beacon from there by airship!"

"Assuming they have any," Weiss pessimistically countered.

"Even if they don't, they have to know where a town or village that does is!" Ruby said with a smile. "Home free!"

* * *

"Wait, what?"

"How in the world is the ship not sinking?"

"By the Gods, you fellas need to come look at some of this woodwork down here!"

The voices of the dock hands came from all around the vessel, inspecting every nook and cranny. All sported eyes filled with amazement as they gazed upon the vessel. Weiss, on the other hand, paid the workers no heed as she conversed with customs.

"So," Weiss said to the customs officer, "you'll keep it in dock until the crew show up to reclaim it?"

"Assuming they can back up the claim. If no one comes within a year and a day, the ship and anything aboard will be confiscated by the company and auctioned off. And a ship like this…" The woman seemed to have a glint in her eyes. "Very good price I think."

Weiss didn't get it. It was a decent vessel, but it wasn't exactly in top shape. Then again, all of the other ships appeared to be very old models. The most modern one was likely the large galleon taking up a huge amount of space on the other side of the docks.

"That's reasonable. All of our things are off the ship now, so we'll leave it to you then while we find a way home."

"Good luck with that, miss. Divines smile on you."

Weiss gave a short nod and then made her way over to the rest of her team. Blake was eyeing a large fish, while the sisters appeared to be people-watching. She quickly relayed the news, but her team only seemed to be half-way paying attention to her.

"Hey, Weiss?" Ruby began.

"What is it?"

"Do you know anything about grey, pointy-eared people?"

"What are you talking about grey-" She was cut off by the appearance of a dock worker with said grey-skin, pointy ears, and red eyes. Thinking it over, she shook her head and let logic take over.

"Well, it appears to be a local phenotype."

"A what?"

"Things like hair color, skin-type, and ear-shape are determined by your genes. Phenotypes are what we call differing genes that usually make up a different sort of stock of people. Like how people in colder climes tend to be paler, while those in the warmer areas have darker complexions."

Another sharp-eared person went by, this one much taller than any of them and with golden skin.

"Well, I wonder where you'd have to live for that sunny complexion." Yang quipped.

"Ooh, does that faunus have a different phenotype too?" Ruby said quietly while gesturing towards a scaled being leaning against a pole further down the docks.

"That's…not a faunus," Blake whispered, surprised and apprehensive.

"Uh, then what…"

"Maybe we should just head into town," Weiss suggested. "I got a recommendation for an inn, so we can stay there overnight. It's called the Winking Skeever."

"Wait, what's a skeever?" Ruby asked.

"I asked that, and apparently it's a sort of rat-like creature." Something that could definitely be considered rat-like scurried next to them, hissed, scaring the girls, and then continued scurrying away.

"More like a mutant rat!" Yang shrieked.

"So that was…a skeever?" Weiss said, rubbing her arms with a hint of a chill running through her. "All right. Let's go."

The girls walked up a stairway and entered the side entrance to the town. Inside dozens of people were walking about, doing their daily activities. Merchants called out to potential customers, and haggled with actual customers over prices, friends talked and laughed amongst themselves, often with a cup of what appeared to be some sort of alcoholic beverage in hand. A handful of guards, wearing some sort of chainmail, patrolled the city, but never enough to feel oppressive. Indeed, the city of Solitude appeared to be quite similar to Vale, if only much more old fashioned. That, and the people were much more diverse than what they were used to. In Vale, you might see maybe one or two Faunus in a normal crowd, but apparently whatever country they were in was much more diverse. There were several of the pointed-eared people walking about, some with lighter or darker skin. Honestly, if they didn't know any better, the four huntresses in training could have sworn they were elves, straight out of an old fantasy novel. Most of the people were normal humans, with some giving the pointed-eared people hard looks.

As the quartet passed through the market, Weiss and Blake had to repeatedly pull Ruby and Yang, respectively, away from items of interest. Ruby in particular had to be pulled away from inspecting an increasingly uncomfortable guard's weapons, multiple times, while Blake had to stop Yang from picking fights with catcallers. Finally, the team eyed their destination, the Winking Skeever, and made a beeline towards it, until Blake suddenly stopped near a darkened alleyway, alerting the others to possible danger. As Ruby squinted her eyes, she could make out a dark silhouette of a man leaning against the castle wall, the light reflecting off his eyes as he stared them down. After what seemed to be an eternity, the man began to speak.

"Greetings, strangers," he said in a raspy voice.

"Uh, hello?" Ruby said, feeling awkward about the encounter.

"You're new here, aren't you?" The shady man questioned. When RWBY slowly nodded in confirmation, he continued. "I try to make it my business to recognize any travelers passing through. Between the way you look around you, the way you carry yourselves, and the sort of clothing you wear, you have the look of wandering souls about you. Perhaps I can make you an offer?"

"That depends," Blake answered, with some considerable strain to her voice, obviously trying to not sound hostile.

The man, in the first show of emotion since the start of the conversation, laughed. "I assume you have septims if you wish to buy anything here."

"Septims?" Weiss asked, confused and suspecting, both towards the man they were speaking to and what these 'septims' were.

"The local currency, of course." He confirmed, his tone condescending, almost like a father to a small child. "Then again, foreigners who just washed up on our shores wouldn't even know what the currency is, let alone have the forty coppers needed for four people to stay the night."

"Wait a minute, you're telling me this place doesn't take lien?!" Weiss shrieked, panicked at the thought of suddenly being reduced to a pauper.

"I assume this 'lien' is the currency from where you lot are from?" The man asked, seeking confirmation, which Weiss' frantic nodding quickly answered. "Then, no. Here in Skyrim, we only accept septims. Guess that means you four are broke."

For a moment no one said anything. Ruby looked back at Weis, who had now gone catatonic. Seeing how Weiss was no longer going to be of assistance for the moment, Ruby sighed.

"Okay, so we don't have any. I'll assume you aren't just being a charitable soul?" Yang spoke up, now a little desperate given their present state of funds.

"Nothing's free, of course. Rather, I have a problem that needs dealing with and from the way you all carry yourselves, you're all fine warriors." The figure walked into the light, revealing a lizard-like face with two horns on top of his head as well as a single horn on his nose. Weiss, just now getting over her shock, jumped a bit at his visage, which just made him laugh a little.

"In the hills south of here there's a cave. Some frostbite spiders have recently began nesting in there. Inside, there's an amulet that belonged to one of my ancestors, stolen by bandits, who'd taken residence inside. The spiders ate the bandits, mostly, and now it's far too dangerous for someone like myself to venture in there," He held out his hand, revealing five iron coins. "Consider this a sign of goodwill as well as the forward payment. These diems will get you all a night and day at The Winking Skeever, as well as an extra for drinks. Bring me my amulet, and you'll be seeing gold."

Weiss took the coins apprehensively, and then nodded. The lizard-man smiled.

"See you around, ladies," he said before walking off, no one else paying him any real mind.

"So, uh, that happened," Yang said.

"Did we just…get a bounty request?" Ruby asked.

"From a… What are those guys called again?"

"I don't know. Let's just see if this place has somewhere to sleep."

* * *

The inn had a cozy, rustic feel to it. The innkeeper gave them a room with three large beds before apologizing about not having one with four available, and even offered to bring in one of the others before Ruby told him it was fine. Night came around, and the four girls were eating a supper of beef and carrot stew while listening to the 'bard' playing tunes from a corner. Yang tried to get a taste of the mead, but Ruby wouldn't allow her, causing the innkeeper to laugh when he saw how dejected the blond looked at her younger sister bossing her around.

The innkeeper's son, who was maybe their age, then gave them some buttered and toasted bread to go with their meals.

"All right ladies. Supper's closing up soon, but don't be afraid to ask for a drink at any time."

"I'll keep that in mind," the brawler flirted, complete with a wink. The youth blushed a little and went back to the kitchen.

"Yang, no!" Ruby objected.

"Pbbt, I'm just teasing him a little. You'd think he never saw a hot chick before."

"Too bad he's not seeing one now," Weiss remarked.

"Ooh burn!"

"Ouch! Good one, Ice Queen. Sadly, you kinda included yourself in that."

"That's because I'm not hot." Weiss then haughtily shook her hair with a flourish. "I'm beautiful."

A group came in and Blake stared right at them. A few of the people avoided them as they entered.

"A room, please," an accented voice tiredly asked. "This one is weary from the cold roads."

"All right, I'll have my son show you up in a moment," the innkeeper replied. Yang turned and her eyebrows rose. "Huh, weird. Hey Blake, do Faunus sometimes have animal faces?"

"No," she muttered.

"Okay. Then what am I looking at over here?"

"This one is khajiit."

The girls jumped in their seats and looked around, but didn't see the speaker.

"S'Vashra is below." They looked down and saw what appeared to be an odd housecat wearing clothes. "Greetings," it said as a necklace on it glowed.

"Oh my god!" Ruby whispered as she began squeeing. Luckily, Weiss was able to cover her mouth before she truly made a racket.

"A…talking…cat?" Blake said slowly.

"A cat-person?" Yang asked. She seemed genuinely interested.

"This one prefers feline being. Many khajiit are like this. Others are like my family and walk like man or mer. S'Vashra has an uncle who is senche-raht, and is as big as this inn."

"Father," a female woman with a human-shaped, but fur-covered face said as she approached, "we have a room for the night. The inn is good. No tries to swindle us."

"That is good." The talking feline stood up and began walking after the others, all of which the group now saw had tails. The woman looked them over and sniffed.

"Have a good evening," she said.

"Huh," Yang said as they left. "That was…neat." She had a light smile on her face as she seemed to be thinking over their encounter.

"You'd think we would have heard about talking cats before," Weiss said. The heiress seemed uneasy about what she had seen.

"Or lizard people," Ruby added. "Wait, do you think they're offended if we call them that?"

Yang shrugged while Blake stood up from her chair.

"What's up?"

"I just…need to get some fresh air."

"I'll join ya." The blonde stood up, understanding her partner's intentions, and began stacking their bowls while placing their mugs near each other.

"Ooh, let's all get some air," Ruby called out as she and Weiss also stood. "We're out in the countryside, so the sky will probably be the clearest ever!"

"That does sound nice," her partner admitted.

Blake sighed as the trudged out and off to the side. As they exited the building, Ruby began to stretch and yawned.

"Today's been weird," she said.

"Are you all right, Blake?" Weiss asked.

"No, I-" She sighed.

"Is it the super faunus people?" Yang asked.

"Those weren't faunus!" she half-yelled, surprising her teammates. "They were… I don't know what they were. The reptiles we saw, they… Did anyone notice the way they looked at us?"

"Their eyes were kinda still," Ruby pointed out. "But I've met people like that."

"There was nothing…human. No real facial expressions. No visual ques. If he hadn't laughed, would either of you have even thought he was emoting?"

The girls looked at each other and then back at their teammate. Ruby had a look of confusion on her face. Weiss seemed perturbed. Yang looked concerned.

"Blake, are you…"

"I'm trying not to, but…it's just so…strange. And then, we just met a talking cat, whose daughter is a woman covered in fur…"

"Blake, you're tired," Yang started as she took the faunus by the shoulders. "And you're probably just weirded out because…you're used to faunus being the odd ones and that's not happening here. So, let's all take a minute to calm down, enjoy the night air, and then we'll go up to our- What's up with the moon?!"

The others all looked up and gasped. In the sky was not a single, broken moon, but rather two undamaged moons, a large one that was half full, and another one a third of its size in a three-quarters phase, slightly overlapping the other moon's dark side, letting them know it was also closer to the world. Weiss covered her own mouth in shock. Yang rubbed her eyes a few times before giving up and staring slack-jawed. Blake leaned against the inn's wall and began sliding down.

"What- Where- How?"

"Guys," Ruby enunciated, now fully panicked. "I don't think we're in Remnant anymore."

* * *

Blake barely got any sleep that night, and the others weren't much better. Weiss seemed to stare at the road more than anything. Ruby tried to stay cheerful, but it fell short of comforting the rest of them. Yang looked focused. She was ready to face the world, and her stern look told the others that she was refusing to bend in this.

They had to stop and make camp, and the two moons once again hung over them. Guards frequently patrolled, so there was no fear of brigands. The girls were able to get some sleep, but it was mostly due to their previous exhaustion.

On the third day they stopped at a roadside inn just to make sure they were headed the right way, trading in a deer they'd hunted and half-planned to eat for a few septims. They also managed to get a better feel for how 'septims' worked. Apparently, cents were copper coins, diems were iron coins, and septims, the base unit, were gold, each worth ten of the previous type. For larger amounts there were malks of moonstone, and denars made of gold with silver centers, also worth ten of the next coin down. Ebons were the most valuable and rare, worth five hundred septims and made of ebony. The system seemed convoluted to the girls, but it seemed to work.

Weiss talked with the innkeeper for a while as the other three ate some warm, seasoned salmon and fresh bread. She returned and set her own meal down next to Ruby before sitting with a sigh.

"Hey."

"So, I asked about…people stepping through worlds," she winced as she said it. "Unlike back at Solitude, she didn't really stare at me that long. I think it's because she's Dunmer."

"What-mer?" the youngest of them asked.

"Dunmer, or Dark Elves. They're the grey-skinned ones." Seeing the confused looks of her teammates' faces, Weiss sighed before explaining herself. "That first night… I couldn't get any sleep, so I decided to ask the innkeeper for some information. Apparently, we're in some place called 'Skyrim', part of the Empire of Tamriel, which is the continent we are currently on. According to him, Skyrim is the home of the Nords, one of ten different races. There are four races of Men, which are the Nords, the Bretons, the Imperials, and the Redguards. There are also four races of Mer, or elves, which, including the Dunmer, are the Altmer, also known as High Elves, Bosmer, or Wood Elves, and Orismer, or Orcs. Finally, we have two races of Beast Folk, which are the Argonians, the lizard people, and the Khajiit, the cat people." As Weiss finished her explanation, she received blank looks as her team contemplated this new set of information.

"Huh, neat," Yang finally responded, causing Weiss to facepalm.

"Anyways," Weiss continued, "she said that if we were to go to this 'College of Winterhold' that we'd be able to learn more there. She said it's a 'magic' school."

"Wait, do they mean actual magic or like Dust magic?" Yang asked.

"She didn't say. I assume it's something akin to a Huntsmen academy or maybe it's their place of scientific study that the masses simply confuse for magic. But, it's all the way across the country, and much colder than here. We'll have to prepare for that trip, so once we're done with this we should start."

"And then we get to join a magic school!" Ruby cheered.

"Alleged magic school," Weiss corrected.

"We're in a whole different world," Blake pointed out, "with two moons, reptilian humanoids, and cat-people."

"Obviously we're on some alien world through some convoluted means."

"What about the other humans?" Ruby asked.

"We obviously weren't the first."

"Eh, I'll believe it when I see it, I say," Yang drank a gulp of her water and sighed. "Probably just a boring school."

"Well, I think it's neat. Even if it's science, that can be fun too," Ruby countered before drinking some milk. Some hefty men started walking by, and paused at their table.

"Well, well, what's a buncha young lasses like yourselves doing out here?" one man asked, beginning to eye them, but mostly Yang and Weiss.

"Traveling," Ruby said innocently before wiping off her milk mustache.

"Aye, let 'em be, Ulf. That one's but a day above a tike."

"Hey, a day is a day I say."

"Okay," Yang said loudly while standing up from her seat, pushing the stool back. "You're going to leave us alone, or else," she threatened.

The other men laughed while the one in front of them smiled.

"That a challenge, lassie?" he retorted while crossing his arms.

Yang began raising her fists but stopped at the sound of something pounding on a table. They all turned and saw the innkeeper having slammed a knife-hilt on her bar.

"Not in my inn, you dunderheaded Nords!" she shouted. "Take it outside!"

The man laughed at that and began heading out. Yang grunted and went after him and his group, Ruby and Blake trailing. Weiss remained inside with her head held in her hands.

Most of the patrons had come out and formed a circle as Yang and the man squared up. People around them were betting, usually in favor of the man.

"Ten coppers on the girl," Blake said to some guy.

"I'll take that and double it!" he said, clearly enjoying the sheer act of gambling way too much.

"Should you be doing-"

"Watch."

The man came in with a swing that Yang ducked under. He turned quickly and swung with his other arm, but Yang caught it in the hook and jabbed at his guts. He was forced back a step and then Yang brought around her own hook, knocking him down with a spin, eliciting cheers and jeers from the crowd.

"I hope you last longer the next time you're with a woman," some redhead said from the side, gaining laughter from everywhere. The man stood as he rubbed his jaw and actually smiled at Yang before having to nurse it again. The guy Blake bet with handed her two diems.

"It's not a gamble if it's a sure thing."

"Huh, he didn't have Aura. Weird."

They went back in to enjoy the rest of their meal, not realizing Yang had just gained some fans.

* * *

"Okay, so this is the cave," Blake said, looking at the map.

"What was your clue? The massive amounts of spider web or the sign that says 'Beware'?" Weiss sarcastically replied with a hint of frustration.

"Come on, it'll be fine," Ruby said as she started heading inside, pulling out Crescent Rose. "Besides, how bad can some spiders be?"

As it turned out, it was very bad. The next few minutes saw the girls screaming, slashing, and shooting as spiders ranging from the size of dogs to the size of bears attempted to kill them. When the last were dead at their feet, Yang was shivering a bit, Ruby was wide-eyed and whimpering, and Weiss was inwardly disturbed. Blake seemed least affected, but even she was creeped out by the unnaturally large natural creatures.

When they finally calmed down, the girls began searching. The cave had plenty of built in rooms, with dusty furnishings that likely once housed the previous occupants. They split up at a four way section, checking every cabinet and closet for the amulet. Separating herself from the others, Weiss stopped in a room with three coffins and hummed while she rubbed her chin.

"If I was a bandit hiding treasure…" she said to herself. "Worth a look."

She pulled off the lid of one coffin and frowned at finding nothing. The next one had a sword inside, but the weapon was old and rusted, so she didn't bother with it. The last one, strangely, was leaning against the wall. As she reached for it, something suddenly leapt from the coffin and tackled the surprised heiress, who was unable to activate her aura in time. She could only make out that it appeared to be a man before he bit down hard on her neck.

"AAAAGH!" Weiss screamed and thrashed in agony, attempting to push the man off of herself. Quickly realizing the futility of that course of action, and with her strength fading, Weiss grasped Mrytenaster and thrust it upward into the man's chest, aiming for his heart. Luckily, her aim was true, and with his heart pierced, the man's hold on Weiss loosened until he slumped over, dead. Breathing heavily, Weiss clamped down on her wound, attempting to stem the bleeding, until the rest of her team came rushing in, weapons drawn.

"Weiss?!" Ruby yelled as she rushed to her partner's side. "Are you okay!?"

"He bit me!" she hissed through her teeth. "Just…popped out of the coffin and bit my neck! Completely blindsided me!"

"You're bleeding!"

"It doesn't look like anything important was punctured," Blake said as she inspected the wound. She took her pack from her back and pulled out the med kit, getting an alcohol wipe from it to clean away the wounds. "The bleeding's starting to slow."

"What's with this guy?" Yang said as she looked over the body. "He looks…wrong. He's all gaunt in the face, and his eyes…"

"Probably sick or something," Blake said as she finished cleaning the two holes in Weiss's neck. "I'm more worried about how he got past the spiders."

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked her partner.

"I'm fine. It just stings. And…" She lifted Myrtenaster, staring at the red liquid that covered half of it. "I'll be fine."

* * *

They left the cave with five different amulets and began heading back to Solitude. After four days and no sign of the inn they rested at or the town, the girls began to get worried. Weiss was steadily growing more and more ill, feeling constantly thirsty and more and more annoyed by the sun, until she was keeping a blanket over her head all day. Her body was becoming more and more gaunt and pale. It appeared that Weiss contracted whatever disease the man had. Adding to their list of troubles, on top of being in an unfamiliar world and having a friend who was likely sick, it also appeared they'd lost their way.

"This can't be right! We should be seeing Solitude by now!" Ruby said as she looked up from the map.

"Let me see," Yang replied as she took the parchment. She looked over it for a moment and then flipped it upside down. The other girls then looked at Ruby in annoyance, who at least had the decency to look sheepishly abashed.

"Oops?"

"Let's just find a road sign," Blake sighed. She looked forward and started down the road, where a sign stood in the fork. Names like Riverwood, Whiterun, Helgen, and Falkreath were on the signs nailed to the post. Yang looked at the signs, at the map, back at the signs, and then back to the map again with a long sigh.

"We're…on the wrong side."

"What do you mean?"

"We're closest to Helgen just south of us, and Solitude is way up here."

"We went in the complete opposite direction," Weiss groaned. "If you hadn't folded it..."

"Um, so how far is Helgen?"

"About ten or so miles, I'm guessing. Probably some bends to go around though. We should see it in about an hour."

The girls began heading that way, stowing the map into Yang's pack as they moved. Weiss groaned and took out her canteen to take a deep draught, and then groaned again.

"Weiss?"

"Whatever I have, it's making me feel extremely thirsty, but I'm not dehydrated at all. If anything, I'm getting waterlogged from drinking so much."

"Helgen's a town, right? They might have some medicine."

"Assuming they have a cure at all," Weiss darkly muttered. She quickly sighed. "Sorry, but this sickness is really getting to me."

"Yeah, you've been crankier than usual, and that's saying something," Yang pointed out. Weiss just glared at Yang, who shrugged and kept walking forward. Weiss, however, continued to stare at Yang, specifically at her neck, before shaking herself off of whatever stupor she was in, disturbed. Before she could say anything, a far off sound rolled through the valley, halting RWBY in their tracks.

"…what the hell was that?" Yang asked, perturbed by the sound and looking for its source.

"I…I don't know. Whatever it is, it's nowhere near us, so let's just keep going," Weiss answered, moving to the front of the group. The rest of the team followed after her, now fully alert and walking at a much brisker pace. As they continued to walk, and got ever closer to Helgen, the sound once again rolled through the air. To their alarm, they could now make it out to be a roar.

"Okay, whatever is making that noise, it's gotten closer!" Yang yelled out, unfolding Ember Celica, with the others following suit, and began looking for the source. As they searched, Blake climbed up a nearby tree, only to see a black cloud of smoke covering where Helgen was supposed to be.

"Smoke, and a lot of it! And I think I saw something black flying in the distance!" Blake yelled out as she spotted the village of Helgen drowned in flames. With her ears, she could make out faint cries and screams of the people inside its walls.

The girls looked to each other before Ruby took off. The others chased after her and they soon could see the town's walls and the smoke rising from behind them. Black wings were seen before disappearing behind the walls, giving the girls an idea of what was happening. As they neared the gate, Ruby fired Crescent Rose and used the recoil to help her jump clear of the obstruction. Yang followed her example, with Weiss hopping onto her glyphs, and Blake jumping from low point to high. The girls looked forward as the smoke cleared from directly in front of them with a gust of wind.

A massive creature, covered in sharp-edged scales and thorns, so black that it seemed to radiate with a darkness Grimm could only dream of being, giant horns on it reptilian head and baleful red eyes with an intelligence in them, turned towards the four slowly, the burnt body of a human lying at its feet near the fortress doors. Its body began to turn with it as it slowly let loose a hissing growl, using its wings like a bat, the talons of its legs digging deep furrows into the earth below it.

" **Meyus joor** ," it said in a deep voice as it stepped towards them. " **Hi bo wah hin dinok.** "

The girls were frozen for a long moment as the dragon began to rear its head back. Ruby seemed to snap out her daze first and began pushing the others.

"Move!"

Fire erupted from the dragon's maw, and the team narrowly escaped it behind a large pile of stones. Weiss screamed and began heading for a nearby burnt out house. The dragon began turning towards her, but paused as something like thunder rang out and bounced off its scales. It turned its head back to look at an astonished Ruby.

"It's bullet-proof!"

The creature's wings spread out and it flapped them as it jumped, taking to the air immediately. It banked left and breathed out a stream of fire as it passed overhead, forcing the three girls to run out of the way again.

"Weiss, can you hit it with something?"

"I can try!" she said as she began summoning a glyph, waving her rapier as if to guide an orchestra. Ice spikes emerged as Dust flowed from the blade, and then fired off at the dragon that had turned back and was coming at them. The spikes simply shattered as they hit its scales, though it did move its head when it was hit. Yang fired at it with Ember Celica, the shots doing seemingly nothing. Fire rained out from the dragon's throat again and all the girls but Yang got out of the way. The brawler gasped and brushed off her shoulders, singed but standing.

"That the best you got?!" she yelled at their opponent.

The dragon's eyes actually narrowed as it looked back at them. It turned with a dropping maneuver and then headed back. It stopped and began hovering in mid-air, flapping its wings as it took in a breath and released it, this time in the form of an icy blast.

Yang shouted as she was hit directly and tried to escape. When the blast let up, the dragon swooped forward, its jaws open and ready to catch the slowed girl.

"No!" Ruby screamed as she dashed forward in a flurry of rose petals, crashing into Yang and pulling her away just as the black maw snapped close. Blake fired at it from below, but then the tail swung around and blindsided her, throwing her into a smoldering building.

"Guys, we aren't even scratching this thing!" Ruby yelled out. "We need to get away from it!"

"Where?" her sister asked as she dug Blake out from the rubble that had fallen on her.

Ruby looked around at the town. Almost every wooden structure was burned to charcoal, and most of the stone ones were broken apart. At the far side, however, she saw a larger building with red banners on it, several deep scratches on the surface, but no breaks. She gulped and looked back at the dragon that was taking its time with this turn.

"Over there!" she pointed out. Her team saw it and began heading that way. Weiss began summoning glyphs beneath them, giving each of them a boost in speed. The dragon was still closing in on them, roaring as fire poured from its mouth. Yang and Weiss slammed the metal doors close and threw on the beam to lock it in place. The door began to turn red from the heat, but then stopped and started cooling. The teens huffed as they caught their breath.


	2. A Breath of Consequence

I have realized that FF does not like me using my normal way of separating chunks of story, that hyphen thing up below the escape key. Tilde? I don't know, but FF doesn't like it. So my first chapter came out with non of the parts separated. This time I've added the lines, so no worries. Hopefully it updates soon.

* * *

"What…the hell…was that?" Yang muttered, gasping for breath.

"They have dragons here…actual dragons," Ruby said silently. "Way tougher than any Grimm we ever fought, and they talk."

"More like shouted, if you asked me." Blake winced and pulled a piece of charred wood out of her hair. "But now what do we do?"

The building seemed to shake when she asked that, dislodging dirt and knocking over loose items.

"We should look further in," Weiss suggested. "This looks like a fortress keep, so they likely have supplies around for the soldiers. At the very least we can wait the dragon out."

Figuring that this was their best course of action, they started heading inwards, noting that one large hallway seemed to be collapsed, likely from the dragon's assault. Turning, they headed into the side door, and found that they were in the pantry.

"Okay, no danger of starving," Yang concluded as she opened up a barrel to find it full of potatoes.

"I think there's more," Ruby called out as she opened the other door. "Hey, it's the other side of the rubble. I think we can go further in. We should check to see if there's anyone or anything else."

"That's a good idea," Blake agreed. "If anyone else holed up in here, they might be surprised to see us."

They continued on, but stopped dead in their tracks at the next corner. The body of a man in blue was right next to a table, lying in a pool of blood with his neck and chest cut open. An iron axe lay next to him. Unable to do anything for the departed man, the girls continued forward. Past a doorway, there were more bodies, three in blue, two in red and leather, and a green-skinned civilian with tusks clutching a battle-axe.

"An Orsimer," Weiss said as she looked him over, gulping at the sight of more blood. Her thirst was making her _think_ about _maybe_ drinking it so that- She shook her head to banish the thoughts. She quickly took her canteen and swallowed some water, making her flinch at the feeling of her belly holding _way_ too much liquid. "Looks like a blow to the head. One of the blue men had a mace."

Ruby lifted up an iron mace and looked it over before setting it back down, sighing as she noticed the bloodstain on its end. The blue armored man closest to it looked like his head had been chopped halfway off.

"Mutual deathblow?" Blake guessed.

"Why were they fighting?" Ruby asked, confused, concerned, and angry as to why people would be killing each other when a dragon was loose.

"I don't know. I heard rumors of a civil war, but it was supposed to be… No, we're much closer to the eastern side of Skyrim now." Weiss pondered for a moment. "They might've been fighting, and that attracted the dragon."

As they continued further into the keep, they found even more evidence to support Weiss' theory. The next room had another body, this one in a steel armor similarly shaped to the leather armors of the other soldiers and a red cape with a stylized dragon with its wings in a diamond shape for a sigil. The woman had died clutching her bleeding side, though it didn't look like a battle wound. More likely she had been injured by the dragon, but only made it this far. In front of her was a helmet with a crest, right in front of her hand.

Stairs led them down deeper into the fort and into some sort of prison. There were a number of cages and several sorts of restraints. In the center cage lied a body, unmoving.

"Torture," Blake sneered, immediately recognizing the type of room they were in.

"How barbaric," Weiss added, disgusted as she glanced at the body of what appeared to be the torturer. He was an old man, likely someone who loved what he was doing. Based off the wounds he sported, it appeared that as the civilians and soldiers fled deeper into the keep, desperately trying to escape the dragon, the old man was trampled in the ensuing stampede.

"What's this?" Ruby questioned, holding a book with some sort of dragon insignia, similar to the insignia on some of the soldiers. " _The Book of the Dragonborn._ What's a Dragonborn?" Deciding it to be a question for later, Ruby pocketed the book and joined with the others, preparing to move deeper along, until a faint sound came from the center cage. Turning around, the girls saw the previously unmoving man struggling in an attempt to get up.

"Wa-" he moaned. "Wat-"

"Hold on," Ruby said as she took out her canteen and unscrewed the lid. She gently tipped it forward into the man's dry lips. He gasped after taking a swallow and she gave him a little more. After five gulps, he took a moment to breathe and looked at them all.

"Not Imperials," he said. "Not rebels. Who are you?"

"We're…Huntresses," Ruby said, figuring it didn't matter what he thought they were or what they were doing.

"Fine clothing for simple woodsfolk," he said as he sat up and grunted. "Ah, who am I to question the person that saved my life?" Yellow seemed to flow over him for a moment as he held his hands out. He sighed and stood up, amazingly back at full strength. "My name's Cynrrbert Veldrine. I'm a traveling mage. Just an honest man that got accused of forgery, among other crimes. Likely the damned… Never mind it for now. Suffice to say the Head Torturer decided he was going to starve and dry me to get me to tell them about contacts I don't even have. Then, next thing I know, half the town is coming through here, screaming about a dragon, soldiers and Stormcloaks _not_ killing each other as they ran. They didn't even bother looking for the key to get me out. Just…left me to die. That had to have been hours ago."

"Well, they were running from a dragon," Yang said. "We tried to take it down, but… Nothing gets through that armor."

"A… There really was a dragon? That's…"

"It was awful," Ruby said. "It was big and black and tried to kill us!"

"You have to forgive me a bit, but…no one's seen a dragon in…thousands of years. I've seen some bones. The jarl of Whiterun has the skull of a dragon mounted upon his wall from his long ago predecessor. Maybe… Perhaps it migrated from across the ocean. There may yet be more dragons in Akavir."

"So this dragon caught everyone off guard, and it's been so long that no one could remember how to hurt it?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe a few elves. Very few, but it's possible. The Blades might have, but they've been disbanded. Better that the people in charge are told. If the townsfolk make it word might spread, but I don't know if this dragon would stick around until… Never mind for now. Let's focus on getting ourselves out of here first. Um, mostly me."

"Sure, uh, one second."

"I didn't find a key," Blake said as she came from an adjoined room. "But I found a lockpicking set. Been a while since I used one."

Blake took out a small, slender piece of metal and a tension wrench. She gingerly placed the two items into the lock on the cage and began to slowly fiddle with it while listening. After about half a minute, the lock came loose. Cynrrbert sighed in relief as he stepped out of the cramped cage.

"Thank you. I owe you all my life. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to put something solid in my stomach before we move on."

* * *

After a quick meal and gathering more supplies for their newest addition, the group started heading downwards once again.

"So, explain to me again this 'civil war' that's going on?" Weiss asked as they moved deeper into the keep.

"It all has to do with the White-Gold Concordat," Cynrrberrt explained. "About thirty or so years ago, the Aldmeri Dominion, led by the Thalmor, invaded the Empire, which was, and still is, weak from various calamities that befell it since the dawn of the Fourth Era. It lasted for about five years, with the Thalmor managing to reach and sack the Imperial City before finally getting repelled. Rather than continue fighting, Emperor Titus Mede II signed a peace treaty, the Concordat, with the Aldmeri Dominion, which ended the conflict. Among its provisions, it ceded the southern coast of Hammerfell and banned the worship of Talos in the Empire."

"Banning the worship of a god? That's…horrible!" Weiss gasped, echoing the others's thoughts. They themselves might not know or worship this 'Talos', but they knew all too well the importance of freedom of religion.

"Indeed, but it wasn't really enforced until Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, made a big fuss about it. Before, everyone basically ignored the provision and had their little shrine to Talos. But, when the Forsworn, native Daedric cultists living in the Reach, took over Markarth during the Forsworn Uprising shortly after the war ended, and the Empire couldn't get them out, Ulfric managed to do so, only to demand that Talos worship be reinstated, otherwise the Empire couldn't get into Markarth to restore order."

"I take it those demands didn't go over very well?" Blake absentmindedly asked as she focused on breaking the lock of another cell, trying to get at the coin purse she had spotted in side.

"They did not. Due to this, the Thalmor discovered that the worship of Talos was still going on and that the terms of the White-Gold Concordat were not being enforced. As such, they demanded that Ulfric be arrested, which for a time he was. Many consider this event to be the true start of the Civil War, although it really only heated up this year, when Ulfric murdered High King Torygg. Shouted him to death, even."

"What? How could yelling kill a person? Did Torygg have a heart attack or something?" Yang butted in, confused.

"If a heart attack could cause a man to explode, maybe."

"Oh…"

"Anyway, the Civil War right now has been at a standstill, really. The Empire controls the West, the Stormcloaks control the East, with Whiterun, ruled by Jarl Balgruuf, the only one left undecided, but if you ask me I think he'll probably side with the Empire after Ulfric does something foolhardy, as Nords tend to do. No offense, lass," Cynrrberrt directed to Yang, who after a moments confusion as to who he was talking to, responded.

"None taken," Yang shrugged. "So, which side do you think is right?"

"Personally, I don't really care which side here wins, as they both have a point. The only major agreement that both sides have is that the true enemy is the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion, it's just that the Empire believes that the best way to combat them is together while the Stormcloaks believe the best way is to be separate. Honestly, though, war in any form is just… Never mind for now. Let's keep going," Cynrrberrt finished lecturing as they crossed a bridge.

As they did so, another roar from the dragon rang out, the force large enough to dislodge a boulder from the ceiling which fell onto the bridge with a mighty thud, destroying it completely. Deciding to move on, the group sighed and continued. Eventually stonework gave way to what appeared to be an opening to a cave system, though light was shining in from the side. A stream ran through the cave, and there seemed to be trampled items here and there. As they reached a bend in the cave, the group heard the sound of arguing. The words came clearer as they rounded a bend and saw two living men in the opposing sides' uniforms.

"You have no right to place the blame on the Stormcloaks!"

"Who benefitted the most from this? Was it the Empire, or the Jarl who got his neck away from the headsman?"

"That dragon killed several of my brothers in arms!" the rebel yelled as he swung his axe. The soldier backpedaled. "It was targeting Nords! You know who it ignored? Your elven taskmasters!"

"They…are not…our masters!" the soldier yelled as he slashed at the rebel, only to be blocked.

"Yang, Blake, stop them!"

The two girls dashed forward, Yang pulling the rebel away while Blake wrapped Gambol Shroud's ribbon around the soldier's left arm and tugged him back. The two fought against their restrainers as Ruby came up.

"Stop fighting!" she demanded. "There's a dragon trying to kill people outside and you two killing each other is not going to stop it!"

The two ceased resisting and looked at the young girl who had commanded two grown men. The soldier sighed and looked up.

"Call a truce?"

"'Til what?"

"Well, let's at least get through Riverwood. Is that fine with you?"

"Riverwood? Yeah… Let's." He looked back at Yang, who was holding him in a full nelson. "You're strong lass, you know that?"

"I get that. Think they're okay Rubes?"

"Yeah, let 'em go."

They released the two and they slowly loosened the fighting tension they held.

"Wait, is that the dead mage?" the Stormcloak asked as he looked at Cynrrbert.

"Apparently not dead," the soldier said. "Who are you all?"

"Travelers," Blake answered.

"We came up and saw Helgen burning," Ruby explained. "We came to help, but then a dragon tried to kill us. We couldn't even hurt it."

"A whole cohort of legionnaires and some scattered militia couldn't hurt that thing," the soldier said as he sheathed his blade. "And you…"

"Look friend," Cynrrberrt began, "I almost died in that cage until these girls got me out. I'm not looking for trouble, and I'll say it again, I did nothing to deserve that."

"Well…it's not my decision to make, but as far as I'm concerned, the man in that cage was dead and we were in a hurry. Most of the townsfolk that were with us are out and heading in different directions. Everyone's keeping their heads low."

"Most of the Stormcloaks made it as well. I'm certain I saw Jarl Ulfric make it out before we got here."

"But…a lot of good people died today."

"You guys did what you could," Ruby said. "And, hey, we know that thing is tough. Weiss hit it with so much ice I thought _something_ would get through, but it barely flinched."

"Yes, it's going to take something far more powerful than what we have to take down a dragon." He looked over at the soldier. "What do you say, Hadvar? Take them to Riverwood with us? I think we can trust some young ladies willing to keep us from killing each other."

"At least until we leave Riverwood, Ralof," he answered. "You all, do you have a destination in mind?"

"Uh, either Solitude or Winterhold."

"Anywhere this apparent dragon isn't," Cynrrberrt said.

"Well, for now, stick with us. We'll be safer together."

"Phew, okay then," the young leader said. The group went to leave the cave, exiting out into the sunlight, which Weiss immediately pulled up her makeshift cloak to hide from. They heard a roar and everyone ducked for cover, Cynrrberrt being the last to react.

"Get down!" Hadvar said as he hid behind a boulder. All of them looked up as the dragon passed them way overhead, heading towards a mountain across a river in the distance. Only after a long moment did anyone dare to stand or speak.

"Looks like he's left."

"By the gods, you weren't joking!"

"Should be safe now, at least. Come on. We should reach Riverwood by dusk."

As the group continued on down the road, they eventually came across three standing stones on a small stone platform.

"Hey, what are those?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"Those are the Three Guardian Stones. There are ten more dotted across Skyrim. According to legend, ancient Nord heroes used them to be granted gifts from the gods. Feel free to touch them, if you wish," Ralof answered, beckoning towards the stones, only to see the refusal of the four shaking their heads. Shrugging, the four continued further down the road, passing by the stones, not noticing the stones light up when the four girls passed by.

"So along the river?" Ruby asked. "Is that why it's called Riverwood?"

"That, and the wood, likely," Ralof admitted. "Our village mostly trades out through logging. Lumber is always in demand. Most of it is sent along the river."

Blake stopped and grabbed at the hilt of her sword. The rest of the group paused as well, most of them grabbing for their weapons' hilts.

"What is it, lass?" Hadvar asked.

"Something's running to us. A pack." She turned and the others followed her gaze to see a wolf standing on a higher bank, prowling as it glared at them. She looked behind her and a few of the others turned.

"We're surrounded," Ralof observed. "Watch all the sides. It's probably just territorial behavior."

"Dragon must have stirred them up," Hadvar said as he pulled out his sword. A wolf howled and then Blake was turning, those who followed her gaze seeing a wolf leaping for them.

The wolf was sent back when a bolt of lightning smashed into it, making it yelp in pain. The wolf rolled to a stop and tried to stand as sparks of electricity rolled off of it into the ground. The girls looked in amazement at Cynrrbert, whose hands were each coated in tiny arcs of lightning. With a furious look, he began throwing his hands forward, lightning leaping from them and either hitting a wolf or striking near one, thunder cracking with each bolt he made. Three wolves tried to flank them, heading straight for the mage. Yang prepared herself, but Cynrrbert stepped around her and held his hands forward and splayed, electrical arcs leaving his fingers and reaching out towards the wolves, who were filled with the sparks of energy and locked up, twitching. He stopped, and the wolves began retreating, limping away. More wolves yelped and the whole pack ran away. The only sign of the pack ever having been there were their paw prints, and the one wolf that didn't get up after being struck. The corpse was steaming slightly, some of its fur singed.

"That was…" Blake began.

"That was awesome!" Ruby shouted excitedly. "They were like, 'Rawr!', and you were like, 'HAH!', and then 'zap' 'pew', and then they were running with their tails between their legs!"

"Eh, good work, I suppose," Hadvar said. "Saved the rest of us the trouble."

"Well done, mage," Ralof said.

The girls felt confused by the Nord's lack of reaction. Was magic just a normal, everyday occurrence then?

"Uh, Cynrrbert," Weiss began. "If you don't mind, perhaps you could show me how to…work lightning like that?"

He laughed a little as he searched his satchel. "Nice to see some appreciation. Nords don't really welcome the Clever Craft that often." He pulled out a leather bound notebook. "Here's my old study book on the Lightning Branch of Destruction. I'll try to explain it as we go. Ruby mentioned you using ice? Well, lightning is actually easier, you see."

* * *

"Here we are, Riverwood," Ralof said as they neared the small village's gates. "My sister will be able to help us out. She might be able to spare a little room for us."

"My uncle as well," Hadvar added. "He's the village blacksmith."

"Wait, this is your hometown?" Yang asked. "You _both_ came from here?"

"Town is a bit of a stretch," Hadvar said. "But yes, we both grew up here."

Ruby looked at them both. "But…you were…"

Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. The silver-eyed girl looked at her partner who slowly shook her head. Ruby frowned, but dropped whatever thought she was going to say.

"Hadvar? Ralof?" they heard and looked to see an elf carrying several rabbits, pheasants, and a bow.

"Hello Faendal," Hadvar greeted.

"By the gods, you're both here! And not murdering each other! Is the war over?"

"No," Ralof said sadly. "We just have a…personal truce for the moment."

"Well, if there's not going to be any fighting… Let's get you to Gerdur, Ralof. I'm sure she wants to see you. Hadvar, your uncle's in the forge right now. I know Dorthe missed you."

"I bet," the solder said with a smile. "Come on, all of you. We'll see what we can do to set you all up for the night."

The girls and mage followed the men into the village. Inside, the village was filled with people, mostly Nords, with the occasional Elf and Imperial, a far cry from the burnt ruins of Helgen. This was definitely a logging village, with the mill being the dominant landmark in the town, strategically positioned near on the river. According to the map they had, Riverwood was located directly on the White River, where Whiterun Hold got its name. The people for the most part seemed ignorant of the outside world, happily going about their business.

"Where are the guards?" Yang wondered, concerned for the villagers safety. "If that dragon attacks..."

"Riverwood would be defenseless..." Weiss finished.

"All the more reason to get word to the Jarl," Ralof added with finality. "Come on, let's not dally any longer." Their observations concluded, the group quickly hurried after the soldiers.

"I'm telling you I saw a dragon! It was black as night and flew right over the barrow!" an old crone shouted to her exasperated son, who merely sighed at what appeared to be another of his mother's fits.

"Mother, don't be ridiculous. You probably just saw a crow or raven," the son offered as explanation. Were it had been any other time, he might have been correct, the girls quietly noted.

"Oh boy," Yang whispered. "If this happened back at Remnant…"

"There has to be a way of killing it. Otherwise dragons wouldn't have…disappeared before," Weiss figured. "Maybe a sort of ballast? Magic, maybe?"

"Hadvar?" they heard as they came to an open forge. A large man wearing an apron set down his hammer as he saw the soldier coming.

"Hello Uncle Alvor," He said as the man walked over and wrapped him into a hug with a laugh.

"Hadvar! So good to see you! Shor's Bones, boy, you look like you've been through a burning field! And…Ralof?"

"Alvor," the Stormcloak greeted.

"Ralof?" they heard and turned to see a woman coming their way.

"Gerdur!"

"Ralof! You're all right! We heard Ulfric was captured and…" She saw Hadvar there and looked between the two. "What's going on?"

"Something…big," he muttered. "First, maybe we should make sure we're in a less…open spot."

"Faendal, don't worry about today," Gerdur ordered. "Take the day off, and let the others know."

"Sure thing, ma'am. Good luck all of you, whatever it is."

The moment the elf was gone, the group headed over to the sawmill. It was on an islet, with a stream from the river cutting it off from the rest of town. Some men left the area as they entered when Gerdur told them to take the day as well, and then the group sat in a loose circle on some logs and a large stump.

"So what's this all about?" Gerdur began. "Surely…the war's not over."

"No, at least, as far as we can tell," Ralof answered. "The Empire had us captured, Jarl Ulfric too, and then…a dragon showed up at Helgen."

"A…dragon?" Gerdur muttered disbelievingly.

"Are you certain you didn't see things?" Alvor asked.

"He's telling the truth uncle," Hadvar added. "It got…very close. I'd say I saw the white in its eyes, but it was all red. That thing…slaughtered us. It burned down Helgen without so much as a scratch on its hide. We barely got anyone out alive. These five came out behind us."

"I was in the keep at the time," Cynrrbert said, "so I was skeptical myself. Thought it was mammoths for a while. Then I came out, and it flew right over our heads as we left."

Ruby then spoke up. "We fought it for a while, but it's like it's made out of some sort of carbon nanotube steel alloy. We didn't even scratch it. The most we did was make it flinch. And that was with Weiss hitting it with a ton of ice spikes."

"Carbon nano… What?" Alvor wondered aloud, confused as to just what these 'carbon nanotubes' were, before shaking his head and moving on. "So then, a dragon? If there really is one, then this is bad news indeed. Riverwood isn't made to defend against a large bandit raid, much less a dragon."

"We don't even have guards," Gerdur agreed. "We'll have to send for aid. They may not be able to spare many, but from the sounds of things we don't need to fight it, just have enough time to get the people away to hide." She looked up at the four girls. "You lot wouldn't mind helping us in that case, would you?"

"What do you need?" Yang immediately answered for the team, who, with the exception of Cynrrberrt, all quickly nodded their heads.

"We need someone to speak to Jarl Balgruuf directly. Someone to convince him that Riverwood needs at least a few men to guard us. I think four witnesses to the dragon attack would work for that. Sorry to ask you, but as you can tell, this is quite dire."

"Hadvar likely needs to return to Solitude and rejoin the Legion there," Alvor explained. "And, I'm certain, Ralof will want to go back to Ulfric's lot."

Blake felt a bit of tension between the two families and nervously coughed.

"We can get together transport for you," Gerdur said. "A Khajiiti caravan has been in town for a few days. They're headed straight for Whiterun after us. I'm certain they won't mind another horse and buggy. The day after tomorrow is when they said they'll be going."

"Just keep an eye on your coinpurses as you go," Alvor said with a little chuckle. Blake began to glare at him, but he didn't seem to notice. "No, don't worry too much. We've traded with them many times. Honest enough folk, if strange at times. They can get you there safe, at least. Their warcats can be fearsome things. Keep the sabers off of you at any rate."

"Until then, we need to prepare." Gerdur began to think. "The Embershard Mines southwest of us could be a good place to hide, but I think bandits have taken it over. Same problem with Bleak Falls Barrow."

"Embershard is closer," Alvor pointed out. "Even if we don't stay, having it cleared will give us a good place to wait it out. The barrow though… Might be in danger of the ones up there if we have to abandon the village."

"So, two days to take out some bandits?" Yang smirked with gusto. "No problem."

"You're a confident one, I see," Alvor laughed.

"Meh, I could probably take them on my own."

"Well, if you think you could," Gerdur began, "Embershard is the first priority then."

"Got it!" Yang gave a thumb up.

"Maybe we can do some things around town to help out," Ruby suggested. "Ooh! Can I check out your forge?"

"I suppose there's no harm," Alvor conceded. "So long as you know what you're doing."

"We could check out the caravan?" Weiss asked Blake. The faunus seemed a little nervous, but nodded.

"Well then, I'll let Sigrid know to cook for a few extras tonight."

"We can help with that, Alvor," Gerdur said. "You all needn't worry for the next few days. After what you had to face, and what you're doing for us, the least we could do is let you take it a bit easier."

* * *

Yang tossed the guard, who rolled down the hill with several grunts of pain. Heading inside, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the difference in lighting. There were a few torches, but not so many as to completely mitigate the darkness. She heard something snap at her feet and looked down to see a broken thin rope. Something shifted above her and she looked up in time to see several rocks crash down on her. She yelped, but each one bounced off her Aura and landed at her feet and around her. She huffed a little and groaned as she dusted herself off and picked small rocks out of her hair.

"Traps, right," she mumbled before continuing on.

"Aren't you worried someone's going to walk in here?" she heard ahead. "The entrance isn't exactly hidden you know."

"This again? I told you, we have someone standing guard out there. And don't forget the rock trap we rigged up."

"Yeah, that tickled," Yang said as she walked in between them, wrapping her arms across their shoulders. The two bandits turned to her jumped back in alarm, pulling out their weapons. "And by the way, I sent your guy flying," Yang quipped, cracking her knuckles

"You…"

"Get her!"

The two charged at her, only for one to get smacked aside easily. Yang blocked a slash headed for her neck and then socked the bandit in the jaw. She grabbed his shoulder and turned him, taking the iron sword from him and breaking it over her knee. The man looked at her in fear before taking off screaming, the other one running up and joining him, soaking wet.

"Heh, losers," she laughed while tossing the broken sword away. A raised bridge separated where she was from the rest of the mines, so she pulled the obvious lever that obviously lowered the bridge. The moment she did, more bandits came running, shouting about how the bridge wasn't supposed to be down. The first had a warhammer and swung it as soon he saw her. She easily moved in past his effective range and shoulder checked him, sending him into a woman with darker skin. One man slashed with an axe only to get backhanded off the bridge. Two people shot arrows at her, and she fired at them both.

"What's going on here?" a man yelled from inside a suit of armor. The steel plate covered him from head to toe, and he had a shield and mace in his hands. He saw Yang and growled. "You're going to regret this," he seethed.

"Nah, you guys are the ones gonna feel some regret."

The man came in with a heavy swing, faster than one would think his armor would allow. Yang deflected the first strike and ducked under the second before punching only to hit his shield.

"Get her boss!" a bandit shouted.

"Show that harlot what for!"

"Hey!" Yang shouted as she fired towards the one who had said that. The shot missed but did send rocks and dirt from the wall.

The 'boss', taking advantage of Yang's distracted state, quickly brought his mace down on her head, then smacked it across Yang's face before ramming it up into her gut. The wind briefly knocked out of her, Yang was sent rolling back across the bridge before coming up to her feet, annoyed. Before she could fire back, the 'boss' smiled and held out his mace with several strands of golden hair stuck on a single edge, waving it in front of his face.

"Had enough?" he asked cockily.

Yang looked up as her eyes went to red. She screamed and uppercut, knocking his mace aside, before bringing down a torrent of blows to him, denting his armor all around. He screamed, and Yang shouted as she reared back for a big strike, punching his helmeted face. Time seemed to slow as Yang heard a cracking sound coming from the helm. There then seemed to be a tearing noise, and red started gushing up as his head simply _left_ his body. Yang's eyes went wide with fear and realization as the man's head took off and hit the far side of the mine and blood erupted from the neck stump.

The bandits started running and screaming. Yang looked over and noticed the two she had shot lying in pools of blood, holes in their torsos. She looked back at her hand and saw the sticky, red liquid covering it. She covered her mouth with her other hand, holding back the vomit that threatened to erupt out of her, and jumped off the bridge into the water below, desperately trying to clean the blood away.

* * *

Weiss and Blake watched as Camilla tore into both Faendal and Sven for their plans. The two men had the decency to look ashamed, but still glared at each other with resentment.

"Okay, that was fun," Weiss admitted.

"Yeah. Told you."

"Let's check out that caravan now."

"Do we…"

"Yes. The medicine the alchemist gave me helped, but I'm still feeling…thirsty. I've had to stop for a break five times today already. If I keep this up, I could drink myself to death. Besides, the Khajiit could have something as well. They're supposed to have come from a place that's half jungle half desert, after all, so they might have different concoctions that could help."

Blake went along with her, her ears twitching when she saw the Khajiit in their camp. A few of them were _senche_ and honestly looked like some form of big cat, if there was a big cat with shoulders as tall as a man and slightly shorter back legs. They still wore clothes and necklaces though. One looked at them and nodded.

"Greetings," it said through its necklace that glowed with the words. "Khajiit welcomes you. Gerdur has asked that four men girls accompany us to Whiterun. These are you?"

"We are," Weiss demured. "Us, and our other two teammates. I was wondering though. Do you think you have some sort of medicine or…potion that can help me? I believe I've come down with something."

"You are in lucky paws. Do'dran's wife is a skilled alchemist. Ko'ari can help you. Follow this one."

The two followed the quadrupedal Khajiit further into the camp. There were a few children, but the smaller ones mostly looked like regular big cat cubs, even though several of the older ones walked upright. One of them seemed to be shedding hair excessively.

"You wonder about moon forms?" Do'dran asked them.

"It's…curious," Weiss admitted. "I don't quite understand how your…forms range so much."

"It depends on the cycles of the moons. The ja-Kha'jay is tied to every Khajiit Within a few weeks, one can see the form that we have taking hold. The three smallest cubs you see are newborns. The one losing her fur is _ohmes_. She is nearing a year old."

"Well, you grow fast."

The Khajiit laughed at this and they three stopped by a woman grinding something with a mortar and pestle. Her ears flickered about a moment, and then she looked up at them. She was mostly furless, looking almost like a cat faunus to the two save that she had no human ears along with her cat pair. Her face had markings that looked almost like tattoos, but Blake realized they resembled the fur markings many of the others had.

The two Khajiit pressed their faces together a moment before she focused on the newcomers. "Welcome, young ones. You come to Ko'ari for healing, potions, or something else?"

"Uh, healing, I suppose," Weiss began. "I'm a little sick, you see."

The Khajiiti woman began looking at Weiss's face very closely then sniffed her. "How do you feel?"

"Um, thirsty, mostly. I keep wanting to drink no matter how full I am."

"And hunger?"

"Hunger? Well, I have been craving a rare steak lately, which is odd since I normally prefer medium."

"Hm, likely blood rot."

Weiss blanched at the sound of that. "Blood rot?"

"Yes. Odd disease, it is. Effects the humours. Still, perhaps a bit of… No, not for a man girl like you. Let's see. A…dash of moon sugar? Yes that should do it. A moment, friend."

Ko'ari went over to a table and began rummaging through things, fitting some into another mortar and crushing them together. She set a pot of water to boil over a fire and started putting some of the ingredients in, as well as a handful of some sugar-like substance. She ladled some of the boiling mixture into a beaker, and then poured it through an alembic, where it dripped into a vial after mixing with some sort of solution and being boiled over a burner. Once the vial was filled, she turned off the valve and handed it to Weiss.

"That should make you feel much better." Weiss winced and drank the concoction. It was sweet and had a slimy feeling to it. She wanted to scrape her tongue to get the taste out, but it sat warm in her belly and the sliminess of it seemed to coat her throat, making her feel less thirsty than before.

She smacked her lips as she handed back the empty vial. Ko'ari laughed.

"You should feel better soon. You will need more doses in the coming days. Ko'ari will finish bottling the rest. She supposes it should cost… Hm, the lizard tail is hard to get in Skyim… Moon sugar should be… Ack, five malks for the whole thing."

"Ko'ari is a healer, not a merchant. Your sister would hate to see you practically give away product."

"It is my ingredients. Ko'ari will sell them how she sees fit."

"Five malks?" Blake asked in disbelief. They never had more than twenty septims at once.

"If it helps there should be plenty of coin in that barrow. We would go there, but it is cold enough for Khajiit on the level ground."

"There are also bandits," Do'dran added. "This one prefers to avoid the bandits."

"I… Maybe we should go there," Weiss suggested with a finger held up, acting much more animated that usual. "Alvor and Gerdur talked about clearing it out just in case!"

"Are…you okay, Weiss?" Blake asked, eyebrow raised at her friend's odd behavior.

"I'm fine! Great, actually! I'll go tell Ruby! We can go up there later today or tomorrow!" Blake looked at her eyes and noticed how dilated they seemed. "I bet we can become a feared name in no time like this!" She sped off back to Riverwood.

"Oh, there may be side effects," Ko'ari just now warned. "This one wasn't too sure how much moon sugar she should add. Now I suppose your friend may be having a… What do we call it?"

"Either sugar rush or sugar fit. Do'dran is not too sure."

"Just what is moon sugar anyways?" Blake groaned at this chain of events. "Is it why my friend is suddenly high?"

"Ooh, how do we explain?" Ko'ari groaned as she tapped her chin.

* * *

Ruby wiped her forehead and looked at the sword blade she had just dipped. It was all hammered out, now it just needed a hilt and some sharpening. The hilt was already ready, she just had to wedge it in. Once that was done, she took it over to the grindstone and started pedaling while running the edge against the stone, slowly and methodically. Dorthe had joined her father in watching the girl work the forge and had to be pulled back by the man when she tried to get closer to see the sword being sharpened.

With the edge nice and sharp as a razor, Ruby looked over her handiwork. It was just a simple steel sword, but she bet it could cleave right through a monster in the right hands. Maybe not that dragon, but it could likely bring down one of those trolls she heard about. She gave it a test swing and smiled brightly as it sang through the air.

"By the Eight," Alvor murmured as he eyed the sword. "Can I see that for a moment?"

"Sure. Here ya go." Ruby handed over the newborn sword and Alvor began to look it over from every angle.

"You weren't joking when you said you knew your way around a forge," he gasped in amazement. "I don't think I've seen a blade this good since I last saw one of Eorlund Greymane's works."

"Ah, geez, don't," Ruby gushed as her cheeks went red from embarrassment.

"It's amazing!" Dorthe babbled as she looked at the sword in her father's hands. "I hope I can one day be half as good as you!"

"Aww, thanks! You'll be great. I can tell," Ruby told the younger girl.

Suddenly Weiss came bouncing into the forge, startling the three smiths as they stared at her. "Ruby! We should all go up to Bleak Falls Barrow!" she announced.

"Uh, if you think so Weiss. You seem happy. Reeeaaaaally happy, actually."

"Oh, I feel great! I got some medicine from the caravan, and I think I'm finally cured! I'm going to let Yang know!"

"Weiss, Yang's at the mine!" Ruby called after her partner as she sped away. She blinked and looked at Alvor. "That was weird. The last time I saw Weiss that happy, the Vytal Festival was being planned."

"I think the Khajiits likely know what made her like that. Ah, your other friend."

Blake ran up, gasping a little. "Ruby, did Weiss come here?"

"Yeah, she said she's going to tell Yang that we're going to Bleak Falls. What's up with her?"

"She took some medicine, but then the maker explained to me that she might have used too much moon sugar. She's high as a kite right now!"

"Oh, so like reverse Nightwill™. Okay, well, Yang should have finished up the mine by the time she reaches her."

"She could get hurt on her own!"

"Okay, we'll go after her. Thanks again Alvor."

"Anytime, Ruby. If you can make things like this, then my forge is open to you any time you'd like."

* * *

Yang gripped her shoulders as she left the mine from the back entrance and reached the road. Embershard Mine itself was now empty, save for the three...bodies. The other bandits had quickly fled after the death of their boss, some even going out of their way to warn their fellows who had been asleep or otherwise preoccupied. She didn't know where they had all scattered to, but it didn't matter anymore. She was just going to head back to the village, explain everything to Gerdur, and hoped the woman would be lenient. There might not even _be_ legal ramifications for all she knew. Back on Remnant, there were plenty of less than upstanding Huntsmen who would sooner eradicate a raider group than let them cause harm to nearby settlements, and they never received much more than a slap on the wrist.

This wasn't Remnant though.

Something suddenly zipped up in front of her and she jumped back, startled.

"Yang! There you are!" Weiss exclaimed way too cheerfully.

"Weiss? What are you…" Yang then saw her teammate's eyes and noticed how dilated they were. Holding her teammates face, Yang quickly figured out what had occurred while she was in the mine. "Weiss, have you taken anything…strange?"

"Just some medicine from the caravan. It's working _wonders_!"

"Weiss, I'm gonna say this slowly. You. Are. High."

"What do you mean I'm-" Her attention suddenly snapped forward. "Oh, I get it."

"Yeah, we should get you somewhere to lie down for a while."

"Ooh, you should meet the Khajiits," Weiss gushed as she started leading her back to Riverwood. Just because she was aware of her impaired state didn't mean she was coming down anytime soon, Yang figured as she silently followed. "They're actually very nice, and their babies are these cute little kittens."

"Sounds nice. I'll go there with Blake later." If Weiss had taken notice of Yang's subdued personality, she didn't show it and continued prattling on about the kittens for a few minutes.

"Ooh, Blake was there when I got the medicine. She already met Do'dran and Ko'ari. I think they're a cute couple."

"I bet they are." As Yang absentmindedly replied, she started hearing people up ahead. The voices came clearer as they neared them, until she could make out Ruby and Blake's voices.

"Weiss?" she heard. From what she could tell, it was Ruby. "Weiss?"

"Over here," Yang called out. As her partner and sister reached them, Blake quickly pulled Weiss aside and began scolding her, insisting that they wouldn't be going to Bleak Falls Barrow while Weiss was in such a state. Ruby, meanwhile, slowly shifted her attention towards her sister, noticing that something was wrong. Before she could speak up, Yang's demeanor shifted back towards being joyful and happy, causing Ruby to shift her attention back towards her partner, shooting her sister a worried glance. Something went wrong in the mine, but Ruby figured now was not the time to ask.

* * *

Night descended quickly once team RWBY reentered Riverwood. Luckily, Alvor and his wife Sigrid were kind enough to lend the huntresses their home for the night. The events of the last few days racing through her mind, Ruby herself sat in silent contemplation at the end of her borrowed bed in Alvor's basement. Weiss, meanwhile, merely mumbled to herself while lying on a bed. Sigrid was preparing dinner upstairs, venison stew if the smell was anything to go by, and the other three girls were seated nearby as they watched over their friend, who was finally coming down. Ruby looked over at Yang as her sister seemed to be upset over something. She didn't think it was Weiss, as everyone had told them she would bounce back fine, if a little groggy and in a bad mood for a while, not to mention a little hung over. Ruby thought about staying silent on the matter, but didn't want Yang to feel alone with whatever she was thinking.

"Yang?" she began.

"Hm?" Yeah, her sister was out of it. Way too...quiet for her.

"What's wrong? You've been kinda...down."

Yang put on a smile, but Ruby could see right through it. "It's nothing! Don't worry! I've just got a lot on my mind, really. I mean, a lot has happened in a... It's been about a week, now?"

Ruby reached over and placed a hand on her sister's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Yang, if there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here, okay?"

She saw Yang's eyes go blue for a moment. The blonde blinked, and then Blake reached over and patted her shoulder.

"We're all here," the faunus added. Yang smiled at her partner and nodded. A moment later, a sound like a saw rose up and the three turned to see Weiss lying on her side and snoring. The girls chuckled a little, and Yang pulled up the blanket over the sleeping heiress.

"Supper's nearly ready if you want to come up," Sigrid said quietly from the top of the stairs. "How's your friend?"

"Sleeping like a baby," Ruby responded, putting aside the matter with Yang as she climbed up to the main floor. "Anything we can help with?"

"If you can just grab some bowls and plates and set the table, we can get started soon. Alvor and Dorthe are washing up right now."

"Can do, ma'am."

* * *

The next day found the group trudging up the mountainside. Weiss had slept soundly, but now felt even worse than before. It was apparent that her disease wasn't fully cured, as her features still looked sunken and her skin was as pale as snow. In fact, the group would say that Weiss looked even worse. Groaning from thirst and withdrawal, Weiss looked over to Blake.

"Didn't you say Ko'ari diluted the moon sugar portion of the medicine?" she begged, hoping to get a small fix. Getting a little high was much more preferable to feeling like this.

"Yes Weiss. No, you can't have any. Not until right before we go to sleep. We still don't know how you're going to react to it."

The heiress huffed in annoyance.

"At least we've got some kinda treatment," Ruby pointed out.

"Yes, a treatment. Not a cure," Weiss chewed.

"Could be worse," Yang pointed out. "At least you got something now. By the way, how come you're not shivering to death out here?"

The other three had long since started wearing warmer clothes every day, and going up the mountain saw them receiving thick coats that they now bundled themselves in. Weiss, on the other hand, had yet to put her coat on.

"Do you have any idea how cold it is in Atlas? Please, this is chilly at best to me."

"I guess it's hard to get colder than Weiss."

"Hey!"

"I think I see a tower up ahead," Blake interjected, halting the ensuing argument in its tracks. "Might be sentries. Be ready guys."

Team RWBY slowly approached the structure, a large, ruined tower made of stone. If they had to guess, it must have been some kind of watchtower. When nothing happened, they eased up in their tension, and then entered the building. The first floor was small, with only a end table set before a window and a set of stairs. There was a Redguard woman lying at the end of the stairs, unmoving and with her clothes in tatters. Blake went over to her and checked her pulse, only to flinch back.

"Her neck's broken. And I think I see some bruising on her wrists," Blake announced, apprehension filling her voice as the picture of what had occurred started to form.

Yang, quickly reaching a conclusion, looked up the stairwell. Her eyes narrowed, she walked upward, disappearing from view. A few seconds later, Yang's voice was heard, a noticeable edge to it. "Don't come up here yet guys," she warned. "Just give me a sec... Okay. It's fine now."

The others followed Yang's voice and climbed the stairwell, only to find a man lying in a pool of blood, an iron dagger stuck into his neck. Yang had taken a cloth from somewhere and placed it over his naked waist, his pants lying in a crumpled heap a few feet away. Yang herself stood above the body, shaking in absolute rage at the scene.

"This guy…" Yang began, her eyes going red for a moment.

"How despicable," Weiss seethed.

"We should check the rest of the tower and then-" A shout interrupted Blake as something struck out towards her, only for one of her clones to take the hit as she reappeared a few feet away and turned around. Apparently, this tower was not as empty as they had thought, as they looked upon a Nord clad in hide armor and wielding a simple iron dagger. As the Huntresses drew their weapons, the man who had tried to stab Blake in the back -whom they figured was hiding further up the tower- looked in fear as he realized his mistake.

"D-damn magic!" he screamed before slashing wildly. The other girls prepped themselves, but Blake easily blocked his strikes before her foot came up and around, hitting his neck and slinging him across the room and into the wall. He crumpled with a groan, and didn't come back up.

"Check the tower and then move on," she finished.

The three turned out to be the only ones there, and after looting the tower of coins and valuables, the girls were on the move again. The barrow could be seen as they came closer, and the structure was truly marvelous to behold. Great stone arches, decorated with dragon heads, marked the entrance to the crypt. Ruby felt herself channeling her inner Oobleck and marveled at the ancient ruins as they walked through them, thinking about the scale of such a construction and what it indicated about the land's past, only to have those thoughts abruptly halted as an arrow flew by her head, missing by inches, and embedding itself into a nearby pillar.

"Scatter!" she yelled as she pulled Crescent Rose out and transformed it into gun mode. Several more arrows came out, but none of them hit any of the girls as they all either took cover or went to close the distance. Ruby aimed for one archer, and Yang noticed.

"Ruby, wait!" she called out in warning, only to watch in horror as Ruby didn't hear her, and pulled the trigger.

As the shot rang out, the bandit went down. Chambering a new round, Ruby shifted Crescent Rose into melee form and then fired behind her as she twirled forward in a swarm of rose petals. She blind-sided one bandit with a kick to the face, then swung around and knocked another back with the scythe's blunt edge. Weiss had tossed two bandits about with repulsion glyphs, and Blake had knocked down a few others. Yang, surprisingly, was actually the least into the battle, having only beaten one bandit, and even then it was as though she was holding back severely.

"Sheesh, sis, usually you're in the thickest of it," Ruby pointed out.

"Uh, yeah," the blonde said nervously. "Let's, uh, move forward, right?"

"We should probably make sure they're all in a warm place before-"

"Ruby, just go. They lived this long out here, they'll be fine."

"Yang what's-" A short shriek came up and the two turned to see Weiss staring at something next to a pillar. Ruby rushed over to her partner with worry.

"What's the ma-" She stopped as she saw a bandit lying in a growing pool of blood. Her eyes were wide as she desperately gripped the hole in her abdomen, twitching with every shaky breath, each one shallower than the last. As Ruby saw the fallen bow, she realized, to her horror, that it was the bandit she shot. Weiss herself was shaking a little, staring at the ever growing pool of blood, and the younger girl felt herself stilling, with vomit threatening to erupt.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted as she came over to them. She grabbed both the girls and dragged them away from the grisly scene. Blake , meanwhile, continued forward, saw the dying Nord, and then went over to her, attempting to help as best she could and out of their sight.

"I- I-" Ruby couldn't even formulate her thoughts correctly, much less speak. Tears began to pool around her silver eyes, threatening to spill.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I should've said something! I… I don't think anyone has an active Aura here," Yang revealed to the others' shock

Blake returned. The girls looked at her and she shook her head. Ruby whimpered, but was hugged close to Yang, dragging them both down to their knees as the others looked on, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay. You didn't know," Yang tried to soothe the younger girl, her shirt growing damp from her sister's tears, her own beginning to cascade from her eyes.

* * *

Once Ruby was calmed enough, the girls had managed to drag the living bandits inside and quietly tied them up. Two more had been within the entrance, but were knocked down carefully by Blake. Now there were eight people, mostly humans and one Bosmer, tied with lengths of rope and leather strips. Blake was questioning them while Weiss stood near the entrance, reading over Cynrrbert's notes. Yang and Ruby, on the other hand, were sitting at the side, Ruby holding her knees up to her face. Yang looked down from the chair she sat on, frowning at the sight of her baby sister looking so broken inside.

"Hey, Rubes," Yang began, getting no response. "Remember last night, when you were asking me if I was okay?"

The younger girl shifted slightly. "Yeah," she squeaked out.

"Well, the truth is… While I was in Embershard, I ran into the bandits' boss. He had some… Well, he had on good armor. He was actually a pretty good fighter too. Definitely the toughest guy I fought so far." She went quiet for a moment as she recalled the bloody sight. "I got…angry. I punched him so hard I… I killed him."

Ruby looked up at her big sister, her mouth agape by a little bit.

"There were two others, too. Archers. I shot them, thinking it'd just knock them back or down. After I… Then I checked… The point is, I killed them. I can't take it back, and I regret it, but… I told Gerdur about it. She was surprised that I only killed three." A sad smile crawled onto her face as she faintly chuckled. "Can you believe it? Most 'sellswords' and 'adventurers' would have taken out half of them at least before they ran. I killed three people, and she thought it was… She acted like it was nothing."

"Yang…"

"Ruby, I don't know what to tell you about how to deal with it. I'm still dealing with mine. But… Skyrim, Tamriel… This whole place is so different. There's actual magic. Not a Grimm in sight. A dragon flying around… People don't have active Auras. We've made some mistakes, but we can do better, all right?" Yang placed a hand on Ruby's head and ruffled her hair for a moment. "So, let's pick up and do better."

Ruby sniffed, and then hopped up, wrapping Yang in a hug. The elder sister hugged her right back, and the two stayed that way for a minute. When they separated, they headed over to Blake, who was looking over the bandits while holding her elbow in one hand and her chin in the other.

"Well, Lucan's Golden Claw is apparently deeper in the crypt with Arvel," she said.

"The what?" Yang asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Sorry. Weiss and I went by the general store and offered to get it back to him after hearing him and his sister…argue." She looked back at the bandits, who mostly just sneered at them. "Then we…pulled off a little something to help Camilla out." She smirked at the memory, before quickly replacing it with her more familiar stoic appearance as she looked at the two sisters.

"Guys, listen I… I know what you two are going through right now. I've…been in your shoes, once. If you ever want to talk about it…" Blake trailed off as the two sisters glanced at each other before looking back at her.

"Thank you, Blake. Really. We'll…consider it, but I think we'll be fine," Yang answered, wrapping her arm around Ruby's shoulder. Nodding at their answer, Blake turned back to continue rummaging through the bandits' stash. Better her and her team than them, in more ways than one.

It was at that moment that the girls heard something like the clicking of cut wires and turned to see Weiss holding her hand out and electrical sparks lancing between her fingers.

"I'm getting it! I'm getting it! I can do it!"

Ruby began chuckling, despite being amazed by Weiss performing magic without using Dust. Yang and Blake began laughing lightly as well.

"What?! What's so funny?! I'm creating lightning from nothing!"

"Your hair," Ruby squeezed out through her chuckles.

Weiss reached up and felt her hair. Any strand less than six inches long were standing on end, giving her head the appearance of a dandelion. Some of the bandits had begun laughing as well. She growled to herself and then pointed her hand forward. The sparks fired out and struck the ground about halfway between her and her team. The laughing stopped as the girls gave different levels of 'eeps', and Weiss smirked. A quick check told her that her hair had fallen back down with the discharge.

"Well, now that we've established I can electrocute people from a distance, shall we move on? We have a thief to catch after all."

* * *

Further inside the barrow, worrying signs were beginning to show themselves. Mostly in the form of giant cobwebs, though there was also the threat of booby traps, which they were warned by with the bloated corpse of another bandit (who didn't have the Claw on him, nor matched the description of Arvel) with several darts struck across his body, likely poisoned. The trap he fell for was rather simple as well, being a lock combination that the solution to was literally right in front of them. The cobwebs, however, had taken their attention the moment they saw them.

"Guys, I really don't want to see any more spiders," Ruby whimpered. "The first time was enough."

"I still don't understand how they get that huge," Weiss complained. "It shouldn't be possible. Unless they evolved lungs here…"

Weiss' ruminations were halted as a dog sized spider suddenly crawled out from an alcove. Ruby promptly screamed and shot it, blowing it into hundreds of green and brown pieces.

"Ruby, save your ammo," Blake admonished.

"Huh, wha?" She seemed confused. Wasn't killing them from afar better?

"Guns aren't really a thing here, and we still haven't found anyone who sells Dust. Even if we get a supply, we might have to make our own bullets."

"Oh, geez, I didn't realize!"

"It's okay. Let's just be conservative about them. Shoot only when you have to."

"Makes sense," Yang agreed before heading in front of them. More spiders appeared as they went in further, and the girls thrashed them with only the hesitation brought on by the instinctual fear of arachnids holding them back from a full-on slaughter. As they continued on while trying to settle their nerves, they began to hear something.

"Is… Is someone coming?" a small, scared voice called from a little ways forward. "Is that you Harknir? Bjorn? Soling?"

"Think that's Arvel?" Yang asked, referring to the one the bandits at the entrance had mentioned.

"Guess so," Blake answered.

"I know I ran ahead with the Claw, but I need your help!"

"Sounds like he's in trouble," Ruby said as she shifted into hero-mode. "Let's gooooooo… There's web in the way."

Blake responded by merely slicing her sword through the webbing a few times, clearing a path forward into the chamber.

"Thanks," Ruby meekly stated as she ducked into the room.

"What? Who are you?" a Dunmer trapped in a thick web at the other side cried. "Oh, never mind. Cut me down before that thing gets us!"

"What 'thing'?" Weiss coldly asked. Suddenly, a spider-shaped shadow filled the room, and Ruby froze in place before daring to look up and see a spider the size of a small car. A few wounds covered it, but obviously weren't enough to subdue the creature. If Ruby had to guess, this spider was the mother to the ones they just killed in the previous rooms.

"No! Not again!" Arvel cried out in terror, wriggling in a futile attempt to break free of his bonds.

"Guys, spread out!" Ruby ordered as the spider came down. It let out a chittering hiss and turned towards the leader before Yang came in and punched its side. It moved sideways and turned a bit, but besides a small dent in its exoskeleton, there didn't seem to be much damage.

"Blake, distract it!"

"Right!" The faunus jumped forward and sliced at an already injured leg, earning a hiss and splat of green ichor on the floor. It turned toward her and snapped, but only caught air as the clone left in her place disappeared. It seemed stunned, and that gave Ruby an opportunity to make a downward slice at its middle. The creature shrieked and turned, but Ruby was already out of its reach. It thrashed around a bit and then clambered towards Weiss, who screamed in fright and fired out a shower of sparks from her palm. The spider shrieked again but kept going until it rammed Weiss and pinned her to the wall. The heiress screamed again and stabbed forward with Myrtenaster, hitting the joint between its neck and body. It backed away with a frantic chitter, and then Ruby came in yelling with an upward swing of her scythe. Green fluid spattered out and then the head of the frostbite spider fell off. Taking a moment to gather their bearings after the death of the arachnid, they approached the Dunmer thief, still suspended in spider silk.

"Well done, really!" he congratulated the four in excitement. "Now, if you could let me down, we could…work together, maybe."

"Work together?" Weiss skeptically asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why would we work with a scoundrel like you?"

"Also, you guys stole something that doesn't belong to you," Ruby added. "We'd like it back."

"You mean the Claw? Listen, there's more to that thing than you realize! The Claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together!"

"Fit together?" Blake mused.

"What…do you mean by that, exactly?" Ruby asked.

"See, the Claw…is a key! There's a room at the end of the Barrow, the oldest part of the whole thing. There's no telling what secrets are there, what riches await! And you can't get in without the Claw or the secret I discovered!"

"Okay, so… You want us to go with you?"

"You do realize we beat up a whole lot of your buddies, right?" Yang pointed out.

"Sure, but I'm not like the rest of those blood-thirsty Men, no offense to…present company. I'm just here to get some gold and go. Who knows, if this whole thing pays off, I could leave behind the whole brigand life and start up anew! And there'll be plenty for us all! Just think of it!"

The girls all looked to each other and Ruby shrugged.

"Well, no harm in it, I guess," Blake answered. "It's not like he could hurt us, after all."

"Okay then. Cut him down, Weiss."

"Fine," the heiress grumbled. Her throat was beginning to feel dry again. As she cut the spider web from around the Dunmer, she thought about taking a sip from her canteen. Her belly wasn't full, so she could probably get away with a large gulp or two.

His bonds finally cut, Arvel came loose and dropped to the ground with an 'oomph'. As he stood and dusted himself, he smiled slightly.

"Sweet breath of Arkay, thank you." Arvel smiled, still on his knees, only to quickly grab hold of a few stands of webbing and threw it in Weiss' face. As she was distracted and sputtering, Arvel took the chance to flee further into the crypt, speeding off with a laugh. The girls, shocked by his sudden, but in hindsight inevitable, betrayal, looked after him, only to see him knock down a brazier behind him and set the age old contents on fire.

"Uh, Arvel!" Ruby called after him.

"Fools! Why should I share the treasure with anyone?!"

Weiss silently fumed while the other girls just looked among themselves, confused.

"He knows the entrance is behind us, right?" Ruby pondered, her hand on her chin.

"Maybe he thinks there's a back way?" Blake guessed, unsure as towards the Dark Elf's intentions.

"Could be, but if there was, why wouldn't he just use that to get in instead?" Yang rubbed her chin before looking to the side. "What do you think, Wei- Where'd Weiss go?"

The other two followed her gaze and saw that their teammate was gone, but they could hear her heels clacking.

"Agh, Weiss! Now we have to chase both of them!" Ruby complained.

"Let's go get her," Blake huffed.

* * *

"Get back here, you degenerate!"

"Stendarr's beard! How?" the bandit cried out when he saw Weiss gaining ground on him despite wearing heels. The heiress, to his shock, soon caught up and violently grasped his arm, yanking him around in a spin that tripped him backwards, before jumping on top of him and holding his arms down, pinning him to the ground.

"Did you think you could just run?!" Weiss yelled in his face, days of irritation and illness, stacked on top of all the aches her body held, having pushed the worst of her to the forefront. "Did you think we'd let you run away?!"

"Please! I'm sorry!" Arvel begged, attempting to reach his knife, only for Weiss to grab the knife instead and thrust it down into his hand like a nail. "GAAGH! YOU CRAZY BITCH!"

"I am tired, sick, thirsty…!" Her pupils contracted as she suddenly took sight of the small pool of blood forming around Arvel's stabbed hand. "So…thirsty…" The icy blue of her eyes suddenly shifted into golden yellow, her mouth opening up to reveal two elongated fangs to the Dunmer, who froze in horror before struggling even harder.

"No! NO! Someone! Help!"

Weiss's face came forward and she bit down on the struggling elf's neck. Liquid flowed into her mouth and down her throat, quenching the thirst she had felt for days. Her mind went into a flutter as Arvel screamed in absolute agony and kept trying to get loose. A futile struggle, as his thrashing form only continued to lose strength with each passing second. When no more liquid was forthcoming, Weiss raised her head up again, feeling revitalized and back at full strength, like she wasn't even sick. In fact, Weiss felt better than ever. A smile formed on her ecstatic face as she basked in the moment. Her attention was caught by a gasp and she looked over to see her teammates, all of them looking at her in horror, disgust and revulsion.

She reached up to her mouth and pulled her hand away to see red, sticky liquid over it. Shakily, she looked down and saw Arvel's body, somewhat shriveled, not even bleeding from the holes in his neck. She gasped for air, her breath leaving her as the situation sunk in.

 _"He bit me!"_

 _"He looks…wrong. He's all gaunt in the face, and his eyes…"_

 _Her thirst was making her think about maybe drinking it so that-_ she could quench it with mortal blood!

"...Weiss?" Ruby whispered in fearful concern, clutching Crescent Rose like a lifeline.

"What… What have you...done?" Yang asked softly, her eyes wide at the gruesome scene.

"Oh, no..." Blake whispered to herself as she looked on with dread. "Weiss...you've tasted..."

Weiss gripped her hair and screamed.


	3. Raiders of the Crypt

I see that this one has become enjoyed by you fine folks. That makes me glad. And Trest too, I believe. He made sure to remind me to add this one to FF as well. So then, here I give you chapter three!

* * *

The white-haired girl kicked back and pushed herself away from the corpse until her back hit the wall. Her stomach churned, but nothing threatened to come out.

"Weiss," Ruby called out in worry as she approached, Crescent Rose on her back again.

"No! Don't!" The heiress shouted. "I… I'm a-"

As Weiss cried and pushed herself further into the corner of the room, Blake frantically reached into her pack and pulled out a small book she had purchased, "Diseases and Treatments". She flipped over to the page on Blood Rot and looked through the symptoms. All of them matched what Weiss had been feeling, but there was something else that she was missing here. She flipped through page after page. Brain Rot, Cannibal's Prion -she winced at that one- Cholera, Consumption, Corprus. She kept flipping through, glancing at the symptoms and trying to figure out what could have done this to her friend. She stopped somewhere in the S's when she saw something that matched her symptoms up until today almost exactly.

' **Sanguinare Vampiris'**  
 _A vampire disease, most commonly contracted in Skyrim. While rarer than_ _ **Poryphoric Hemophilia**_ _,_ _ **Sanguinare**_ _is noted for being harder to detect due to its similarities to other diseases. It can be transferred via the bite of a vampire, and, should it have three days to incubate, the infected will die and reawaken as a vampire. See_ _ **Vampirism**_

Paling, Blake flipped over slowly to the correct page.

 **'Vampirism'**  
 _Those afflicted with vampirism are, essentially, cursed undead. They are harmed by sunlight and are susceptible to fire, in some cases they are repelled by holy elements. There are many strains of vampirism, but all of them are descended from Molag Bal and curse the soul as well as the body. All vampires have an innate thirst for blood that only strengthens as time goes on. Feeding will revitalize them and sate them for a few days, while starving gives them a more monstrous appearance. If there are any reliable cures, then they are not known at this time._

Blake gulped. How was she supposed to explain this to the others?

"Blake?" Yang called as she waved a hand before her partners eyes. Ruby was trying to talk Weiss down, but the heiress was still screaming at them to get away, grasping her hair tightly with at least one hand. Her legs were still kicking, as if trying to push her through the wall.

"I... I think I know what happened to Weiss," she explained quietly. "It's not Blood Rot." She handed over the book to Yang, who quickly scanned through the paragraph, and then looked up with eyes as wide as saucers.

"No..."

"Weiss," Ruby tried again.

"I don't..." she choked out through her tears. "I don't want to hurt you! Please..."

"Weiss, you're not going to hurt us!" Blake yelled, catching her attention. Her screams stopped for a moment and were replacing by frantic breaths. "I just... You have vampirism. It's...hard to explain, but it's another disease. You... You just drank. You aren't going to feel thirsty again for a while."

Her eyes looked over at the book in Yang's hand. Blake saw how they shifted from golden yellow to icy blue for a moment, then back into gold.

"Hand me," she started before clearing her throat. "Hand me the book."

Yang started walking forward, but Weiss flinched, stopping her.

"T- Toss it!"

Yang tossed the tome to her underhanded, and the heiress caught it before rapidly flipping through pages. When she stopped near the end, Blake unconsciously held her breath as her eyes scanned the contents thoroughly. A grimace returned to her face as tears pooled again. "No," she quietly muttered as she dropped the book. "No. No. This can't... This can't be happening." Her legs curled up with her knees pressed into her forehead as she started sobbing quietly. Blake looked on broken-hearted while Yang seemed to lose all luster. Ruby looked back to them and then at her partner. She went down to her knees beside her and put a hand on one of her legs. Weiss looked up at her and sniffed, tears running down her face. As she opened her mouth to say something, she went silent as Ruby threw herself forward and wrapped her into a hug, squeezing her tightly against her.

"It's okay," the younger girl whispered. "It'll be all right."

Weiss just seemed to stare forward for a minute in silence before her own arms rose up and wrapped around Ruby as well. Her eyes closed slowly, and then another pair of arms went around them both. She looked over to see Yang smiling faintly at her before setting her forehead to hers for a moment. Another pair came and they all looked to see Blake

For a while the team sat there, taking comfort in each others' presence. Somehow, despite everything, they felt that it was going to be all right in the end.

* * *

Each of them had read over the portion of the book on vampirism at least twice now. Weiss herself was reading it her third time when Ruby spoke up.

"Weiss, are...you alright?"

"No, Ruby. I'm not alright," Weiss answered, taking a break from her reading and noticeably distant from the others. "I just found out that I'm undead, have a constant need to drink people's blood, run the risk of losing control of myself and killing you all, and it turns out that there is no cure for my condition, so I'm stuck like this until I die, which might never happen as apparently vampirism makes you immortal to age, disease, and possibly starvation. So yeah, I'm pretty far from alright."

"Weiss, I..."

"But I'll manage, like I always have," Weiss concluded before she sighed and went back to reading over the symptoms again. Ruby looked at Weiss in concern before her expression hardened into one of pure determination.

"We're going to find the cure."

The heiress was jolted from reading over the symptoms a third time and sighed. "Ruby, it's not that simple."

"Maybe not, but we can definitely do it. Besides, the book says there aren't any reliable cures known. That means someone might know about unreliable cures, or maybe someone found a cure since?"

"This book could be pretty old," Blake pointed out.

Weiss shook her head, tears welling up. "You guys…"

"Hey, uh, heads up about what's up ahead," Yang warned after peering forward. "You guys ever been to a mausoleum?"

"Oh, how terrible can it be?" Weiss asked in irritation before walking forward and then stopping. "What the...?"

The other girls looked into the next room to see what looked like dried corpses sitting in various shelf-like holes in the walls. Some were wrapped in ancient linens while some were left exposed, only clothing and armor on them. A few had weapons resting on their chests, likely indicating that they had been warriors in life.

"They just…left them out," Ruby said as she gazed around. "Are they like mummies?"

"Kinda," Yang guessed uncertainly. "I don't think anyone's used this thing recently. These guys have probably been up here for centuries." She suddenly grasped Weiss's arm as the girl tried to head forward. "Whoa there! Careful." She picked up the lid off an urn and threw it forward. It hit a raised flagstone, and then suddenly a spiked grate swung forward, slamming against a wall before slowly swinging back into place.

"Right. Traps," Weiss hissed. Blake walked up while looking through Arvel's notebook and staring at the palm of the Golden Claw, noting three symbols etched on. She hummed and put the Claw back into her pack.

"So, we've got to watch out for traps? Just be careful from here out." Ruby started looking at one of the battleaxes resting on a mummified warrior. "Wow, this thing barely has any-" A hand shot out and grabbed her leg, and the girl screamed while leaping back and landing against her sister.

"Ruby?!"

"It grabbed me!"

"Don't be silly," her partner admonished with a chuckle. "There's no way-"

A growl came from the mummy as dust launched from its mouth. Its eye sockets began to glow blue as it rose from its place as though simply waking from bed, taking its axe in hands and facing the girls.

"I'm sorry!" Ruby cried out an apology.

"What…is…?" Weiss began.

"Undead," Blake muttered. Her ears twitched and then she looked over to see three others rising up. "They're undead!"

"How?" Yang shouted as she readied Ember Cilica.

"I don't know!"

One of the mummies came forward, lashing out with an ancient sword. Yang deflected the strike and punched the undead, sending it backwards into another. The one nearest them swung its ax, only to be dodged.

" **Dir volaan**!" it shouted.

"We didn't mean to!" Ruby yelled as she pulled Crescent Rose out.

"Ruby, I don't think you're going to convince them!" her sister shouted as she whacked that one back as well. The four approached as one and the girls readied themselves.

"Okay, there seems to be magic coming from behind the eyes!" Weiss observed.

"Try to remove the heads!" Ruby reasoned as she dodged another axe swing. "Like zombies!" She whipped Crescent Rose forward and pulled it behind a mummy's knees, tripping it onto its back. With a twirl, she stabbed down into its head. The light in its eyes vanished and the corpse stilled. "It works!"

Weiss squared herself with a sword-wielding mummy and parried its swing before jabbing Myrtenaster's end into one socket. The mummy twitched before it fell to the ground with a clack. Blake, meanwhile, dashed forward and swiped the head off of another, while Yang reared back and punched forward, smashing in the face of the last mummy. As it fell, Ruby noticed some kind of slime on the end of her scythe's blade and made a noise of disgust.

"These things are gross," she complained as she took out a cloth and wiped the slime away.

"How are dead things even walking around like this?" Yang asked as she kicked at one of them.

"Magic, I'd assume," Weiss explained. "I went over a lot of magical subjects with Cynrrbert. One that really sounded interesting was the School of Conjuration. Essentially, it allows people to conjure things, normally from something called Oblivion. You can summon weapons, familiar spirits, even beings. But another branch of it is necromancy. He was going to explain some political disputations about it, but decided it wasn't important."

"Let me guess. "Never mind for now"?"

Weiss huffed. "Yes, yes. At least he stops his tangents. Anyways, necromancy is simply putting magic into a dead body and making it…do things. Unskilled mages tend to 'burn out' the body and they end up turning the reanimated corpse into ashes from the inside out. But skilled necromancers can revive a corpse for an unspecified amount of time. I think such a necromancer might have made these mummies into their thralls and then simply set them as a security measure for the barrow."

"Makes sense, I guess." Ruby tentatively picked up the ancient axe and looked it over. "Man, this must have been an amazing blade at the time. It's held an edge for centuries!"

Weiss shook her head and chuckled. "You are something else, I swear. Your partner's cursed, and you say you're going to cure her. We get attacked by reanimated mummies, and you're looking at their weapons."

Ruby smiled and placed the axe down. "Well, being upset's not getting us anywhere. So, what do you guys think? Should we try to find this, uh, Hall of Stories and the treasure, or go back?"

"We came this far," Blake argued in defense of going forward. "And, honestly, the mummies aren't too much of a problem."

"After all of this, we deserve some treasure," Yang complained.

Weiss just nodded when their leader looked at her. Ruby grinned brightly.

"Aaaaaaaallllllll right! Treasure hunters, forward!"

"Ruby! Trap!" Weiss shouted when she stepped on the raised flagstone. Ruby dashed back in a flurry of petals with an 'eep' and into Weiss's arms as the spike gate slammed at her. She laughed nervously and rubbed her neck.

"Forgot about that thing."

Weiss let her go and the younger girl landed on her feet. "What would you do without us?"

The team proceeded to the next room, where more mummies came up only to be soundly defeated in moments. A metallic shifting noise could be heard, and when they looked down a narrow hall, they could see pendulums swiping back and forth every couple seconds.

"Okay, how are we…" Yang paused when she saw Ruby speed through to the other side during a gap in the swings. "Rubes," she admonished.

"It's okay. There's a chain thing here." She reached up and pulled on the chain, and the pendulums stopped. "See?"

"Well, that makes it simpler," Weiss said as she walked through cautiously. They continued through a winding hall with more mummies coming up once in a while. Past that was an underground stream with a waterfall and a bridge across it. A standing coffin popped open and another mummy walked out from it while hefting a sword. Yang sighed as she approached it and knocked its head off.

"These things are getting a little annoying."

"Ooh, treasure chest," Ruby marveled as she opened an old chest on a pedestal. "Ugh, just some cents!" She pulled out the partially corroded coppers and pocketed them. "And a rusty helmet. Hey, did you guys notice that the money is here is almost exactly like the current stuff? Like, the only thing different with this is that instead of a dude's face on it, there's a dragon head."

"It is odd that they haven't changed the currency in what must be at least a thousand years," Weiss agreed before getting back to the matter at hand. "Where do we go from here?"

"Only way is through there," Blake stated as she pulled at another chain that opened a rusty grate. The stream led them all down, though Weiss groaned at having her feet get wet.

"You'd think they'd have a path that didn't lead through a stream," she complained as they turned into a narrow cave that expanded into a wider one.

"It might have come up after they built it," Blake guessed. "See, I doubt they planned for that one either." She pointed over to another stream coming from above and joining the other one into a larger flow of water.

"Hey, that over there looks open to the sky." Ruby rushed over to where some snow had gathered and stuck her head out to look upwards. "Whoa! It's a big hole!"

The others, except for Weiss who stayed out of the sunlight, joined her before they turned and started walking along the path. A mummy was quickly slapped off the natural bridge, and they reentered the cave system.

"You know, it's kinda impressive how far these guys dug," Yang stated. "Couldn't have been done all at once, either."

"Normally how such a crypt would work is that they dig further as time goes on," Weiss explained. "So it's likely the deeper we are the newer the place is."

The cave gave way to temple once again as ancient masonry reasserted itself as the primary feature. A mummy stood guard, but this time Blake was the one to take it down with a quick slice removing its head. A large set of double doors were behind it, which they pushed open and entered. After some more bends and impressive carvings, they heard a familiar noise.

"Another pendulum trap?" Weiss asked as it came into view. "Does anyone else feel like this is a bit much?"

"I honestly don't know what I expected," Blake responded as Ruby dashed through again like last time. As they came through, Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and sliced through a mummy that had awoken when she got close.

"Sorry," she mumbled to the others, and then ducked as an arrow flew at her head. More mummies had taken to arms at the other side of the complex looking room. Weiss responded by trying to fire lightning at them, but her attempts arced downwards only a dozen feet away from her.

"Guess we're not ready for long distance," Yang quipped before running forward to the archer mummy. Weiss closed in with another and tried her lightning again, and this time filled the undead with electricity. It spasmed in place for a moment and then fell over steaming. Weiss grinned at her accomplishment, but flinched back when a body fell from above next to her.

"My bad," Blake called down.

"Honestly…"

The next room had another set of doors, behind which was a long hallway, on the walls of which were carved murals and inscriptions. The girls looked at them in awe as they continued forward, but then all of their focus went to the intricate carving at the very end.

"The door?" Yang asked.

"The door in the Hall of Stories," Ruby mused as she looked over at the murals. "This must be it. Blake, what do we do?"

Blake took out the Claw and looked at it again. "The notes say that "When you have the golden claw, the solution is in the palm of your hands."" She looked at the door and began pushing the circles on it, moving the animal carvings around until they were ordered from top to bottom with a bear, moth, and owl. She pushed the claw into an indention in the center, fitting its points in and then pushed a little more. The stone in the center suddenly shifted in. She gasped, and tried turning it a little one way, then the other. The whole door began creaking, and Blake backed away with the Claw in hand as the door seemed to sink into the ground.

"Incredible... After all this time it still works..." Weiss gasped in amazement, echoing the rest of her teammates' thoughts.

They walked up the stairs revealed behind the door and looked into a cavern where a large stone platform with stairs leading up to and sitting next to it stood, an iron coffin on one end and a large, curved wall with carvings and inscriptions upon it at the other. Some bats flew out as the approached, frightening them for but a moment before they continued onwards.

"So, does this look valuable to anyone?" Yang asked as she looked around inside of a chest, showing them a few gems.

"Yes, of course!" Weiss responded as she began going through it as well. "This will definitely be worth a small fortune!"

"I see your inner 'Schnee' has emerged..." Blake smirked, only to be ignored by Weiss, who had begun stockpiling all the gems into her bag.

Ruby, however, continued to look around the cavern until she felt a sudden draw pull her towards the curved wall. She could swear she almost heard something as she neared the construct. The words on the wall seemed to glow to her, and she began to mumble.

"Het…nok…faal vahlok…" she muttered.

"Rubes?" Yang asked when she noticed her sister staring at the wall intently. "Ruby? Are you all right?"

"Het nok faal vahlok deinmaar do…"

"What's going on?" Blake wondered.

"Is she reading that? What is-"

The world began to shake as Ruby's voice rose. " **HET NOK FaaL VahLok DeiNMaaR DO DOVAahGOLZ ahRK aaN FUS DO UNSLaaD RahGOL ahRK VULOM**!" she boomed as misty tendrils reached from the wall and into her. _**"Here lies the Guardian, Keeper of the Dragonstone, And a Force of unending Rage and Darkness!"**_

"Ruby?!" Yang shouted, finally pulling her sister's attention away.

"Huh, wha? What's up, Yang?"

Before Yang could ask Ruby the same question, there was a loud bang that came from behind them. The girls turned to see the lid on the iron coffin falling into the stream next to the platform. As they readied themselves for what was about to happen, a mummy rose up, wearing more filled out armor and a horned helm. It looked over to them, and stood straight.

"Getting real tired of these things," the brawler ground out.

" **Fus** …" the mummy growled, " **RO DAH**!"

A wave of tangible force came at the girls and hit them. Ruby and Blake were sent backwards, but Yang was able to stand her ground while Weiss held herself steady by stabbing her rapier into the floor. Blake jumped back from the wall, while Ruby stopped herself from hitting it too hard.

"The hell?" Yang cried out as the mummy raised its sword and charged them. She punched at it, only for her blows to get blocked. The mummy slashed and she tried to deflect it, just for her gauntlets to get iced over. "It's got an ice sword!" she warned.

Weiss came in and began slashing and stabbing towards it, but it was able to match her movements as well. It surprised her with a punch that sent her back before trying to stab her, but luckily her Aura took the hit and she was only sent rolling. Blake went for a kick, only for her leg to be caught and then for her to be thrown to the side.

"Guys, hold up!" Ruby called out as she came in, squaring up to the mummy and holding its attention. "This one's tougher than the rest! Weiss, get your lightning ready! Blake, rock clone! Yang, get ready for a fastball!"

"Right!" her sister cheered while punching her fists together, shattering the ice on them.

Blake jumped to the side and swung at the mummy only to be blocked, but when it went for a retaliatory strike, its blade sunk in through her shoulder, only for her body to suddenly turn to stone. The real Blake reappeared and stabbed through both its arms.

"Weiss!" she called out.

The heiress nodded and ran forward as electrical energy built up in her hands. She shouted as she released the lightning at near point blank into the mummy, while at the same time Blake jumped clear. The living corpse spasmed as the magical voltage coursed through it. Meanwhile, Yang had lifted Ruby up by her arm and leg and activated her Semblance, basking the cave in a fiery light.

"Here…goes!" she yelled as she twisted and threw her sister as hard as she could. Weiss ended her spell with a gasp and jumped back out of the way as Ruby sped through, hooking her scythe under the chin of the mummy. She planted her feet firmly upon the ground and pulled as hard as she could, slicing through mummified flesh and brittle bone. The team watched for a moment as the mummy stood still, and then the magical light left its eyes and it fell, its head rolling for a moment before stopping next to its helmet.

Ruby let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and smiled at her team. "That wasn't so bad."

"Compared to the others, though, this one was tough," Yang argued. "Like, on a whole 'nother level."

Seeing how the danger had passed, Blake looked in the coffin it had sprung up from while Ruby started looking over its sword after yanking it loose from its now fully dead hands. "Hey, there's some kind of tablet in here," she told them as she picked up said stone. "Looks like a map." She turned it in her hands and saw the inscriptions on the back side of it. "There's something written on here. Looks like the same script on the wall." She looked over to Ruby, and then at Yang, who glanced over at her sister as well.

"What?" the young leader queried as she took her attention away from the ancient sword.

"Ruby…do you mind taking a look at this?"

"Uh, sure I guess." Ruby took the tablet from Blake and looked it over. She hummed a bit and squinted. "Het nok un…mahlaan drogge…erei suleyk se…Alduin vokrii."

"Okay, in Vytalian?" Yang asked.

"What? I just did." Ruby perked up her eyebrow in confusion. At this, the others glanced at each other before Yang continued.

"I don't know how you're reading that, but when you read the wall, you said it in Vytalian after…whatever that was."

"It was really out there," Weiss added. "Maybe…it's some sort of magic wall that gave you the ability to read their ancient script?"

"If that is the case, then why was only Ruby affected?" Blake pointed out.

"Maybe because she was the closest, I don't know! Do I look like the magic expert here?"

"Compared to us, yes," Yang confirmed, causing Weiss to throw out her arms in exasperation. As she did so, Ruby reread the stone.

"I still don't… No, wait, I can see it now." She squinted again. "I didn't even realize it wasn't… So, what did I say? Uh, just now, I mean."

"Het notch something or other," her sister answered with a wave of her hand. "It all sounded like gibberish to me."

"Het…" Ruby took a moment to mull it over in her mind. "'Here lies…our fallen lords until…the power of Alduin…revives."

The team looked over at the tablet again as they thought about the translation. "So…it's a map to burial sites?" Yang thought aloud.

"Possibly other barrows like this one," Weiss guessed as she began to pace. "Assuming the others on the map are similar to this one, each would have a sort of key, leading to an inner chamber like this, with more clues to finding…something. I wouldn't be surprised if this stone was a part of a puzzle that led to something…big."

"Sounds like video game logic," Blake countered.

"No, it's fantasy logic. Which, given everything else around here, makes perfect sense in this situation. The mummies, the traps, the magical reading enchantment that's now made Ruby the key to finding the rest of these things…"

"Oh boy! I read one thing and…" Ruby muttered.

"…It's all part of some ancient culture's scheming test to make sure whatever being finds their lost artifact, treasure, or what have you is worthy of holding it," Weiss started to crescendo at this point, while her team stared at her with blank looks. "We have displayed cunning and strength to get this far, and the others may hold more tests yet for us as we-"

"Or we could put it in a museum," Yang pointed out. "We don't _have_ to go on a big treasure hunting quest."

"Besides, you could be totally wrong and it just leads to some normal graves," Ruby tacked on.

"Not to mention one or more of them could have collapsed," Blake bet. "We saw a few hallways that were inaccessible on the way here. It's likely at least one of them totally caved in."

Weiss groaned in disappointment.

"Don't worry Weiss," Ruby bubbled as she went over and patted her shoulder. "We can still find someone who knows about this stuff and they might tell us more. And I promise we'll look at one of them, at least."

"I still think I'm right," she objected. At this, Ruby smiled.

"Now, let's check out the next room!"

"Maybe we should go back," Blake retorted.

"But this might be where ALL of the treasure is at," Ruby called as she hopped up the steps and into the cave tunnel. The others followed her in and looked to see her opening a hidden door after pulling on some handle.

"Oh, so there was a back way."

"A _secret_ back way," Ruby whispered while ducking and moving her hands out. Yang felt a little regret taking her to see that cheesy spy movie as her sister sped forward ahead of them, stopping at a chest next to a shrine set in a recess and opening it. "Yep, more jewels! And a gauntlet!" She pulled out the piece of armor and checked inside of it before putting it on her right hand. "Neat! I wonder what kind of metal this is. It looks like bronze, but it isn't corroded at all. Geez, how did these guys make this stuff last this long?"

"Huh, that is pretty cool," Yang agreed before looking forward. "And it looks like we found our way out."

After bagging all of the gems, the girls walked back outside to find themselves on a high rise at the side of the mountain. Weiss, with a wince, threw her cloak over her head as the sun hit her.

"Feeling okay?" Blake asked her.

"Better. Sunlight still bothers me, but… I don't feel as bad." She grimaced and shook a little.

Blake dropped the subject there and looked across the distance. There was a lake nearby, fed by the river, and across it was a green, piney forest.

"It looks beautiful, doesn't it?"

"…Yes, it does."

"Hey, look, a mammoth skeleton," Ruby pointed out to the side of them. The young girl hopped down and went over to take a closer look at it. "I wonder if we'll see a live one."

"We could…sell the tusks," Weiss explained as she followed along. "Ivory should be fairly valuable. And it makes for beautiful carvings."

"Huh, yeah. It'd make a good hilt." Ruby yanked a tusk loose and yelped as she fell back. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

"Riverwood would be up the river from here, right?" Blake asked. "You think they have a boat or something we could use at that dock over there? I just…do _not_ feel like walking all the way back."

"We could ask, I suppose," Ruby answered as she got back to her feet. "Might be quicker too. It looks… I don't know. But it's past noon. We should get back before nightfall to be safe. Oh! We've got to get all those bandits we caught!"

"Don't worry Rubes. They'll be fine," her sister reckoned.

* * *

"Thanks for the lift!" Ruby cheerfully told the boatman. Weiss handed him two septims and he nodded to them.

"Aye, no worries, lasses," he said while tying his boat to the dock. He'd be leaving in the morning with some wood for his fence he was building, as he told them, and staying at the inn overnight.

"Well, glad to see you all back," Cynrrbert greeted as they came into town. "A totally different direction than the one you went in though. I guess it was quite the adventure."

"Well, we took down the bandits," Weiss answered proudly. "Several of them are tied up at the barrow's entrance. And I finally got the basics of lightning magic down!" She held out a hand and several sparks flew from her fingers, singeing some grass.

"Whoa! Careful with the magic!" a passing man said. "Don't want you burning any houses down!"

"S-sorry!"

"Ah, well done. Told you it was easy, didn't I?"

"It certainly came in handy. By the way, do you know what causes those mummies we faced in the barrow?"

"Mummies?" A confused look crossed the mage's face before his eyes widened in realization. "Ah, you must mean the draugr. Same thing I suppose, but most Nords are going to call them that. Hm, can't say I know what exactly causes them, but there are all sorts of examples of undead just happening for seemingly no reason. There's an old legend that says draugrs are the people who worshipped the dragons back when they ruled Skyrim, cursed to never find rest, but it sounds like hogwash to me. More likely a security measure installed by necromancers back in the day."

"Yes, that's what I thought too. Oh, we also found something in there. Ruby, do you have that stone?"

Ruby looked from where Yang and Gerdur were talking about the bandits and started going through her satchel. "Uh, sure, yeah. Here you go." She handed it over to Weiss, who showed it to the mage.

"Do you have any idea what this could be?"

"Hm, can't rightly say. I think that's Dragon script, though."

"Dragon script?" Weiss questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't tell you too much. Dragons were never too interesting to me. Well, not since I was a boy anyways. What little lad doesn't dream of slaying a dragon in his youth? However, there is a man rather experienced with dragon apocrypha. Farengar, the Court Wizard of Whiterun. You're headed that way anyways, right?"

"That…is incredibly coincidental." She looked back at the tablet and hummed in thought. "Say, do you know if there's any sort of enchantment that could make it to where someone could read this?"

"I'm guessing you ran into such a thing."

"Ruby did. Suddenly she was able to read this same sort of script on a wall, but didn't even notice when she did. Then she could read this tablet. She said it was something like 'here lie our fallen lords, until…something revives them'."

"Well, it's not outside the realm of possibilities that something could've given her the ability to read it. I've heard of stranger things happening in the Ayleid and Dwemer ruins. Heh, Farengar might want to take her on as an assistant if the ability turns out to be long-lasting or permanent. Maybe even those monks on… Never mind that. Well, I suppose I'll be taking off as well, soon. Headed south to Cyrodiil. Want any more pointers before we part ways?"

"Yes, that would be excellent."

* * *

"All right. We'll send Faendal, Hod, and Sven to watch them overnight, and then bring up a wagon to cart them all back to the prison in the morning," Gerdur agreed. "You've got some chains lying around, Alvor?"

"A few. Making a few more before supper won't be any trouble. I'll add them to your tab then."

"All right. Then that's taken care of," Ruby sighed. "Blake got Lucan his Claw back, and we'll be heading to Whiterun tomorrow. I can't thank you guys enough for helping us out while we're here."

"You kidding?" Gerdur started. "You cleared two of the biggest threats to our village for miles, and you're going out of your way to get us help from the Jarl. If anything, we owe you much more."

"Aw, shucks, we're just doing the right thing." Ruby twisted her toes in the dirt while blushing a little.

"Heh," Alvor laughed. "If a few more people did the right thing like this more often, we wouldn't have any worries at all."

"Take it from us, girl. You've done Riverwood a huge favor, and you've promised to do even more. You'll always have a spot at our village, even if I have to toss out some people from the inn. Speaking of which, I think there are some people waiting to celebrate. Your sister already went there."

* * *

Yang gulped down the honey-made beverage and then slammed the mug down. The people around her cheered and then her opponent downed his own mug, though noticeably slower. He slammed it down and the crowd cheered again, though a few went quiet when he lurched a bit, but swallowed back.

"I! Know when I'm! Beaten!" he shouted while throwing a sack of coins on the table. The crowd whooped and hollered and Yang celebrated by down a final victory mug.

"Hey, Delphy!" she called across the inn. "Put some on me!" And she tossed the innkeeper her newly earned coins.

"As long as it's paid for," she said while catching it. "All right, first come, first served!"

The group went over for their free drinks and Yang laughed at the tingly feeling going through her.

"Yang!" her little sister balked when she saw her. "It's only been an hour!"

"Aw, I just had to celebrate with these guys though! Besides, I got offered a bunch of free drinks. It'd be rude to say no."

"Did it _have_ to be alcohol?" she groaned with puffed out cheeks. Yang just laughed uproariously and brought her sister in for a hug.

"Oh, dou're adorable, sis," Yang slurred, the alcohol finally getting to her. "Lesh go get Weissy and Blakey. Blake's 'upposed to get the gems sold to the carrot van and Weiss is magicking stuff."

"Yang, you're drunk."

"Wah? Really?"

* * *

"Well, today's been…" Weiss searched for the right word, but could only find one. "Eventful."

"At least things should calm down tomorrow," Ruby said. "We'll just be taking a trip with the Khajiits to Whiterun."

"Hey, hey Blake," their drunk teammate called out. "You should…let you ears out! Heh? Heh? They won't mind. They might even…like, I dunno, like you more er somethin'?"

"I know they won't mind, but…" Blake honestly couldn't think of a reason to _not_ let the Khajiit know, but she wasn't as sure about the other peoples. "After we leave. And I'm keeping a hat around in case we come across humans."

"You realize you don't need to make promises to someone while they're drunk, right?" Weiss asked.

"Yang's memory is actually pretty good when she drinks," Ruby explained. "I think she gets it from our uncle's side. He's like that too." At the mention of her uncle, a forlorn expression flashed across Ruby's face before quickly going back to normal.

"As long as she doesn't do this _too_ often." Weiss stretched out her arms and went over to the bed she'd be using. "If that's everything though, maybe we should start turning in. We've got an early start tomorrow." She pulled out a vial and uncorked it before downing the contents.

"Weiss! You don't need that!"

"We need to keep up appearances," the heiress explained as she recorked it and set it aside. "Besides, it'll help me sleep." She dug herself up under the blanket and sighed. Following her lead, Ruby helped a giggling, drunk Yang to her bed before moving into hers, with Blake doing the same. After a few moments of silence, a small voice sounded off.

"Hey, Weiss..."

"Yes, Ruby..." the heiress groggily responded.

"On the stone...it said something about an 'Alduin'. Do you know anything about that?"

"No, Ruby... Probably just some ancient necromancer..." With that, Weiss turned back to go to sleep.

"…What do you think is going on back home? In Vale? Beacon?"

"I… I don't know. The Vytal Tournament was about to start, so…competing in that is probably outside the realm of possibility..."

"Yeah…Pyrrha was probably going to win that, anyway."

"Sez you!" Yang interjected, still following along despite her drunken condition. "I cud take 'er!"

"Heh, not like that you can't. Jaune might be able to beat you in that state," Blake cracked, with giggles responding as Yang performed an obscene gesture with an outstretched finger while smirking. After a short round of giggles, a silence descended once again.

"I imagine that people are probably wondering where we are," Weiss stated. "Ozpin, Ironwood, my father…"

"Knowing Jaune and Sun, you can count JNPR and SSSN in that list as well," Ruby added before going silent. "Do you-"

"Yes, we will," Weiss answered the incoming question, resolute. "I promise you that we will get back home. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, it may not even be in a year, but we will go home."

"Just like we'll find you a cure," Ruby smiled. "Thank you, Weiss."

"No problem, Ruby," With that, a silence descended upon the team, only to be broken by a loud snore from a passed out Yang. Another round of giggles sounded off.

"Well, with that wondrous addition by Yang, good night guys," the leader said to her team, blowing out her candle.

"Good night," they all told one another.


	4. Pieces of Apocrypha: One through Three

**The three pieces of background information Trest and I have made to compliment our story. These can serve as references, or just interesting tidbits of information. We also write them in-character in such a way that they could fit into the Elder Scrolls universe.**

 **Unfortunately for one of them, FFn doesn't have image insertion, so if you want to see the pictures added to the second one, you'll have to go to the original posts on SB, or use your imagination.**

* * *

 **The Races of Tamriel: The Big Ten**

Many Races dot Tamriel's landscape when speaking in broad terms. These can be categorized into Mer, the elven races, Man, the human races, and Beast Folk (sometimes called betmeri by the elves) which normally include any race that cannot be categorized as either Man or Mer. Of them all, ten are the most populous on the continent.

Man

-Nords - the tall and fair-haired folk of the cold, northern parts of Tamriel. Their homeland is Skyrim, sometimes referred to as the Fatherland. Nords are a proud warrior people, who enjoy battle and have integrated it within many aspects of their culture, making them seem a militant people. The harsh conditions of their home has made the Nords a hardy bunch against the cold and even frost magics.

-Cyrodiilics (Imperials) - The people of cosmopolitan Cyrodiil, Imperials can be further categorized into two peoples by their cultures, Colovians and Nibenese. The Nibenese tend to have "garish costumes, bizarre tapestries, tattoos, brandings, and elaborate ceremony," whereas their Colovian cousins "possess much of the frontier spirit of their ancestors. They are uncomplicated, self-sufficient, hearty, and extremely loyal to one another." The two stand united despite this, however. Their people have been the best diplomats and shrewdest traders, enabling themselves to hold their place as the center of the Empire for so long.

-Redguards - Formerly known as the Yokudans, these are the dark-skinned and wiry-haired people of Hammerfell, from who came some of history's greatest warriors. They are also known for having a tough constitution and resistance to poisons and being quick-footed.

-Bretons - Descended from the 'Manmer' as the crossbreeds of Elf and Human were called, the Bretons of High Rock are noted for having a resistance to magic and higher magical ability than other races of Man. While united culturally, High Rock is often divided politically. Whereas with other Men warriors often lead, for Bretons the elite are often those adept in the ways of the Clever Craft.

Mer

-Altmer (High Elves) - The tall, golden-skinned people of the Summerset Isles. Of all the races of Tamriel, they are the most magically talented and, likely, the longest lived. Despite this, they may be the most vulnerable to magic as well. Most see the High Elves as 'snobbish' and have a bit of resentment towards them, despite the race having been a major influence on the continent as a whole both good and bad.

-Bosmer (Wood Elves) - The people of Valenwood. Shorter than their golden kin and the most skilled of any at archery, there are some who believe that the Wood Elves invented the bow. Religiously, the Bosmer are carnivores, and in times of necessity, cannibals, under the "Green Pact" in which they swear to do no harm to the vegetation of Valenwood. Nimble, agile, and quick-witted, they make good hunters, scouts, thieves, or even traders.

-Dunmer (Dark Elves) - Descended from the Chimer, they are the ashen-skinned, fire-eyed people of Morrowind. Their warriors have a balance of skill in the sword, bow, and destruction magic. Typically distrustful and distrusting, Dark Elves are noted for their clannish -and often ruthless- social behavior, but hold loyalty and family as some of their greatest values.

-Orsimer (Orcs) - Perhaps the least elfish of of Mer, at some times in history they were feared and seen as Beast Folk despite their elven blood. Nowadays the Orcs of Orsinium are an accepted part of Tamriel society, noted for the unshakable courage of their warriors and the skill of their craftsmen.

Beast Folk

-Khajiit - The agile cat-like people of Elsweyr. Khajiit differ greatly from the other races of Tamriel not only because of their appearance, but also through their digestive system and metabolism. They are greatly connected to the moons and the Lunar Lattice to the point it affects even their form. The Khajiit have no less than seventeen variations or 'moon forms' dependent on the moons' cycle at the time of their birth, but even these are thought of as broad categories by some scholars. They are often the targets of discrimination by other races, and their usage of moon sugar and its derivatives have not softened them in the eyes of others, despite its medicinal uses.

-Argonians (Saxhleel) - The reptilian natives of Black Marsh or Argonia and by far the most different of the main races of Tamriel from all the rest even Khajiit, who are still mammlian. They are symbiotically connected to the sentient Hist trees which are believed to guide their souls in reincarnation. They are noted as being the greatest experts in guerrilla warfare, after countless millennia of defending their land against invaders of all kinds. Being so different from all the other races has made them the least understood, as even their faces cannot express emotions in the same way as others, and their speech is noted as feeling cold. *According to the First Era Scholar Brendan the Persistent, _"The Argonian people have, throughout Tamrielic history, been perhaps the most misunderstood, vilified, and reviled of all the sentient races. Yet, those who have taken the time to experience Argonian culture have gained a greater appreciation for this noble and beautiful people."_ *

 _Jesse "Bubba" Kay, the Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **A Simple Explanation and Observation of Khajiit and Their Forms**

Khajiits are one of the most interesting races I've ever had the pleasure of studying. Men are simple, and, to me at least, Mer are not much different from Men outside of longer lifespans. I would have loved to study the Saxhleel of Argonia more closely, but I would not want to die from flesh eating flies just to get to know the marsh folk better. Thus, I studied the Khajiit more closely.

Many a person have been confused by the Khajiits forms, which are dependent on the cycles of the moons. When born under a particular lunar phase, a Khajiit's form is laid before them. There are seventeen of these forms, though one is unique and only conferred once every generation during the double new moon phase in which Khajiit say there is a third, secret moon. While I've never witnessed such, therefore doubt it to be something all races experience, it could simply be because I was born _after_ the last double new moon, and the next isn't due for some time.

[Picture-Khajiit forms]

Most Men I have spoken with on the subject seem to be under the impression that Khajiit only come in the two-legged variety, some of them thinking Ohmes were simply Wood Elves assimilated into their culture, and that Ohmes-raht were half-breeds. What did they think of the four-legged ones? Beasts of burden and pets! While I felt offended on their behalf, most Khajiit seem to accept this as normal. In fact, a few seemed to use it to their advantage.

Quadrupedal Khajiit, which include the smallest Alfiqs and the enormous battlecat Senche-raht (twice the size of what I pictured here at the least) are unable to speak in the common tongues of Tamriel, but still communicate with their kin in a decidedly feline manner. There are, however, magical enchantments that can imbue jewelry with translation abilities, and so making one to translate the more cat-like language of Khajiit into more common tongues was not so hard (once my assistant found the right enchantment). I daresay our invention is beginning to take off as well. It's become very popular with the families I have spoken with.

Dagi and Dagi-raht were hard to find, but interesting to see. They hold a more ape-like shape, which in hindsight seems rather obvious due to their affinity for living in the canopies of the jungles of Elswyr. I cannot truly think of them as bipedal or quadrupedal , but, seeing as they walk upon their knuckles, mostly classify them as the latter. As rumor has said, they are more skilled in the ways of magic than their kin, and with their propensity for tree climbing I could easily envision them defending the jungles by laying down destructive magics from far above.

I only managed to meet one Tojay in my travels, and only because he was outside of the Tenmar forest at the time. Almost all Tojay and Tojay-raht are given over to the Moon Temples to be trained as Moon Bishops from a young age. Moon Bishops are considered one of the most important positions in the Khajiiti culture, just below Clan Mothers and the Mane. Moon Bishops have an important role in the production of moon sugar, said to have the ability to 'collect starlight' needed to make it. The Tojay are small and short, easily mistaken for a child if one doesn't know what to look for in a young Khajiit. From his words, Tojay-raht are perhaps just a head shorter than Ohmes. I wasn't permitted entry in any of the Moon Temples, and my talk with the Bishop was short, but it was very insightful into Khajiiti religion.

Another thing of interest I have found though, is that while all Khajiit can be classified as one form or another, some struck me as seeming a bit 'in-between'. Some Senche would have straighter backs. Some Cathay-raht would not seem so large. I even met a pair of twins, one Ohmes and one Ohmes-raht, born right as the moons changed phases as Secunda went from full to waxing. The Ohmes girl had more cat-like ears than elven and lacked a tail, yet her sister had definitely feline ears and a tail, but seemed to lack body fur (which I checked for purely scientific purposes no matter what my assistant insists). While curious about these 'almost outliers', the twins proved to me that there is no such thing as an unclassified Khajiit form.

As for the Mane, I was unable to meet him, as I was and am but a lowly scribe, though I hope in the future I may yet meet him on some auspicious occasion. Luckily, I was able to acquire a sketch of the Khajiit's leader-in-spirit.

[Picture-The Mane]

As one can see, he is covered in the shaved fur locks of many of his closest subjects, tied to his own, long mane in a ceremonial fashion. It was once that he received a piece from all of his people, but the Khajiit population has long since grown, and he would simply be unable to move with that much fur tacked on. Hopefully, the tradition changes again. If I were to make a suggestion, I would say that a single lock from high-standing individuals like dukes, mayors, and the like should suffice, giving ample representation, and the Mane some room to move.

Then again, I am but a man. An outside observer of a rather spectacular and interesting people.

 _Jesse "Bubba" Kay, The Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **Notes on the Currency System of the Third Empire: Septims and their Denominations**  
Date: 4E190

Across my travels across Tamriel, through the different nations and provinces, I have noticed many things to differentiate them. Different cultures, pantheons, environments, and inhabitants, to name a few. One thing I have noticed remain constant is the need for money in a complex economic system.

Each of the major economic and political powers utilize a form of currency and coinage to facilitate trade, both inside and outside their borders. In Hammerfell, the yokuda, named after the ancestral homeland of the Redguards. In Morrowind, the nerevar, named after the greatest hero of the Dunmer. In the lands held by the Third Aldmeri Dominion, including Alinor, formerly known as the Summerset Isles, Valenwood, and Elsweyr, the ayrenn, named after the founder and Queen of the First Aldmeri Dominion. The province of Black Marsh, with most of the inhabitants surviving off subsistence farming merely bartering extras, does not possess any form of native advanced currency, and as such, economically, are insignificant, outside of their armies, as shown by the Argonian Invasion of Morrowind in the aftermath of the Red Year. However, several Argonian products are exported, including Argonian Ale.

But, the oldest currently used currency on the continent, used predominately in the provinces of High Rock, Cyrodiil, and Skyrim, is the septim, colloquially known as drakes, named after the founder of the Third Empire, Tiber Septim himself. Yet, the currency itself has a rich history, stretching back to the arrival of the ancient Atmorans during the First Era and the founding of the Nordic Empire. Such was its ancient influence that the Alessian Empire adopted it after overthrowing the tyrannical Ayleids. As such, the septim is commonly accepted in most provinces of the continent, despite the best efforts of the Thalmor to stamp out its use, both within and without its holdings.

The septim, since its adoption, has maintained a similar structure. The base unit, the titular septim, is a solid gold coin. However, due to the impracticality of carrying around thousands of septims all on one person, different denominations have been seen. With the exception of the Ebon, each denomination is worth ten of the next denomination down. They are as follows:

Cent: Small coins made of pure copper, the cent is the least valuable septim. One hundred cents make up one septim. It is emblazoned with the symbol of a crown on its face.

Diem: Slightly larger coins made of iron, the diem is the second least valuable denomination of septim. Ten cents make up one diem, while ten diems make up one septim. A visage of the Imperial City seen from above makes up its face.

Septim: Solid gold, medium-sized coins, the septim is the base unit for the Empire. As such all values of worth during trade are measured in septims. The face of Tiber Septim himself is seen on all septims.

Malk: Slightly larger than a septim, and square in shape, a malk is made of pure moonstone. Ten septims make up a single malk. Most everyday trade is conducted with malks. The image of the province of Cyrodiil, the central hold of the Empire, lies on its face.

Denar: Even larger than a malk and with a distinctive diamond shape, the denar is worth one hundred septims, or ten malks. It is gold, with a silver center. Most large trades are conducted with denars, due to convenience. The denar is emblazoned with the Amulet of Kings on its face.

Ebon: The most valuable, and subsequently the rarest, denomination of septim, the oval-shaped ebon is a large coin made of solid ebony. Hardly ever used in trade, with the exceptions of shipping, acquisition of inventory, and the purchase of property, many use ebon purely to store their wealth in banks. The whole of Tamriel, once the holdings of the Empire, lies emblazoned on its face. Although the Empire no longer controls the whole of Tamriel, it is kept with the hope that some day it will be again.

 _Trestus Whovinicci, Historian at the Imperial Academy_


	5. Whiterunning Them Ragged

Not many people were up when the girls and the caravan departed, but Dorthe had made sure to get up in time with them to see them off with her family. Hadvar was readying to leave back to Solitude, and it seemed Ralof had left for Windhelm sometime while they were at the barrow. Approaching with a sheathed sword in hand, Alvor handed it to Ruby, who pulled out the blade and immediately recognized it.

"The sword I made?"

"Consider it a gift. While you're in Whiterun, see if you can get ahold of Eorlund Gray-Mane. Show it to him, and let him know you made it. I can only hope he sees the potential in you."

"You'll be the best if he teaches you!" Dorthe added with a smile. "Papa's good, but Eorlund makes the weapons for the Companions. They're kinda like heroes."

"I'll be sure to look him up," Ruby promised with a smile as she tied the sword to her side. "But you better do your best too."

"I will! Definitely!"

Laughing, Ruby turned to look at her team and the caravan. The caravan was beginning to move, Senche and Senche-raht drawing carts along with a handful of horse drawn ones. Her team had gotten seats in one of the emptier carts, along with a practical litter of cubs sitting around them. Weiss was currently cooing over the kittens, while Blake was admonishing a hungover Yang.

"...not so loud, please. My head is still ringing..." Yang whimpered.

"Well, whose fault is that?" Blake pointed out with a smirk.

"Mine..."

"That's what you get for drinking so much last night," Weiss voice rang out, disapproving. "Maybe next time you'll think better. Don't want to be a bad influence to these _adorable little kittens! Oh, yes you are! Yes you are!_ "

"It's like Zwei all over again..." Yang laughed before wincing.

"No, not like Zwei. This is better," Blake obviously disagreed, to which Yang laughed again. Giggling at her team's antics, Ruby turned to look back at Alvor.

"Well, I guess we're going. We'll get the Earl to send you those guards!"

"Jarl," Alvor corrected with a laugh as Ruby took off and jumped onto the cart. She waved back at them, and the few folk of Riverwood up at that hour waved back.

* * *

At Yang's insistence, Blake took off her bow once they were clear of the village, though kept a hat nearby as she said she would. The Khajiit didn't show much interest or surprise besides a few sideways glances. One cub had tried climbing her to lick her ears, but that same cub seemed to be climbing everything it could.

"Okay, focus. Focus… There you go!" Yang cheered.

Weiss looked in the small mirror at her eyes, back to their natural icy blue, and sighed.

"Never dreamed I'd end up with chromatomorphic eyes. You know, I actually have a butler like that back home, only he has seven different colors." She smiled at the memories of home. "Klein used to use them to cheer me up when I was younger."

"Whoa, seven?" Yang was a little impressed by that. "I thought three was a lot."

"Three?" Blake asked as she pulled the little, long-armed cub off of her once again.

"Oh, Yang's eyes turn blue when she's sad," Ruby explained as she dangled a ribbon in front of two cubs, one of them still quite small. Both clawed at it, showing that the bigger one had thumbs on his paws.

"I never saw that. Then again, have I ever seen you sad?" Weiss wondered aloud.

Yang shrugged, and then a cub hopped into her lap. One look at it told her dislodging it would not be worth the hassle, so she began petting the toddler-kitty, earning a purr. "You guys should not be allowed to be this cute."

A Pahmar-raht plodded up next to their wagon and looked over at the girls. "This one was meaning to ask you four," he began. "Usually we make for a hunting trip between towns. Would these like to assist us in finding game?"

"Well, I don't mind," Ruby answered. "What do you guys think?"

"Eh, could be fun," her sister, still petting the kitten, said.

"I'm not much for it, but we should give back a little," Weiss agreed without making eye contact. She was still new to the eye changing, and didn't want to risk being found out.

Blake just nodded, right before the cub hopped onto the back of her head and meowed as it reached for her ears. At this, Blake merely sighed, exasperated and amused at the kitten's antics, smirking slightly. The tiger-like Khajiit let off a loud purr-growl and began slowing.

"This one will let the others know."

A cub mewled towards him, and the Pahmar-raht sped back up and head-butt the kitten gently, received one from the cub, and then went back to speak with some other Khajiit.

"D'aww!" Ruby gushed.

* * *

The caravan had stopped to make camp just before dusk, and the hunters set out, most of the two-legged ones with bows, save for three of Team RWBY. Blake, having some experience with the weapon, decided to see if her skills with it hadn't completely rusted away. The hunting party split apart several times, each time sending more of them on their own. Blake's ear swiveled a she listened for prey, the other girls doing their best to not raise their voices over a whisper.

"So, what kind of animal should we bag?" Ruby whispered.

"Whatever we get," her partner answered. "We don't really get to pick."

"Shhh," Blake went quietly. She closed her eyes and listened for a long moment. Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she drew back her bow before releasing it, letting an arrow loose. A black and grey form had leapt out of the bushes, only for the projectile to sink into its chest. The creature let out a whine and collapsed, showing them a dead wolf.

The rest of the pack emerged, growling and baring teeth. They tried to charge, but the girls were used to more deadly and vicious killers swarming them with far more reckless abandon than the wolves could hope to accomplish. Six more died before the rest ran, whimpering and giving off calls of retreat. Team RWBY stayed vigilant for another minute before allowing themselves to sheathe their weapons and look over their kills.

"Good thinking going for the head and neck," Blake told her teammates. "That'll keep most of the meat good."

"Wait, you want us to eat these?" Ruby asked in shock.

Blake arched an eyebrow. "I mean, it's meat."

"They're wolves!"

"O…kay?" Blake didn't really see what the problem was as she kneeled over one of her kills.

"That's like…one step from a dog!"

"Ruby, I think you're blowing this way out of proportion," her partner admonished. "Besides, we can trade them with someone who's got an excess of deer or something else. Surely someone in the caravan has a taste for wolf meat."

"Heh," Yang laughed. "Cats eating dogs."

"Really, Yang?" Blake asked in annoyance.

"Come on, it's ironic!" she defended.

"Let's just…heft these back." Blake picked up one of the wolves and threw it on her shoulders. "Maybe I could show you how to clean them."

"How hard can cleaning them be?" Ruby asked innocently.

* * *

The team leader whimpered once the lesson was over.

"I thought you knew what it meant. Didn't anyone ever teach you survival skills?" Blake asked, an eyebrow arched as she looked at the whimpering girl, her sister comforting her.

"Yeah, but not how to butcher an animal," Yang answered on her sister's behalf.

"I haven't butchered it. I just skinned and cleaned it."

Weiss was silently catatonic. In a past life she may have gagged and retched at the sight and smell of an animal being emptied of its innards, but it seemed that in this life she couldn't find it in herself.

"Butchering is when you cut the meat apart. So…next step. Actually, I think that's his job." She and Yang looked over to see a Cathay with a table set up, cutting apart the cleaned catches of his caravan with expert ease. He already had a stack of meats beside him and several smaller animals hanging next to his makeshift workstation.

Before anyone could say anything else, one of the two Senche-raht, both bigger than any sort of cat the team had ever even heard of, dragged some kind of three-eyed creature out of the woods.

"What in the world?" Blake muttered.

"Sintesh, you have the oddest of tastes!" an elf-like Ohmes told the massive lion-like being. "How do you even taste the troll's meat through all of that fat?"

"Do not judge Sintesh's palate when you like the taste of dartwing seasoning on your rabbit."

"That is something completely different!"

"Wait, aren't dartwings those little dragonfly things?" Yang asked. Silence descended over the girls as they thought over Yang's observation, before they all simultaneously retched.

"Ew!"

* * *

The girls had just finished a meal of grilled pheasant and roasted carrots after setting up camp with the caravan. Unlike before, the team had tents to sleep in and didn't need to worry about watch. The four had their sleeping bags set out when Ruby suddenly looked over at her partner.

"Are you…getting thirsty?"

Weiss stiffened and looked over at her.

"I'll be fine," Weiss answered, unconvincingly. Already, the signs of her 'dehydration' were beginning to appear.

"Weiss, last time you looked like you were going to keel over at any minute," Yang pointed out.

"If something's wrong, you should let us know," Blake added.

The heiress sighed and sat down.

"Well, what are we supposed to even do?"

Ruby hummed, thinking of a way to help her partner, before an idea popped into her head. Looking through her pack, she took out a cup and set it on the ground before taking out an iron knife. She gripped the knife's edge and took a deep breath as she held it over the cup.

"Ruby?" Weiss half-shrieked. A second later, Ruby yanked the knife out of her hand and hissed in pain as blood poured out into the cup.

"Ow," she muttered before smirking. "Have to…hold back my Aura, but I got it." Just before the cup filled up, blood stopped leaking from her hand and she opened it up for a second. The girls saw her flesh knitting itself back together as her Aura flowed through once again. She picked up the cup with her other hand and took it over to Weiss, who looked at her incredulously.

"Ruby… You…"

"You can't afford to risk biting us, but we can't just let you get starved again, so here," she offered the cup over, almost in Weiss's face. The heiress smelled the scent of blood and, unable to hold back, took it and slowly drank the red liquid within. When it was all gone, down to the last drop that could roll down the cup's side, she let the cup down from her face with a satisfied smile. Already the effects kicked in, with her looking like normal again, her new normal at least.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"No problem," Ruby said with a grin as she wiped her hand with a handkerchief, though she didn't seem to be cleaning it well. "Slight problem."

"Here," Weiss said as she opened her water flask and dabbed a little into the cloth. As she sponged away the blood, she couldn't help but notice it seep into the wet handkerchief. She slowed down in her cleaning, watching as she wiped away the stains, turning the white fabric redder and redder with each rub.

"Ahem." Weiss jumped out of her stupor and looked over to Yang. "Do you think you can give my sister back her hand?" She looked over to see Ruby smiling awkwardly and let go of her right hand immediately, an embarrassed blush entering her face.

"Sorry!"

"No, it's fine. You did get it pretty clean."

She just nodded and looked back to the cup. Thinking about it for a moment, she poured a little water into it and swirled it around before downing it.

"So, should we set up a schedule for who feeds Weiss and when?" Yang asked.

"Yang!" Weiss shrieked in surprise.

"What? I'm being serious. You can't just give her your blood every day. Besides, what if I want a hand massage?"

"I- It was-" Weiss sputtered. "That was just a- I went into a daze right after drinking!"

Yang just chuckled as she lay down.

"You know," Blake began. "We've come across some awful things here, but… Compared to back on Remnant…" She trailed off.

"Besides the dragon, it's so much safer," Ruby finished her teammate's line of thinking. "Well, the vampire thing was bad, too, but that's something we're going to fix."

"Mummies," Yang reminded them.

"Draugr," Weiss corrected. "And those stay in the ancient barrows. A village like Riverwood existed just down the mountain from them this entire time. They figured the bandit groups to be a bigger threat than the undead sentries."

"Heck, so if we can figure out how to get rid of the dragon, or convince him to _not_ kill people, then this place would be…." Ruby hummed in thought. "Not perfect, but…I could bring everyone here and feel good about it."

"A paradise," Blake agreed. "It really does seem that way, doesn't it?"

"When compared to home," Yang thought aloud. "Yeah."

* * *

The second day of travel was uneventful, aside from seeing a few giants herding around a dozen mammoths across the tundra. Team RWBY were awed by the sight of the large beings and their massive chattel, but it soon rolled away. Almost the moment the giant's disappeared, Whiterun could be seen on the horizon, its tiered levels rising as they watched.

"Whoa! It's totally different from Solitude!" Ruby awed, standing up to get a better look.

"For one thing, it looks like it's made out of wood," Weiss pointed out in worry.

Yang hissed. "Not good."

They passed by several farms as they closed in on the city, but at one, there seemed to be a commotion. Three people seemed to be fighting against a giant. Seeing this, the Huntresses pulled out their weapons and leapt into action.

"Hold on! We're coming!" Ruby yelled before jumping in and hitting the back of the giant's knee with the back of Crescent Rose. The leg bent forward, but the giant caught itself and turned with a swing of its club.

"Eep!" Ruby dashed out of the way and huffed. The large man with a greatsword swiped at the giant, barely cutting into his thigh and eliciting a deep yell from the large creature. It attempted a stomp, only for a shot to ring out, impacting the giant's shoulder. It roared in pain before looking the source, its eyes narrowed as it looked at a smirking Yang.

"Hey big guy! Pick on someone your own size!" Yang shouted up at him before jumping up and punching his gut. It stumbled back and the archer woman laughed.

Yang turned back and gave a thumb up, but the other woman snarled.

"Pay attention or-!"

The giant's club came around and smacked Yang into the air like a golf ball.

"Waagh!" Yang screamed out as she flew through the air before smacking into the top of a nearby windmill, creating a neat hole and making the turbines collapse to the ground.

"Shor's Bones!" the swordswoman called out in horror, certain she was dead.

"Yang!" Ruby called out.

"That's why you focus!" the swordsman yelled before turning and using his momentum to slice at the giant's knee. Weiss dashed in and stabbed at his calf, piercing through it and earning a yell of pain from the large being.

"Blake, ribbon!" Ruby called out. She grabbed the cloth part of Gambol Shroud and ran around the giant before pulling it taut. The giant's legs were forced together and it swayed uncertainly before Ruby jumped forward and hit it in the back, knocking it forward onto the ground.

"Hey ugly!" everyone heard from above and looked up to see Yang with her hair alight. The three warriors eyes widened at the sight of her not only alive and well, but unharmed. In fact, she merely looked enraged. She jumped down with a yell and punched the giant in the face, smashing it into the ground. The large being groaned and went silent.

"Gods damn!" the large man said as he sheathed his sword to his back. "Never thought I'd see someone knock a giant unconscious! With their fists, no less!"

"So…" the swordswoman began uncertainly. "Do we kill it or…?"

"No honor in killing a downed foe," the archer answered as she walked up. "The Khajiit are coming in. Maybe they can get one of their battlecats to drag it back to its camp." Turning to the young huntresses, the archer looked them over with appraising eyes. "Good work, strangers. I haven't seen any of you around before."

"We're new," Ruby answered.

"I'll bet. Still, it's obvious you all know your way around a fight. And at least one of you knows how to take a hit." Yang laughed nervously at that. "You should come by Jorrvaskr. Meet Kodlak."

Yeah," the big guy agreed. "We'd love to see you in the Companions."

"Companions? I think I heard one of the Khajiit mention them. That a group?" Yang asked as she dusted herself off.

"We're a fighters' guild, of sorts, but that doesn't really do us justice," the archer explained. "You'll just have to see for yourselves, I suppose. Just tell them Aela asked you to come. If you don't mind, we're going to see if those Khajiits mind dragging this guy off."

"Oh, we're traveling with them actually," Ruby explained. "We have a message for the Yerl."

"Jarl," Weiss corrected.

"Right."

"Understandable. Just be sure to drop by when you have the time, anytime."

"Sure thing," she said as she collapsed Crescent Rose.

"What in Oblivion!" the swordswoman declared.

"Was that some kind of Dwarven artifact?" the man asked in surprise and wonder.

"Uh, no?" Ruby shrugged to their wide eyed expressions.

* * *

"Okay. Have our things," Weiss declared as she picked up the bundle of wolf furs wrapped around a mammoth tusk.

"How about we give these things to the Khajiits?" Yang suggested.

"First of all, they're ours. Second, they suggested we sell them. Furs are always in demand, and ivory is hard to acquire outside of poaching or direct trade with the giants clans."

"So we're going to sell them?"

"Yes."

The girls walked up the winding way, passing by a small drawbridge and then up to the gate. When they stepped through, they could see the keep up at the top of the hill above the rest of the city, along with some large houses standing next to it. At the second tier there seemed to be a larger collection of homes and a tall tree near its center. At the bottom were even more buildings, but it also appeared to be the bustling business district of the whole town. They started walking in, but turned when they heard a guard calling out to someone.

"Just where do you think you're going?" the guard said to a young Suthay Khajiit that had followed them most of the way.

"This one wished to see-"

"You aren't allowed into the city. We don't need any thieving cats mucking about."

"You…" Blake walked up to the guard, who seemed taken aback by the girl getting in his face. "What's your problem?!"

"What are you on about?"

"He just wants to enter the town! What's so wrong with that?! Why are you keeping him out?"

"It's my job!"

"Your job is to turn people away or kick them out because of their race?!"

"Please, friend," another voice said and she turned to see Ko'ari there. "M'thri, go back to the camp. We aren't welcome in the city except on special occasions."

The younger Khajiit groaned and turned to walk back own the path.

"Ko'ari, you don't have to-"

"Let the Nords do what they want with their lands, Blake. It isn't worth arguing over. Besides," she leaned over, quietly whispering into Blake's ear, "the spot we take is one of the best, between the gate and stables. Anyone heading into the city will run into us first." She laughed and started back to camp.

"It just isn't right. It's not fair to you."

"Life is rarely fair. But we make the best of it. Go and make your best."

Blake seemed dejected, but went back into Whiterun, the guard keeping an eye on her as she reentered. The team looked at her nervously.

"You okay?" her partner asked.

"I'll…be fine."

"Remind you of some bad times?" Yang asked, putting her hand on her partner's shoulder.

"Yeah. Bad times."

They started walking forward, only to almost immediately get sidetracked by Ruby walking towards a forge and watching the woman there work over some steel into plate.

"You going for a chest piece?" Ruby asked, excited at the sight of something being made.

"I am," the woman responded as she looked up from her work and wiped her brow. "Welcome to Warmaiden's. The outside anyways. I have a few things out here, but there's more inside." She thumbed towards the nearby building.

"Ooh, actually, do you know what this is?" Ruby asked as she showed her the gauntlet she'd been wearing everywhere but to bed. The woman looked at it closely and then nodded.

"Looks like Dwemer, or Dwarven as most call it. Good metal, but hard to work. No one's ever figured out how to remake the metal they made most of their things out of. Just a few know how to forge it into new shapes."

"Cool. How long does it last? We found it in a _really_ old place."

"Well, seeing as the Dwemer have been gone since the first Era, and I've never seen a spot of rust on anything of Dwemer make, I would guess it's going to last you your whole lifetime. Probably longer, actually. Might want to replace the lining on occasion though."

"Oh, I did that at Riverwood. Alvor didn't know what it was. Said it looked elven but was too heavy to be."

"Technically, the Dwemer were elves." Ruby was about to ask how Dwarves could be elves when a cough directed her attention to her annoyed team.

"Uh, Ruby," her sister insisted.

"Oh! Sorry, we've got to go up and see the Jarl."

"Ah, hold on then. If you're heading up to Dragonsreach, would you mind giving my father this sword? He's the steward, up at Dragonsreach." She handed over a greatsword from the wall to the older sister, but Ruby took it instead.

"Ooh, nice!" the girl said as she eyed over the weapon.

"I'd hope so," she laughed as she watched the girl. "It's my best piece yet. Tell him to present it to the Jarl for me at some point. He'll know when the best time is. Also, see if you can mention him visiting his daughter once in a while."

"Sure. No problem." Ruby sheathed the sword next to the ancient ice sword on her back. The blacksmith laughed for a moment at the sight.

"I think you have more blades than limbs at this point. Well then, I'll leave you to it." She turned back to her work and looked over the steel piece before taking her hammer back up.

"Okay, to the Jarl."

"No more stops this time," her partner chided. "We can look around _after_ we've told him about the dragon."

The girls began walking up a set of stairs leading them straight to the tree. At the other end a man in priest robes was yelling something about Talos. The girls immediately found it annoying, but could understand why he was upset.

"Still can't believe they did that," Yang muttered.

"What I don't get is why," Ruby said back to her. "What good does making a god illegal do?"

"I think…this is what they wanted," Blake answered. "Because of the whole thing, a war broke out. Now a possible enemy of theirs is making itself weaker from the inside."

"That's…smart," Weiss begrudgingly admitted. The more she learned about these 'Thalmor', the more disgust formed within her.

Past him they began walking up another set of stone stairs. Across from the top was a bridge that led to the keep's entrance. They continued forward and entered the building to see a U-shaped table, currently clear of anything but candelabras. At the other side of the room, sitting under a dragon skull hanging on the wall was a man in noble regalia fitting of the country speaking to another man. A Dunmer woman saw them and walked over, a hand on the hilt of her sword and her fingers curled.

"She's cast-ready," Weiss warned.

"Huh?" Ruby asked, confused as to how Weiss would know that.

"The way she's holding her hand. She's ready to use a spell if she has to. Cynrrbert taught me that."

"What's the meaning of this interruption?" the Dunmer asked them. "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving any visitors."

"We came from Helgen. We saw the dragon there," Weiss explained. "The people of Riverwood sent us forward to request aid."

At this, the Jarl stood up, having overheard them.

"You know about Helgen? Very well, approach, but no funny business." The Dunmer escorted them to the awaiting Jarl, eyes trained on them at all times.

The girls walked forward, and the Jarl's eyes scanned over them all.

"So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?"

"Yes sir, uh, lord," Ruby stammered. "Weiss, help me," she whispered to her friend.

"We arrived at Helgen to see it destroyed. The dragon attacked us, but we managed to escape," Weiss clarified. "After we got out, some soldiers helped us reach Riverwood. Once we recuperated, we headed straight here. Riverwood is close to where we last saw the dragon, and we're afraid it might strike again."

"I see. This is bad news indeed." He looked over at the man next to him. "What say you now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"

"Shall I prepare a detachment to send to Riverwood, my Jarl?" the Dunmer asked. Before the Jarl could affirm, the man next to him interjected.

"The Jarl of Falkreath will see that as a provocation," Proventus warned. Ruby noted he must have been the smith's father. She'll have to give him the sword after this. "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should not-"

"Enough!" Balgruuf demanded, making even the team go rigid at his command. "I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send that detachment to Riverwood at once."

"Yes, my Jarl." As she walked away, Proventus cleared his throat.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties."

"That would be best," Balgruuf coldly replied as he walked away as well, before sighing and turning his attention to the young girls in front of him. "You four, you've done us a great service, confirming this dragon for us. For this, I will see you all rewarded with armor straight from my own armory."

"Uh, thank you, sir," Ruby responded. "We were just doing what was right."

"That is why you deserve it. I'll have Fianna and Gerda show you the way in a moment. But first, given your…relative expertise in this matter, I'm hoping you can help us with something else. If you would follow me." Jarl Balgruuf began walking down one of the halls leading to the side. The four girls followed him, wondering just what he would request. He opened up a door and walked in. They saw that the room had scattered desks with scattered parchment atop them. There was a set of alembics and vials sitting near a burner, and in the corner there was a table with glowing runes etched upon it. A man in a blue robe was poring over some documents at one table while tracing lines in a book. "This is my court wizard, Farengar. He's been researching dragons and…rumors of dragons."

"Ah, thank you, my Jarl," the wizard said as he took note of them. "Who…exactly are these young ladies?"

"Survivors of Helgen. I'm hoping they can assist you." He looked at them all and nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then. I'll send a servant to lead you to the armory in just a moment." At this, the Jarl left, leaving the girls alone with the wizard, whom they just now noticed had mutton chops.

The wizard began looking them over, taking note of their appearance, though his gaze definitely lingered when he saw the two greatswords at Ruby's back. "So, he thinks you can be of some use to me. Very well. How experienced are any of you with ancient barrows?"

"We've been in one, if that's what you mean," Weiss answered. "Actually, we have a few questions about that one. While we were in there, some kind of wall with writing on it did something to our friend."

"Hi," Ruby squeaked.

"Now she can read what another mage thinks might be Dragon script."

"Wait, you can read Dragon script?" His interest was definitely piqued at that.

"Uh, kinda…" Ruby answered nervously. "If I see it, it looks like normal words to me. I actually have to focus to notice that it's not regular writing."

"She also says it out loud in what I think is their spoken language," Weiss went on. "The first time she read it aloud, she immediately repeated it in Vyt- in Common. She has to think about it to translate, but she can read and understand it."

"Oh, how interesting!" he exclaimed. "Tell me, what barrow were you in? What did this Word Wall say?"

"We were in Bleak Falls Barrow. It said: Here lies the Guardian, Keeper of the Dragonstone, and a Force of unending Rage and Darkness."

"Fascinating! Well, then this should be simple if you've already been there." He walked over and picked out a blank parchment while taking out an inkpot. "Well, assuming that it's there. I need what's known as a Dragonstone, which the Word Wall was referring to. It's a map of ancient dragon burial sites. Since you've gone through it once already, all you need to do is reenter the main chamber, where it most likely is, and bring it back. Now, what did the Wall say again?"

"Wait a minute." Blake pulled the tablet from her pack. "You mean this thing?"

Farengar looked at the stone and began laughing. "Truly, you lot are a different sort. That's it exactly! Tell me, can you read what it says?"

"Sure. Het nok un mahlaan drogge erei suleyk se Alduin vokrii. Here lies our fallen lords until the power of Alduin revives." She suddenly went still and then gasped. "What if it was a zombie dragon!? The one that attacked Helgen!"

"Don't be absurd," Weiss reprimanded her, slightly smug at how she was mostly right about the stone map.

"It's unfortunate I don't have much else in the ways of Dragon script. Perhaps you can visit sometime and read another thing or two for me?"

"Eh, I don't mind."

"Actually, I have some questions," Weiss started. "Do you think you could show me some things about magic?"

"Ah, an aspiring mage? Certainly, I could show you a thing or two. How good are you with alchemy?"

"Um, I'm not sure?" she said with uncertainty.

"We'll just have to see then."

"While you do that, how about the rest of us check out the town?" Yang suggested.

"We haven't gotten our reward yet," Blake pointed out.

"After we get our rewards, of course."

* * *

"So, I can get you a tusk, but it will be at least a hundred," Blake explained.

"A bit much, but I can meet that," Ysolda answered.

"All right. I'll bring it by the Bannered Mare tonight then."

The two shook hands and then parted ways. Blake smirked at the deal she'd just made, though she did have to wonder why no one in the caravan approached them about wanting a mammoth tusk. As she walked, she began eyeing the tree, wondering just what it was. It looked dead. As far as she knew, it was the tail end of summer in Skyrim, and a tree shouldn't have lost all its leaves already.

"Such a shame, isn't it," a woman in priest robes said to her.

"Is it dead?"

"Dying, but…it may as well be dead. It was struck by lightning some time ago, and it has only faded since. I've done everything I could think of, but I'm afraid it will be lost to us soon."

"Maybe you can plant a new one."

"It wouldn't be the same. The Gildergreen is no ordinary tree. It grew from a cutting of the Eldergleam, the oldest living tree in all of Skyrim. Maybe the oldest living thing in Tamriel."

"Wow, that's actually…pretty amazing." Blake wondered for a moment about such a tree. "The oldest trees where I come from are known as the bristlecone pine. They grow on Sanus, and can reach almost five thousand years old."

"They sound amazing."

"I've actually seen them. They look kinda gnarled, to be honest. They aren't pretty to look at. This thing looks like it must have been beautiful."

"It was." The priestess seemed to think to herself for a moment. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Danica Pure-Spring. I work in the Temple of Kynereth."

"Blake Belladonna. I…guess I'm an adventurer."

"Most people are quick to use the title. I suppose you know what it's really like, though. Which is why, if you don't mind, I'm asking this of you. See, there may be a way to restore the Gildergreen. If it were treated with the sap of its parent tree, I could likely restore it. No, I'm almost certain I could."

"I guess it's in a hard to reach place."

"Not the Eldergleam, no. But I don't have anything that could draw sap from it. It's an old tree, older than metal. There is one thing though that might work. I've heard that there are some Hagravens at Orphan's Rock who have a weapon they use to sacrifice spriggans. They call it 'Nettlebane'. If it is the one I think, then…it should work."

"Hagravens?"

"Evil creatures. Completely unnatural. Some witches turn themselves into them with human sacrifice. Very dangerous, too. Hence why I don't get it myself."

"So…there are some of these at…Orphan's Rock. And they'll have this Nettlebane. What does it look like?" Blake asked, slightly disturbed.

"Probably a ritual dagger. I'm not certain. I only started looking it up recently because of the Gildergreen. I suppose…look around wherever they're throwing the dead spriggans at."

* * *

The sound of hammers hitting metal resounded across the yard as two smiths works to forge a blade. At one anvil was an older man, with arms teeming with muscle. At the other anvil a young girl, and though she didn't appear very strong, she swung her own hammer with as much fervor.

Eorlund dipped his nearly finished blade into the water trough first. Ruby's was only ready long after he pulled it free and set it aside. When the younger smith's blade was sat next to his, three warriors, who hadn't seen which blade belonged to which, came and looked them both over.

"This one," the first said.

"Both are good, but that one's definitely better.

"I agree. Though, I wouldn't mind either blade."

"Ah, pickles," Ruby bemoaned her loss. Eorlund just laughed and patted her on the shoulder.

"Hey, you did fine work lass. I haven't seen a blade come out that well from someone else in an age." He lifted up her work and looked it over. "It's still a beautiful sword. If I didn't see you forge it myself, I'd have thought it to be the work of someone nearly as experienced as I am."

"Aw, shucks, you're just saying that." Ruby blushed, embarrassed at the older smith's praise.

"Hey, does this mean you're finally getting an apprentice?" a woman asked. "Gods know you could use a little help around the forge."

"I can still work it on my own," Eorlund stubbornly insisted. "Besides, the apprentice finds a master, not the other way around."

"Well, I can't really stay," Ruby admitted. "I do love your forge, honestly. And I love making weapons, but me and my friends have to find our way home."

"Don't worry girl. I understand entirely. Though, if you're going to be around, see about helping an old man fill out some orders, hm." He laughed again and took the two blades over to the whetstone.

Yang came up to the forge and stretched herself a bit. "Hey, Rubes. You done beating up old folks?"

"Actually, he won."

"What? No way!"

"Yep. Unbiased judges and all. He's just that much better than me."

"Well, he has been at this for a long time."

"Longer than either of you have been alive," Vilkas said as he followed the blonde up. "You've both got your initiation mission tomorrow. We've got a problem with a mad bear over towards the south, and some people are saying some witches' coven has been causing a ruckus. Feel free to ask someone for assistance. We don't plan on you doing these things alone."

"Well, I guess we could use someone as a guide. You guys know this place like the back of your hands by now, I'm sure."

"That we do. All right. You girls can feel free to sleep at Jorrvaskr if you wish. Free bed and all. I'll be seeing you later."

As Vilkas walked off, Yang took a look at the sword Eorlund was sharpening and whistled. "Now that's a sword!"

* * *

Weiss winced when, once again, the enchanted item she was observing seemed to crumble into dust.

'Ruby is not going to be happy about that one. Well, at least I know how to make anything cause a freezing effect upon a hit.'

"Good one to learn. Anything that can be slowed can be more easily killed."

"Um, is there a way to learn these without destroying the items?"

"There is."

Weiss waited for a moment for an answer. "And that would be?"

"Experience. Once you've gotten good at learning enchantments through observing them, you can do it without causing any sort of damage to the item in question. But that's a ways away. For now, let's try adding an enchantment. Let's see… Where did I put those Soul Gems?" Farengar opened up a drawer and pulled out several 'gems' that made Weiss's eye go wide. "No, these are empty."

"Wait a moment," she pleaded while picking one up and observing it closely. "This…looks just like an inert Dust crystal."

"I'm sorry? That's just your everyday Common Soul Gem."

"Well…yes, but… you said it was empty? Do you have 'filled' ones?"

"Certainly. I'm looking for them." He opened up another drawer. "Ah, here we go." He picked up a similar gem, this one with a bit of shine to it. Weiss's eyes narrowed as she observed it.

"What…do these Soul Gems do?"

"They have a number of uses, but most of them are as power sources. In the case of enchantment, they are what you use to 'fuel' the enchantment you add. Well, I say fuel, but it's more than they're sort of the bonding agent. I suppose you don't know how Soul Trap works?"

Weiss didn't like the sound of that. "I don't. Enlighten me."

"Well, I'll teach it to you afterwards. So, every size of Soul Gem can hold a soul of a comparable size." Her eyes widened again. "But of course, they only hold White Souls. That is, the souls of your everyday animals. The souls of sentient beings like ourselves require Black Soul Gems, which are, quite obviously, rarer, and don't have size classes. I also…object to their use."

"You…capture souls…as fuel."

"I can see the worry in your eyes. Don't be apprehensive about it. Captured White Souls pass on into the Aetherium and are reborn just as they would be if they'd died normally. As for Black Souls…it's more complex. Which is why I don't like their usage. Better to use a White Soul I know won't suffer than risk sending someone into eternal damnation."

"But…it still seems so…wrong."

"I suppose it takes getting used to. Just think of it as using any other part of the animal. Skin for clothes, meat for food, bones for hilts, that sort of thinking," Farengar advised. Still unsure, Weiss continued to look over the Soul Gem. "You know, normally one wouldn't expect a vampire to care so much about the fate of another creature's soul."

Weiss froze, fear tingling down her spine as she slowly looked over to Farengar, his stoic expression now gazing into her soul.

"Don't be so surprised. You aren't the first one I've met. And you've done well with the eye-color changing trick, but it lets up when you're feeling emotional." He smiled and shook his head. "Relax. I know there's a difference between a mindless, blood-thirsty vampire and one who simply wants to continue their life as before. You're the latter sort, I can tell. There's no point is trying to 'slay' you or turning you over to the guards. You traveled with a cadre of friends, none of them vampires, none of them enthralled. I assume their helping you of their own free will, and no doubt know about you. And if someone who goes out of their way to help a village in the back end of the hold can get said village and the Jarl himself to trust you, then there's no risk in me trusting you either."

"You've...thought this through really well."

"Of course. I've been observing you this entire time, even as I taught you. It's no big trick to hold two lines of thought at once. I daresay, it looks like you'd rather leave your friends out of the whole vampire deal."

Weiss nodded. "There's no way I'd ever do something like this to them. I'd rather die."

"That's good to hear. Now, seeing as you haven't tried to use your enhanced strength to break my neck and your natural invisibility abilities to sneak out of here after my little reveal, I think I can trust you a bit more." As Weiss stood there, confused as to what he meant by that, he pulled an iron dagger out of another drawer and set it on the enchanting table. "Your first few enchantments are going to be pitiful, but, once you gain mastery of it, you will be able to bestow enchantments the like of which only gods can better. Try enchanting that dagger then."

* * *

Mikhail fell back onto his rear, nursing a swollen and bruised eye.

"From now on, know that no," Yang cracked her knuckles, "means no."

"Undershood," the bard lisped through a swollen lip.

"What was that?"

"Understood, ma'am!"

Yang smiled and nodded. "All right then. Have a pleasant evening."

One Nord watching seemed to have a twinkle in his eyes. "The arms on that woman!"

"Wouldn't mind going a few rounds with her," his friend said before wagging his eyebrows. Both laughed and returned to their mugs and banter. Not noticing her new admirers, Yang strolled over to her team, who were eating their stew while waiting on her return.

"All hail Yang, defender of the single mothers," her sister teased, failing to hold back her giggles.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh at me. Weiss, what are you doing?"

The heiress looked up from whatever she was fiddling with. "Uh, what?"

"What're you doing under the table?"

In response, the white-haired girl lifted up a sack and set it on the table.

"While you were off punching insistent bards in the face, which I thoroughly support, I counted through our money twice," she explained. "One ebon, four denars, two malks, and six septims, or nine-hundred and twenty-six septims. …And sixty three cents."

Yang let out a low whistle. "Sounds like a good bit!"

"Not really. It's enough to live off of for quite a while, but there's no telling how much we'll need in the future. And we still have to go by Solitude and get our reward for that amulet. We still have those, right?"

"All five," Ruby confirmed, before pouting. "But I lost my special water-breathing necklace because of you. And my frost sword."

"How many times…! I'll make you a new one, I promise." She sighed in exasperation before quickly looking through the bag of money again. "We should put at least one ebon in savings. I'll open up an account at the bank in the Cloud District."

"Wait, they have banks?" Ruby wondered. "How does that work?"

"Banks existed on Remnant long before instant communication. They just weren't internationally connected until about fifty years ago."

"Then how will we be able to...?"

"Crystal balls hooked up on some kind of interbank network that tells the other banks how much money each person has in their account. At least, that's what Farengar told me..." Weiss interjected before going silent, remembering how he had recognized her condition.

"Ah... Neat."

Seeing how their money problem was currently resolved, and tired after a long day's work, Yang reached for a brown bottle, only to have her hand stopped by Blake. "Ten more minutes."

"Aw!" Yang whined, half serious and half joking. "Come on, Blakey! Live a..."

A loud noise reverberated throughout the inn, sustained for about ten seconds, stopping Yang in mid-sentence, along with the rest of the diners. Everyone went quiet, tense at the unexpected sound. When it started up again, the diners quickly exited their seats, leaving their food and drinks behind in a rush, each sporting a worried look.

"What's going on?" Ruby asked the departing crowd, getting up from her seat, along with the rest of her team.

"War horn," an armored man answered. "Doesn't make sense. There would have been an official declaration of war."

"Whiterun's neutral, right?" Yang asked him.

"Officially, but the Jarl might as well declare for the Empire the way he runs things." The war horn echoed out it's signal once again, making people pick up their pace. At this point, Whiterun itself was in a mild panic. "Ulfric Stormcloak wouldn't have attacked without officially declaring war on Whiterun either. He believes in honorable conflict."

"I doubt he'd have the time either," Weiss muttered. "He probably hasn't even made it back to Windhelm yet."

"Let's go see what's going on," Ruby suggested as she headed straight out the door. People were rushing along the streets up towards the Cloud District, likely to get further from whatever was threatening Whiterun. Near the gate she saw several guardsmen beginning to gather up, with Irileth herself leading them. Seeing Irileth at the front made Ruby pick up her pace, recognizing that if she was here, this was not just a bandit raid. Her team followed her outside while the other patrons still inside the tavern began heading up towards the Cloud District. Looking over the crowd, Yang recognized and waved at four people moving against the crowd.

"'Sup guys!" The other three turned and saw Aela, Vilkas, Farkas, and another man only Yang knew the name of leading them. "What's going on?"

"I still don't understand your greeting," Skjor scowled before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter right now. We just got word. Someone just ran all the way from the Western Watchtower. Says it was attacked by a dragon."

The girls froze up. The memories of that black beast they had fought and barely escaped from coming back to them.

"S-so it's here?" Ruby queried with a slight shake in her, the rest of her teammates not much better.

"Near about. The Western Watchtower is a short ways from Whiterun proper."

"We're going out to help the force being put together to hopefully fight it off," Aela added. "It caught Helgen off-guard, and while they were occupied with other matters. Hopefully we stand a better chance."

Not wanting to waste any more time, they began walking towards the gate, Team RWBY right behind them. Upon realizing this, the four companions halted in surprise.

"You four not planning on heading to the keep? Maybe Jorvaskr?" Farkas asked them.

"No," Ruby stated simply, resolute and determined. "I mean, I'm not. You guys-"

"No way we're letting you go alone," Yang interrupted.

"You're our leader. If you're brave enough to go out there and face a dragon, then it'd be shameful if I ran," Weiss explained.

"We're better prepared this time," Blake said with a nod.

"Yeah, and besides, it's our duty to protect people from monsters."

"Atta girls," Farkas quietly cheered for them.

"What about you guys?" Ruby asked. "Are any more Companions coming?"

"The rest are preparing a defense, just in case," Vilkas explained. "We volunteered to go sally forth. Besides, fighting a dragon? Victory or Sovngarde, this'll be a tale to tell."

Nodding their heads at each other, the eight marched up to the front gates upon the gathering guardsmen. As they neared, they could hear Irileth finish what must have been an inspirational speech to her men.

"Could you call yourselves Nords if you ran from this monster? Are you going to let me face this thing alone?" she challenged to the group of warriors, briefly noting the new arrivals before nodding in approval, and then redirecting her attention to the soldiers.

Several of them yelled out a throaty 'no', but one guard nearby muttered under his breath something that they all thought at least once.

"We're so dead…"

"But it's more than our honor at stake here! Think of it! The first dragon seen in Skyrim since the last age. The glory of killing it is ours, if you're with me! Now what do you say? Shall we go kill us a dragon!"

The crowd of guards, now thoroughly enraptured, started giving out battlecries. The nervousness and fear wasn't quite gone from them, but it had been greatly diminished. Even the teen girls felt a little better about their chances.

"Let's move out!" the housecarl yelled before hopping down from her raised stone and heading out the gate, the small army following her. The Companions and Huntresses ended up somewhere in the middle as they jogged out of the city and down the path towards the west, with only the light of the moons guiding them, with a faint orange glow coming from the west.

After several minutes of jogging, and then slowing to a brisk walk, the crowd neared the watchtower to see much of it ablaze, and its walls crumbled around it. The tower itself was still standing, but there was a large scorch on one side of it. Men and women stopped just behind Irileth, who looked about with a small spell in her hand that fizzled away after a moment.

"No sign of any dragon, but it sure looks like he's been here." She looked back to the crowd and waved one arm out. "I know it looks bad, but let's figure out what happened." She looked back at the damage before muttering, "And if that dragon's still skulking about anywhere. Spread out, and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with."

Aela walked over to the teens with a bow in hand. "Look like the dragon's handiwork to you lot?"

"Yeah, but…" Ruby tried to search for the words to describe her thoughts.

"We didn't have much time to observe the damage done to Helgen before we had to focus on the dragon itself," Weiss explained. "The fire fits the bill perfectly though."

Yang lifted up a chunk of masonry and sighed as she dropped it to reveal a charred body. Farkas and Vilkas worked together to remove some heavy stones only to reveal a man that was more paste that anything.

"Anyone find anything yet?" a guard asked after looking around a small, collapsed wooden structure.

"Nothing here," the blonde called back.

"Hey, I found someone," Blake announced from with the tower. Several people began running for the broken opening, seeing a man with a partially scorched uniform, groaning where he leaned against the wall.

"You should-" His coughing interrupted him. "You should all leave. It's still around somewhere."

A roar, one familiar to the girls resounded through the tundra, making everyone turn toward the mountains south of them.

"No…" the survivor muttered. "Kynereth save us…"

"Get ready!" Irileth shouted before pulling out her blade from its sheath.

"Where is it?"

"What does it look like?"

"You four!" the Dunmer called out for Team RWBY. "You've seen the dragon before. What can we expect?"

"That was definitely it!" Yang called out in reply, trying to keep the fear inside from coming out. "We heard that same noise before we reached Helgen!"

"It flies faster than you'd expect," Weiss described. "It mostly breathed fire, but it can breathe frost too. And the scales are harder than steel! Aim for the wings!"

"It really doesn't like people, and called us dumb mortals before threatening to kill us," Ruby added.

The other three paused at that.

"Ruby, what?" her sister asked before a louder roar shook the air around them.

"Look!" Blake screamed as she pointed up.

The whole crowd looked at the sky to see a shape passing in front of Masser. As it passed by Secunda, it blocked nearly the whole of the smaller moon before seeming to drop and grow as it rapidly approached.

" **Ha!** " a deep voice called from it as it passed them by. " **I had forgotten what sport you mortals can provide!** "

Three of the girls felt a chill overtake them. Ruby stared at it with wide eyes.

"It's…not the same!"

"What?!" Aela and Irileth both screamed.

"It's not the same dragon!" Ruby shouted. "The dragon at Helgen was bigger and all black. This one's more grey colored!"

"Another… Focus everyone!" the housecarl ordered, sending out a bolt of electricity towards the beast, going wide.

With a loud laugh, the dragon swooped down and grasped one of the men with its large talons, his panicked screams filling the night air as he was taken into the sky as the dragon banked upwards. The reptile released the man, catapulting him away, flying higher through the sky before reaching the zenith of his flight and falling back down in the distance, his screams ending with a loud crunch.

"Bows out! Aim for the wings!" At her command, a volley of arrows erupted, speeding towards the flying reptile. Most missed, but a few hit its mark, and to Blake's surprise and relief a grunt of pain came out.

"Guys!" Ruby yelled as her team regathered.

"There's another one!" Weiss shrieked. "Why is there another one?!"

"I don't know, but listen, it's smaller, and we have help!"

"I saw a few arrows hit it," Blake explained. "Only one stuck, but it _felt_ that. It's way softer than the other one."

"So, we have a chance this time!" Yang pounded her fists together, itching for some payback.

"Maybe, but it's…smart," Ruby pondered. "Maybe we can make it back off?" At Ruby's suggestion, her team went silent, the sounds of battle and death overtaking them.

"What are you thinking?" her sister asked cautiously.

"It is intelligent, but I'm thinking it's going to be hard to convince something like that to _not_ try to kill us," Weiss warned.

"I have to try. Even if I fail, I tried my best. Until then," she took out Crescent Rose and set it to gun mode, "we're going to do our best to stop it."

The girls nodded and went into action. Arrows continued to fill the sky, with some hitting their target, only to be repelled as a word left the dragon's maw, scattered by a wave of power. Irileth, noting that the dragon was much lower to the ground this time, raised her hand and fired a bolt of lightning that hit the dragon's underbelly. It roared in pain and turned as fire began leaving its mouth. Guards ducked behind whatever they could, while the Dunmer raised a magical ward, attempting to shield themselves from the flames, but some were still immolated, their screams sounding out as their bodies flailed. The ward spell began cracking, but held until the flames died and the dragon turned again and glided over the ground, circling the watchtower and coming back around. Irileth dodged out of the way of its jaws and spun to fire another lightning bolt at it.

Yang charged up and fired two shots at its side. The dragon roared and banked back up and Yang cheered.

"That hit 'em! Drew blood!"

"So it is softer," Weiss whispered in relief.

The dragon turned back and spun through another swarm of arrows before breathing out a stream of flames at the unfortunate Nords beneath it. It roared more joyously and began hovering while looking for prey.

Ruby fired, her shot bouncing off of one of its horns. The dragon hissed and looked towards her.

"Stop!" she screamed. "We don't have to fight!"

The dragon laughed as it came closer to the ground before it feet landed.

" **Wrong, mortal** ," it taunted as it stepped near her. " **The war is begun again. It will not end until our lord has trampled you all under the rule of my brethren and I.** " It laughed again, much louder this time. " **Thuri du hin sil ko Sovngarde!** "

Ruby grit her teeth, aimed, and fired, striking its eye. The dragon jumped back and roared in pain. Ruby chambered a new round and fired again, hitting its neck and causing a spurt of blood to erupt. As she chambered a third round, the dragon reared its head back.

" **Yol** ," she heard before disappearing in a swarm of petals. " **Tor SHUUL!** " Fire filled the area where Ruby once presided, scorching the land and adding to the ever increasing amount of flame that at this point threatened to turn into a wildfire.

The girl looked back to see the dragon taking off again before it turned to make another pass.

"Talking failed," she groaned. "But…it said something about a lord."

"Well, we can hurt it!" Yang shouted as she cocked her gauntlets.

"Yeah, let's show this-" Something slammed into the speaking guardsman and Yang, throwing them both through a partly collapsed wall. Yang struggled to get up, but the Nord hadn't been so lucky, practically exploding upon contact. The dragon banked hard and jumped off the side of the tower.

" **Hahaha! Tiid! Clo! Ul!** " the dragon said before Ruby felt like the entire world was suddenly covered in molasses. Everything but the dragon slowed, and then the creature was coming straight for her, a foot open to catch her. She pushed her Semblance to the max and got out of the way. Suddenly the world came back to normalcy, but everyone seemed to not notice the effect, instead feeling as if the dragon seemed to have gotten extremely fast.

"What…was that?" she gasped.

Ice spikes flew at the dragon, smacking into it and breaking, save for three that pierced its wings. It turned and unleashed fire from its maw blindly, enraged as it began to slightly lose altitude before recovering. Attempting to disengage, Weiss ran from the flames, but it noticed her and, recognizing that she was the one who launched the ice spikes, unleashed a more directed stream right at her, encircling the teenage girl. The heiress screamed as she was enveloped in fire, her Aura straining to protect her. Before her Aura couldn't take anymore abuse, a yellow blur shot through with the sound of two guns firing at once, grabbing her and pulling her loose. Her clothes were singed, and her Aura was visibly taxed as Yang set her down.

"Get some cover Ice Queen," the brawler told her before turning back and pounding her fists together. "Good shot though."

The dragon landed for a moment, looking at its injured wing and growling. Several men charged, armed with different weapons, only to be enveloped in flames as the dragon unleashed another fire breath upon them, setting many on fire or outright charring them. One man was lucky enough to dodge, but as he picked himself off the ground, dragon's maw enclosed upon him, snapping him up before thrashing about and then tossing the body away.

Yang charged at the dragon with a shout. Its head was smacked away by one punch and then upwards by the follow-up. The dragon flapped its wings and leapt back before smacking at her with its tail again, only for her to meet it with a fist and for them both to get knocked back. The dragon straightened out its flight as Yang skid away.

"Blake," Ruby shouted towards the girl that had relegated herself to firing arrows. "Can you get it if it gets close to the tower?"

The faunus looked at the structure, and then nodded to her leader before heading inside. Ruby watched as the dragon circled out again, closing the distance it made quickly. She hefted Crescent Rose up and sped forward.

"You can't catch me!" she taunted the creature. It looked towards her and seemed to snarl. "Come and get it, you flying lizard!"

" **Hi fen oblaan us Mirmulnir, neltiid joor!** "

Ruby sped back to the tower, circling around it and waiting for the dragon to show. As it came around, she aimed up towards it, making it flinch back and hover. Just as it did so, Blake jumped upon its back and ran down, swiping at its spine before digging her sword into the skin of its wing between the third and fourth fingers and sliding off. The dragon roared in pain as it was forced to descend. It crashed into the ground, and the remaining guards had come around to see it.

"Is it dead?" someone asked.

The dragon rose up on its wings and snorted outward before growling at them all. Yang came around and charged up.

"Got you this time!"

"Yang! Wait!"

" **Tiid!** " the dragon shouted as Yang neared it. Once again, Ruby saw the world go into slow-motion and the dragon stepped forward unaffected before snapping down onto her blonde sister. Ruby tried to speed forward, but her Semblance had barely activated before Yang was being lifted into the air and then tossed back down. She bounced once and landed on her back before the dragon jumped upwards and landed a foot on her legs and waist. Time resumed its pace and Yang was screaming as her Aura flared and shattered. Ruby felt the world snap into some kind of focus as her blood pounded in her ears.

"YANG!" she screamed before bursting into petals with Crescent Rose unfurling totally. She charged the dragon and dragged her scythe across its scales as she spun around it from its neck to its torso, causing a long line of a bleeding wound to suddenly burst on the dragon. It roared in pain and backed away as Ruby dashed back, grabbing Yang and taking her back to the tower.

"Yang?" Ruby begged her unconscious sister as she checked her over. Blake hopped over to them and Weiss was looking from the tower's base. The guards tried firing arrows at the dragon while it was stunned, Irileth adding her lightning to the mix, but there were far less of them than before. Vilkas, Farkas, and Skjor were out on the field with some of the guards circling around the dangerous creature, hoping to get it occupied. Ruby blinked back tears and looked at the dragon in rage.

"Weiss," she called out to her partner. "Make a trail! Blake, hold its head back!"

"What are you-"

"Just do it!" she yelled, startling her teammates. She looked at the dragon, and recalled its name.

"Mirmulnir!" she yelled at it, gaining its attention after it tried to knock Farkas away with a wing. "Hi ahraan dii brihnah!" she roared out. "Zu'u los do us krii hi!"

The dragon growled as its tail whacked to ground in front of a charging Skjor, missing the Companion as he backed away. Then it laughed mirthlessly.

" **Brit grah! Come then, meyus joor!** "

Ruby held Crescent Rose in a ready pose and put herself into a sprinting position.

"Now!"

A trail of white glyphs appeared before her, leading straight to the dragon, as a black ribbon appeared following a bladed gun that fired. Blake grabbed the gun and pulled it and the other end of the ribbon, snatching it into the dragon's mouth and tugging back. The dragon's head was pulled back by the faunus, and then the men on the field rushed to her side to help.

Ruby shot forward, firing her sniper-scythe as her Semblance activated and the glyphs pushed her speed even higher. She released a yell as she swung her scythe forward. The total momentum behind her swing was thus that she buried her scythe's blade all the way into the chest of the dragon where she believed its heart to be. Mirmulnir roared in pain and whipped its head around as it struggled against the pain. Ruby yanked Crescent Rose loose and jumped clear as the dragon fell to the ground and wildly thrashed its limbs about. It looked at Ruby, and the girl could swear she saw fear in its eye as it struggled to escape, rapidly losing strength.

"D- Dovahkiin?! NOOOOOOOO!" With one last pathetic thrash, the dragon went still. For a long moment no one moved, and then the remaining men and women began cheering.

"Let's make sure that overgrown lizard is really dead!" Irileth ordered as she approached.

Farkas tested with a stab to the neck, which elicited no response. At this confirmation, the cheering doubled in strength, with many of the surviving guardsmen turning to look at Ruby in amazement, who herself was still checking over her sister in worry.

"Amazing! You really killed it!" one guardsman cheered. Ruby ignored him as she went over to check on her unconscious sister.

"Yang!" Ruby cried before hugging her, hoping that she'd be all right. Their other teammates came up to try and check on her as well.

"Well done ev- What's going on?!" Another guardsman shouted out in panic, directing everyone's attention

Everyone looked back at the dragon corpse, which had begun to glow and seemingly light on fire. As the flames from within it burned away its flesh into ashes and embers, wisps of energy leapt from the burning dragon and into Ruby. The wind seemed to pick up around them all as the energy flowed into her. Ruby felt as if her soul was being pinched from all around, as though her Aura was being overfilled with power. When the lights died down, she felt as though she could recall seeing things she never saw before, and a deeper understanding of Words and how they differed from words filled her memories.

"I don't believe it," a guardsman muttered as he took off his helmet. "You're…Dragonborn."

Ruby looked around in fear and began patting her torso, feeling like there should have been more wounds there.

"Am…" She blinked and teared up a bit. "Am I going to die?"

* * *

 **Dovahzul Translations**

 **'**

 **Thuri du hin sil ko Sovngarde!** \- My overlord will devour your souls in Sovngarde!  
 **  
 **Tiid! Clo! Ul!**** \- Time! Sand! Eternity! - The Slow Time Shout

 ** **Hi fen oblaan us Mirmulnir, neltiid joor!**** \- You will die to Mirmulnir, fleet (fast) mortal!  
 ** **  
Hi ahraan dii brihnah! Zu'u los do us krii hi!**** \- You hurt my sister! I am going to kill you!  
 **  
 **Brit grah!**** \- Beautiful battle!  
 ** **  
Meyus joor**** \- Foolish mortal


	6. Finding the Calm

**So, I work a night job. Thing about a night job, when you have a day off, you can either choose to stay up that day and mess up your sleep pattern, or you can keep it up and stay up at _night_ instead, and not be tired as hell at work the next night. When you have four days off in a row after a full week of back to back work days? That messes you up. Guess who has a RWBY/TES crossover and got that very situation?**

 **Enough about me, you guys are here for RWBY and a Wonderful World of Wizardry, Vikingry, and Draconian battles!**

 **So here's a chapter.**

* * *

"I don't feel so good," Ruby muttered before suddenly lurching, struggling to hold back the contents of her stomach. In seconds, Blake was on her, inspecting her leader for any sort of damage that must have occurred.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Blake comforted the young girl as she continued to look her over. Spotting no signs of trauma, she turned and pointed at the guardsman who made the declaration. "You! What's happening?"

Seeing how he was being directly called out now, the guardsmen meekly replied. "It's…your friend. I think she might be Dragonborn."

"What're you on about?" Irileth asked the guardsman. At this point, all eyes were on the Nord, who nervously glanced around the survivors and cleared his throat.

"Well, it's like the Dragonborn of old. She killed the dragon, and took its soul!"

"What!?" Blake and Weiss both screamed.

At this, Ruby felt her throat lurch once again and, unable to hold it back this time, ran a few paces, and doubled over as her dinner escaped her. Some of the survivors were disgusted and backed away, but most kept themselves steady. A few began to debate with the man. Blake and Weiss, however, stayed rooted in place in silent shock and horror at the implications of what Ruby accidentally did.

"No… I didn't…" Ruby whimpered as she went back and sat next to her sister with a thud. At the sudden movement next to her, the blonde finally stirred. Ruby only barely noticed.

"…Hey, Rubes… We win?" She groaned as soon as she was fully conscious. Attempting to pick herself off the ground, Yang grunted in severe pain, forcing her onto her back. She couldn't see it, but Yang could tell that her legs at this point were useless.

"Mmhm." Ruby barely acknowledged her sister, causing Yang to raise an eyebrow in worry, before redirecting her attention to the increasing volume of the debate going on around her.

"I'm telling you all, she's definitely Dragonborn. Like Tiber Septim used to be."

Another man shook his head. "Don't recall Tiber Septim ever killing any dragons."

"That's because there weren't any dragons then. They're just coming back for the first time in…ever."

"No, that's not true," a woman pointed out. "Tiber was said to have granted some dragons amnesty for working for the Empire. Ever heard the tales of Nafaalilargus?"

"I thought it was Nahfahlaar," the first wondered.

"Was he the one some Redguard killed?" she asked him.

"What're they talking about?" Yang grunted out as she tried to sit up, trying to fight through the pain.

"Yang, don't," Ruby object as she pushed down on her sister's shoulder. "You might be seriously hurt."

"I still feel my legs. Wish I didn't. Hey guys," she greeted the other two teammates as they drew closer.

"Are you all right?" her partner asked in concern.

"I'm alive. How about the-" She completely stopped when she saw the smoldering skeleton. "Whoa! How'd we pull that off?"

"Um, going by what everyone's saying…" Blake wasn't sure where to take that thought.

"They think I'm a…Dragonborn or something," Ruby responded quietly. Before Yang could ask what exactly a 'Dragonborn' was, one of the guards suddenly shouted over to the girls.

"Hey, you should try Shouting!"

"She should what?" Yang asked, confused.

"You know, Shout! When you say a word in the dragon language and…cause things. I don't really know how to explain it."

"Dragon…language?" Ruby began thinking back to the Word Wall that she had read. ' **HET NOK FaaL VahLok DeiNMaaR DO DOVAahGOLZ ahRK aaN FUS DO UNSLaaD RahGOL ahRK VULOM**! _ **Here lies the Guardian, Keeper of the Dragonstone, And a Force of unending Rage and Darkness!'**_ She tried thinking of which word seemed powerful. Rage? Guardian? Unending? Darkness? Force?

' _Fus,'_ something tickled in the back of her mind.

' _Fus,'_ it repeated. _'Force. My Voice…pushes at the world. Fus.'_

Ruby closed her eyes and breathed in. Her lungs expanded to their fullest, her throat tingled in anticipation.

' _The world pushes at me. I push at the word. Our_ _ **Force**_ _collides.'_

She opened her eyes and her lips formed a Word.

' _I will push back harder!'_

" **Fus!** "

A wave of kinetic energy leapt from her lungs, through her throat, and out of her mouth, slamming against the Nord in front of her, who grunted as he was thrown onto his back. Cries and gasps of astonishment came from all around, and her team looked at her in a mixture shock and curiosity.

"Whoa!" the guard said before coughing and picking himself up. "That was amazing!"

"So it's true. You really are Dragonborn," the one next to him said.

"H- how?" Ruby asked as she seemed to shrink down.

"Everyone, listen up!" Irileth demanded of the crowd. "I understand your excitement about some ancient Nord hero appearing. I can imagine my mother was excited when the Nerevarine appeared." She looked over at Ruby and back at the Nords. "But, as you can see, the girl is not feeling well. I would ask that you all keep this to yourselves. For now, only the Jarl should know about this."

"You want us to keep this a secret!?" a woman shouted back, astonished.

"Housecarl, don't you realize what this could do? If people know about there being a Dragonborn, it could give all of Skyrim hope."

"Or it could cause a ruckus. One that a girl barely a year from being a child should not have to deal with. As far as the rest of the world knows, a group of dedicated soldiers slayed this dragon, not-"

Voices like thunder resounded across the land. People covered their ears, but still they heard it.

" **DOV-AH-KIIN!** " they all heard.

"Sweet mother of night!" Yang cursed while covering her ears, alongside everyone else. Once the sound finally abated, and the ringing stopping.

"That was…the Greybeards," Farkas awed.

"Uh," a guard said dumbly. "About keeping that a secret, Irileth…" At seeing the housecarl's enraged and twitching face, he wisely backed off. A little too late, apparently, as the Dunmer's attention was now squarely on him.

"Get the wounded onto the cart," she ordered.

"We...don't have a cart..."

"Go get one."

"... Yes, housecarl," the guard groaned as he ran back to Whiterun, while everyone else began giving potions to the wounded and gathering up the bodies of the fallen.

* * *

"So, my sister is some kind of traditional Nordic hero or something?" Yang asked one of the men walking next to the cart they were carrying her on. There were several injured, but only two were unable to walk, and Yang was one of them.

"Basically. Dragonborn are supposed to be the greatest dragon slayers alive. They're supposed to be part dragon…or something like that."

"Huh, maybe she got it from dad. Ooh, maybe I'm one too!"

"Maybe. It'd make sense to me." The Nord shrugged. "Was supposed to be that the Emperors were Dragonborn, so it was a bloodline thing. Last one died with no heirs though, during the Oblivion Crisis two hundred years ago."

"I've actually read about that," Weiss interjected. "Martin Septim apparently became an avatar of Akatosh and sealed Oblivion away from Nirn so that Daedra could no longer brute force their way in."

"Oh, you read that too?" Blake asked.

"No, not what you read. I looked up history. You read some fiction about five heroes."

"Actually, the five heroes existed," Aela explained. "The Hero, The Guardian, The Champion, The Watcher, and The Unknown. They did a lot of things to save Cyrodiil during it's time of need, including help the Blades secure Martin and the Amulet of Kings. Then they disappeared while going into the last known Oblivion Gate, leading to the Shivering Isles. It closed, and there hasn't been an Oblivion Gate since, so they must have succeeded in whatever it was beyond there."

"Oh, then why weren't they-"

"Was it a Cyrod name for the author?"

"Looked Bretonnish, actually."

"Then I wouldn't trust it. Bretons aren't the best at learning other provinces' history. They have too much to keep up with in their own country."

Blake shrugged. "Cynrrbert _was_ wrong about the millennia thing."

"It was an honest semantics mistake!" Weiss defended her teacher, for lack of a better word. "Some people hear 'a long time' and think thousands of years. Some think centuries. And then some think 'since ever'."

"Hey!" the guard in question objected.

"Guys, I don't think arguing is going to help," the team leader scolded. "Besides we're close to the city now, and we should…keep it all on the down-low."

"All right. Still going to try to sell those bones and scales, though," Weiss deferred before groaning. "Gods, these are heavy..." She shifted the pack's straps on her shoulders.

"If you think you can, have at it," the housecarl told her. "Remember everyone, keep it to yourselves. The dragon fell to _all_ of us. Let the people guess at who the Dragonborn is for now."

The crowd walked through the Khajiit caravan, Blake hanging back for a while to speak with a few of them. As they passed through the gate, they found Whiterun to be deserted. Apparently, the curfew hadn't been lifted just yet.

"It's for the best," Irileth concluded as they passed into the Wind District, placing a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. "The less people know, the better."

Being the best place in the city to heal their injuries, the injured were all brought into the Temple of Kynereth, where priests immediately began setting broken bones and applying healing magic. Yang's cart was set carefully, and one priestess came over to tend to her.

"Are you all right?"

"You should see the other guy," Yang joked before wincing. "Ah, seriously though, I think my pelvis is cracked. Don't really want to test out my legs to see how they are."

The healer began looking her over, a yellow glow on her hands as she tested touching around the injured areas.

"What exactly happened?"

"A dragon stepped on her," Ruby declared.

"She had a, uh, protective spell on at the time," Weiss lied. Alteration armor spells like oakflesh worked a lot like defensive Aura to be comparable to it.

"Definitely seems crushed in places. We'll work on her throughout the day, but there are a lot of patients with the guards returning." The priestess shook her head sadly. "Not as many as we'd hoped, but better than none at all."

Having secured Yang a spot in the healing temple, the two left and ran into the four Companions.

"Well, nice to see you all make it," Skjor commended, though in such a way that Ruby couldn't tell if it was a compliment or not. "I guess Yang's going to need a day or two before we send her out? Well, she certainly proved her bravery out there. Now to get her to think before she acts." He laughed a bit. "You two did well out there. Ruby, I hope you know you aren't getting out of your proving mission either. It's only delayed. Just because you have a bit of special power in you don't make you an expert yet. If anything, we'll be pressed to push you twice as hard."

"Oh boy," she muttered.

"Don't let the old dog make you feel down," Vilkas interceded. "Legacy or no, you fought bravely, and in defense of your sister when she was down. I only hope my brother is half as brave if I ever need him that badly."

"Assuming I don't put you there," Farkas joked, lightly punching his brother in the shoulder.

"Thanks guys. We should probably head up to see the Jarl before we turn in," Ruby responded. "Today's…been full of things." At this, the Companions nodded in understanding.

"Divines smile on you, girls."

"Have a good night." At this, the two groups went their separate ways, the Companions retreating into their mead hall, the huntresses walking up the steps to Dragonsreach.

As Weiss and Ruby walked up to the keep, Blake caught up, having finished speaking to the Khajiit, falling in behind them. The three entered to see Jarl Balgruuf waiting near his throne, pacing back and forth. The man sighed when he saw them, but looked a little bit to their left where Yang usually stood. He seemed a bit somber, but Blake decided to break the ice with a little good news.

"Hello, sir. We made it back, but Yang's injured and at the temple healing."

"Ah, that's good to hear," he said with a drop of relief. "Irileth sent a few men ahead, but they all seemed tense. Not a bad sort, more like there's a secret that they can't hold in. And the Greybeards… Do you…know what's going on?"

The team looked about, noting that there didn't seem to be anyone else in the main hall at the moment.

"Well," Ruby said uncertainly. "Apparently I'm a…Dragonborn, or something?"

Balgruuf looked at her for a moment and blinked. "Are you… Are you certain about this?"

"The guards thought so, and I can…Shout now."

"Then…it _was_ you the Greybeards were summoning."

"Greybeards?" Weiss asked, gaining the Jarl's attention. "Sorry, sir, but not much was really explained to us, and there seemed to be a lot of conflicting information, ranging from some world ending prophecy to Ruby being the descendant of a Septim's illegitimate child. Can you…?"

"I can understand your confusion. Most know more about the deeds of the Dragonborn of the past than of the Dragonborn themselves. As for the Greybeards, they are the Masters of the Way of the Voice, who live in seclusion in High Hrothgar, atop the Throat of the World. Monks most would call them. And for a Dragonborn's significance, they are uniquely gifted in the Voice, the ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um. The Shout you made was one such Thu'um."

"So, they want me to come up to meet them because I'm…talented?"

"Talented would not be the correct word I would use for it. But, if it's true and you are Dragonborn, the Greybeards are the ones to see. They, more than anyone, can teach you about the Voice."

"Wait, what was that about focusing her essence?" Blake asked.

"Basically, it's a part of her soul. I'm…not certain of the intricacies about it, but to be Dragonborn is to _have_ a dragon's soul. Only a dragon can _permanently_ kill another dragon, and the Dragonborn are simply dragons in mortal form."

Ruby reached up and touched her chest above her heart while wincing. Weiss noticed and frowned at her partner's discomfort.

"So, will these Greybeards… They'll have esoteric abilities? Like magic?"

"That's a way of putting it, I suppose. Like I said, they've spent nearly all their lives studying the Voice. There are…strange powers that be used with its mastery. Some things only a Dragonborn could even hope to learn." He looked directly at Ruby. "The moment you're able, you should head up to High Hrothgar, meet the Greybeards. To be able to meet with them is a great honor." He then had a wistful look upon his face. "Ah, to be able to go up the Seven Thousands Steps… I once made the pilgrimage up there, you know. A hard hike, but wondrous for the soul." He shook his head from his musings and looked back to them.

"Nevertheless, after you four selflessly put yourselves in harm's way, even though you understood the dangers better than anyone in Whiterun, I think a more substantial reward is in order. By my right as Jarl, I name you all as Thanes of Whiterun. When your sister has recovered, I shall see to it that she receives the same, as well as something to compensate her for her injuries. As well, to you, Ruby Rose, I'll have Lydia assigned to you as your own housecarl. You are important beyond words, after all, and you need every bit of defense we can spare."

"Thanes?" Blake asked.

"Housecarl?" Ruby voiced in concern.

"We're thankful, sir," Weiss said. "But, there's so much going on at the moment…"

"I understand you feel a little overwhelmed, but you deserve the best I can give you all, and the title of Thane is the highest honor I can give."

"Oh, no complaints at all, Jarl Balgruuf. It's just…unexpected."

He chuckled for a moment. "No trouble. You should know though that being Thanes means you are technically now citizens of Whiterun, with everything that entails. Including the right to own land and property within the Hold and city. The guards will be informed of your positions as well, so they know you aren't just part of the common rabble."

Weiss felt a little perked up at that.

"So, are Thanes like knights?" Ruby asked her.

"A rough analogy, but the simplest. We should all get some rest then." Weiss bowed toward Balgruuf and the other two followed her example, Ruby a little uncertainly.

"Of course. You've all… We have all had a remarkably eventful day. I assume the Bannered Mare?" Ruby nodded. "Then I'll have your housecarl sent there the moment she can come. Rest easy, all of you. And…be brave, Dragonborn."

* * *

Ruby flipped through the Book of the Dragonborn again.

'To think I picked it up on a whim back in Helgen!' she thought. Most of it was old accounts of Dragonborn and suspected Dragonborn, including the Emperors and Empresses of Tamriel, but one part at the end on the "Prophecy of the Dragonborn" sent a chill down her spine.

 _When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world_

 _When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped_

 _When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles_

 _When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls_

 _When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding_

 _The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn._

She didn't know what exactly most of it meant, but she could figure out at least that the Dragonborn Ruler cold be talking about the Septim Dynasty falling. And the bit about a World-Eater was…ominous was not the right word, but it was a part of what she felt. Weiss and Blake could probably narrow some other things in the book down. Especially since Weiss was working with the wizard.

"So, we're…Thanes?" Blake asked the white-haired heiress.

"I was surprised as well, but in hindsight, it makes sense. We were a major part of that battle. Even Irileth and the Companions only hurt the dragon so much with their skills. Without us, it would have been an even bigger slaughter. Perhaps they could've still killed it, but there would have been far more deaths."

"There were a lot anyways," Ruby mourned as she walked over to the bed Weiss had chosen for the night. "Can you make sense of this? All I got was the bit about the Dragonborn Ruler."

Weiss scanned over the tidbit and hummed. "I'm not entirely sure. There's mention of Towers, but I don't know what they are, though maybe the White Tower is the one where they signed the White-Gold Concordat in Cyrodiil? Just a guess though. Could be an entirely different one…" She blinked and looked over the second-to-last verse again. " _Sundered, kingless, bleeding_. The High King of Skyrim is dead, and now the nation is in a civil war, _sundered, kingless,_ and _bleeding_!"

She jumped up and began looking through the small collection of books sitting on a shelf. When she didn't find anything relevant she started heading downstairs with the book in hand and started questioning the relieved, if slightly harrowed, returned patrons. Ruby and Blake followed her as she asked a man what a Brass Tower could be, to retrieve an odd answer.

"Best I could think of would be the ancient war machine, Numidium. It was a massive Dwarven construct, so it probably looked like a tower made of brass. And it could walk. Don't know much about it beyond Tiber Septim used it to conquer the High Elves."

"And a Red Tower?"

"Red tower?" the man rubbed his chin for a moment before shrugging.

"Hey, what about Red Mountain?" a Dunmer suggested. "What exactly are you reading from there? What's it say about a Red Tower?"

"Um, would the Red Tower in question have 'trembled'?"

"It erupted, and destroyed much of Vvardefell, if that's what you mean."

Weiss set the book down next to the dark elf and pointed out the prophecy.

"What does this look like to you?"

The elf hummed and read over the verses, his red eyes trailing down each line. When done, his eyes widened as he looked back up at them.

"What in Oblivion… When was this written?"

Weiss flipped the pages back to the front, and saw the title and author listed, with the year written just below.

 _Year 360 of the Third Era, Twenty-First of the Reign of His Majesty Pelagius IV_

"Azura's spite!" the Dunmer hissed. "That might just be a legitimate prophecy, assuming this is accurate."

"Then what does the last part mean?"

"Well, I'm a bit rusty since I've been out of school for about a century, but The Wheel is what folks sometimes refer to the world as. Not just Nirn, but the whole Aurbis, that is, everything. Atherius, Oblivion, and Mundus. Anything lying outside of that is the Void. But the Wheel turning… I don't quite know. Maybe this Last Dragonborn has something to do with this. Considering a 'World-Eater is mentioned here, maybe they're supposed to stop it. Dagon, perhaps? No, he can't really invade again. Not after last time. Couldn't have been Martin though. That was before half of this happened."

Two of them looked nervously at Ruby, who seemed to be forlornly paying attention to the inn patron's dissection of the Prophecy.

"Great, another end of the world event coming. Guess it's just as well I'm headed to High Rock." He took a large gulp of his drink and sighed before handing the book back to Weiss. "I'd suggest getting out of here if there's nothing tying you down. Between the dragons showing up, and apparently a prophecy being almost fulfilled, I think Skyrim's a mite bit too exciting. And to think, all I was worried about was some Stormcloaks deciding I'd be fine target practice." He took another deep draught as the girls made their way back to their room.

"Thank you," Weiss said.

"No problem, ladies. Just try not to lose your heads over it. Nirn made it through the Oblivion Crisis, if a bit cracked up. We can handle some dragons." As the Dunmer left, the girls looked at each other, unsure as to what they should do next.

"He... He has to be wrong, right? I mean, there's no way..." Ruby started, desperately looking towards her teammates for an answer. Judging by the look on their faces, they were having the same issue.

"It…could have been edited," Blake suggested, but by the way she talked it was clear that she didn't believe that.

"No," Weiss replied, looking at the book's inside back cover. "First edition. Kept in remarkable shape, too. No signs of editing that I can see."

"That means that...someone, hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, successfully predicted all the major calamities that occurred for the past two hundred years..." Ruby began, only to trail off as the implications sunk in.

"And now we're in the middle of one that could spell the end of the world," Blake finished, letting the silence fill the air.

"Now what?" Weiss asked the question they all had. She and Blake turned to look at their leader, who had gone silent, looking down at the table.

"We're going to stop it," Ruby declared, resolute, as she redirected her gaze back towards her teammates.

"...Ruby, that's noble and all, but…we're only students. We're not equipped to handle this," Blake admitted, scared.

"Besides,...this isn't our-" Weiss began, only to be interrupted by a furious Ruby.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Ruby barked, shocking Blake and Weiss into a stunned silence. Ruby went silent before whispering. "I'm scared. Scared that we might die here. Scared that we won't get back home to Remnant, to our friends and family. Scared of what we might become, but I don't care. None of that matters. I don't care that this isn't our home. I don't care that this isn't our world. It's these people's home. It's these people's world, and that's good enough for me. I don't care what this 'World-Eater' is, but based off of the events of the past few days, I'm going to take a guess that's it's a dragon. We _just_ proved that dragons can be killed. So if one dragon can be killed, so can this World-Eater. We have the ability to help, and so _that_ is what we are going to do." At Ruby's declaration, Blake and Weiss looked at each other before redirecting their gaze towards their leader, their eyes filled with newfound determination.

"We're with you, one hundred percent," Weiss declared, with Blake nodding in agreement.

"Thank you," the younger girl said with a light smile. With their course set, the girls readied themselves for bed, not knowing how they would stop this World-Eater, but determined to do it anyway.

* * *

The next morning, Ruby let Yang know the slight change in plans, to which she immediately agreed with her sister. There were immediate concerns for them at the moment, however. The funeral for the fallen guards was being held. Most of the city was there. Many of the fallen had families in Whiterun, most living inside the city walls. It was a solemn affair, with dozens of crying spouses and many a child now missing a parent. Ruby felt her heart tugged on harshly when one little girl couldn't seem to understand why 'mama doesn't wake up'. Each now rested in a casket and were taken into the Hall of the Dead, recently cleared of skeletons by Blake, to be interred by a group of guards wearing black cloaks to represent their mourning. The captain of the guard tried to give a speech about how they had all willingly given their lives for the good of Whiterun, but it seemed to fall flat. It was immediately obvious that he wasn't used to such a situation. Luckily Balgruuf took over for him and was a little more successful.

"Today, many of our own rest in Sovngarde, for there can be no doubt that they have earned their way into the halls of our ancestors. We must never forget what they have done, or why they have done it. Nor do we forget what they accomplished. Today, the corpse of a dragon rots outside of our walls, because brave men and women put their lives on the line.

"To the grieving families, I offer condolences, for what they are worth. To those who have lost a friend or a loved one, I hope you find it in you to raise a cup in their honor. But do not grieve for so long, for I believe that they wish for your happiness as well. Whiterun stands today because of these people. And so the people of Whiterun must stand to make their sacrifice worthwhile. Today, a dragon. Tomorrow an army. As the people of Skyrim, we must be ready to fight, just as they have. Let us all be worthy of what they gave. Divines help us, let us be worthy."

The service ended not long after, and Blake went to speak with Balgruuf while Ruby and Weiss looked over Yang, who was sitting during the whole funeral, but now was standing with the assistance of a pair of crutches. She grunted and rolled her shoulders, before leaning her weight on the wooden supports.

"So, we're taking the elevator up to the castle, right?" she joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yang I don't think they have elevators," Ruby said, going along with her joke. "They don't seem big on disability assistance."

"Wow. We're going to have to sue them and get ramps and elevators put up. It's the Mistral Architectural Disability Crisis all over again!"

"That happened literally years before any of us were born," Weiss pointed out. "You have no idea what that was like. Besides, it didn't even last that long."

"People argued that putting up ramps to let people in wheelchairs get into public places wasn't worth the cost or the 'aesthetic dissonance'. No matter what the situation was, that's pretty bad. I mean, someone basically looked at kids in wheelchairs and said "Your education is not worth the one hundred lien it'd take to make a ramp or the ten percent beauty lost to the school.""

"I never said I was on that side. Just pointing out that it was over almost as soon as it started."

Blake returned to them and nodded.

"What's up, Blake? You rushed off pretty quick to talk to the Arl."

"Jarl," she corrected their leader. "I was just asking him something to clarify some rumors I heard. We're heading up now, right?"

"Yeah, gotta get Yang thaned. Or, uh… Is thaned a word? Is it like being knighted?"

"I think it would properly called 'having the title of thane conferred upon'."

"Too wordy," Yang complained as she started hobbling forward. "Let's go get me thaned, guys."

* * *

As Yang, Ruby, and Weiss went forward to speak with Balgruuf, Blake took a small detour to find and talk to Nelkir. He was easiest to pick out, being the youngest boy. The older boy was talking to their uncle, while the girl was playing with dolls. Nelkir was simply sitting and reading, away from the both of them.

'Doesn't look dark to me. A little broody, perhaps.' Yang might have joked about her knowing exactly what brooding looked like, but that was neither here nor there. She approached the child, and tried to recall exactly how speaking with kids worked. He eyed her from the side and sighed.

"Another wanderer," he complained. "So, what're you here for? Mercenary? Merchant? Maid? You have a sword. No armor. Dressed funny. Must be a merchant. Trying to kiss up to my father, huh?"

Blake was a little stunned, but quickly shook away her surprise and cleared her throat.

"A little rude, don't you think, saying that to someone you just met?"

"Doesn't matter to me. You'll either be gone by the end of the week or working for my father all the time." He flipped a page in his book. "Wonder if the ears will make people kick you out. No, you're a thane already. They might make an exception."

Now her eyes widened. She knew some people could just _tell_ by looking at her and observing for a while. A lot of Khajiit commented about having smelled it even before she removed the bow, but here this child was already able to tell what her secret was.

She decided to cut to the chase. "Look, your father asked me to speak to you."

The boy just dropped his book onto the table and sneered. "He sent you to bother me? One day I'll… Tch, whatever. He doesn't know a thing about me." He smirked. "But _I_ know about him. And the war. More than he might think."

"What…are you talking about?" Blake was a little frightened, but less because of the attitude and more of whom it was coming from. This kid couldn't have been over thirteen years old, yet the way he smiled reminded her of some of the worst people she could think of.

"I know that he still worships Talos. And that he hates the Thalmor as much as the Stormcloaks do." No real surprise there. She figured most Nords on either side felt that way. "That he worries about being chased from Whiterun. That he… That I'm…" His expression faltered into one of melancholy. "That I don't have the same mother as my brother and sister."

Blake felt her ears spring up at that. "Is… Is that what's-"

"Look, don't even bother. I've heard it all already. From 'it doesn't matter' to 'so was Martin Septim'. I just don't care anymore."

"Well, how in the world did you even know?" Blake asked. "It sounds like your father tried to keep it a secret. Is that why you're mad?"

"This castle's old," he stated matter-of-factly. "Lots of places nobody's been in a while. Places where you can overhear things. See things." He smirked. "And the Whispering Lady."

"The…who?"

"She won't tell me her name," he said like it was no big deal. "I've gotten good at listening to keyholes. At the basement door, I could hear her. I thought someone caught me at first, but then she started telling me even more secrets. Can't open the door though."

Blake's mind was running a mile a minute. There was someone _in_ the castle. Someone just handing out secrets to a little kid like candy. She couldn't even tell what their purpose was. Was this _lady_ trying to turn Nelkir against his father for political reasons? Was she after Nelkir himself? How was she in the basement to the point the boy couldn't get in?

Whatever was going on, Blake needed to get to the bottom of it and soon.

"Where is this door, exactly?"

* * *

The moment Yang was given her title, and they were all handed a sword or axe with an engraving of Whiterun's Mare upon them, a woman in steel armor with a sword and shield entered the main hall and walked straight to Ruby. Before Ruby could react to the sudden arrival, the woman addressed her directly.

"An honor to meet you, my thane," the woman announced with an arm across the chest and a bow at the waist. "I am Lydia, and I swear to defend you and your household from this day forwards."

Not knowing what exactly to say, Ruby went with the first thing that came to mind. "Uh, happy to have you Lydia. I'm Ruby."

"Happy to be here, my thane."

"Well, with that settled," Balgruuf sighed. "I hope you ladies don't mind if I take a moment to rest." He began heading back into the castle towards his chambers, leaving the four women alone with each other.

"So…" Yang began. "Either of you going to mention the goliath in the room or…"

"A…goliath?" the housecarl asked.

"Imagine a mammoth, but bigger, furless, black and white, and full of the unquenchable blood thirst for the destruction of humanity," the brawler described.

"Yang, I don't want to be rude," her sister pouted.

"Not being rude. We just gotta explain this eventually. Hey Blake. …Whoa, what happened? You see a ghost?"

The harrowed looking faunus shook her head, but her team couldn't help but feel worried for her.

"Is there something wrong?" Weiss asked.

"Just…a little shell-shocked I guess."

"Okay. Geez, didn't think the little prince was that bad." Yang shrugged. "So, I say we go down to the Bannered Mare and use this opportunity to drink like no tomorrow."

"Yang, remember last time?" her sister warned.

"Hey, I'm just going with the local customs. Nords drink to toast the fallen when a warrior gets killed in battle, especially epic ones like against a dragon, right?"

The girls looked to Lydia, who gave a partial shrug.

"She isn't wrong. I imagine all the survivors are celebrating and mourning. They might expect you to at least show."

Ruby sighed. "Okay, fine, but no getting crazy this time."

"Ruby, are we really-" her partner started.

"Just limit her to three to start and then one every twenty minutes. We can't stop her, but we can control the damage."

"You're way too experienced for this. How often does your sister go drinking?"

"Eh, I didn't learn from watching her. Learned from watching over our uncle."

"Greatest uncle ever, by the way," Yang said as she began hobbling towards the doors. "Taught Ruby everything she knows about the scythe. Taught me everything I know about keeping boys at bay."

"I fear having to someday meet your uncle." Weiss regretted it the moment she realized what she said, and quickly turned to her partner. "I'd still like to meet him though. He _is_ your uncle, after all. He can't be all bad."

"Aw, thanks Weiss!" Ruby gently butte her shoulder with her head and went after Yang. Lydia followed right after her, and the other two trailed after them all.

"So, what happened anyways?" Weiss asked, hoping Blake would open up a bit to her about what was bothering her. "Was it something to do with the Jarl's children? Do I need to help you out with them? I _do_ have a bit of experience with spoiled, rich children, in case you didn't notice."

"It's…fine. I think I've already got some help." Blake shuddered at the memory of the _unnatural_ voice that came from that door and how Nelkir just _knew_ from looking at her she'd met the Whispering Lady. But some other words really frightened her as well.

" _No one will miss Farengar - I promise you."_

A child just _should not_ be that fine with the prospect of a man's death.

Besides, someone here did care about Farengar, and she was standing right next to her. Even if their relationship was purely one of business, Weiss wouldn't take kindly to anyone connected with her being threatened.

Either way, she needed to get that key and remove whatever influence was in that room, before someone else more morally ambiguous or bankrupt stumbled upon this secret.

* * *

Yang so far had only had four bottles of mead. Two Honningbrew, and two Black-Briar's. She found she liked Honningbrew more, as Black-Briar tasted a little watered down. She didn't know if there was a sort of Food and Drug Administration in Tamriel, but they needed one to check over these companies and make sure that the alcohol content of their drinks was legitimate. Yep, solely for that reason! Not also because she was afraid that someone might get a bunch of food poisoning served out to a crowd one day. Just the drinks!

While she laughed at her own internal joke, she noticed someone sit next to Ruby, who was holding a cup of milk. Someone picked on her earlier about it, but after a spiel about how good milk was for growing bones, no one else dared bring it up. This man's intentions seemed different, however, as he placed a hand on her shoulder and began _rubbing it!_

Yang saw red, but she still couldn't quite stand on her own power. She still needed at least one crutch. She started to struggle up, when Lydia seemed to appear from the wall and pulled the man's arm away.

"I suggest you leave my charge alone," Yang heard her say under the din of the loud room.

"Oh?! And what are you gonna do about- Ack!"

As quick as lightning, Lydia had twisted his arm and used her other hand to slam his body into the table with a loud crash, catching everyone's attention. The man grunted in pain as she slowly pulled his arm up, her biceps visibly bulging and the muscles in her forearm showing off their definition. The man started beating his other fist against the table and he cried out and grit his teeth.

"Okay! I give up! I'll go!" he screamed. Lydia released him, and the man shot off, cradling his arm. Ruby whispered a thank you to the woman, and Yang smirked. She raised up a bottle and started hollering.

"Cheers for the new thane's housecarl!" The room responded with a whoop, several people pointing and laughing at the sore-armed man while she noticed a few gawking at Lydia with… Was that lust? Seemed Nords like their women tough.

She smirked and took down the last sip of number four when a man sat across from her.

"Hey, you hold your drink pretty well. Mind a bit of a contest?"

"Hm, maybe. You'd have to catch up first."

"You've done four right?"

"You been watching?" She raised an eyebrow at this. She couldn't tell if the man was planning something or if he was just genuinely interested in a drinking game.

"Oh no!" Weiss objected as she came nearby and sat next to the blonde. "You start this, and you're going to regret it in the morning.

Blake sat on her other side. "We're supposed to be limiting you, remember?"

"Come now ladies! Here, I'll sweeten the pot. All of you against me. One hundred septims from all of you, as one. One hundred total. One hundred from me to each of you. Three hundred total."

That caught the girls' interest, though Weiss still grabbed at her chin in thought as she looked away.

"And, I'll even through in this magic staff for the one who lasts the longest." He placed a staff on the table, the girls unsure of where it came from. Weiss looked it over in interest. It was carved like a massive rose, nearly the whole of the staff painted green, with the head of it splayed out like petals and painted red with bits of yellow, making it look like a real flower, two thorns on either side of the flowering part arcing upward, and a smaller, third thorn a little lower from them.

"What…does it do?" Weiss asked as her curiosity overcame her.

"It's a summoning staff. As for what it summons, beat me to find out."

The girls looked at each other, looked over to Ruby, and then around the inn's tavern. It wasn't like the place wasn't already full of drunken revelers, and their leader was well-protected, as far as this place went.

"All right, but only because as a learning mage I should have such a staff!"

"Hey, I'm doing this for the fun," Yang replied. "The money's just icing on the cake."

"It has been a while since…I let loose."

"All right! First goal! Let's all catch up to Miss Gold's four bottles!"

"Name's Yang. Yang Xiao-Long."

"Sam Guevenne. A pleasure to meet you."


	7. Dude, Where's Our Ruby?

**Here's chapter six coming at y'all. Thank you Trest for your co-writing skills and NaanContributor for your uncanny ability to catch editing mistakes that slip through the cracks between us. And thank all of you for being here and reading this.**

* * *

"Get up!" Yang's head throbbed as the angry voice shouted her awake. "Get up, you drunken blasphemer!"

"Nooooooooo," she whined, nursing a headache. "Five more minutes…"

"I've tolerated you sleeping in my temple long enough!"

Blinking her eyes open, Yang groaned as she sat up. A woman in priest robes was standing in front of her, an expression of anger marring what was otherwise a beautiful face. The Huntress smacked her lips as she sat up, but paused when she realized she was feeling cold stone beneath her…everywhere.

A single glance down gave her all the answers she needed, followed by a shrill scream. Horrified, Yang wrapped her arms around her bare chest and shut her legs. "What… What happened to my clothes?! Where am I?!"

"Oh, so you're going the 'I don't remember anything' route? Next, you're going to tell me you don't remember coming in and blathering about marriage, goats, or birds and cats. And you'll say you don't remember getting outraged and getting your white-haired friend to help you freeze the water basin solid while you brought in trash and threw it all over the temple before unclothing yourself while she proceeded to…fondle Lady Dibella's statue. Which means you don't recall your Khajiit friend dancing around and then climbing up the walls before falling asleep on the table?"

Yang looked and saw Weiss passed out in front of said statue, her bolero and stockings gone, but otherwise still fully dressed. A glance to the other side had her see Blake wearing a white dress, which strangely looked like a wedding dress, laying on a stone table like a napping cat.

"I… Look, I'm sorry, but I don't remember how I got here. I didn't even know Whiterun had a Temple of Dibella."

"Whiterun? The Temple of Dibella's in Markarth!"

"That's…not where we were…" Yang tried to make sense of what she was just told, but her brain couldn't fit the pieces together.

"Then either you were drunker than even _I_ thought, or you found someone who could teleport you here."

"So…were there some other people with us?" Yang glanced around the room, worried as she noticed a distinct lack of Ruby's presence, or for that matter Lydia. The priestess, however, did not appear to be sympathetic.

"Gee, I'd love to help you put together your revelry-induced memories, but I'm going to be too busy _cleaning up the mess you all made_ to help."

Yang sheepishly grinned and laughed while looking around, realizing that there was a lot of broken wood and…things scattered about the room.

"I guess…I could clean up for you?"

"That would be a good start, and the first good thing you did since you came in here."

Yang quickly scooted away from the woman, who remained in place with her arms crossed before leaving them for her personal chambers, and picked up her discarded clothes. Her yellow shirt was easiest to find, but her pants had taken a minute. Luckily, her boots were right next to the entryway. The moment she was fully dressed and had all of her things on her, she went over and woke up Blake, who seemed more akin to a zombie –or perhaps draugr would be the appropriate word here– when she started walking after her, and then Weiss, who gave off an annoyed noise somewhere between a groan and a baby crying.

"I don't wanna," the heiress cried.

"Come on, Weiss. We gotta get up and clean up." Normally, Yang would be amused at this, but now, with a temple trashed and Ruby apparently missing, Yang couldn't find it in her to find any amusement in this situation.

"Make the maids do it."

"There _aren't_ any maids."

One blue eye opened, the inner part of it yellowing. Her other opened as well, in the opposite state. She blinked a few times, and her eyes returned to their regular icy blue.

"Where are we?"

"Markarth, apparently."

"MARKARTH!" Weiss screamed as she shot up, only to immediately clutch her head and groan in agony. "H-how?!" she whimpered.

"Lady mentioned teleporting as a possibility. Know anything about that?" Yang shrugged, just as confused as Weiss was as to how they crossed half of Skyrim in a single night.

"Supposed to be rare, and _really_ hard." She groaned again and pulled her cloak up over her head. "Master Conjuration and Alteration."

"Both? Heh, guess you'd need a double master." She looked around and winced. "Okay, so the place is a mess. Kinda feel bad about it and everything."

"Fine," the heiress groaned. "But first…do either of you have some…" Her eyes shifted uncomfortably. "I'm…thirsty."

"Right. Let's…go find an alley or something. Blake, hold down the fort for us?"

"Sure," the faunus sleepily moaned as she reached down and lifted up a piece of scrap wood. "Just…gonna start cleaning."

* * *

After a quick drink from Yang's wrist, leading to Weiss feeling a bit more rejuvenated, the three began to clean up the trashed temple. After nearly an hour of dumping out trash, sweeping up dirt, and putting things back in their place, the temple was finally back into decency. The priestess came out from the inner chambers and looked around, seemingly impressed.

"Well, it's a lot better now," she admitted.

"So, mind helping us figure some things out?" Yang asked as she set a broom aside. "Like, where a young girl with dark red hair and a tough looking Nord woman might be?" At this, the priestess brought her hand to her chin as she remembered the events of the previous night before shaking her head.

"Sorry, but no one else came in but you three last night," she explained. "You were all so deep in your cups, I could barely understand you. All I got was something about a goat in Rorickstead."

"A goat?"

"Rorickstead?" Weiss took out her map and began looking it over. "That's at the edge of Whiterun Hold, halfway between here and Whiterun city. How in the name of the Bro- uh, Divines did we get there and here?"

"Maybe that Sam guy from last night is a master wizard?" Yang suggested. She pulled out her scroll and switched it on. "Maybe I got something that'll clue us in."

"A master wizard? Well, it would explain why he was so easily able to give up a magic staff like that," Weiss replied before joining her teammates in watching the small screen.

" _And now,"_ they heard a drunkenly slurred version of Weiss from Yang's scroll announce, _"I, Weiss Schnee, Heiresh to the Schnee Dust Co- Cor- The SDC! Shall prove that I am a better barb than Michael!"_

" _It's Mikhail!"_

" _W'ever! Hit it, Blake!"_

"Apparently Blake can play the lute," Yang observed as the faunus of the past started strumming out some quick notes and chords.

" _Weiss, you get down from there this instant!"_ The angry, shrill voice of Ruby sounded off in the video from somewhere in the crowd. Yang sighed in slight relief, as this this meant Ruby had not joined in on their…revelry, only to gulp in anticipation of how Ruby would react once they caught up to her.

"What is that? Some sort of magical time viewer?" the priestess asked in interest.

"Sort of," Weiss answered uncertainly. "I'd appreciate…if my teammate wouldn't…display anything em-"

" _The merry folk of Skyrim, so sturdy and so stout!_

" _When the day is done, when it's time for fun_

" _We'll drink and sing and Shout_

" _You weak-livered milk-drinkers_

" _Go let your throats run dry!_

" _Cuz there's just one drink that we will sink_

" _Until the day we die_

" _Drinking mead in the halls of Whiterun!_

" _The maidens and the men!_

" _We drink our brew until we spew_

" _And then we fill our mugs again_

" _You can keep your filthy skooma_

" _It makes our bellies bleed_

"' _Cause when we raise our flagon to another dead dragon_

" _There is just one drink we need_

" _Nord mead!"_

"Oh my god, did you improv this?" Yang asked through giggles.

"How much did we have to drink last night?" Blake rubbed her face at the thought of what occurred in that empty space of time in her memories. Weiss remained in a state of silent horror, which only amplified once the crowd started singing along.

" _Nord mead!_

" _Chug another mead_

" _And another mug of mead_

" _Chug another mug of mead_

"' _Til you fall down!_

" _Chug another mead_

" _And another mug of mead_

" _Chug another mug of mead_

" _Warrior!"_

Yang cracked out into bellows of laughter, the priestess joining her soon after. Weiss turned a little red from embarrassment, but Blake patted her on the shoulder.

"It's okay. If anything, it's kinda impressive."

"And it's hilarious," Yang cried out as she wiped away a tear. "Phew! Okay, well, that was the only video I had. Everything else from last night is selfies, which are...not appropriate for present company, but Ruby was only in the ones at Whiterun."

"So, she's probably back at Whiterun?" Weiss sighed. "We need to find Sam and get back then."

"So, should we head for Rorickstead?" Blake asked as she looked at the map.

"It will take us at least three days to walk there!" Weiss objected. "But, then again, we don't have much choice. Let's just try to figure it out as we go."

"All right." Yang turned to go, but paused in her step. "Um, sorry again about last night and all, miss priestess."

"Senna."

"Senna, do you…think you could give us instructions on how to…leave Markarth?"

* * *

"Wow, that place is a maze compared to Whiterun or Solitude."

"The architecture was inspiring though. And it's much more dragon-proof than Whiterun."

"That tends to happen when everything's made out of stone," Blake pointed out. "Who makes beds out of stone?"

"Dwemer, apparently."

A young man came up to them, leading a horse by the reigns. "Here you go, ladies. Just a moment and I'll have the other three brought out to you."

The girls stared in incomprehension for a moment as Yang held the reins to the yellow horse.

"The hell…?"

As he brought out a black one with white speckles, Weiss waved him down.

"Excuse me, but did you…see us come in last night?"

"Yes, actually. Don't worry. I've had sleep since then. A little. You all looked like you'd just come from a party. Bragged about beating down some bandits and 'liberating' their horses." He stroked the side of the animal as Blake took the reins. "Think I prefer them in your hands than some lawbreakers. Blondie's a little rambunctious around the mares, but that's a stallion for you."

"Did, um… Did we come in with anyone else?"

"No ma'am. Just you three, talking about a wedding or some such. My congratulations to the lucky couple, by the way."

A moment later and he had a pale horse with strikingly blue eyes and then a grey and black one out for them. Apparently, the last one they had used as a pack horse for a number of 'liberated' items, including some armor with the feeling of enchantment around them, and a large garden scythe. The armor was all missing, but the scythe was still there and now gleaming slightly.

"Of course, you'd enchant a scythe while you were drunk," Yang stated as she held the farming tool. "What do you think it does?"

"I'm not sure. Probably just has a freezing effect, considering that was the only offensive enchantment I know...or knew, anyways."

Yang gave it a half-hearted swing, and then noticed a rune near the handle. She thumbed it, and then shouted as she was slung backwards by a sudden bout of force. She coughed a little before chuckling. "Found it!"

"Was that… Did I enchant that thing with my Semblance!?"

"Apparently. Looks like your glyph. Cool. Maybe I should figure out enchanting?"

Weiss took the scythe as she helped Yang to her feet and looked it over. "Okay, so maybe in my drunken haze I thought I was making a suitable present for Ruby."

"Might belong to someone in Rorickstead? Maybe we should return it?"

Weiss eyed it a little longer and then set it back on Grey's saddlebags. "We'll see. First, let's get there. If I'm right, then having horses will significantly increase the amount of ground we can cover. I think…maybe half a day, if we push them."

Blake looked hesitantly at her horse as Weiss hopped upon Pale with nary a step out of place or a nervous flinch. Yang was a little more uncertain mounting Blondie, but ending up sitting in the saddle with just a bit of a wobble.

"Blake, you okay?" her partner asked. "Something up with Speckles?"

"No, I just…don't know how to ride a horse."

"Me either. I'm just totally guessing at this. Then again, I do have a motorcycle back home. Ever rode a bike? Weiss, any tips?"

"I took several horseback riding courses while growing up, but I don't think I could help out much. I'm…not the best teacher."

"Huh. I guess just try to sit steady. You made it here, after all."

"Let me give you a hand," the stableboy said, holding his hands together and low, ready to give Blake a boost. She accepted, and was soon up on Speckles's back, tilting one way and then the other before leaning forward and clinging onto the saddle horn.

"Thanks," she squeaked out.

"Gotta lead rope or something we can use?"

* * *

As the horses quickly trotted forward, Weiss looked through her own scroll, wishing that they had some kind of signal to work with, and seeing pictures from the night before. Some were embarrassing, but most just seemed to be them posing for one reason or another. Like Yang had pointed out though, Ruby was only present for the ones in Whiterun. It was likely the young girl didn't ever take a sip of anything alcoholic the whole night, and looking at her face she was not amused by her team's antics, mostly. A few showed her with a genuine smile, though more often she was worried or just…displeased. The vampire groaned, and then picked up a tantalizing scent. It was also familiar, and had her look to her side.

"Stop," she told her teammates. Blake began slowing, but Yang didn't heed her. "Hey, hold on!" The blonde ignored her, and so Weiss sped up Pale and swerved in front of Blondie, halting the other horse with a whinny.

"Weiss!"

"Get off the horse, Yang. You're injured."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not! Now get off so that I can heal you!"

The two met eyes for a moment, and then Yang swung off of Blondie. The moment she was on the ground on her own legs, they buckled beneath her and she fell.

"Yang!" Blake cried out and jumped off of her own horse, only to trip up as well.

"I should've thought about this," the heiress muttered as she dismounted and walked over to Yang with yellow magic forming in her hands. "Neither of you are used to horseback at all. Of course you'd get saddlesore at the least." She began pouring the healing magic into Yang's bleeding thighs, the girl wincing and beginning to tear up. "I'm sorry. Does it hurt too-"

"I screwed up," Yang whimpered. "I screwed up, big time." She wiped an arm across her face, but a few tears still came. "I got us all into this. Now Ruby's alone, probably scared out of her mind. We just…left her there, and all because…" She sniffed as tears poured more freely from her eyes.

"Yang," Weiss spoke softly. "It's not your fault. We all went into that dumb contest willingly."

"Because of me. Because I just _had_ to get drunk and use the whole cultural excuse for it."

"Oh come on. Like you didn't have your fair share of experiences to tell you this sort of thing shouldn't happen."

Yang shook her head. "Two."

Even Blake looked surprised at that. Weiss blinked. "What?"

"Back on Remnant, I got drunk twice in my life. And two or three buzzes at a friend's house. Only blacked out the second time. Went home and got my ears chewed off by dad _and_ Ruby."

"Hold on," Weiss ordered as she stopped using the healing spell, Yang's wounds now closed. "You mean to tell me, that the two times here on Tamriel make up _half_ of all the times you've gotten drunk?"

"I just…" She sniffed again and wiped away her tears. "We're stuck here."

"We're… We're not stuck-"

"It's bullshit, Weiss!" she shouted, surprising the other two. "We don't even know how we got here! And these people _know_ there are other worlds out there. They've been _invaded_ by them. Ruby keeps saying we'll find a way, but… I just don't want to break her heart. There's no Dust, no one has Aura, no Grimm. This place would have _something_ if there was any connection to Remnant at all. We're never getting home.

"And then…back in Riverwood… You killed a man." Weiss looked on in horror at what her teammate was saying. "But so did I."

"Yang," Blake begged. "It's okay."

"Killed three, actually. Shot two of them down, didn't even notice. How about that?" Her face looked dead to the world. "Their boss was armored up, and tough. Didn't stop me from wailing on him, or…" She looked to her hand and clenched it into a fist. "I _punched_ his head off. I hit him so hard that I decapitated him."

"Yang, it's not your fault," Weiss argued. "These things happen."

"Punching peoples' heads off is a thing that happens?"

"No, I meant-"

"I know what you meant Weiss, but…all of this happening. I'm trying to stay strong, but it gets hard. So I think, 'a drink will relax me', but then I drink another, and another, thinking each time, 'this'll be the one. I'll feel better after this one'. I know going in that it won't really help, but I keep hoping that I'll be wrong." She fell onto her back and looked up at the passing clouds. "That's why…this is my fault."

"Shut up," the heiress muttered.

Yang blinked in astonishment as she looked over. "Wha-"

"Don't act like you're the one carrying the whole burden on your own!" Weiss cried out as her own face became tear stained. "We've all thought it. Maybe we'll never get back. Maybe we'll never see Remnant again, but we accept it and move on. And you think the way you killed someone was bad? At least his death was painless. At least you felt immediate regret. I can still hear Arvel's screaming sometimes! I remember _exactly_ how it felt, draining him until he went completely still, until there was nothing more to drink! I still remember how _good_ it felt!" Her eyes were turned fully yellow as she ranted. "And I remember…how horrified you all looked when you saw me."

Yang said nothing as the heiress sat back and held herself. She struggled to sit up and looked across to her partner, who seemed unsure of what to do. They both looked as Weiss continued crying to herself, as though the rest of the world wasn't there. With only the faintest thought towards 'what would Ruby do?', the blonde Huntress wrapped Weiss into a sudden hug.

"It's okay," she whispered. "I'm sorry. We were never scared of you. We were scared of what happened to you."

"I- I'm an actual monster. I could accidentally kill any of you, at any time. With nothing but a bite."

"But you won't." She pulled back from the hug and wiped a tear from Weiss's face. "I know you won't."

Blake crawled over and pulled herself into a three-way hug with the others. "We're all a mess."

"I guess so," Yang admitted. "Well, I can promise you guys this much. No more than three in an hour, from now on."

"That would be great, yeah," Weiss chuckled.

"Yeah, need to take your own advice into consideration," Blake suggested.

"Oh, what would that be?"

"Slow down."

Things were quiet for a moment, and then Yang burst out into laughter, Blake adding her own giggles a second afterwards.

* * *

They were more careful on the rest of the ride to Rorrickstead, making it there about mid-afternoon. As the girls tied their horses and began looking around, a man walked up to them angrily, a hoe in one hand held as menacingly as a gardening hoe could be.

"You three have a lot of nerve showing your faces in this town again! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Yang looked nervously back at the other two, who shrugged.

"Uh, sorry?"

"Sorry's not good enough! Sorry certainly won't bring me Gleda back from Grok. Sorry isn't going to help her while she's out there, fearing for her life, because of you selling her to Grok!"

The three were stunned at this.

"Oh…my god! We're so- Okay, this sounds pretty bad! We-"

"You're damned right it's bad. I'll never breed another prize-winning goat like her again."

And now they were stunned in a totally different manner.

"Oh!" Blake realized. "Weiss, how could you?"

"What? Me?"

"I mean, out of all of us, you're the one most likely to have sold something, like say, some poor guy's goat."

"Look, uh, okay. So, we don't really remember most of last night," Yang tried explaining. "So, do you remember us being with a guy with a staff?"

"You mentioned something like that…when you were running off with my goat!"

"Again, can't be sorry enough. Okay, so, we'll go get her back for you. Just point us in the right direction, and we'll talk to Grok about selling her back, then you can remind us about what we forgot, okay?"

* * *

"How did you sell a goat to a giant!?" Yang screamed as she ran with the goat in her arms. This one was even bigger than the one that was just outside of Whiterun, and from the way he chased them, he was also fast.

"I don't know! I don't even speak giant!"

The giant bellowed something at them while swinging its club, missing Blake and instead hitting a clone she left in her place.

"Quick! Duck into that ravine!"

The girls hopped down into the dip in the earth, and suddenly heard a guttural yell as the giant went overhead, apparently tripping up. The sound of something impacting earth accompanied several shakes of the ground before they came up and looked down the hill from the ravine, seeing the massive man now stuck amongst a few stacks of felled logs, his arms and legs sticking out at awkward angles and a slow trickle of blood spreading from him.

"Oh god! Hold on, we're coming!"

Yang was the first down the hill and began pulling a log off of the giant while Weiss began preparing her healing spell. Blake looked in and winced before waving them away.

"Guys," she announced. "He's…gone."

They came around and saw what she meant. The giant's neck was twisted all the way around and pinned by a log. He likely had died as soon as he hit the pile.

"We…" Yang began.

"It's his fault!" Weiss decried. "He got worked up over a goat, and tried to kill us! If he hadn't have chased us, or tried to talk it out, this wouldn't have happened. Let's just…go give this goat back to that farmer and move on."

* * *

"Oh Gleda!" the Redguard said as he pet the goat like one would a beloved dog. "And not a scratch on her!" He looked towards the others and sighed. "I still can't figure out why you stole her. You left a note, but half of it was gibberish scribbles and the other half had mead spilled on it."

"Never picking up another bottle," Blake mumbled.

"Only thing I could make out was something about 'repaying Ysolda', and even that was chicken scratch. Honestly, you wouldn't have had to worry about that if you hadn't left your coin purses back at the inn. But from what I hear, you found them right before leaving again."

"How did we even have time for… Teleporting, right." Weiss grumbled to herself about learning how to teleport as soon as she could.

"Sorry again about the whole thing," Yang told him. "You take care. You too, Gleda."

The goat bleated at them.

* * *

On the road again, the girls paused for a moment's rest and to let the horses drink from a stream. As Yang and Blake finished cleaning a fresh deer carcass, intending to sell the hide and eat the venison, Weiss stood alone and looked out across the horizon, as if focusing on something in the distance. Seeing this, the other two walked up beside her. As the two girls approached, she turned to them with a hint of fear in her eyes. "We need to go south."

"What? What's going on?" Yang asked, confused as to what had spooked Weiss so much.

"Look," Weiss declared, pointing towards the east. Yang and Blake had to squint, but they too saw what Weiss was worked up over, as a large amassing of dark storm clouds were forming over Whiterun hold. "There are storm clouds rolling in from the northeast. By the time we make it halfway to Whiterun, the whole of the plains and tundra will be soaked thoroughly." She took out their map and pointed along the road. "If we go south, it would take longer than a normal straight shot, but trying to go straight in this weather will slow us even more, assuming you and Blake don't catch your death in the freezing rain."

"You're scared of a little rain?" Yang replied, slightly angry at Weiss for the suggestion, only to shrink back with Weiss glared at her with bright yellow eyes.

"I'm _scared_ of what comes with it! As in hail, lightning, dangerously high winds, exposure, you name it! This isn't some game where we can just ride along in a storm with no issue. We are not equipped to handle storms right now. We don't even have a suitable tent!" Weiss yelled out in frustration.

"Okay, okay! I see your point. No riding in the storm, got it," Yang placated the angry vampire, raising her hands upward.

"What if the storm goes south?" Blake asked, genuinely curious and attempting to get the conversation back on track.

"It'll hit the mountains here," she pointed at Bleak Falls and the Brittleshin mountains, "and would either slow down or be completely halted. It could only come down between Bleak Falls and the Hrothgar range, but it's already going past that area from what I saw."

"So, we have to go south?" Yang groaned in annoyance. "How much longer will it take us?"

"We'll have to camp soon, but I imagine we can get to Whiterun by the day after tomorrow." As Weiss declared their ETA, Blake squinted as she looked at the map in greater detail, her eyes widening as she realized what was along their path.

"Could we make a slight detour?" Blake requested. "Should be around…here." She tapped a space in-between and to the east of Helgen and Riverwood. "Orphan Rock. I need to get something for the priestess of Kynareth from there. A dagger of some kind called Nettlebane."

"I guess." Weiss shrugged, seeing no issue, given how close the location Blake mentioned was to their path. "Shouldn't take too long, right?"

"We'd just have to fight something called a…hagraven."

"I want to get back as fast as possible," Yang muttered. "But…we can make it work out."

Agreeing to their course of action, the girls saddled back up and continued to ride south. Eventually, they reached a four-way intersection of roads, and with only a sideways glance eastward, they continued south down to Falkreath Hold. They went a little further, stopping just before dusk near a hut where some hunters lodged. After getting permission, they were able to tie up their horses in front of a feeding trough, and went to a fitful sleep. They took off the next morning as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon. As they rode eastward, the sounds of thunder reached their ears and caught their attention. Looking through the peaks of the mountains, they could see the thick clouds slowly drifting over the lands north of them, flashes of lightning seen in the distance.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about that storm," Yang said as she watched it for a moment, seeing what Weiss was so worked up over.

"That is why you listen to me," Weiss declared as she let Blake pass her to take the lead. After all, Orphan Rock was her detour.

For several hours, their trip was mostly uneventful. They saw Helgen a ways off, but none of them were quite willing to revisit the burned city just yet. A little ways after, they headed off-road towards where Orphan Rock was supposedly at. They could see a few tents though the trees, but what really made the place obvious was the deer, goat, and skeever heads impaled on wooden spikes marking out a perimeter.

"Got a real homey feeling," Yang deadpanned. The horses tied up, they slowly began their approach.

"So, how should we approach this?" Weiss directed at the faunus.

"You're asking me?" Blake raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You were the one asked to find this thing."

"Well, I'm not really sure. She said that it was held by hagravens, and that they're apparently witches who transformed their bodies with human sacrifice. I kinda…took it with a pinch of salt."

"So, is that actually possible or- Hit the deck!"

Yang shoved the other two aside as she jumped away from a careening fireball. The missile exploded behind them, hitting them with a bit of debris, some of it flaming. Weiss screamed as a piece of burning detritus impaled her leg, and went hobbling for cover as another fireball exploded behind her, tossing her through the air and into some kind of hole.

"Weiss!"

* * *

Weiss blinked her eyes open dizzily. Her left thigh hurt like crazy, and she smelled blood. Looking down revealed to her that the pain and blood shared a source, namely the spike of wood that had pierced her leg. Gritting her teeth, she braced herself against the ground and yanked her body up with a groan of pain. She left out a huff as she sat down and began healing the wound. While pain had been generally deadened ever since her change, she still felt it, and some things just didn't feel any less painful. Fire felt worse, in fact.

The moment the hole in her leg was closed she began standing, but paused at a horrible sight. A small whimper escaped her throat as she threw a hand over her mouth. Tears began collecting themselves at the corners of her eyes and she shut them closed. A quick gasp of air entered and left her lungs, followed by a quicker one. Her breaths turned into hyperventilating, as her other hand clenched Myrtenaster's hilt tighter and tighter, her already pale hand whitening from the pressure. Her exhales became ragged, then morphed into growls. Her eyes reopened, bright yellow and filled with rage. Her other hand ripped away from her mouth and magicka began gathering in her palm as a feral scream left her lips.

* * *

Just as Yang got closer to check on Weiss, she heard a scream, and the heiress leapt out of the hole in the ground in a blur of white. Weiss landed and released a sustained bolt of lightning into a nearby witch, electrocuting the woman thoroughly. As the first witch screamed and writhed, Weiss formed a Solid Glyph that blocked off several retaliatory strikes, then dashed on her Repulsion Glyphs towards another, skewering her with her rapier. Before the woman could even acknowledge her mortal wound, Weiss grabbed her by the hair, yanked her head back, and bit down onto her throat messily.

"W- Weiss!" Yang objected. The vampire ignored her and slung the woman off of her blade as she ripped out her throat, then summoned a veritable wall of ice spikes, which were sent hurtling towards a group of witches, some of which were impaled by the projectiles while others either ducked for cover or summoned wards.

"Vampire!" one of them shouted in warning. "Namira's blood! It's a vampire!"

"Weiss! What the hell are you-!" Yang shouted out towards Weiss, who continued her rampage against the coven.

"Yang…" the brawler stopped speaking as she heard a quieter voice come from behind. She turned to see Blake looking down into the pit Weiss had fallen in, her skin having gone pale. Yang trudged over to see what had caught her gaze, and gasped at the sight.

At the bottom of the hole were three bodies. From what they could see, each of them had their chests carved open, with a hollow left where a heart would have been. They were in different states of rot, but none of the bodies could have even been a week old.

And they were all children, likely none of them older than ten.

Yang heard her fists clenching before she felt them, her teeth grinding against each other so hard that they might have shattered. The heat around her rose up as her muscles tensed. When she finally dared to move, it was to turn, and immediately jump towards the nearest witch with every ounce of killing intent she could muster.

With a cry of rage, she knocked down one of the women, and then stamped down on her abdomen, feeling organs disintegrate and vertebrae crunch underfoot. Before, she might have felt guilt, but now all she could feel was murderous rage. Another tried to run, only for Yang to catch her by the hair, lift her overhead, and then slam her back against her knee, snapping her spine. The woman pitifully tried to pull herself away as she cried out in pain, but Yang took her chin and head in hand before snapping it to the side. The target of her rage now extinguished, she dropped the woman and looked for others.

Blake had dashed after several who had run from the other two's rampage. Throats were cut with surgical precision, and some witches were hamstrung before a thunderous noise popped off and something lodged itself into their hearts. One thought she could get away by casting invisibility on herself, but it only gave her an extra twenty seconds before a leg kicked out and slammed her into a tree. A sword ran her through and pinned her as she cried out in pain, clutching at the weapon and trying to pull it away.

"Ple... Please..." The faunus looked into the begging witch's eyes with intensity and silently used her cleaver to slice off her head. The faunus began gasping, before yanking out her sword and lumbering away from the corpse. There was a sickening knot in her stomach, but she couldn't tell whether it was from the sight of those slaughtered children, or the slaughter she and her friends were now reaping upon the coven.

Yang and Weiss chased a single witch over a log bridge, where she stumbled up at a tent that an ugly creature stood before, a black dagger in one of its clawed hands that was jabbed into the chest of a green creature that looked like a humanoid being made of wood, likely a spriggan. The abomination looked at the witch with disdain, and then at them with hatred.

"Damn'ed interlopers," it growled out with a fleck of spittle. "Could you wenches not hold off two fetchers?!"

"Mother Zira! One of them is a vampire! And there's a third lurking in the wood like a shadow!" The last remaining witch begged, only to be slapped across the face, marring her visage with deep claw marks. As she fell down with a shout, Zira, the hagraven, spat off to the side in disdain.

"Feh! Worthless sacks of meat! Should have brought more of my sisters!"

The witch whimpered as she stood back up, but was ready to stand by the hagraven's side regardless.

"You…" Yang ground out. "You're the one…who killed them!"

"Gah, saw the grave?" Zira smirked in pride, causing Yang and Weiss to growl. "Doesn't matter. You little harlots have no idea what can be done with something as insignificant as a heart! Just a few is all that's needed for a powerful ascension!"

"I've heard enough!" Weiss shouted. "I'm going to rip _your_ heart out, you monster!"

"Monster, says the Spawn of Molag? Crah, I'll show you what a real monster is!"

The hagraven pulled back her arm as a fireball coalesced within her hand. As she threw it forward, Yang stepped in front of Weiss and let it hit her directly. The force of it knocked her back, but the fire did little but scorch at some of her clothing. The last human witch began forming a lightning spell, but before she could ready herself to throw it a sickle at the end of a ribbon sunk into her back. She grunted in sudden pain, and shouted as she was yanked back and Blake pulled herself up, leaving only Zira to fend against the Huntresses. Zira tried to set the faunus aflame, but only hit an illusory clone as the real Blake landed and swiped at her, cutting into her left arm. Yang ran forward and caught the right one by the wrist and pulled the arm straight. The hagraven tried to claw at her with her injured arm, but received an elbow to the face, dazing the creature. Yang threw up a knee and slammed it into Zira's elbow, snapping the arm back and earning a shriek from the abomination. Weiss charged forward and grasped the hideous face before sending jolts of electricity through it. As she pushed against the hagraven, they knocked the dead sacrifice off of the brazier it was set upon, and so the vampire slammed the hagraven's face into the hot coals.

They backed away for a moment as the hagraven kicked about, flipping the brazier and hot coals onto herself in her struggles. Feathers caught on fire and flesh sizzled as the beast tried to roll away. When it managed to pull itself to its hands and knees, a gun barrel was pressed to its head, and Blake pulled the trigger, ending its life instantly.

The three girls stood still for a long moment, each one breathing deeply as the adrenaline that had flooded them slowly faded away. Yang began hacking, and turned towards a cliff to send whatever came up off its side. Blake just sighed and went to check on her, while Weiss remained unmoving and silent.

Not another word was muttered in Orphan Rock. They took the spriggan and buried it with the three children. The witches and hagravens were left for the crows, the most being done for any of them an extra stab to ensure their deaths. They didn't speak again until they had nearly reached Riverwood.

"I hate witches," Blake muttered under her breath.

* * *

"We say nothing about the children," Yang reiterated as they walked up to Whiterun's gates at the dead of night. "If you have to, just tell her that we saw they had done human sacrifices. That's bad enough as it is."

"I know we're not really sheltering her, but…it feels a bit like it," Weiss complained.

"I know she's a big girl, but I'm afraid of what she'd do if she found out." Yang had a sad smile on her face. "She'd probably make it her personal mission to find every witch coven in the land and defeat them all, and… Well, we have other things to worry about. But…if we ever hear about one having a bounty or being a problem for a settlement…"

"I won't hesitate," Blake answered with every bit of seriousness. Weiss nodded as well.

Up in the Bannered Mare, the first thing they did was ask about Ruby. Hulda had to think for a moment, but then she snapped her fingers in memory.

"Right! Earlier today! She went out with that housecarl of hers. I'm not sure why, but they seemed to have a destination in mind."

"So, we just missed her?" Yang asked, deflated.

"I'm sure she'll be back soon. Ah, but Ysolda's been asking for you three. In fact, there she is." The girls looked over to see the woman in question walking down the stairs.

"Ah, there you are," she said as she stepped off. "Look, I hate to ask you all so soon, but you still owe me."

"Whoa, wait, back up," Yang called out. "For what do we owe?"

"For your friend's wedding ring, of course." She pointed out Blake as she said this, making the faunus suddenly feel like falling down and going unconscious was a good idea.

"Excuse me?" Weiss asked. Of all the craziness that they had gone through that night, she didn't think a _wedding_ was even on the table of possibilities.

Then again, it suddenly made sense why Blake was in a white dress that day and they were at a temple for a love goddess.

"Don't you remember? She kept talking about a girl she met in Witchmist Grove. And something about starting up a population of… Was it baby deer? Something like that. Is everything all right? Did the engagement fall through?"

"Possibly," Yang groaned out nervously as she tried to think of a way to spin it.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Tell you what; we'll call it even if you can return the ring. Not tonight though. I only came down for a bedtime drink. I've got a lot of sleep to catch up on."

"Yeah, we do too," Yang told the Nord as she walked to one of the back rooms. She looked over at Blake, who Weiss was already staring at. Blake looked ready to fall down at any moment, but compromised and instead sat down at the bar and ordered a glass of water.

"Let me guess," Hulda teased, pouring a glass. "Drunken proposal?"

"Sure looks that way…" Blake trailed off as she looked deep into her cup.

"Don't worry dear. Happens all the time. Either she'll accept that you both moved a little too fast, or you'll have to hide a while. In the second's case, it probably wasn't meant to be."

"Thanks, I'll…keep that in mind."

"We should probably go to bed now," Yang offered, the events of this drunken escapade catching up to her again.

"Your room from yesterday is still there. Just drop some coins for tonight and you'll be fine."

Weiss immediately pulled out some diems and handed them to her as the three of them retired for the evening. As they headed upstairs, Yang paused to look over her shoulder, smiling at Blake.

"So, were you seriously planning to start up a population of _fawns_?" she teased, purposefully emphasizing the "ns".

"Never again," Blake swore, stomping past Yang and plopping down onto her bed, ignoring the giggling of her partner.

* * *

"Again, half way across the country!" Weiss fumed as she looked at Witchmist Grove on the map. "There's no way this happened without teleportation!"

"I'm more worried about this mission Ruby's on," Yang said as she flipped the paper onto the table. "So, apparently Ruby's first mission for the Companions was one put in _by_ Sam, and he says we'll meet up with them if we 'keep tracing our steps'."

"He couldn't be watching us, could he?" Blake asked, now a little worried.

"Now _that_ is a good question. I checked by Farengar, but scrying spells are not only complex, but usually very easily detected. Even if he was watching us, he could only do it for a little while at a time, and only in a still location. We've been on the move, so there's no way he could have been watching us unless he set up a lot of scrying points, which would have been next to impossible."

"Geez, is there anything magic can't do?" Yang wondered aloud.

"It can't really bring back the dead. Not on its own, anyways. It would take a lot of different effects to completely restore a fully dead soul back to life. Most supposed instances of it are legends as well."

"So, no cheating death? Good to know. How about this fiancé thing then?"

"I'm kinda nervous about the whole thing," Blake admitted. "I can't imagine under what circumstances, even if I was drunk off my ass, would I just propose to someone." Her bow tilted forward, indicating her ears drooping. "I'm not even into girls," she muttered.

"Well, all the more reason to go clear it up. Come on, we're not doing anything sitting here talking about it." The other two followed Yang's lead towards the door. "Bye Hulda, we're off to break a heart. Let Ruby know we're looking for her if she comes back first."

"All right, girls. Try to let her down softly, you hear."

"Try doesn't mean succeed, but we'll give it a go."

* * *

"Uh, guys…" Yang muttered as they closed in on the house, which was surrounded by familiar pikes with the heads of animals stuck upon them. "Is this the right place?"

Weiss looked back at the map, tracing her finger along with it and gulping. "I- I think so."

Movement came from within, and then a hagraven exited, smaller than Mother Zira had been, but the same sort of creature all the same. It smiled and walked over to them.

"My love, you're back!" she said as she started towards Blake, who had completely frozen. "I got worried that your friends had gotten you lost, but now that you're back we can-"

Yang and Weiss jumped as a gunshot rang out. One of the hagraven's eyes imploded while her brain matter and bits of skull scattered behind her, staining the wall of the house. Blake silently hopped off of Speckles and approached the corpse slowly, nudging a leg with her foot before bending over and grabbing its wrist. She practically ripped the golden ring from its finger and then slowly trudged back to her horse and hopped on.

"Blake?" Yang murmured in worry.

"Three children died for one of their ascensions, whatever the hell that is. Three innocent children, just so they could become monsters. I don't care who she was, she was just a monster to be put down." Blake turned her horse around and started heading the way they came from. In silent agreement, Weiss quickly brought Pale about so that she could get in the lead and guide them, with Yang and Blondie taking up the rear.

* * *

The girls were practically catatonic when they returned the ring back to Ysolda, but another clue had come up from what she said.

Morvunskar. They had planned for the ceremony to be at Morvunskar. Knowing that Ruby would likely be there, they headed straight for it, not caring about how close it was getting to dusk or how far it was from them.

When they reached the fortress in the snowy mountainous area, they left their horses a ways away and approached. Some man in robes kept warning them about coming too close.

Weiss responded with a lightning bolt that sent him off the wall.

The entire fortress was alerted to them a moment later. Yang's fist came around as a mage got too close and slammed him to the ground. A woman tried firing an ice spike at her, but Blake easily closed the distance and rammed her gut with a knee backed by her Aura enhanced momentum. As the woman coughed and retched, a Dunmer came screaming with a mace in one hand and flame spell in the other. Weiss's ward easily blocked the flames, and her rapier swiped the mace from his hands. An almost elegant pirouette sent him on his back, followed by Yang's heel stomping on his chest hard enough to knock the wind from him.

The one Yang had floored a moment earlier stood back up and reached towards her with hands covered in lightning. The blonde turned on her heel and brought her fist down on his head again, only this time his skull met the ground with a wet crack. The other two looked on in horror at how easily their fellow had been slain, and the three Huntresses kept moving forward. The woman started crawling away, hoping that they didn't come back to finish her, and the Dunmer man made plans to do the same once he could breathe straight again.

"I can't believe I'm the one stuck at the forge. Again!" A mage currently working a forge inside Morvunskar complained, continuing to strike a hot piece of metal.

"Quit your whining. You-"

The two mages' conversation was interrupted by Yang busting down the door to the indoor forge. Both looked at her incredulously before they dropped whatever they were doing and readied spells. Before the man could even start gathering magicka for a summon, he was slammed up against the wall while his companion was lifted and thrown _through_ the table she was sitting at. He pulled a dagger from his belt, but Yang slapped it out of his hand and into the hot coals. She grabbed him by his hair and held him over the furnace, forcing his face closer to the red hot coals with contemptuous ease. She halted and then lifted him back up, the smell of ammonia and a growing wet spot in his robes telling of his fear.

"Get the hell out of here," she growled.

The two needed not be told twice, and scrambled to escape the blonde.

Further in, there were more experienced mages who were ready for them, or so they thought. A volley of Destruction spells came at the girls when they entered, but all were halted by the appearance of a solid glyph. Shocked at what seemed to be a unique ward, they had little chance to brace themselves for the oncoming attack. Blake seemed to swoop in from nowhere, her foot catching an Altmer's neck and slinging him across the room before her blades swiped the dagger out of a dark haired man's hand, and then were reversed to knock him away with their blunt sides. Weiss slung a woman into a pillar, where she cried out before falling to the ground in a daze. Yang punched one man so hard he slammed into another, breaking the second one's arm. As they started to get back on their feet, the woman started running for the door. The Altmer sneered and readied a lightning spell to hit her, only for Yang to catch his arm and bend it back, snapping the shoulder out of place. The others saw this display of strength and erred on the side of caution, running after their female compatriot.

"Damn you to the deepest pits of Oblivion!" the high elf cursed as he held his arm with a golden glow. He didn't seem intent on running.

"You've got one more-"

He yelled as he stabbed at her with a golden-bronze dagger, which bounced off of her Aura with a slight spark and audible chink. She sighed and gripped him by his arms, seeing the fear in his eyes.

"That was strike three!" Knowing that two of them had turned back to see what would happen, Yang reared back a fist and swung as hard as she dared herself to. There was a meaty crunch as her fist met the elf's face, and then his body was flung all the way across the expansive room, smashing into the far wall with a bloody splat, his face completely pulverized by the punch. The two screamed, one far less masculine than the other, and then the Huntresses heard their feet carrying them further and further away.

Yang shook her hand and wiped her knuckles off on an old cloth as they continued on, pausing at the sight of a large, misty, glowing orb at the top of a set of stairs with a setup like a cheap throne.

"What…in the world…" Yang wondered.

"This looks like…a portal of some sort," Weiss observed.

"A portal to where?" Blake asked as she sheathed Gambol Shroud.

"Going by the three-dimensional shape, it's a portal to another world."

Yang looked at her with wide eyes. "Does that mean…? Could it…?"

"I…doubt it leads to Remnant," Weiss admitted with some disappointment in her voice. "More likely, it leads to a plane of Oblivion, as those worlds seem to be adjacent to Nirn. But, thanks to some kind of seal made at the end of the Oblivion Crisis, we can at least assume this portal is…safe. Relatively speaking."

"Okay…so… Do we go in?"

The girls looked at each other, none of them seeming to want to suggest that they or someone else take the first step. Finally, Blake stepped forward.

"I'll look in first," she said. She seemed to hold her breath as she took a step forward and leaned her upper body into it. After a moment, she came back out, a little wide-eyed, but physically unharmed. "It…looks like some kind of grove. I saw a bridge, a lantern, trees, and a small waterfall."

"So safe?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, pretty safe."

"All right then," the blonde announced with a clap. "Let's dive in!"

The three stepped through the portal and looked around themselves, seeing that they were in a place like Blake described. Lanterns lined along a path, part of which was a stone bridge over a stream, from which a short waterfall poured just past the bridge. A light mist hung in the air, but it seemed more inviting than invasive.

"Is this…how Sam traveled us around?" Weiss wondered aloud. "Could he have actually found some sort of shortcut through dimensional hopping?"

"That sounds more sci-fi than fantasy, but I guess it could work."

"We're not in some sort of B-class movie, Yang," the heiress reprimanded. "This is reality. As it turns out, reality is stranger than fiction."

"Should we…go?" Blake asked as she pointed at the path before them.

"Well, we do need to find Sam. He said he'd be wherever we retraced our steps to." Weiss took the lead as Yang pulled out her scroll and flipped through some of the pictures.

"Huh, I think we actually _were_ here. The environment looks…about right."

After crossing over a couple of bridges and following the path to the right, the girls came upon a table with lanterns set all about and people seated around, eating from a feast on the table's top. Some were drinking deeply as well, bringing a mote of apprehension to the girls. One reveler was an Orc that looked familiar to Yang, and the cause became clear when she found a picture of her holding him bridal style, only he was shirtless in the picture. She grinned as a sliver of memory came to her, and recalled that at some point she declared that she'd go beat every Orc Chieftain in Skyrim to him, which just seemed to make him adore her all the more.

She couldn't quite figure out if the make-out was real or imagined though, as there was no picture proof.

"Yang Xiao Long!" a voice shrilly called up from the side. The girls turned and felt both relief and trepidation at seeing their leader unharmed, though wearing a party hat.

"Ruby!" Yang cried out, but paused in her reach for a hug, when a finger collided with her nose and pressed in.

"You've been gone for days! Days! I don't even know how many, because I was underground for at least a full day! Do you know what I fought!? Falmer! Do any of you know what Falmer are?! They're like evil, blind versions of Gobble! Oh, Gobble wasn't nearly as evil as these things! At least he had a good side for a while in the second movie! Falmer? Pure evil! And then they have pets! Do you know what their pets are?! Chaurus! And chaurus are giant, unholy hybrids of centipedes, ants, earwigs, and nightmares! They make their armor out of their shells!"

"Ruby, calm down," Yang said as she tried to hold on to her little sister's shoulders, only for Ruby to jump into her arms and hug her tightly.

"I was so scared," she started to cry. "But I was even more scared because I didn't know if you were all okay! Please, don't ever do that again!"

Yang felt her heart sink before she wrapped her own arms around Ruby. "I promise. I'll slow down from now on."

Ruby sniffed and then pulled away before rubbing her eyes. Their teammates came up and the other two gave the younger girl a hug.

A chorus of "aww's" reached their ears and the girls recalled that they had a bit of an audience watching them. They separated with a bit of blush on their cheeks, and Yang laughed heartily.

"Oh man, we had a _trip_ getting back!" Yang boasted, though she winced a little at some of the clearer memories. "I'll spare you the details. Just know that Weiss sold someone else's goat and fondled a goddess's statue."

"What the- Me?! You're the one who trashed the place and fell asleep naked in a holy place!"

"Hey! To be fair, it was the temple of the goddess of beauty. If anything, I was paying homage to her with that last bit. Besides, you helped with the trashing."

"Jeez, guys…" Ruby moaned before looking over at her dark-haired teammate. "What about you?"

"I got engaged to a monster. It's dead now."

"Um…good?"

"That it's dead, yes."

"I can't believe you'd all be so irresponsible," a grown voice said. The girls looked over to see Lydia, also wearing a party hat. "Getting a little deep in your cups is one thing, but traipsing around the whole province to wreck it while drunk is another."

Yang tried her best to keep her chuckles contained, but she couldn't help it and began slapping her leg as she guffawed.

"What?"

"That hat…! It doesn't suit you!" she laughed a little more before it finally cooled down.

"I wouldn't have worn it, but it's not a good idea to get on _any_ god's bad side."

"Uh, do wha?"

Suddenly the three girls felt something plop on their heads as another familiar face popped up.

"Heya girls!"

"Sam!" the three yelled at once.

"Boy, I have to hand it to you! That was the most fun I've had in…centuries! The last time I had that much fun was a drinking contest with the Nerevarine about two hundred years ago. Man, could that guy hold it or what! Nocturnal seemed to hate him, though. Or really liked him, you could never tell."

"Wait, centuries?" Weiss asked. "But…you're not an elf. Are you?"

"Hm, oh no, I'm no elf. Gimme a sec." Purple energy swirled around the man, causing the girls to take a step back. In Sam's place stood a tall, dark skinned creature with red markings and horns upon his head. Spiked armor covered his body, with red running through it like pulses of energy or blood. He laughed jovially at their shocked expressions, though Ruby seemed to be irked rather than surprised.

"Guys, Sam's actually Sanguine. He's like…the god of parties or something."

" _Prince_ is the more…accepted term," Lydia explained. "Though, for all intents and purposes, he is a god. And…the god of revelry, debauchery, gluttony, lust, and greed."

"Thaaaaaaaat's me!" the apparent god cheered. "Oh boy did we have a good bit of all of that! I'm pretty sure we made 'Bella blush with that last act. Course, I wasn't physically there. Can't really enter a Divine's temple all willy-nilly, you see.

"Oh, and I just remembered! Miss Xiao Long, you 'beat' me in that drinking game, twenty-five bottles to my twenty-four! Of course, you were sloshed as could be once that was said and done. Still, deal's a deal. That's three hundred septims –hm, let's put it in denars for simplicity's sake." A bag of coins appeared out of thin air and landed in Blake's hands. "And of course, my staff." The staff appeared as well and Yang caught it.

"Uh…how do I use it?" Yang asked gently, not wanting to offend the guy who was apparently a god.

"Oh, give that here," Weiss demanded as she snatched up the rose shaped implement. Magic focused in the blossom, and then was launched a few feet away, where an orb expanded and disappeared, revealing a creature that looked frighteningly like Sanguine, only smaller.

"Ah, hello my lord!" the daedra said towards the Prince. "So, the Sanguine Rose is in the hands of a mortal once again?"

"Again?"

"Eh, I like to give it out once in a while. It'll summon up whatever daedra you need to the occasion. Fighting, setting up a party, cleaning up your house, messing up your house." He blinked with the last suggestion. "Oh, speaking of which, need to get those guys back." Four more spheres appeared, this time summoning up the four horses the girls had been using. Before they could object, Sanguine waved his arm to them. "All right, you guys can turn back now." Again the purple energy surrounded them, transforming them all into humanoids. One was like the daedra summoned by the staff, two were violet-skinned, a male and female, and the last looked like a normal human but with six horns on his head.

"That…was the most degrading thing I've ever done," the armored one complained.

"Next time think before you place a bet," the female violet one reprimanded.

"Hey, Yang, right?" the male violet one asked. "Got to say, that had to have been the hardest anyone's rode me in centuries." Yang blinked as the innuendo finally registered in her mind, causing her to pale and hold herself tightly.

"Did he just…" Weiss began, slightly horrified.

"Can I go back to eating now!?" the horned man yelled.

"Hey, that's what the food's for," Sanguine told him.

"Yes!" he cheered way too happily.

Sanguine smiled at the girls. "Didn't think you really got a set of horses that never seemed to go tired or get hungry, did you? Well, that second part's debatable for the Glutton there. But yeah, figured you all might need a little help getting around, so I set you up with some daedra looking for entertainment, or in that dremora's case, in need of punishment."

"We've been riding around on demon horses this whole time?" Blake asked in a higher pitch than normal.

"Hey, whatever works, right?" He laughed at her expression and waved his arm.

"Sheesh, well, I guess we, uh… Wait, how'd you get here Ruby?"

"We were invited."

"Well now, I think it's about time to send you all off," Sanguine said as he started collecting purple energy into his hands. "I know you all promised to lay off after some…consequences, but don't quit cold turkey now! After all, life's bland without a little fun now and again. And you all have a lot of potential! Have fun with the staff!" He released the spell at them, and then they felt themselves fall out of one world and into another.

The girls all looked around themselves in confusion. Rather than Morvunskar or some cave, they were inside of a warm, familiar room. They looked out the door and saw that they were back at the Bannered Mare, in the room they usually rented.

"Guys," Yang began.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go to bed."


	8. Darkness Through Mist

Co-writer xTRESTWHOX actually wrote a large part of this chapter, somewhere around a quarter or third of it. Man, I love the day me and him got together on this project. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Wind passes under wings. Clouds go by. A structure of stone is before. Wings tilt, and she's swooping down, catching a mortal with her talons. She laughs as she flings the mortal away. She catches another one and tastes it before swallowing it. Another runs for the city of wood and stone. She lets it run. It will bring out the other warriors into the open, where she can destroy them with ease._

 _The Overlord has finally returned. His undeniable Truth will be for the entire world to see. And this city's embers would be her gift to present to him. When the defenders were dragged out and killed in the open, destroying it would be that much easier._

 _Waiting in the mountains, the trap is sprung!_

 _She wings out once again and begins to destroy the foolish creatures in droves. Their arrows sting, but it will be fine. They are sharper than in times past, but still not sharp enough to kill a dragon!_

 _Magic hits, and it hurts! The spell casters are more careful about dodging the Voice._

 _A Red one bothers to speak with her. Pathetic! It wants peace? Then it should have fallen on its knees the moment the Overlord returned!_

 _It_ is _fast though. It dodged away even when Time was Slowed to the crawl of Sand._

 _The bright Yellow hurt her, so she tries to hurt it, but it survives. It is strong._

 _Something fell upon her back! A wing! It cut a wing! She cannot fly and falls to the ground. No matter. Even when bound to the earth a dragon is formidable. The mortals will see their deaths up close._

 _Yellow charges at her, and she Shouts for Time again. She snaps up the mortal and flings it about before throwing it back to the ground. It still lives, so she jumps forward and stamps a foot down. This time bones crunch and the mortal screams. The Red screams as well, and then charges at her with its blade, cutting a long, winding wound upon her neck and body. She roars in agony and backs away. It's the most damage she's ever faced! How could such a small mortal do such a thing?_

 _Red drags Yellow away and looks back at her. A few mortals have surrounded her to try and close in, but she doesn't let them. She needs a moment to recover before going on the offensive again._

 _A voice yells to her in her own tongue. It threatens vengeance and death. It comes from the Red. She actually feels honored that the mortal would bother with Dragon Tongue to relay such. She accepts and promises death._

 _Then Black reappears with a tether and yanks back her head. White uses some sort of magic to create a trail. Red dashes forward so fast she cannot be seen._

 _Pain! Pain explodes through her chest! Heart is pierced! Thoughts weakening!_

 _She struggles to remain awake, to keep living, but in the throes of death, she feels a tugging at her soul. There is a dragon nearby! Her eyes lock onto Red, and she realizes_ why _she'd spoken in Dragon Tongue._

" _D- Dovahkiin?!" she cries out in surprise as she can feel her life blood pouring from her chest and her soul being torn form her being._

* * *

"NOOOOOO!" Ruby screamed as she ripped away the blankets and clutched at her chest, trying to keep blood from flowing from a wound that didn't exist. Her body was covered in cold sweat, and her breathing was ragged. As her heartbeat slowed, and breathing regulated, she closed her eyes tightly.

' _It's just a dream. Just a dream. You're not Mirmulnir. You're not dying.'_

Ever since she…absorbed Mirmulnir, she could feel exactly what he felt in his dying moments. There were other memories, but the memory of dying was the freshest to them both. Ruby had to keep touching her neck to assure herself that there wasn't a spiral cut on it. She needed to feel the place above her heart to remind herself that there was no stab wound.

Before she could examine herself further, a candle moved as Lydia came over to her, slightly bedraggled and in her sleeping clothes.

"My Thane, are you all right?"

"I- I'm fine, Lydia." She wasn't, but she doubted the housecarl knew how to help with nightmares fueled by the soul of a deceased dragon. "Just a bad dream. I just need a moment." Ruby looked around in the dim light and noticed that her team's beds were empty. "Where are the others?"

"They went off with that wizard," Lydia harrumphed, clearly displeased. "They said something about raising fawns and baby birds."

Memories of the three's intoxicated misadventures in the inn came roaring back and Ruby sighed in annoyance. "I can't believe those guys." She got enough before from her uncle, and it was really looking bad when Yang seemed to be letting the culture get to her, but now her whole team was drunk off their butts? She would be making _rules_ after tonight! She blinked wearily. After some decent sleep of course.

"Thanks for checking on me, Lydia. I really appreciate it." She pulled the blankets back over her, blocking off the slight chill in the air.

"Only doing the least of my duties," Lydia dutifully nodded. "I'll let you go back to sleep. Good night, Thane Ruby."

"G'night," she wearily replied as she tried to let sleep claim her again, hoping for a night without dreams.

* * *

When Ruby woke up again, this time to the light of the dawn's rays, she quickly noticed there was still no sign of her team anywhere. As the girl trudged down into the surprisingly clean inn's lower level, she went over to Saadia, who was watching over the inn while Hulda rested.

"Have my friends been back yet?" Ruby kindly asked, hoping that they were still around.

"No, sorry, ma'am. I, er, haven't seen them since last night."

Oh yeah, last night. Last night when after Weiss finished her impromptu drinking song (which Ruby would admit was good, but still!) she started getting all cuddly with the Redguard woman. Ruby had to watch them like a hawk to make sure nothing bad happened there, but that gave an opening for Yang to start making out with some orc.

"But," Saadia, reaching into a nearby cupboard, interrupted Ruby's thoughts, "there was someone who left a note for you." Quickly finding the aforementioned note, Saadia took out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Ruby, who unfurled it and started reading the contents.

 _To the new Thane,_

 _Me and your friends are going on a little trip. Shouldn't take too long, but you might feel a little lonely without 'em, so I figured a way for you to join us up early._

 _You've still got a mission to do with the Companions, right? Well, I put in a request with them, and I asked for you specifically. There's an item down in Shimmermist Cave that a friend of mine wants out of there. Said a good warrior should be the one to do it. I figured a dragonslayer fit the bill nicely._

Oh no, what did they tell people?!

 _Anyways, get the request, go kill everything in that cave, and retrieve the object. Don't need you to return it to me. My friend will pick it up from you, eventually. You'll know what it is once you find it. After that you'll be able to head right over to one of my places._

 _Meanwhile, the girls and I have a wedding to attend. But between you and me, I don't think the marriage is going to last all that long._

 _Your party buddy,_

 _Sam Guevenne._

Ruby groaned and rubbed her face in exasperation. She and Yang were going to have a long talk about what was and was not acceptable when following in Qrow's footsteps.

"Thanks Saadia. Sorry about last night. Weiss isn't usually so…"

"Oh, it's all right. Could have been worse. Better a girl just holds onto my arm while complaining about her family than a man decides to hold on to _other_ parts of me."

"True enough," Ruby chuckled, but then stopped when she realized that that might actually be a problem. Saadia noticed her concern and waved it off.

"Don't worry about me. That's what this is for." She brought up an iron dagger for a moment and then sheathed it back to her pocket. Ruby nodded and then headed back upstairs, ready to go through her morning routine before heading up to Jorrvaskr.

* * *

"Aye, it's not often we get a request for a specific member. Less often that member is a greenhorn like you," Skjor explained as he went over the short contract. "Then again, you have made a bit of a name for yourself. Well, it's rather straightforward. Honestly, we've been looking into clearing that cave for a few weeks now. Falmer seem to have taken up residence in it. Probably trying to grow their little nasties," Skjor snarled, much to Ruby's discomfort. "Kill any Falmer, kill any chaurus, rescue anyone caught by them that aren't dead yet, and retrieve whatever this object is and…hold on to it." Skjor rubbed his chin in thought. "Last bit's odd, but shouldn't be a problem. I suggest having a mage look whatever it is over, just in case. As for Falmer, be careful. They're sly little monsters. I suggest taking backup."

"Don't worry. I've-" Ruby started, only to get interrupted with the sounds of Jorrvaskr's doors being opened.

"My Thane, I've stocked up on our provisions," Lydia announced herself, catching the attention of both Ruby and Skjor, whom she briefly locked eyes with before continuing on. "We are ready to depart."

"… Thank you, Lydia," Ruby thanked the housecarl, still unsure about her. Skjor, on the other hand, shared no such feeling and gave the slightest hint of a smile, the most Ruby had seen on the man.

"Lydia, it's an honor to see you again," Skjor remarked, a degree of respect in his voice Ruby had again not seen or heard.

"Likewise, Skjor," Lydia nodded to the companion. At this, Skjor paused for a moment.

"You know, the offer is still valid."

"My answer is the same," Lydia's reply was quite curt, Ruby observed. Almost as if this conversation had happened before, in many instances. Over what, she didn't know.

"Well, anyway," Ruby interrupted before the conversation could start back up, "we better get going. The sooner we get this…thing, the sooner I can get my han- I mean, get back to my friends. Hehe, yeah…" Ruby nervously chuckled, trying to hide her slip up. Judging by Lydia's nod of approval and Skjor's nod, she was unsuccessful. Flushed with slight embarrassment, Ruby motioned for Lydia, and the two left the hall of the Companions behind. The two silently walked through the bustling town and through the front gates.

"Just so you are aware," Lydia cut through the silence, her smirk audible to Ruby's ears, "if you wish to throttle them, I'll hold them down."

"Oh, shush."

* * *

Without any means of transportation, Ruby and Lydia began the long hike towards Shimmermist Cave. They were lucky that the cave itself was relatively close to Whiterun, but even then it was still half a day's journey.

"So," Ruby began, trying to break through the awkward silence that had once again descended over the duo. This had been a familiar song and dance between the two of them, and if Lydia was going to be sticking around, Ruby was determined to break the ice. "Your weapons and armor? Steel?'

"That is correct, my Thane," Lydia quickly gave a to-the-point answer, causing Ruby to sigh. This had been a familiar song and dance. Ruby would ask a question, Lydia would give a direct answer and not elaborate, causing Ruby to go silent. But not this time!

"So…did you forge it? I'm a pretty good smith, if I say so myself. At least, Eorlund thinks so, even though he beat me…" Ruby whispered the last part, causing Lydia to laugh slightly. Success!

"I heard about that. A little girl caused the great Eorlund Grey-Mane to actually sweat for once," Lydia mirthed to herself. "It was actually Eorlund himself who made my weapons and armor. A gift for being chosen to be a housecarl."

"I wanted to ask about that. How _did_ you become a housecarl anyway?" Ruby asked, curious about the subject. "Were you always a housecarl, your parents? Were you born into it?" Lydia perked up at this, evidently proud of the accomplishment.

"I was not born into being a housecarl. I _earned_ it, actually."

"Oh! How'd you earn it?"

"It started with my father, really. He was a guard for thirty years. Used to be an adventurer, until he 'took an arrow to the knee', so he says," Lydia chuckled. "Nine times out of ten, that simply means that they got married. In this case, to my mother, who…died during childbirth."

"Oh, I'm… I'm so sorry, I-" Ruby stammered, trying to give an apology, only to be waved off by Lydia.

"It's alright. I never knew her, though sometimes I wish I did. It's far in the past now. As I grew older he taught me everything he knew. When he grew too old and weathered to continue being a guard, he stepped down. As he did, I rose to take his place." Lydia smiled at the memory. "I'll never forget how proud he was when I first stepped home wearing that armor."

"He sounds amazing," Ruby replied.

"He was…" Lydia grew wistful, causing Ruby to look downcast as she realized the implications. Lydia, noticing her charge's disposition, continued. "He had developed ataxia during his last few years, which caused him to step down in the first place. It…eventually caught up with him, and he died peacefully in his sleep. The entirety of the Whiterun guard went to his funeral, along with the Jarl."

"I'm… I'm sorry. I…lost my mother when I was young, too," Ruby added, forlorn, to which Lydia nodded in understanding.

"He rests in Sovngarde, now. At peace. When I die, I will join him once again." Lydia smiled at the thought, before shaking her head. "Moving on, thanks to my father's training, I quickly caught the attention of my superiors. I quickly rose up through the ranks, eventually settling on captain. Many thought I was going to become commander, but my fortunes quickly changed."

"What happened?" Ruby got slightly worried, which went away when Lydia smiled.

"I stumbled across evidence that the Thieves Guild was attempting to reestablish a foothold in Whiterun," Lydia revealed, only to receive blank look from Ruby.

"Thieves…Guild? What is that?"

"I'm not surprised you hadn't heard of it. In their present state, they're a joke. Back in my father's day, now that was a different story. The Thieves Guild is what the name implies: a guild for thieves and other illegal activities. Anything short of murder is fair game to them. Their fortunes had reversed over the years, making them a shadow of their former self, until they all but disappeared."

"So they tried to make a comeback in Whiterun?" Ruby inquired.

"They did. It wasn't a large group, thankfully. Only about five members. Regardless, I uncovered evidence that they were in the city, which I investigated, and found that they were trying to establish a foothold and were planning a massive heist of Dragonsreach, which I stopped," Lydia perked up in pride at that.

"Wow!" Ruby gushed. "Then what?"

"That caught the attention of many, including the Jarl and the Companions. I was approached by both, who each extended an offer for me to join, either as one of Balgruuf's housecarls or as a Companion."

"And you chose to be a housecarl," Ruby concluded, to which Lydia nodded.

"That I did. I wanted to serve Whiterun, rather than be a Companion. They still extend offers to me, which I refuse each time," Lydia revealed, answering an unspoken question of Ruby's.

"That's…amazing," Ruby stated, eyeing the cave. They were close now.

"If I may ask, what about you?" Lydia asked, curiosity etched on her face.

"Well," Ruby began, unsure of how to proceed. She was still thinking as they walked across the bend, only for the two of them to stop dead in their tracks as they came across a grisly scene. In the middle of the road was a destroyed cart. The horses were missing, and there was a dead Nord woman lying on the ground with strange arrows having turned her into a pincushion.

"What happened?" Ruby asked, apprehension filling her voice. Lydia had already unsheathed her weapons and was looking around for any threats. Seeing none, but staying on guard, the housecarl walked up to the corpse and pulled out one of the arrows, inspecting it before throwing it away in disgust.

"Falmer," Lydia revealed, uttering a quick prayer for the woman before standing. "Falmer must have attacked her."

"There's a blood trail. Look," Ruby pointed out, eyeing a trail of bloody splotches leading up to Shimmermist Cave's entrance.

"They must have dragged off any survivors, leaving her as a warning," Lydia mused, unsheathing her weapon again before taking point. "Have you faced Falmer before?"

"No, I haven't," Ruby answered, unfurling Crescent Rose. If Lydia was confused about the sniper-scythe she didn't show it. "Any advice?"

"Show no mercy," Lydia responded. With that, the two of them made their way into the dark cave. Whatever was in there was key to finding the rest of her team, and Ruby wouldn't let some cave monsters stand in her way.

* * *

On high alert for any danger, the two slowly entered the cave, with Lydia taking point. Upon entering, Ruby suddenly let out a shriek, causing Lydia to whip around in search of the source of Ruby's distress. A spider was just inside the entrance around two waterfalls, and Lydia, seeing Ruby's apprehension, smirked.

"Don't like the spiders?"

"I…really don't. They're just so…creepy!"

"The Dragonborn. Slayer of dragons, devourer of souls, scared of spiders," Lydia laughed to herself, causing Ruby to slightly frown in embarrassment. "All right. One moment."

The housecarl drew her sword and charged the giant arachnid. The spider seemed stunned, and barely had any time to react as the Nord sliced across its face before jabbing it in its 'neck'. The oversized bug shuddered, and then collapsed, its legs making a few twitches as the life left it.

"Phew! Thanks!" Ruby beamed as they continued forward.

"Any time, my Thane."

They traveled downwards and then into a narrower tunnel where the light from outside found it harder to reach. Ruby looked up and around the cave as the light slowly died out until it got close to pitch black.

' _Really need to get Weiss to show me that candle spell,'_ Ruby thought in remorse. _'_ _Either that or buy a torch.'_

The darkness didn't last long, to Ruby's relief, as their path suddenly became illuminated by the soft blue of glowing mushrooms. Ruby awed at them for a moment and reached out to tap one, surprised by its sturdiness despite its gel-like looks. The darkness fled even more as the ceiling became practically covered in bioflorescent flora. Mist seemed to waft in from further in the cave like a thick fog, reflecting and refracting the light from the fungus and other glowing life, likely giving the cavern its name. Ruby began wondering about what kind of ecology was at work in this place when Lydia held out a hand, stopping her. A ways ahead of them, Ruby saw the silhouette of a hunched over creature holding what appeared to be a sword and looking back and forth over an outcropping.

"Did he spot us?" Ruby whispered.

"It can't see," her housecarl answered. "Falmer are blind. They go by sound, not sight. If we stay quiet, we should be able to get closer."

' _Wait. If Falmer are blind, how do they have archers?'_ Ruby thought to herself, confused by the implications, before shaking her head, shelving the question for later.

Softly, the two tip-toed their way closer, carefully stepping over a tripwire that had been softly illuminated by the pervasive blue glow when they came to the opening of a larger cavern. The image of the apparent Falmer cleared the closer they got, and soon Ruby was able to make out more details. The creature was anorexic looking, with ribs poking from wrinkled, pale skin. Two long ears were on either side of its head, likely picking up every stray noise. Its face was mostly flat, with two slits in place of a nose, an open mouth filled with needle-like teeth, and no eyes. The creature made little grunting noises as it walked in a small patrol, listening out for intruders.

' _Ew! It looks like Gobble's ugly cousin! If that cousin was also the baby of the ugliest goblin ever!'_

A low hiss brought her out of her thoughts and she and Lydia spun around to see another Falmer barring its teeth and taking out a sickle-looking weapon and a shield.

"We've been spotted!" Lydia shouted as she unsheathed her sword, preparing herself against the creatures. The one from above jumped down aiming for Lydia's head, only to be smacked aside by her shield, sending it sliding in the dirt away from them. Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and dashed over to the sickle wielder and struck at it. The Falmer managed to duck under her first swing and went for one of its own to which Ruby quickly stepped back and continued her scythe's arc, returning it and crashing the blade against the chitin shield in her foe's hand. With an audible crack emanating from the shield, the Falmer flew several feet away and into a stone column. The creature struggled back up and made for a jumping swing, which Ruby used to impale it upon her scythe's blade with an upward spin of her own weapon, sending the creature over her head with a gaping hole in its stomach.

She looked over and saw Lydia flick her sword clear of blood over the body of the other Falmer, a scowl on her face. Before Ruby had a chance to speak up, a horrific smell, previously masked by adrenaline, caught her attention. Slowly, Ruby walked over and peered under the alcove where the woman was at and gasped. Under the ledge was a small pile of human and elf bodies. Some were dressed like hunters or bandits, while others wore normal, everyday clothing. One High Elf had purple robes and enough stab wounds on his torso to look like he belly-flopped into a knife factory.

"What- What is this?"

"Victims," her housecarl spat as she bent to observe one a little more closely. "They've been dragging the dead into this place. Probably only under the cover of night."

"This is just…awful!" Ruby figured these things were bad news, but she didn't think it was _this_ bad. "But why do all these…bodies look…?"

"Fresh?" Lydia stood back up as she said it.

"Y- yeah…"

"I don't know. Maybe the Falmer eat them?"

Ruby felt like she was turning green, but shook her head and stepped away from the bodies. "We- we should keep going."

"Of course, my Thane."

Deeper within they came across a boulder where a set of chitin armor, shield, sword and bow lay. Ruby took a moment to look them over, but stuck out her tongue in disgust when she detected how much they felt like picking up a large bug leg. Only a little ways past that there was a Falmer with its back turned towards them. Usually, Ruby wasn't one for sneak attacks or backstabbing, but after seeing the murdered innocents earlier, she felt little sympathy for what were obviously monsters. Her scythe sunk deep into the Falmer's shoulder, nearly splitting it in half when she yanked her blade free. The creature let out a slight gurgle as it fell forward, blood splaying out and a foul stench emerging.

"Urk! I don't think…I'll ever get used to that."

"The smell of death is never a pleasant one," Lydia agreed. "Especially when you cut open their intestines."

"Yeah, next time I'll try to only get the upper half. Blehk!"

They continued on, going up and down for a while until they came upon another open area, this one with a few huts made mostly of some unknown material. The Falmer within noticed them almost immediately and began charging them. Ruby nodded to Lydia and hopped over the ledge near them, drop kicking one of the creatures. Another fired an arrow at her, but the young warrior dodged the projectile and aimed Crescent Rose at the archer. Before she pulled the trigger, she recalled how she had a limited amount of ammo and swung her scythe around behind her, fighting the urge to use her weapon's recoil for a boost. A shaft of wood suddenly appeared on its chest and Ruby recalled that Lydia had brought a bow along.

Her attention returned to the other Falmer and she swiped over, detaching its head from its body before it could fully stand. She was ready to give Lydia an all clear, but then another Falmer dropped from some high spot and caught the older woman with a dagger to her side. The Nord cried out as Ruby screamed.

"Lydia!"

Recovering quickly, the housecarl dug her blade's edge into the Falmer's throat and stumbled away, dropping down to her knees in pain before pulling something from her pack. Ruby rushed up to her and the woman waved her off concerns.

"He didn't get me deep," she bit out. "Poison's the worst part."

"Poison?!" Ruby practically shrieked.

"I'll be fine." Lydia downed the potion in her hands and sighed. "All-Purpose Antidote. It works with nearly any kind of poison. Only the truly exotic ones can get through it. Going by the color on that dagger, I think it's just a slow acting poison. Probably meant more to cause pain than death."

Ruby shuddered at the thought and looked at the dead assassin. It had several little sacks around a belt on its hip, and she could only assume that some kind of poison was in each of them, going by the one that was sliced open and had the same orange color inside it as the poison on the dagger.

As she went back to going forward, she looked at the huts and felt another measure of revulsion.

"The doors are made of bug legs? Do these guys farm bugs?"

"Actually, I think that they do. They raise a large species of insect called a chaurus. I've only ever seen the tiny ant chaurus, but apparently the ones they raise grow like pigs."

"Ugh, why do bugs get so big here?"

Lydia raised an eyebrow, but didn't question the comment as they moved on once again. As they rounded a corner, Ruby noted a strange, bulbous thing on the ground. Another glowing cavern was up ahead, but they paused when a chittering sound reached their ears.

"Uh, how big did you say these things could get?" she whispered.

Before Lydia could answer, a creature crawled within their sights. The size of an average dog, it was covered in chitin and walked on four legs, mandibles extending around a horrific face filled with teeth. The back end of it had a set of pincers with sharp tips, snipping at the air. Its upper body bent upwards, giving it an appearance like a snake moving to strike. Its beady eyes looked over to them and then it chittered loudly before squaring up with the ground and rushing over to them.

"Oh god!" Ruby screamed as she jumped away from its chomping mandibles. Lydia attempted a slash, but her sword slid against the hard chitin of the creature, barely scratching it enough to draw blood. The bug turned towards her, giving Ruby the opening she needed to slice it in half. The front half of it struggled in vain for a moment before going still, green ichor leaking out from its corpse in a growing puddle.

"This place is so gross," Ruby complained as she turned, only to stop suddenly as her eyes opened wide at the sight before her. "Lydia?" she squeaked out.

"My Thane?" the housecarl answered with worry. She walked up next to the younger woman and looked about to see what she saw. Piles of bones were scattered about, but many of them were recognizable. Human and Meri skulls dotted the pen, as well as a few more feline or reptilian shaped ones. Some of the skulls seemed smaller than average, and one unscattered skeleton looked a little smaller than Ruby's frame.

Ruby's grip on her scythe tightened as she walked over to one of the bulbous things that lined the whole room. She kicked it open, revealing a small, blue orb inside, and then stomped down on it. When her foot lifted up, a small, white chaurus was revealed to be inside of it.

"It's a feeding and breeding pen," she growled before stomping another nest. "They've been feeding them people." She stamped two more, destroying their contents as well, finally letting out the built up stress she had been accumulating since her arrival in Skyrim. "They've been making more!"

Lydia blinked at what her Thane was doing, but then supposed it was the responsible thing to do. There were a _lot_ of those egg sacs around this chamber. Just as she decided to begin helping, Ruby had come close to the other end of the chamber, and both heard a high-pitched shriek and saw an even larger chaurus charging the younger girl. She tried jumping away, but the spiked mandibles caught onto her leg and the massive bug began slinging her around. Ruby shouted as she was swung through the air and then away and into a wall. She made to recover, but the chaurus was already charging upon her again.

Luckily, a blade plunged itself into the soft flesh around its mouth. The chaurus screeched and began thrashing as it involuntarily backed away, hitting the ground and slinging itself side to side in painful death throesbefore finally going the danger passed, Lydia was down by Ruby's side in an instant, looking her over with worried eyes

"Where are you hurt?" she asked as carefully looked about the tear in Ruby's leggings, only for the girl to push her hands away.

"I'm okay, I'm okay! My, uh, shield...no, stoneskin saved me."

"I know for a fact you never used a stoneskin spell, or any other spell for that matter." She looked back at the tear and gripped her leg firmly as she turned it. "Even with stoneskin, you should've had puncture wounds. Just what is going on? Your sister was said to have been crushed underfoot by a dragon, yet she was walking the next day. Miss Schnee was reportedly set directly ablaze by the dragon but walked away with only some scorches. My Thane, I don't mean to question you, but this is no normal magic you all have displayed."

Ruby quietly mulled over the options in her mind. She could keep lying, and possibly risk losing Lydia's trust. She could just tell her that she couldn't tell her about it, but that might be just as bad. But then, it didn't seem right to let the world know about this when no one here knew about Aura.

Weiss and Blake both agreed it was dangerous. Aura was the big game changer in Remnant. If people in Tamriel learned about it, there could be a huge uprising of power for a select few individuals. Powerful people had turned the continent on its head in the past, and giving them Aura would only escalate that power. Even on Remnant, in the early days of Aura, it was said that many of the first Auric warriors –essentially Huntsmen before the time of Huntsmen– would often fight for selfish reasons before they fought for the good of the people. They would be conquerors rather than heroes. Warlords instead of defenders.

Yet, when she looked into Lydia's eyes, she saw only eyes of concern that begged her to relay the truth of the matter for her own good. They reminded her so much of when Yang looked at her, trying to be more of a mother than a sister without realizing it. Ruby took in a deep breath.

"You're…going to be around a while, right?"

"I swore to serve you and defend you and all that is yours, until your dying breath or mine."

She sighed. "Well, if you're going to be around that long, let me explain…where we all came from."

* * *

Once her explanation was over, Lydia seemed to absorb all of the information slowly. They didn't say much else as they went onwards again. She simply…accepted it. There was a moment of worry about something to do with Sheogorath, whoever that was, but she dropped it rather quickly.

A watery cavern and a few more dead Falmer later, two paused at the sight of a set of bronze double doors. Ruby looked at the metal and that of her gauntlet, realizing that they were the same material.

"Wait, what did Adrianne call this?" she wondered quietly.

"I didn't even think a Dwemer ruin was around here," Lydia mused.

"Dwemer, right! Wait, do Dwemer have anything to do with Falmer?" Ruby recalled Weiss describing each of the elf races with name that had 'mer' in it some time ago, then remembered someone calling Dwemer 'Deep Elves'.

"I suppose so. I mean, they're both elves."

Ruby felt herself pale at the implication. _'This whole time, those things were elves?'_ She shook her head. _'Even if they're some kind of elf, all of these guys are cold-hearted murderers. Besides, Lydia might not really_ know _. She could just be guessing. I haven't seen anything elfish about these things yet.'_

She pushed open the doors and saw a Falmer in the distance look up in surprise. Quickly she took in the room, seeing a large metal statue thing next to a lever. A lever that the armored Falmer was now running towards.

"No you don't!" she yelled while dashing forward in a burst of rose petals. She bashed the Falmer away and then swung down, piercing its chest through its insectoid armor. It let out a pathetic grunt as it made to grab at the blade, and then went still. Ruby pulled her scythe free and looked over as Lydia walked up, observing the structure they had come upon.

"A fully intact Dwarven Centurion," she whistled. "Good thing you stopped that thing. This might have been a bit much for us."

"Wait, what? You mean that thing…" She took a second, closer look at it and then realized that it had actual joints and parts made to move. She also finally started hearing the clanking of gears and the sound of a steam release valve going off somewhere. "Tech?"

"What?"

"Nothing! Just, um, thinking… Ooh, a chest!"

Deciding that a distraction was in order, Ruby opened up one of the Falmer's chitin-made chests and began digging through it. Inside was a sword made of the Dwemer metal, a scattering of coins, and an odd looking, vaguely orb shaped object. Ruby lifted it up to inspect it, before loud, feminine voice suddenly boomed out from all around.

 _"A new hand touches the beacon,"_ the voice began, scaring Ruby into almost dropping the object and causing Lydia to jump in shock _. "Listen. Hear me and obey. A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy."_

"M-me? What?" Ruby shrieked, out of both fear and confusion.

" _Return my beacon to Mount Kilkreath. And I will make you the instrument of my cleansing light."_

The two waited for the voice to say something else, but no more words came. Ruby looked over to Lydia, who seemed a little paler than usual.

"I- I think that might have been a daedra… Possibly a Daedric Prince."

"A Daedric what?"

"A dark god..." Before Ruby could respond, a strange, alien feeling washed over the two.

"Hey, you got it!" a much more normal voice said, prompting them to turn and see a somewhat familiar figure.

"You… You just… How long have you been there?!" Ruby demanded of Sam.

"Hey, I swear I only just got here. But besides that, hurry up and grab your loot! Your friends are on their way." He waved his hands and a purple orb shimmered into existence before him. "This portal will take you straight to the Misty Grove. You guys have been in here a while! I bet your thirsting and starving half to death! That won't do! Dying of thirst is no fun at all!" He stepped into the orb-portal and disappeared.

Ruby looked to Lydia, who just stared forward incomprehensibly. When she looked back at the portal, she sighed and turned back to grab what she could before taking Lydia by the hand and pulling her along with her into the portal. On the other side was a grove, like the man had promised, as well as a table covered in a feast, surrounded by merry folk eating and drinking to their heart's content.

"Okay, so this is weird…" Ruby spotted the man that brought them there and stomped over to him. "Look!" she started, catching his attention. As she angrily pointed at his chest, he seemed more amused than irritated. "You dragged my sister, best friend, and next best friend off last night-"

"Two nights ago," he corrected. "You were in that cave all day and most of the night. It's nearly morning now."

"Whatever! I just want to know who do you think you are doing that?!"

"All right, I'll be perfectly honest with you. Name's Sanguine." With that he was surrounded by a purple energy, that, when let up, revealed a red and black being with horns on his head and jagged, spiky armor. "And I'm the Prince of Pleasure, Lord of Debauchery, God of Sin."

Ruby's brain ceased working for a moment as she tried to wrap it around what she'd just been told.

"Wait what?"

"Just think of me as…the party god," he simplified before plopping something onto her head. Ruby reached up and looked at what she'd received to see it was a cloth party hat, which all of the revelers seemed to be wearing as well. Deciding she actually kind of like the color of hers, she placed it back on.

"Okay…" She really didn't know how to respond to this. She could barely talk to a Jarl, how was she supposed to talk to a god? And a party god? Were the rules just completely different for them?

"And hey, I had a blast with your team! Most fun I've had in a while! Unfortunately, they've gotten a little delayed by a storm, which I had nothing to do with, before you ask, but they should be here tonight. Until then, pull up a chair! Have a drink! Eat as much as you want! Or fall unconscious somewhere! Whatever floats your boat!" He went over and patted Lydia on the head, leaving a party hat on her cap as well with an audible plop. "Get some relaxation in!"

Ruby looked towards the feasting table and a nearby keg with mugs stacked around it. Wondering if she was breaking any rules, she took a mug and looked into it. Lydia seemed scared, but she was already moving to fill a mug and started downing it.

"You okay?"

"We're in the realm of a Daedric Prince. The best thing to do is go along with what he wants until he becomes uninterested enough to let us leave."

Ruby looked at the keg and groaned. She filled it up and looked at the yellowish drink with a grimace.

"Lydia."

"Yes, my Thane?"

"I'm going to try to drink this, but don't let me drink any more after it." She looked over and tried to channel her inner Weiss. "In fact, I order you to not let me drink another."

"As you wish, Thane Ruby."

Ruby took a large sip of the mead, and immediately wished she hadn't. She let out a noise of disgust and actually threw the mug away, the only thing keeping her from spitting being what manners remained.

"Not to your taste?"

"It was awful! Ugh, do we have any milk around here?"

"There's some goat's milk over there."

"Close enough," Ruby groaned as she closed in on the white drink. She gulped some of it down and smacked her lips, tasting an obvious difference between it and cow's milk. Still, it was better than mead, so she went with it while eating from a plate that seemed to be almost magically served with the foods she wanted to eat the most, including a PBJ, several strawberries with a sugar dip, and a stack of warm chocolate chip cookies. She just kept eating until she felt stuffed, the grove seemingly wanting her to continue her feast, but she managed to drag herself away from the table and lay down in a nice spot under a peach tree. Lydia sat near her, seemingly just as filled.

"Hey Lydia?"

"Yes?"

"We met a god."

"We did."

"And I think another one yelled at me to do stuff."

"Certainly seems so."

A moment of silence passed between them before Ruby rolled over and wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist. "I'm scared," she admitted.

"It'll be all right," Lydia comforted as she started stroking her thane's head. "It'll be fine."


	9. Post Meeting Stress Relieving

**This came out pretty quickly. Came out even quicker for the folks who have accounts on Spacebattles. Not advertising or anything, I just love the discussions there and would like for more people to bring what they can to the table. As always, I give thanks to xTRESWHOx for making everything clearer, better spelled, and for keeping my from shoving my foot into my mouth on occasion.**

* * *

The four huntresses had barely plopped into bed when sleep finally overcame them, too tired for even dreams to appear. They slept peacefully before waking up to the rays of dawn.

"Heuah," Yang stretched with a yawn and smacked her lips. Her hair was in a disheveled state, something she would have to take care of later, and looked around the room, where the others were also beginning to stir. "Morning, guys."

"Morning, Yang..." Ruby trailed off, rubbing her eyes from the sleep.

"Why are you so loud...?" Weiss complained, annoyed and half asleep.

"You know what they say, Weiss. Early bird gets the-" Yang suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, her expression changing to one of horror. Following her eyes, the rest of her team turned to look at what was causing Yang's distress, their eyes widening at the sight of a familiar white orb, glowing on the nightstand. The memories of the past few days, who, and more importantly _what_ they talked to exploding to the forefront of their minds. Before, they didn't have a chance to comprehend it, but now they could. Gods, actual gods exist here on Nirn. And they've interacted with them personally.

"AAAH!"

* * *

"Uh, this is a headache," Yang complained after Ruby set down the strange object and explained how she'd found it. "So this _friend_ of Sanguine's is probably another one of these Daedric Princes, which are, basically, 'demon gods'?" she asked with air quotes.

"It's more complicated than that," Weiss answered, flipping through some pages in a book. There was an anonymously written encyclopedic part at the front, followed by a listing that described the Princes in slightly more detail and nuance, written by an Imperial historian. After that was some self-described large scribe's description of cults, on which she lingered for a moment. She eventually settled on the description of Meridia, then flipped to the last portion of 'Compilation of Common Knowledge of the Daedric Princes', which gave details like locations of shrines and summoning days.

"A shrine west of Skingrad, north of the road," she read aloud in a low mutter. "Ah! Here we are! 'There is an old temple dedicated to Meridia west of Solitude in the Kilkreath Mountains, commonly called the Kilkreath Temple.' There you have it. Well, Meridia's supposed to be one of the nicer ones," she said as she picked up the beacon and started to turn it in her hands. "Still, she's a Daedric Prince and I wouldn't want us- Agh!" Weiss screamed as she dropped the item, her hands showing horrific burns on them more akin to roasted meat.

"Weiss!" her teammates screamed in worry as Ruby rushed over to her side and held her wrists, looking over the injuries only to hiss in sympathetic pain. "What happened?"

" _If that abomination touches my beacon again, I will_ not _be as merciful,_ _"_ the voice of Meridia echoed from the beacon before falling silent once more. The Huntresses glanced between the beacon and their harmed teammate, worry etched on their faces.

"That… That was stupid of me," the heiress groaned out through tears of pain. "I should have known better. One thing they keep emphasizing is that Meridia… _hates_ undead."

Weiss began pouring magic into her hands, giving them a yellow glow as she worked the healing spell, slowly mending her burned flesh while pushing off the charred bits of skin like crumbling paint. Ruby let her arms go and turned to glare at the beacon, which now Yang was cautiously picking up. The blonde set it back on the table and put a hand to her hip.

"So, are we still gonna…fix her temple or whatever?"

"I'll take it there and see what she wants," Ruby growled. "But if she says anything about hurting Weiss then I'm going to tell her to shove it."

"Ruby, I'm as mad as you are about that," Yang explained gently. "But we're still dealing with what these people unironically call a god. Don't get yourself hurt over it, okay?"

Blake placed a hand on the white orb and waited a moment. When nothing seemed to happen, she picked it up and turned it over in her hands. "Probably shouldn't take Weiss there. If that's what her 'beacon' can do, I'd hate to see what she'd do if you came close to her temple."

"Yes, that's an experience I think I'd rather avoid." The healing spell stopped and Weiss groaned. Her hands still looked a little raw, but the worst of it was gone. "Why am I so bad at healing?"

"Bad at it? You can heal wounds by just waving your hands over them," Yang pointed out.

"It's not that simple. Every different School of Magic takes a different sort of skill. Sure, you can be good at magic in general, but being able to summon a bound sword or lash out with enough fire to melt an armory doesn't translate to healing wounds or using magic armor." She paused for a moment in thought. "Oddly enough, magic armor seems almost trivial to cast for me."

"Speaking of spells," Ruby led off, "can you show us a few? If it hadn't been for all the glowing mushrooms, I wouldn't have been able to see in Shimmermist."

"Ooh, I wanna know how to throw fireballs!" Yang bounced excitedly before reigning herself back. "I, uh, for practical purposes."

"Fine," the heiress groaned. "But we'd better take it outside. We don't need you burning down the inn."

* * *

Ruby watched as the ball of incandescent light raised up from her palms, only to sputter and then pop, disappearing in wisps.

"Ooh, that was five seconds! I'm getting better!" She began summoning another one.

Yang was several feet away and pointed toward a stone wall with nothing flammable nearby. She had managed to actually create flames in her hands (which had excited her to no end), but was finding the part where she needed to concentrate those flames into a throwable ball to be a lot harder than she imagined.

The flames puffed up once more, escaping her hand and fizzling out.

"Damn it!" she muttered.

Lydia walked in from around the inn and looked at the scene. A couple of guards were watching to make sure nothing bad happened, such as a building catching on fire. The housecarl looked over the scene once more, and then cautiously approached Weiss and Blake, who were both going over a spellbook.

"Honestly, I don't expect you to get it this quickly. Yes, you have an affinity for it, but this is an adept level spell and you only just…" Weiss stopped when she looked up and could see straight through Blake.

"Did it work?" the faunus asked.

"Yes, but…the effect is only partial. It's almost like…extremely clear glass. Try standing in the shadow of the building."

The nearly invisible Blake did so and almost disappeared from sight. If they hadn't been looking for her, they could have easily missed her.

"Well then, you now know the chameleon spell," Weiss said with very little enthusiasm. "I get that your Semblance _is_ an illusion, but that shouldn't mean you can blow through the Illusion School like it's nothing. I'm still having trouble with the command spells."

"You're all practicing magic?" the housecarl asked.

"Oh, hello Lydia," Weiss greeted, finally seeing her. "And yes. Everyone's trying something they think will be useful to them in the future. Blake here is doing…exceptional with illusions. Ruby has gotten the creation part of candlelight down, but is having some trouble maintaining it. Yang's getting close to an angry outburst."

"Stupid spell!" the blonde yelled before punching her fist forward, not noticing how the flames she had made gathered around her punch. And so when her fist hit the wall the accidental fireball exploded and launched the unprepared girl backwards, landing her right next to Lydia and Weiss. She coughed a few times and then smiled, despite the wince.

"I did it!" She gave a thumbs up and coughed again.

"An angry outburst with a breakthrough apparently. You just skipped flare and firebolt entirely and went to the next level."

"Well, that's good, right? At least now I won't have to use up Ember Celica's ammo." Yang hopped to her feet as Blake became opaque once again right next to Weiss, who jumped.

"Yep, as long as no one's looking," the faunus smirked.

"Ooh, think I got it!" Ruby announced as she walked over with a small ball of light lazily floating over her right shoulder. "I'll never stumble around for a flashlight again." She grinned brightly in victory, but then looked over at the light. "So, uh, how do I turn it off?"

Weiss facepalmed for a moment while holding up her other hand. "It… Okay, normally they just run out after a time, but I guess you might want to make it go away quickly in some cases. So, to dispel magic from yourself, you need to focus on the magic within the spell affecting you. Remember how I taught you to 'feel' the magicka?"

Ruby nodded and then Weiss pointed at the little ball of light.

"Well, now feel the magicka in your candlelight, rather than in yourself."

"Oh, okay! So then I just pull it like thread like you said before and-"

The candlelight with out with a glass-like pop, making the girl jump and let out a small squeak of fear. One of the guards watching had to cover his mouth to keep himself from letting out a rather emasculating sound after seeing the cute girl react like that.

"Gently," Weiss admonished. "Gently. Well, you have Mysticism basics down. I suppose I'll see if you can learn detect and absorption spells. We should all probably learn a little of those. Armor doesn't block magic, and…Aura only blocks the damage, not the effects."

"Meh, we should be fine. Although…speaking of armor, I heard that if I make the cut and then some for the Companions, I could get a custom suit of that awesome wolf armor that they have."

"Ooh, it is pretty cool," Ruby admired, recalling some of those special armors hanging on mannequins and worn by some of the Circle during their tour. "Oh, maybe you could get a dragon-styled helm! You know, because your name means dragon and we're dragon slayers!"

"Eh, I probably won't wear it. It'll mess up my hair."

"That's poor reasoning if I ever heard it," Lydia commented.

"What's your reason?"

"Full vision. A helm blocks off a lot of my sight. Unfortunately, they haven't devised a helmet that only covers the skull."

"I could probably make one based off a skater helmet," Ruby mused. "It would have to be strapped on, and it might look a bit goofy, but it'll protect your noggin."

"Really? Well, guess I shouldn't be too surprised."

Yang flicked a little flame on and off her thumb. "So, how long until we get our robes and wizard hats?"

"What is a…wizard hat?"

"Oh nothing. Just a cultural reference."

* * *

Blake eased out of Dragonsreach, hoping no one asked about the almost invisible object in her hands. Luckily, no guards were around the entrance as she had told them about a nonexistent Khajiit lurking around the Cloud District. She felt awful for saying such a thing, but she needed a distraction while she went and got whatever was behind that door away from those people. Sanguine's appearance had proven to her that gods were a real thing in this world, and Meridia's beacon showed her that they were very dangerous, especially when they had artifacts lying about.

She eventually made it back to the Bannered Mare. By now the chameleon she had wound around the sword had faded, but no one really so much as gave her a second glance. Almost everyone at least carried a dagger on their person, and seeing someone with a new sword was not unusual. Some seemed a bit interested in its design, but looked away again after a few moments.

She made it to their room and sighed as she shut the door behind her.

"Hey Blake," Ruby greeted, looking up from a map and a few books. "Wha'chu got there?"

"Whoa, now that's a katana!" Yang said in admiration.

"More of a daikatana, actually," Ruby corrected. "It's longer, likely needing both hands to be effectively wielded. Branching out on your style? Where'd you get it?"

"I, uh, did a favor for Balgruuf's…brother," she lied. The sword seemed to vibrate in her hands, as though the terribleness of the lie offended it somehow.

"What did Hrongar need from you?" Weiss asked curiously.

" _You know what her family has done to your kind,"_ a whisper came to her. Her eyes widened a moment before she took a deep breath.

"I kinda had a double-bounty going on for that hagraven. A friend of his was killed by the same coven a long time ago, and he heard about how I was heading to Orphan Rock and asked that I kill it. I showed him Nettlebane and he believed me."

"Oh, you never mentioned it."

"I…wasn't sure about how I felt about hagravens before then." She nodded at that and her eyes hardened at the memory of those dead children. "Now I'm sure."

"Wow, the edge of this thing is really sharp," Ruby observed as she slid a piece of cloth on the blade, only for it to be split cleanly within a second.

"Ruby, careful!" Blake admonished as she moved the sword away from her leader. "This thing's more than just really sharp! It's been…enchanted or something!"

"Okay, I'll be careful. By the way, where's the sheath?"

"He didn't have one. It was sitting on a display." Technically true.

"Well, we should get you one so you don't end up cutting yourself on it. And maybe a new hilt. That one seems pretty worn down. Ooh, maybe I can ask Eorlund where he gets his stuff from."

As Ruby made plans to affix the Ebony Blade with new pieces, Blake set the sword on a shelf gingerly and turned towards Weiss, who seemed to be drawing up their traveling plans.

"Blake, question?" the heiress asked.

"Fire away."

"You don't mind if we…split up with Ruby and Yang for a while, do you?"

The faunus raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? We just got back together and now you want us to separate?"

"We've all discussed it, and, well, Ruby has a sort of responsibility now with all of this dragon and Dragonborn business, and she's planning to stay the course and get to the bottom of it all and, hopefully, stop them and the World-Eater."

"Definitely will!" Ruby added with a bit of cheer.

"But, we still should try to find a way home. Now, the Greybeards might know something. After all, they're supposedly Masters of the Voice, which is a sort of magic all its own. Then again it could be that the Voice is far too direct for that. All I know is that it can be used to create fiery or frost breath and some kind of concussive force."

"Well, there was that time slowing Mirmulnir did." Ruby winced, as though bothered by a memory. "Everyone else thinks he just went fast, but I _felt_ it."

"So, there's a chance, but we can't put all the eggs in one basket, so I'm still headed to the College of Winterhold to hopefully learn more there. It's the premier place of learning in Skyrim, and if anyone has knowledge of planar travel, or the ability to learn about planar travel, it's the College. The only thing is we have no idea how long this Greybeard business will take, and we can be certain trying to find or make a portal home will not be a quick and easy process. Also, Winterhold is a _long_ way from the Hrothgar Mountain. Yang volunteered to stay in Whiterun while working with the Companions to keep up a place for Ruby to come back to. The thing is…"

"We really don't want Weiss to go alone," Yang finished. "Like, we've seen what can happen to people on the roads. Bandits are a growing problem, and there are all kinds of nasties out there. Remember that troll that one Senche-raht ate? That was a _little_ one! Not to mention she might run across a group called Vigilants of Stendarr, and they might figure out she's a vampire and try to kill her. They won't succeed, but it'd help to have someone not undead there to talk them down."

"So…you guys want me to go with her?" She looked over at their leader. "What about Ruby?"

"I'll have Lydia with me."

"A normal person with no Aura."

"You know, there's an easy fix for that," Yang pointed out, to which Blake sighed.

"Yang, we've been over this. Giving these people Aura is not the best thing for us to do. It would be like lighting up a powder keg. Besides, we don't even know if they even _have_ Aura."

" _You've_ been over this. I say we should unlock people's Auras. Give them a fighting chance against these dragons, bandits, hagravens, whatever else attacks them," Yang argued, echoing their previous conversation about the subject. Blake responded with a glare, and Yang shrugged, dropping the subject for now.

"Moving on, Lydia is a local who is good enough to oust a conspiracy of people with skills based entirely in stealth, and really good at striking the weak places of giant bugs." Weiss shuddered and rubbed her arms. "Seriously need to look into what makes them like that. There are normal sized spiders on this world, so there's absolutely no need for them to be that huge."

"While I wouldn't call hand-sized normal for a spider, I have to agree that Lydia's a pretty okay gal." Well if Yang was behind it, it must be fine. She wasn't going to leave the well-being of her little sister in the hands of someone incompetent. "Besides, we'll be with each other at least until Ivarstead. The owner of the mill in Ivarstead is making complaints about bears, and I'm to help her out."

"And then we'll head there together, if you're fine with that," Weiss told her. Blake thought it over for a moment, and then looked up at Yang.

"You better behave while I'm gone."

"D'aww, you really do care," Yang faux gushed.

"So, plan's good?" Ruby asked, looking up from her notebook.

"We're good," Blake affirmed. "I will miss you guys with only the Ice Queen to keep me company though."

"Really?" Weiss asked, annoyed.

"Eh, you'll live. Besides, you'll get to see her in her natural habitat. Apparently, _everything's_ covered in snow from Windhelm and onwards." Yang chuckled at the thought

"Joy," the girl born on a tropical island deadpanned.

* * *

"There you go. Gentle with it now."

Ruby tapped her hammer against the red hot sword. She turned it over and tapped the other side as well, being mindful of how much lighter it was than normal. She smoothed out the metal bar slowly, being mindful of its slowly dissipating heat. She turned it, ready to start evening it out some more, but found that it seemed to be ready.

"All right then," Eorlund said as he looked the blade over. "Remember, into the saltwater."

"Yes sir."

Ruby dipped the blade into the separate trough and then wiped an arm across her forehead. She looked down at her current work, admiring how much effort it took to get the three metals working together right. Moonstone alone couldn't make a sword, so it needed iron sheeted in to make the actual blade's edge, and a metal Eorlund called quicksilver, which Ruby believed to be aluminum, coated most of it. The reaction between the disparate materials ended up making an item with an almost gold shimmer to it. The blade was perhaps the lightest sword of its size that Ruby had ever held.

When she brought it back out and prepared to bathe it in the forge once again, Yang came up wearing a grin and holding a scale mail shirt.

"Forgot how long it took to make one of these by hand."

"Still faster than anyone I've ever seen," the old Nord said as he looked the armor piece over. "Hm, no obvious chinks I can see. Makes me wonder if there's a bit of orc blood in the two of you as well as Nord."

"Orc?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"As backwards as many of them can be, orcs boast some of the best smiths. They normally work with orichalcum, that green metal you may spy them wearing or wielding from time to time. I know how to work it, but I had to venture all the way to one of their strongholds and prove myself to the forge-wife, as well as swear to never teach anyone about it."

"Aw, so you can't show me?" Ruby asked, feeling a little let down that she couldn't learn all the secrets.

"I can't. But if you're willing to make the trip you can always ask a forge-wife in one of the Orc Strongholds."

"Hm, guess I'll do that. At some point." She pulled the red hot blade from over the forge. "Oh Brother, this stuff heats quickly!" Carefully, she turned the blade with her tongs and dipped it into the oil, grateful for the heat resistant gloves protecting her from the flames.

"So what don't you know how to forge?" Yang asked the blacksmith, who rubbed his beard in thought as he continued watching over Ruby's progress.

"Don't know anything about forging those Akaviri katanas that I've heard some Cyrodiilic smiths spouting about. I won't say they're bad blades, but they aren't suitable for most battles. More of a dueling weapon, if you ask me. Also, daedric metal is beyond me."

"Daedric?" Yang asked, feeling a little apprehension at the mention of such a thing.

"Aye, daedric. That's what happens when someone forges a living daedra _into_ ebony metal. I've no idea how it works, likely through some sort of magic. But they say that the daedra experiences horrific pain as it's melted into the metal and forged into a weapon or armor. I don't even know anyone who knows how to do it. Maybe some elves. In the end, it's not something I'd even _want_ to forge."

"But…why would anyone even do something so horrible? Even to a daedra?" Ruby wondered as she pulled the cooled sword free.

Eorlund noticed the serious look on the sisters' faces. "Something wrong, lasses?"

"It's just…" Yang started, wondering how to word it. "Blake, Weiss, and I ran into…daedra worshippers. A witch coven."

"Oh, that. Yes, I could see that leaving a mark. Especially if you came across one of the Namira or Molag Bal sorts." He hummed as he took a seat on a stool. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, aside from that you needn't worry about the daedra themselves overly much. Their power's limited on Nirn, and they can't enter Mundus except in a weakened state. In fact, I don't think they can enter with ill intent."

"But they could with…neutral intent?"

"Suppose so. As I said though, the daedra themselves aren't the worrisome part. Worshippers of them, like that coven, are a much greater danger. They're tangible, and the wall between Nirn and Oblivion won't keep them out. Still, a mortal's a mortal. They can be defeated like any other group. More so, in my opinion, with the Divines on your side."

As Ruby tightened the clamp, she thought about the beacon she'd found. "What about good intentions? I heard that some of them were…nicer. Like Azura or Meridia."

"Wouldn't know too much about that. I suppose they would be fine, but I'd still be weary of any interaction with a daedra or daedric cult, good or no."

"Hm, so if someone asked me to go to one of their temples…?"

"Have a good blade, and even better armor."

"Well, good thing we've got you for that," Yang joked, hoping to lighten the mood a tad. Eorlund laughed and grabbed a box nearby filled with several items.

"That you do. Now, we're going to need lining for that mail. And Ruby, were you going for a one-handed grip, or a longer pommel?"

* * *

"So frustrating," Weiss complained in a whisper.

"Well, at least we won't be traveling there alone," Blake offered.

"I understood offering to help that man. He's all alone and doesn't look like he's ever swung a stick, let alone a sword. But then you invited a family of Khajiits."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, really, except we're getting bogged down with numbers."

"We'll be fine. And they'll all either stick around Eldergleam Sanctuary or head back to Whiterun afterwards. M'thri offered to bring back the sap for us, and he really wants to see the Eldergleam since he couldn't come in to see Gildergreen or visit the temple."

"M'thri was Ko'ari's apprentice, right? The Suthay?" Weiss giggled. "So he offered huh?"

"Yeah. I told him why we were going, but mentioned that we couldn't really bring it straight back."

"Oh Blake, have you really not noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"Oh, you're lucky I'm the one telling you this! Yang would beat around the bush and probably tease you endlessly about it. M'thri's had eyes for you ever since we got to Whiterun. Every time we go through or you talk with any of the caravan he starts getting distracted staring at you. I'm pretty sure he's wanted to ask you on a date since. Or at least, whatever a date is to Khajiit."

Blake blinked incredulously. "No way. You have to be lying."

"I take offense to that. This isn't exactly something I'd lie about."

"Okay, maybe you aren't but…it's a little weird, okay."

"What's so weird? Never been crushed on before? Even I had a few admirers at a point. Probably different than normal but…"

"Weiss, he's a totally different species. Not even like how faunus and humans are different kind of difference. He's more of a cat that walks on two legs. His brother is essentially a tiger that has to speak through a magic collar."

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her teammate and then shrugged. "Well, I still think it's cute. Probably wouldn't work out in the end anyways. I mean, he is only fourteen or so, going by how he looks."

"There's also that, yes."

"But, you wouldn't even consider going out with one?"

"Dating a Khajiit?" Blake mulled it over in her head. "Maybe. I couldn't… Not with any of the quadrupedal ones. Suthay and Cathay are…just weird, even if I can look past that to see them as people, I don't think I could be romantic with one. If I was, it'd have to be an Ohmes or Ohmes-raht."

"So only the absolute least cat-like among them."

"Don't judge."

"I'm not, just observing."

"What about you?" Blake fired.

"Me?" Weiss hummed to herself. "Well, we have my condition to consider."

"And if it weren't in the way?"

"Then I'd have to keep in mind that I'll need heirs at some point."

"Let's assume that's not a problem."

"In that case…I'd go for it."

Blake blinked in surprise. "Even the…?"

"No, none of the quadrupeds. While they're still people, it'd be a mite too close to… Nevermind, that's a bad subject to touch on. But if there's a Cathay or Suthay of sufficient intelligence and charm, I'd allow myself to date him."

"Well…. I can't say I'm not a little shocked."

"What's so shocking? When it comes to a partner in life one should look for quality of personality first. I'm not saying looks aren't a factor-"

"What's shocking is that the Schnee is more willing to date a being more animal than a faunus than the actual faunus."

Weiss considered her words with a finger to her cheek. "You still feel a little weird about them and Argonians?"

"I'd like to think I'm used to Khajiits at least. Argonians… I'm still not too sure about them. We only ever talked to the one, and he sent us into that cave."

"Oh, _him_." Weiss rubbed her neck where two little white spots could be seen under her shirt collar. "I hope Ruby gives him a solid tongue-lashing when she goes by Mount Kilkreath."

"She has been able to channel your essence rather well lately."

"Hey!"

The two stopped at the foot of the Skyforge for a moment before walking up the steps. They got there just in time to see Ruby fitting an ivory hilt onto a yellowish blade with silvery edges. She nodded over to them, but otherwise kept her focus on her work, her tongue poking out from the corner of her lips. Yang was working at a table, a pair of pliers in both hands as she fit rings together through metal scales quickly before pinching them together.

"Hey guys," the blonde sister said without so much as glancing up.

"How's your workshopping been?" her partner asked.

"Pretty therapeutic, to be honest. And it feels nice making something with my hands. Haven't done it in a while, but it's like riding a bike. Never really forget."

"That's nice. Lydia's still getting all the stuff together?"

"Yep. Getting tents, cooking pots, camping stuff basically. She looked pretty surprised when we handed her that ebon."

"I'll bet," Weiss said. "I didn't realize before, but we've sort of accumulated a small fortune by accident. Even if she ends up spending every cent, we could afford half of that small house near the entrance."

"Has it even been a month since we got here?" Ruby wondered.

"Three and a half weeks," Blake answered. "We arrived in Solitude on the Eighth of Last Seed. It's the thirtieth."

"Yeah, we missed Harvest's End, apparently," Yang added. "Bummer. Apparently there was pumpkin pie."

"Wait, pumpkins?" Ruby asked.

"They import them from Cyrodiil. There wasn't many to begin with, so they went quick. Not a single slice leftover for us."

"Wait, you kept track of one of the local holidays and learned about an imported vegetable?" Weiss questioned her blonde teammate.

"Hey, I like pumpkin pie, all right. I heard someone mention it, and I thoroughly questioned them about it. Politely," she added as Ruby began to speak up.

"Right." Ruby undid the clamp holding her sword and held the blade properly. She whistled and twirled it around her gently before letting out a small giggle. "This thing is crazy light. Look at this." She balanced the sword on a single finger, just a few centimeters from the cross guard. "It's almost a perfect balance. The whole thing probably weighs less than a pound!" She caught the hilt and gave it an expert swing.

"Interesting," Weiss mused as she looked it over. "How much do you think a sword like that could go for?"

"Uh, Weiss, this is mine," Ruby told her. "Figured I need to actually keep a sword on me. One of those chaurus got my leg and threw me across the cave, and I couldn't do anything. If I didn't have my Aura, it would have torn my leg off. So, I traded the Dwarven sword and gauntlet with Eorlund for the materials, and he showed me how to use them. Now I've got a Nordic style, moonstone-quicksilver blade."

"Wait, quicksilver? As in, mercury?" Blake asked, feeling a little worried.

"No, it was more like aluminum if I had to guess, but maybe a little less pure than what we'd use on Remnant. Really, it's used as the bonding agent for the moonstone and the iron, but something about the moonstone makes it really shine. Kinda miraculous that the three materials could even work together so well, the moonstone making a great edge, with the iron keeping it all solid, and the quicksilver holding them both in place," Ruby rambled and began to stroke the sword in admiration, only to be interrupted by a cough.

"Ruby, please quit petting the sword," Weiss requested awkwardly. Her partner blushed and lowered the blade with a stifled laugh.

"So, yeah, got a backup weapon for when little critters like that get too close."

"I suppose that makes sense. Still, if you ever feel like making another one, we could definitely get a nice amount for a quality blade like that."

"Thus did her Schnee blood call out for the buying and selling of items for great profit!" Yang mockingly said in the tone of a narrator.

"Quiet you!"

"What about the armor?" Blake asked, redirecting her attention towards her partner, still holding the aforementioned armor.

"Needed something to do. Besides, Eorlund said he'd pay me for it." She shook the scale mail shirt and looked it over. "I made one of these back in my first year at Signal. Didn't like wearing it too much though. You have to have something between you and the mail or it'll pinch you all day. Never was one for wearing armor anyways."

"You'd think a front liner such as yourself would be more given to wearing armor," Weiss pointed out. "Besides, weren't you just telling us about how cool that 'Wolf Armor', or whatever it's called, is?"

"I said it was cool, not that I was going to wear it."

"Hypocrisy, thy name is Yang," Weiss teased, earning a warm-hearted chuckle from Yang.

"Hey, Weiss, speaking of armor, whatever happened to your old dress?" Ruby asked. "You've kinda been going back and forth between the buttony dress and some local made stuff."

"Uh, I…couldn't get the bloodstains out."

"Oh. Oh… Right. Sorry."

"Well, we've all about had to abandon our normal clothes," Blake indicated. "Too cold for most of it. Except Ruby, who just added a coat."

"Well, ya'know," the leader began while digging a toe into the ground. "My outfit's pretty…"

"Whatevs. As long as you don't freeze your butt off up on that mountain." Yang looked over at Hrothgar Mountain, specifically its peak, The Throat of the World, in the distance. "Man, that's going to be a climb! At least they added a stairway or something."

"Ooh, maybe I should count them. I bet there's less than seven thousand."

"Pretty sure it's a euphemism," her partner explained.

"Wait, aren't those guys who've been…"

"You're thinking of eunuchs," Weiss sighed.

"Wait, like the ancient cows?"

"Auruchs," Blake corrected.

"Okay, now you guys are just messing with me."

Before anyone could reply, another set of footsteps was heard coming up to the Skyforge and the girls turned to see Lydia arrive.

"My Thane, I've gotten just about everything you would all need for a lengthy trip. I made sure we weren't swindled by Belethor getting them."

"Thanks Lyd. You're a big help," Ruby complimented.

"Oh, uh, tha- You're welcome!"

"Guess I'll give this to Eorlund. We're all eating at the Mare, right?"

"Where else?"

"Yes. Ysloda said something about getting a unique foodstuff from the giants," Weiss informed them. "She told me about it when I asked how anyone could trade with them. Apparently magic talismans are involved, similar to the ones used by Khajiits. Anyways, I'm curious as to what exactly giants would eat that the people here would trade for."

* * *

"Holy moly, it's strong!" Ruby half-yelled. "It's good, but it's so…strong!"

"There's not…a cheese this…sharp back home," Weiss gasped out as her cheeks seemed to be trying to implode.

Blake seemed to be enjoying the mammoth cheese the most normally. While her lips did get sucked in once in a while, she could eat it more casually than most of the patrons. Still, her ears flickered beneath her bow conspicuously. Some of the humans were actually beginning to notice.

"Blake," Ruby whispered. "Your bow!"

The faunus paused a moment and reached up to her cloth covered ears and then smiled. "Hey Lydia?"

"Yes?"

"All the guards and pretty much anyone important… They all know I'm a Thane, right?"

"Yes. There was a sketch of your likeness posted down near the guard barracks so that they could all recognize you four. Why do you ask?"

Blake's response was a small smirk and then her removal of her bow. Her ears flickered a moment and she sighed as she tucked the ribbon away. Her teammates blinked and then smiled at her bravery, while Lydia and a number of Nords stared dumbly at the ears atop her head. There were whispers, but they eventually went away as the girls continued eating their meal of steak, leeks, and mammoth cheese.

"You're a…Khajiit?" Lydia eventually asked.

"Actually, she's a faunus." Weiss elbowed Ruby, who looked at her in offense. "What? She already knows the rest. She's supposed to guard me forever and ever. She was going to have to know at _some_ point."

"Just don't go telling everyone. If we're lucky, we can solve the dragon problem and…other things, and get home before a year's passed. Then our two worlds can go on in total ignorance of each other. Barring that, we leave the interdimensional communications to the people who have something close to experience with it."

"I don't believe there's anything close to that," Lydia responded. "…At least, peacefully."

Yang came in, demanding attention with her gait, and then parked herself between Blake and Lydia. "So what's on the… Hey, your bow's off!"

"Decided to make a statement," her partner explained. "I'm pretty much as high up the ladder as we can climb, right?"

"A Thane is right below landed nobility in the Skyrim hierarchy," Weiss explained. "So, yes. Unless you plan to marry a Jarl's son one day."

"So, who's going to be the one to throw out a _Thane_?"

"Oh, I getcha." Yang gave a smirk as she accepted a plate from the barmaid and set it before her. Her eyes lingered on the bottle of mead for a long moment, as though trying to set it ablaze with her sight. She sighed and moved the bottle away from her and waved her hand to call the barmaid back. "Can I get a mug, about half full of water?" As the barmaid turned and left, Yang redirected her attention back towards her team, who were busy making their final preparations.

"Mm, so we're all pretty much prepared to head out tomorrow, right?" Ruby asked.

"Pretty much. Just gotta divvy up the supplies. I won't need too much since I'm headed right back." The blonde sighed. "I'm gonna miss you guys."

"I'll miss you too Yang."

"We'll try to write a letter now and again," Weiss comforted them. "The courier system is rather well done here, even if only a few have horses."

"What about the magic balls?" Ruby wondered. "Like the bank uses?"

"Those are horribly expensive! And the one's the banking system uses don't even work that way. I asked, but the teller explained that they only keep up with the account information. Basically, imagine the most basic computer systems. The kind that our grandparents used."

"Ooh, oh gosh!"

"Could you even make one?" Blake hazarded.

"The materials are equally costly. I could try to find workarounds, but my main prerogative is finding a way home. Once that's been settled, we'll work on the dragon threat exclusively, then on my personal problems."

"Personal problems?" Lydia asked.

"Nothing…too bad. I may or may not have had…my soul promised as a sacrifice to a Daedric Prince, which we originally did not take seriously, but with new information having come to light we must now find…the person who did this and stop them."

' _Good save,'_ the rest of the team thought.

"How did-"

"Touchy subject! Please don't bring up!" Ruby yelled.

"I- All right."

A mug was brought up and Yang poured half of the bottle into it before setting the rest aside. After a sip, she took a bit of cheese and her face contorted.

"Whoa, mama! What _is_ that!?"

"Mammoth cheese," Blake smirked as she took a bite of her own.

"Whew! I think I just curled my toes all the way to my heels!"

* * *

The next morning, the girls prepared themselves to leave Whiterun. Several guards were seeing them off as they and their four guests headed out the gates at the crack of dawn.

"Going out on a great adventure, hey?" one of them asked.

"Yeah," Ruby responded wistfully. "Adventure."

"I used to be an adventurer just like you." They were pretty sure he wasn't _just_ like them, but Ruby supposed he had his fun in his younger years. "Then I took an arrow to the knee."

At Yang and Weiss's looks of concern, Ruby burst out laughing.

"Rubes, that's not funny!" her sister admonished.

"Something like that could've shattered his patella," Weiss began. "Have a little respect."

"Guys," she got out through her laughs, "he means he got married and settled down!"

The two blinked and looked at Lydia, who nodded.

"Realized a while ago some from outside Skyrim didn't get it. Mentioned it to Thane Ruby."

"Wait, but…"

"Arrow…" Ruby then mined something hitting her knee, and then kneeled down onto it, "to the knee." She stood back up and chuckled again. "Come on guys, even I got it pretty quickly!" At Ruby's explanation, the two girls turned to look at the guard, their confused faces meeting with an amused Nord's, who nodded in affirmation.

"... Heh," Yang slightly chucked. "I get it." Weiss, on the other hand, merely groaned.

It was at that point that Blake walked back up to the group and nodded. "So M'thri, S'dir, and Jo'nir are all ready to go. Maurice?"

"Packed and ready," the Breton responded. "And may I say again, thank you for letting me tag along. The opportunity to see the Eldergleam is person is just...!"

"Then I guess we're good to go."

"Take care, all of you," another guard told them as they began leaving.

"Watch the skies," a woman added.

The girls waved and a few other guards saluted them as they hit the road again.


	10. The Voice of the Beginning

Jessesanman back at it again with a new chapter from he and xTRESTWHOx. Did anyone else experience FFnet going down earlier today? That was annoying.

* * *

The group had nearly left the area beneath Whiterun when a roar was heard echoing across the plains. Everyone turned to see a familiar shape flying around the Western Watchtower, causing Maurice and the Khajiits to pale and shiver in place while the huntresses and Lydia quickly readied their weapons. The guards had only just begun to mobilize when the roars suddenly gave way to mournful cries, followed by words.

" **Zeymah!"** The dragon cried out. **"Mirmulnir! Mid gein! Hin miiraad lost drun wah dinok!** **Fin sil los vod! Pah los queth! Nid daal! Ul los vul!** **Erei faal laat, Vah Su'um Ven!"**

The dragon ceased circling the tower, and then began flying away, heading southwest and away from them. The whole world seemed to be still, not a sound was heard in all of the city and surrounding area. A silence only broken when the group suddenly heard a sniffle, and all looked toward Ruby, who had tears in her eyes and a slight redness to her nose.

"R- Ruby?" her sister asked in concern.

"I- I'm sorry." She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"What…just happened?" her partner asked, hoping for an answer to either of the events that had just occurred.

"He… Aakdremsot. Mirmulnir…knew him. Aakdremsot realized…he was gone and… I feel…bad for him." She rubbed her eyes once again and cleared her throat. "We…should go on. Aakdremsot lived in the mountains near Bruma, and he probably…won't be coming back out for a long time. He's not even…much of a fighter." She began rubbing her forehead as she turned back and began trudging along, her sister staying close by her side, and her team watching over her carefully.

* * *

Whiterun disappeared from their view by about midday. There were no more signs of Aakdremsot returning, so they felt relieved about that much, at least. That wasn't to say their trip was uneventful. Their first stop came after little interruption near the border between Whiterun and Eastmarch. Some opportunistic bandits had decided to set up an impromptu toll booth in what their map called the Valtheim Towers. A quick show of force later, the toll booth was promptly cleared, leaving the ruined towers clear and empty, where the group then set up camp and laid down for the night. The next morning they turned south and headed off-road, going by landmarks and guidance from S'dir and M'thri's father, Jo'nir, who led the group with the occasional casting of clairvoyance, an Illusion spell that the otehrs were slowly picking up on from the eldest Khajiit.

It was only slightly odd to most of them that he was the size of a bobcat.

"Ooh, someone up ahead," Ruby pointed out as they neared a small rock face that looked as though a hill had been sheared in half decades ago. At the top of the mound stood an orc, wearing old, battered steel armor across his torso and with gauntlets of a green color, and sword in his hand dripping blood from a fresh kill, likely the pair of saber-toothed cats lying dead near his feet, or the beheaded bear just a little past him and into the woods.

"Be wary," Jo'nir warned through his enchanted amulet. "No telling with orcs sometimes."

The troupe paused a moment, but the Orsimer made no moves to attack them. He simply kept his spot and looked around. Feeling brave, Ruby decided to approach, despite her partner trying to whisper for her to stay back.

"Uh, hello? You waiting for somethin'?"

"Indeed I am," the orc gruffly replied. "I'm here for a good death."

Ruby backed up a step at that, and then steeled herself again. "Um, do you mean…yours?"

"Yes. Mine. Were I to lie down and die, it would not please Malacath. So, I wait for something to rightfully challenge and kill me. A good death."

Ruby felt her teeth clench as her sister came up and tried to pull her away. "But- But why?"

"I'm old," he responded, as if it were the most obvious thing. "My time has come. I'm too old to try and become a chief. Taking wives as I am now would be wrong. So, I'm going to die. Malacath has granted me a vision of a glorious death. I know not what it will be, or what will bring it, but it will be here." He looked towards the group and began eying them over, noting the swords at some of their sides or backs. "Don't suppose it's you?"

"I- There must be some reason to live on? You can't just want to die already! You don't even look that old! Just a few grey hairs at most!"

"Peh, of course! One should find his death while he can still fight!" He looked at his sword and gripped it tighter, the leather squeaking under the stress. "We orcs are not like you humans. Getting old, grey-haired, and frail, losing your strength. Becoming worthless until your body gives out on its own. To cling to something beyond uselessness is unseemly. How long until that useless thing becomes you?" He shook his head and went back to staring out across the distance. "No, I will find my death here. If you won't bring it, then go on. You might end up scaring my good death away with your babbling."

Ruby felt disheartened and began clenching her fists. She wanted to find the words to say to get him out of it, to somehow convince him life was worth living beyond just fighting. But before she could speak, a familiar and dreadful noise erupted from around them. Team RWBY paled and turned eastward to see a dragon, this one with green scales and horns that curled down and then up. The dragon looked about and then Shouted something low, to where they almost couldn't hear it.

" **Laas! Yah! Nir!"**

The dragon's eyes swiveled about, but then focused on their location. It roared and turned towards them, winging its way up and over them, getting a glimpse at the group as it peered between the trees.

"Yes!" the orc cried out as he raised his sword and shook it at the beast. "YES!"

"Guys, scatter!" Ruby ordered the Khajiiit family and Maurice. They instantly obeyed and headed out for the forest. Team RWBY and the death-seeking orc jumped out into the open, Ruby looking towards the dragon and deciding to get its attention.

"Hey! Over here!"

The dragon responded by circling around and then hovering near the group, buffeting them with the winds of its wingbeats.

" **This sign of life! So it is true! A Dovahkiin comes forth once again!"**

"We don't need to fight!" Ruby tried to reason, hoping that maybe this one would listen.

" **Wrong, little mortal! We exist to rule, and you exist to fight our rule! Ful ni los! Swear on your name to our lord, and only then is mercy considered, but you shall not?"**

Ruby kept silent. She didn't know everything about the dragons, but from what bits and pieces she'd seen, their 'lord' was the one leading this whole thing, having them attack people in preparation for conquest. Mirmulnir's memories weren't clear, but she could see that they'd tried it once before, so long ago. She shook her head and steeled herself as she pulled out Crescent Rose.

"No. I will stop you! All of you! Even if…" She swallowed, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I won't let you destroy this place!"

" **Then fight! Show me the power of your Thu'um, and I will show you the might of Paalduzaam!"**

"Let's just fight already!" the old orc screamed before taking a bow from his back and letting loose an arrow at the dragon. The arrow struck Paalduzaam on his breast and he roared before winging forward and dive-bombing at them. Everyone moved aside, but with a flap of his wings the dragon was headed straight up and turning back to them. Fire poured out from his mouth as he tried to set the girls ablaze, but Weiss was able to summon up a glyph in time to block it from hitting her and Lydia while Yang remained nearly unaffected and Blake had fully dodged it.

Both Lydia and Blake took out their bows and began firing arrow after arrow along with the orc, tracking the flying creature's movements and trying to hit him. A few landed, but Blake could see they weren't doing much damage.

"We need to get him on the ground!" Ruby shouted as she aimed with her scope. "Maybe… Wait, I got it!"

Before Ruby could enact her plan, Paalduzaam came back around and roared before looking towards Lydia and Blake.

" **Zun! Haal! Vik!"** he Shouted at them, and suddenly their bows were ripped away from their grasp and sent flying. Lydia clutched her wrist in pain while Blake immediately set after her weapon. The dragon's eyes locked onto the housecarl, but before he could take in another breath, a bolt of lightning struck him from below, followed by several spikes of ice that sunk deep into his belly.

Weiss began charging up to fire another lightning bolt through her weapon when fire began raining down from above. Her glyph appeared, but the force of the pyre caused it to crack and nearly shatter. She gasped in fear of the dreadful flames, but held her ground and fired upwards again before using a repulsion glyph to get her away.

"Fastball, go!" Ruby yelled as she jumped forward and was given more momentum by a throw from her sister. Blake leapt up and grabbed onto Ruby's hand before going into a spin and throwing her up and over even further, which Ruby fueled more with her Semblance, leaving a trial of rose petals to drift through the air. Paalduzaam looked up in curiosity to see the Dragonborn about twenty feet above him at the top of her arc, and then Ruby felt the _power_ within her. It course through her very soul, and was launched out from her lips like it had once before.

" **Fus**!" she Shouted down at the dragon. The force hit him solidly and sent him careening downwards with a roar of surprise. The ground shook and parted as the dragon skidded along the forest floor, and the orc laughed as he drew his blade.

"Here I come, lizard!" As Paalduzaam pulled himself up, the orc charged for his face and swung his sword with both arms. The blade hit dragon scales with a clang and Paalduzaam's head was knocked sideways by the force, scales coming loose and flying off with a bit of blood spatter. He roared and turned towards the orc, ready to bite down, but missed as the Orsimer ducked away and then swung his sword up, this time carving a furrow into the neck.

" **Ruth Strun Bah! Ogiim, fen naak hin kopraan!"**

"That's disgusting!" Ruby called out as she landed nearby and slashed out, digging a wound into the dragon's left leg. A pained roar rang out, and then Paalduzaam swung his tail at her, missing by inches. The orc went in for another swing, but the dragon ducked his head down in time and slammed the top of his skull against the smaller being, tossing him back dozens of meters away.

Yang had now closed the distance and watched warily as she prepared herself to fight up close. The dragon turned to look at Ruby, and she went in for the opening and smashed her fist against his shoulder. Something cracked under the blow, and Paalduzaam roared out again as his right wing went limp. He backed away, and when his wing contacted the ground, it flinched up in pain. Worry seemed to etch itself across the reptile's face, and he looked back to see his foes surrounding him.

"You're only the third dragon we've ever met," Ruby called out to him. "I don't know much about you, but I don't think we need to fight. Please, at least-"

" **Cease…your whimpering,"** Paalduzaam snarled. **"Do you expect surrender? To betray my great overlord, Alduin? I don't need to fly to end you, Dovahkiin! Tiid! Klo! Ul!"**

Everything went back to that molasses-like state that Ruby recalled from Mirmulnir's battle, only this time the dragon was already lunging at her and so close. She knew she wasn't going to get out of the way in time. Instead, Ruby held her scythe up vertically and tucked in as she jumped forward, right into the dragon's closing mouth. Putting as much focus as she could into her defensive Aura, she waited for his jaw to try and close.

Time sped back up and the dragon's mouth was halted as Crescent Rose was wedged into his jaws. Paalduzaam seemed confused by this and tried shaking his head to dislodge her, but only found that Ruby had gotten purchase against the backs of two of his teeth and was holding herself in.

"Ruby!" her team shouted in fear.

"I got this! Hit him until he goes down!"

"Gladly!" the orc shouted as he rejoined the fight, his steel armor now gone and his chest bare. His swung his sword and sliced into the dragon's body, spraying hot blood onto his frame. Snapping themselves out of it, the others went forward, Blake and Lydia trying to slash at his flanks while Weiss called upon ice magic and Yang bashed the creature's front. Gurgled roars of pain came from the dragon's throat as Ruby held herself in place.

Paalduzaam thrashed about, his tail, talons, and one good wing trying to beat back the assault. He scored a lucky hit against Lydia with his tail, but it was mostly absorbed by her shield and just sent her rolling back. One foot finally kicked the orc away with a deep yelp, only for the old warrior's sword to get caught between his toes. Stumbling about, the dragon tried shaking his head again, and then went still.

Ruby felt heat building up, and looked forward to see light coming up from Paalduzaam's throat.

" **Yol!"** the word came out gurgled, but clear enough. **"Toor!"** Ruby felt the heat rising even more, and in desperation, pulled the trigger of Crescent Rose, firing a shot straight up into the roof of his mouth. Ruby came loose as she willingly freed herself and hopped out of his jaw, only to find that she was going straight up.

The Dragonborn looked down to see the mostly broken dragon trying to fight off her friends almost pitifully. Grabbing onto the handle of her scythe firmly, Ruby sent herself into a spin as she fell. Her scythe hit flesh and sank in as something slammed into the ground, and she looked up to see that she had struck Paalduzaam right behind his skull, the blade of Crescent Rose dug in deep in his neck, the sharpened edge directly pointed at his vertebrae. The felled dragon looked her dead in the eyes and snarled.

" **You…cannot win. I am weak…compared to my…brethren. Hin sil fen…kos du…gein sul! When it finally happens…we…shall…reign…"**

Ruby's muscles tensed and her teeth clenched with a grimace.

"It won't!"

She fired Crescent Rose and sliced through the dragon's spinal cord. Paalduzaam went still as his body fell limp to the ground. A last rush of air escaped his lungs, and then his flesh began to burn away. Knowing what to expect, Ruby braced herself, but still wasn't prepared for it as the soul of a dragon crashed into her own.

 _Bormahu has given me form. We are meant to rule this world? Then I shall do so. I haven't thought of what to call myself, but I will know eventually. The eldest already has a name. Al Du In, for he is meant to eat the world at the end, for that is the procession of Time. Things Begin, and so they must End. He is strong, so I will follow him for now._

 _Mortals. Strange beings. Their Time is short. Their Ends come so quickly once they Begin. Constantly renewed. I think we were meant to rule these._

 _Such sport they provide! Their Voices are so tiny, they can hardly hope to hold dominion over one another. Weak as I am, they are so much weaker! They hate me for finding it fun to eat them, for ruling over them. Let them, for I am Paalduzaam!_

 _Alduin is gone! Ripped away from Time itself! In their moment of bravery, so many mortals have challenged me! I've killed many, and I have no fear for death, for there is no Dragonborn left amongst them. These wounds still sting, though. I may need one of my brothers to help me._

 _I have been asleep so long, but I awaken to a glorious sight! Alduin has returned! He tells me to watch the mortals and keep an eye out for the Dragonborn. I shall obey! This Dragonborn will fall, and then there will be no more! We will rule once more! I will grind my slaves underfoot once again! Fear me, little Dragonborn! I shall find my Foe and Consume them!_

* * *

The girls watched as Ruby stumbled over in a daze. She didn't seem to be all there, and her arms gave an occasional twitch to the side as if she was hitting something away. Yang felt apprehension run over her, but she became distracted by pained grunts coming from another direction.

Everyone turned to see the old orc lying on his back, only he was in terrible shape. Weiss slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming, and the others could see why. His chest had been cut open, likely by one of the dragon's talons, severing even part of his sternum. Other long lines bled from the orc, making a pool of blood grow around him.

"Ho- Hold on!" Yang called out as she ran up to him. She was hoping to find some way of helping, but this close she was seeing how little there was that could be done. She looked over to Weiss, who had followed her along with Blake.

"Can- can you heal him?"

"There's… I don't think I could heal this kind of injury. I can barely mend little cuts."

"Don't…" the old orc groaned out, "bother. Seen better…than this…end orcs…younger than me." A smile appeared on his face. "Vision…was right. Died fighting…a dragon. I made it bleed before…I fell, didn't I?"

Yang felt a little heartache, but put on a brave smile. "Y- yeah, of course! You were…amazing out there. You smacked him around like a- Like a punching bag."

"Thought so. Didn't want to think…I'd imagined it." His breaths became shallower, and his eyes widened. "A good death…indeed."

A last breath left him and his body stilled. Yang looked back at her teammates for a moment, and then looked over at her sister. Lydia was watching over the leader closely as she stopped against a tree and leaned on it. The three all looked to each other and then at the body of the orc.

* * *

As Ruby tried to regain her senses, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Maurice, and the family of Khajiits took stones from the surrounding area and began stacking them around the fallen orc in a simple burial cairn. None of them knew anything about Orcish burial rites, but a large, flat stone was picked out from them all and they carved an epitaph upon it.

 _Here lies an Old Orc_

 _Who died fighting a Dragon_

 _He made it bleed._

"Maybe someday some Orsimer will come by and…" Weiss began, only to stop herself.

"If we did anything wrong, I'm sure they'll…fix it." Maurice was uncertain. "Is your…friend going to be all right?"

"She'll be fine," Yang reassured him. "She's just…a little shook up. She was stuck in the dragon's mouth for a minute."

"If I was half as well after something like that I'd call myself the bravest Breton in the world." He looked over at the dragon bones. "Strange how they die."

"Khajiit found several patches of scales," Jo'nir explained, pointing his nose towards a pack slung across his elder son's back. "Bones are heavy though. Will get cousin Sintesh to carry the skull back once we return to Whiterun. Rich men will clamor for real dragon skull to decorate their walls."

"I'm sure they would," Blake stated.

Ruby walked up to them, a glassy, faraway look in her eyes. Yang walked over and patted her on the shoulders.

"You okay?" Ruby shook her head. "You wanna talk about it?" Another shake. "Okay, but we're here and ready to listen. Remember that." She wrapped her little sister in a hug, and Ruby slowly reached up to hug her back. Yang led the near catatonic girl by the hand, and the procession left once again, leaving behind the grave and dragon skeleton as the only indicators of what occurred in that space.

* * *

They reached Ivarstead around dusk and went straight to the Vilemyr Inn. The Khajiits gained some sideways glances, but they mostly seemed directed at M'thri rather than the family as a whole.

"Not sure if I have enough rooms for all of you," the inn keeper told Weiss once she requested them all places to stay the night. "You're going to need to do more than double-up to all fit."

"This one can sleep in a cushioned chair," Jo'nir offered.

"S'dir can lay at the end if M'thri does not kick him off."

"This one will endeavor."

"Well, uh, this is a mite awkward," Maurice muttered, looking at Team RWBY and Lydia. "Not that I mind sharing a room or anything, but…"

"How about…Blake and Yang share with Maurice, and then Weiss, Lydia, and I get another."

"Wow! Way to throw me into danger, sis," Yang joked.

"He's more in danger from you than the other way around," Blake remarked.

"And what about you?"

"I trust him not to do anything. After all, anyone who did would never be seen again."

Maurice chuckled nervously at that and then gulped.

"I'll just, uh, go settle in. This way?"

"Third on the left," Wilhelm directed. As Maurice scampered away, he sighed with a small smile. "Puttin' the fear of the Gods in him, you are. Well, I won't charge but per room since it's like this."

"Thank you very much," Weiss demurred with a pleasant grin. "Is there anything special being prepared for supper?"

"Just salmon, garlic bread, and baked potatoes. Feel free to use the fire to prep something if it's not to your taste though."

"We'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Weiss looked around the inn and then closed the door. "Okay, coast is clear. Are you certain you're feeling well?"

"I'm fine, Weiss," Ruby reassured her partner. "Just felt really…scrambled, I guess. That's the kind of thing that happens when…" Ruby trailed off and shook her head. "Well, let's do this!"

"Don't be so enthusiastic about…something like this," Weiss told her with a slight grimace as she pulled out the knife they made doubly sure was sanitized after supper.

"I'm just happy to help you, even if it's kinda weird." Ruby rolled up her sleeve and looked at the side of her palm. "Right…there should be good."

"Okay." Weiss held the knife up and started to press the edge against Ruby's skin.

The door suddenly opened and shut, Lydia walking in quickly.

"My Thane, I…" The housecarl's words cut off as she absorbed the scene in front of her. Weiss moved the knife out of sight and started stammering, trying to think of an excuse.

"It- it- it's not- We're were just going- You see-"

"You were going to..." Her eyes widened. "Your eyes… You're a vampire," she uttered under her breath, reaching to grab the hilt of her sword.

The girls' felt their blood run cold. Weiss had forgotten that her eyes tended to change when she began anticipating her 'feeding time'. The heiress clutched the sides of her head while trying to keep herself from breaking out into…whatever passed for hysterics to her now. Feeling the situation quickly deteriorating, Ruby stood up and raised her hand.

"Lydia, this is an order! Do not leave this room until I say! You can't tell _anyone_ about this!" Lydia immediately halted, her eyes never leaving Weiss' form, ready to move at a moment's notice. Feeling that at least _something_ was under control, Ruby took in a deep breath. "Look, where we come from, there are no such things as vampires," she calmly explained while reaching over and holding Weiss's hand for support. "When Weiss got bitten, we didn't know what it was about. We thought it was just a crazy man who got a lucky hit in. We went a whole week before Weiss…" At that point, she wasn't sure if she should be the one to tell the story. Luckily, Weiss had regained herself and looked up resolutely.

"It was a bandit named Arvel," she continued for the team leader. "I didn't even realize it was blood I wanted until then. Ever since that day, I've subsisted off of what my friends have donated to me."

"It was my idea, actually," Ruby admitted.

"So…you gave her your blood? Willingly?" Lydia seemed shocked by the entire concept.

"Weiss isn't a bad person. I know people are afraid of vampires for a reason, but she only ever hurt a guy who lied, stole, and maybe even murdered some people. And that had to have been at least six days after she was bit."

The housecarl looked to her side and shifted her weight. The Huntresses watched as she seemed to ponder over what she had been told, holding each other's hands tightly. The Nord looked back to them, and let go of a breath neither realized she'd been holding.

"You've been a vampire the whole time?"

"Since before we ever met, yes."

"I see." She walked forward and took the knife from the bed, the younger girls unsure of what to do. She stepped back again and looked the small blade over. "I swore to protect my Thane from all harm."

Ruby gulped, afraid of what she might say or do next.

"So if you really need blood, then don't look to her." She raised the knife up and quickly cut open a line in her arm. The scent of mortal blood hit Weiss and she leaned forward a bit before righting herself. Lydia offered out her arm, but then pointed the knife towards her. "But if I feel your fangs so much as prick me, I will drive this kitchen knife into your neck, to the hilt."

"R-right," Weiss responded, unsure if she was kidding or not, and then moved forward and wrapped her lips around the cut.

"Th- Thank you Lydia," Ruby whispered. "I can't…tell you how grateful I am. Or how grateful Weiss must be." She looked at the vampire drinking from her housecarl's arm and made a small giggle. "But she's pretty grateful too."

"I can…imagine. Um, how much-"

Weiss detached herself and held a hand to her mouth as if she was caught eating a small snack she wasn't meant to have. "Sorry. Uh, here."

Yellow Restoration Magic flowed through Weiss's hand and over the cut on Lydia's arm, sealing up the severed skin until there wasn't so much as a blemish. Lydia rubbed the space and nodded.

"So, you're okay with this?" Weiss asked her.

"Well, you didn't immediately use your vampire magicks to hypnotize me and make me kill myself, so I suppose I do trust you somewhat."

"Okay, where are people getting these ideas? Besides not feeling hungry for food and feeling significantly less pain, I have not felt any sort of 'power' or 'strength' from being a vampire. It's nothing but an annoyance. A very deadly, life-altering annoyance."

"Maybe…we should ask a vampire?" Ruby suggested.

"And where would we find one?"

"I dunno. That was as far as I went with that plan."

Weiss felt a chuckle slip her by and began rubbing her head with a smile. "Ruby, sometimes I truly wonder about you."

* * *

Ruby looked up at the mountain before her. The steps were in sight, yet the peak high above them was not. High Hrothgar was somewhere near that peak, and it was her next stop.

She looked back to her teammates, Weiss and Blake packed for a trip to the tip of the country, and Yang unburdened and ready to move. The sisters hugged first, Ruby burying her face into Yang's shoulder for a minute before letting go.

"Just watch out for the cold, okay?"

"I will. Got plenty of extra clothes."

Weiss walked up and received and gave a shorter hug.

"Don't take too long now. Some people apparently spend years up there learning what you're after."

"I won't," Weiss declared in a way that told Ruby Weiss wasn't lying.

Blake's hug was about as long, but it also ended with the faunus giving her an affectionate head-butt.

"Take care."

Ruby nodded and began backing away before turning towards the mountain once again. She took a deep breath and grasped the straps of her bag before heading forward. She glanced back just before the first of the steps to see her friends still watching her go.

' _They are Strong and Loyal,'_ a voice that seemed to be hers, yet was not, said within her mind. She hummed, thankful that the other one hadn't deigned to make itself known. She turned back towards the ancient stairway, and took her first step.

* * *

When Ruby and Lydia were nearly out of sight climbing up the mountain, the rest of the team headed for the opposite end of town, where Maurice and the Khajiits were waiting. The plan was to head south for a little while to get back to the main road, and then follow it north towards Windhelm, and then go off-road just before the road crossed the river near Mistwatch. The two girls looked to Yang for a moment, each wondering what to say. Blake made to speak and stopped herself, but then both found themselves pulled in to a double hug by Yang's arms.

"You two watch each other's backs," she told them. "It's a rough world out there."

She let them both go and Weiss nodded. "We will. You just keep your wits about you. And…try not to do anything too crazy while we're gone. We don't want any…repeats of 'The Night'."

"Hey, I'm keeping it cool. You just make sure to hold on to that staff tightly." She looked over to Blake. "And you make sure she eats well, but don't overdo it. There's…plenty out there." The meaning went unsaid, but the two girls understood it clearly.

"You just worry about yourself. Whiterun might be nice, but it's not always safe."

"Hey, we've beaten two out of three dragons. That's a passing grade." Smiling, she hugged her partner again. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." They separated and Blake looked over to their awaiting travel partners. "I promise I'll write."

"Me too. Just have 'em send it to Jorrvaskr, and I'll write back."

"All right." The two teammates began walking away, the other four following behind them. Yang watched them go for a long moment and then released a sigh. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, but found them drier than she'd feared. With no more goodbyes to be had, she went back into the village, set on meeting with the client about the bear trouble.

* * *

"So you see, the damned things are ruining my business!" Temba Wide-Arms exclaimed. "Now, I can't just pay you to kill _every_ bear in the area. I haven't the money and I doubt you'd take that much time looking for them. So, just kill about ten of them, and bring me the pelts as proof. I'll know if they're fresh and from around here."

"Kill about a dozen bears, skin 'em, and bring you the skins," Yang affirmed. "Sounds about like a training mission I once had."

"Don't be a braggart," the mill owner reprimanded with a smirk. "But seriously, good luck hunting."

Yang saluted the woman and immediately headed into the woods. Stopping herself for a moment, she raised up her hand and focused a blue sphere into existence. She pictured Ivarstead, and a misty trail formed from her hand and lined itself towards the village. Suddenly the spell puffed out and Yang felt a sort of exhaustion separate from both physical and mental sorts.

"Well, won't get lost," she reasoned with herself. "Takes a minute to recharge, but I'll find my way."

She headed in deeper, looking out for trees marked by bear claws. One was surprisingly close to the village, and so she looked around for any more indications of a bear being around. Almost out of her line of sight was another marked tree, and so she went over to it and saw it to be a bit fresher, though not fresh per se. There were a few more trees she had to follow, and then she came across one that looked like it had been clawed possibly that day, leaking sap and giving off a smell of cut and ground green wood.

' _Well, one's gotta be close,'_ she thought to herself. _'Maybe…'_

A bellow interrupted her musing and she turned to see a brown furred bear roaring at her in challenge. She stared the creature dead in the eyes without flinching, and the bear seemed to realize it wasn't looking at an easily intimidated human. It backed up a bit before rearing back onto its hind legs and roared again, and Yang had to sigh.

"Sorry buddy, but I've got a contract to keep," she cracked her knuckles and moved in. "I'll be quick."

* * *

Only a few steps up the stairway, Ruby noticed a sort of shrine that a man was sitting in front of, seemingly meditating. A fresh candle was set before him, giving off a sweet scent into the air. Giving a respectful nod to the man, Ruby looked into the shrine and saw words etched onto a tablet inside it.

 _Before the birth of men, the Dragons ruled all Mundus; Their word was the Voice, and they spoke only for True Needs; For the Voice could blot out the sky and flood the land_

She mulled the words over as memories came forward. She could see the ground…far below her and passing by at great speed. Forests, tundra, deserts, jungles, oceans, and mountains, all were going by in the blink of an eye as she…flapped her wings.

She pulled herself away from the foreign memories and continued onwards. The way was somewhat winding and rough. After a while, she started stepping on snow, and felt the temperature difference in the air. Then she came across a second shrine.

 _Men were born and spread over the face of Mundus; The Dragons presided over the crawling masses; Men were weak then, and had no Voice_

' _Does that mean that people couldn't speak, or that there was no one with a Thu'um?'_ Ruby mused over the tablet's meaning before moving on, pausing only to shiver slightly.

As Ruby continued to hike up the mountain, she began to realize that the steps would have been a little trickier if she hadn't gotten some new boots meant for walking through deep snow the other day at Weiss's behest. It was still scattered this low, but that may have only made it worse to tread around.

Past another turn Ruby heard a wolf howling. Normally she would have expected Beowulfs, but the everyday wolves of Tamriel proved to be hostile enough to go after people before. Crescent Rose was extended and Lydia drew her sword, and a few seconds later several wolves popped up from the surrounding vegetation.

"Okay, little annoying," Ruby complained. Her senses screamed at her and she turned and slammed her scythe against a wolf leaping at her from the side. Unfortunately for the lupine, she used the bladed edge, and so it was thrown in two halves towards its pack. Several wolves began yelping and scrambling in fear, while the only ones standing their ground seemed to be older specimens. A particularly brown wolf went for Lydia, only to get a shield in the face, dazing it, and then the housecarl's sword digging into its chest. The others finally scattered, and the two were left alone from there. Once they felt confident about moving on, they stowed away their weapons and went back to the path.

Snow began gathering thicker underfoot, but many of the steps could still be seen. In a bit of a flat area Ruby came across another shrine.

 _The fledgling spirits of Men were strong in Old Times; Unafraid to war with Dragons and their Voices; But the Dragons only shouted them down and broke their hearts_

' _So dragons were winning at first? But what actually started the war?'_ she thought to herself.

The snowy, wind-blown path went up and down from there. Ruby eventually had to pull out her thicker coat and fur pants from her pack after a while to defend herself from the chill. Lydia, Nordic as she was, just pulled on a regular coat. She wasn't sure when it happened, but Ruby looked outwards and noticed that they were about half as high as the mountain in the distance. Being that Hrothgar was supposed to be taller, that told her that they weren't even halfway up.

"Oh Brothers," she mumbled under her breath. Up ahead, she saw another shrine, this time a woman sitting in front of it. Being certain not to disturb her, Ruby looked around and read the tablet.

 _Kyne called on Paarthurnax, who pitied Man; Together they taught Men to use the Voice; Then Dragon War raged, Dragon against Tongue_

' _Oh, so that's the war. The Goddess Kyne asked…someone for help, and they… Taught? Created? They did something, and that must have made the first Dragonborn. Then before that it must have been…just slaughter.'_

A phantom pain struck at her chest and Ruby clenched the spot over her heart and stumbled back. Lydia quickly caught her and held her still.

"Are you all right, my Thane?"

"I- I'm fine," she half-lied. The back of her neck started stinging. She stood herself back up and cleared her throat. "We should…keep going."

"Only if you're certain you're fine."

"I am. Just…soul searching."

Another bend, and this time the path led upwards for a long while. About halfway up the steep steps, Ruby felt her legs burning and her lungs pining for more air. They had to stop for a moment, Lydia taking deeper breaths while Ruby gasped for oxygen.

"If nothing else," the girl got out, "my lung capacity'll increase from this. That's gotta be only good for Shouting, right?"

Lydia merely laughed and shook her head.

Past the steep stairway Ruby saw a rocky overhang ahead of them. At first she thought nothing of it except that it could guard someone from the wind, until a white form appeared on top of it and roared with a sound that she was certain should have been fictional. From the looks of it, it was bipedal, with arms like a gorilla, ending in claws that wouldn't have looked out of place on an Ursa.

"Frost troll," Lydia warned as she armed herself. The troll had apparently spotted them, and was now closing the distance far quicker than something with that kind of gait ought to.

"Any advice?" Ruby asked as Crescent Rose came out again.

"Dodge, and fire."

Ruby leapt over its first swing and swung back at it, only for her blade to stop after cutting about an inch of flesh on its shoulder. She jumped back and watched as the wound seemed to close itself rapidly.

"It's healing!"

"Trolls can regenerate quickly! Hit it fast, hard, or burn it!" Lydia began swiping wildly, cutting it in several places at once. Ruby figured she was going for the 'death by a thousand cuts' route, but the Huntress was never one to prefer extended engagements and instead always looked for the quickest ways to end a fight.

"Keep it looking at you!" Ruby commanded as she squared up behind the beast. Lydia kept her shield up as the troll's three eyes focused on her. As claw went swinging, but Lydia met it with her shield and stabbed forward, the blade sinking deep before being pulled out. The housecarl grunted as the wound immediately began to close itself, but she pressed forward and bashed her shield into the frost troll's face, sending it staggering back. Ruby took the opportunity and used her Semblance to dash forward, giving her scythe an over-under spin and then stabbing it into the frost troll's exposed back. The scythe sunk into flesh, for a few inches, and then was halted by the sheer density of trollflesh and thickness of its fat. Surprised, Ruby's grip slipped from her main weapon as the troll spun around and backhanded her away.

The girl yelped and rolled through the snow for a moment, and then sprung up back to her feet in time to see the troll coming at her. It reared back a clawed hand and went for a powerful swing, but Ruby was more than fast enough to move out of the way. She noticed her scythe still sticking out of its back, and had to somewhat admire its tenacity. The troll was probably the closest thing to a Grimm she'd faced on Tamriel, even more than the dragons, which she would count more as super powered people the size of a bullhead VTOL.

Ruby drew her sword, which she had thought about naming but hadn't gotten around to, and prepared to fight the troll further. As the beast lumbered at her, Lydia blindsided it, knocking it to its knees. Ruby aimed at the neck and dashed forward, rose petals trailing her as she impaled her blade into it neck, shoulder, and through its chest. The troll gurgled, and then fell onto the snow, bleeding from the wound for a moment.

"Whew, that was a little hairy!" Ruby went to tug her blade out of the troll, but found it to be stuck. She pulled with even more effort, but couldn't seem to get it to budge. "What the…"

"It healed around the blade while it died," Lydia explained as she grabbed the hilt of the sword and yanked on it, tearing it free and causing more blood to spill. Ruby stuck her tongue out in disgust at the pints of troll blood flowing out and took her sword back with a thankful nod to Lydia. The housecarl then went to extract her other weapon while Ruby cleaned her sword in the snow.

"I've been meaning to ask," Lydia began as she pulled upon Crescent Rose, "why a scythe? It does not seem a practical weapon."

"I guess not, but I always thought it was so cool when I was growing up, especially since my Uncle Qrow uses one. Only…his can turn into a sword. I thought about adding a mode to Crescent Rose in order to turn her into a sword, but the best I got was a spear setting."

"So your uncle taught you?" Lydia asked as she finally got the blade free.

"Yeah, actually. I was totally bad at it before he started teaching me. Still tripped up a lot, but I think it was audience nerves, because I didn't really trip much when I started training on my own." She sheathed the sword and took her main weapon back in hand before dipping the bloodied bit of blade into snow.

"I still don't quite understand using it. I've heard of peasants resorting to using scythes to fight bandits when there weren't enough weapons, but they always reset the blades so that they'd function more like a spear or bardiche."

Ruby just shrugged, unsure of what else to say on the subject. She could probably mention some of the weirder weapons she'd seen; like that one person whose weapon seemed to be a hoverboard, but something like that would fly right over the heads of people from Tamriel.

Only a little past where they'd killed the troll was a fifth shrine. Ruby looked in and read the words.

 _Man prevailed, shouting Alduin out of the world; Proving for all that their Voice too was strong; Although their sacrifices were many-fold_

' _And so people won! But, going by what people have been saying, and what I can see from Paalduzaam, Alduin's back. Al. Du. In. Destroy. Devour. Master.'_ Ruby itched at her head as the foreign knowledge blended into her memories. _'So, the World-Eater must be Alduin. But I don't know where he's getting these dragons from. Those two were really old, but maybe he's been growing an army somewhere to replenish their numbers? Maybe baby dragons take a long time to grow?'_

They persisted, going down a short ways and then walking through more open ground, where the snow was deep, even in the closing summer months. Ruby was thankful that there seemed to be pillars made to guide folks through the path, otherwise they might have gotten lost. The next shrine was between two piney trees, just up a short set of steps.

 _With roaring Tongues, the Sky-Children conquer; Founding the First Empire with Sword and Voice; Whilst the Dragons withdrew from this World_

' _Hm, didn't Cynrrbert say something about another continent?'_ Ruby thought to herself before remembering she had a person right there who could provide an answer. Still moving up the mountain, Ruby turned her head to Lydia, who noticed the movement and turned as well to make eye contact.

"Hey Lydia?"

"Yes?"

"What do you know about a place called Akavir?"

"Admittedly, not much. Though, I have heard that it's populated by snake-men, monkey folk, some sort of tiger folk that might be like the Khajiit, and snow demons. Some people say the dragons first came from there to escape the snake people who ate them."

"That…sounds like a pretty tall tale. Especially considering what happens when dragons die."

"True. It has been a long time since anything from Akavir came to Tamriel, and the last expedition to the continent was made by the Nerevarine, the hero of the Dunmer. That was two hundred years ago, and he still hasn't returned."

"Maybe that's where the dragons were hiding?" Ruby suggested. "They came from there in the first place, so maybe they went back after losing the Dragon War."

"Sounds logical," the housecarl agreed.

"How about the First Empire? What's that about? How many were there?"

"Well, the Empire of today is the Third Empire. The First Empire was established when Alessia, the Slave-Queen, rebelled against the Ayleids and took Cyrodiil from them. I believe some armies from Skyrim helped her at the time."

"Never heard of an Ayleid before."

"They're extinct."

Ruby sucked air through her teeth and clicked her tongue. The idea of a 'people' going extinct was a new and unwelcome one to her. Afraid of what more she might hear, she decided to drop the subject and move on.

The next shrine wasn't much further ahead, but they would have missed it if she hadn't been looking for them. It rested at the very edge of a precipice, and Ruby was a little scared to get too close to it, but she was enthralled by the story, despite the breaks in it, and wanted to know what happened next now that dragons weren't an issue.

 _The Tongues at Red Mountain went away humbled; Jurgen Windcaller began His Seven Year Meditation; To understand how Strong Voices could fail_

"Red Mountain's in Morrowind," Ruby recalled.

"It is", Lydia affirmed. "I think it refers to the failed invasion of Morrowind."

"To understand how Strong Voices could fail…" Ruby murmured as they went on their way. _'So they were strong, but still lost, and they didn't really know how they could have at that point. Well, they did beat an army of dragons. I'm sure I'd have felt indestructible for a while if I wasn't…distracted. Yeesh, that's a bad way to put it. My sister could have been dying for all I knew! She_ still _has a scar from that on her left thigh!_ '

The next was also nearby, just before a turn that led further upwards.

 _Jurgen Windcaller chose silence and returned; The 17 disputants could not shout Him down; Jurgen the Calm built His home on the Throat of the World_

' _He built his home on the… Oh, this is the history of how the Greybeards began! Okay, so Jurgen fought in the Dragon War, and ended up founding the Greybeards and… What did Balgruuf call it? Something with the Voice.'_

As the path led on, upwards with the occasional walk downwards, Ruby began to see a building in the distance. She immediately knew that it was her destination, and that the Greybeards would be inside, waiting for her.

' _Hopefully it's warm in there.'_

They stopped at another shrine, this one made in front of a statue like the one in Whiterun. A statue of Talos. Ruby read the tablet within.

 _For years all silent, the Greybeards spoke one name; Tiber Septim, stripling then, was summoned to Hrothgar; They blessed and named him Dovahkiin_

Ruby admired the story for a moment and then went to go on, but paused in her steps. Her heart began hammering in her chest as she looked back at the statue.

"… _she's definitely Dragonborn. Like Tiber Septim used to be."_

" _Then…it was you the Greybeards were summoning."_

" _The last time this happened was when they called on Tiber Septim himself."_

 _For years all silent, the Greybeards spoke one name;_

Her eyes seemed to focus on the statue for a long moment as she consciously weighed the words in her head.

' _The last…and first person they called up here…became a god.'_ She wasn't sure if the thought of that horrified her or not, and the thought of _not_ being horrified by that scared her.

"My Thane?"

Ruby snapped her focus back and shook her head. "I… I'm fine. Just a lot to think over."

"I understand."

' _I doubt it,'_ she thought as they trudged on towards the stone building. As they walked towards the fortress, Ruby admired the stonework. Just before the split stairway that led up to the doors was another shrine. Ruby looked within and saw what she figured must be the final part.

 _The Voice is worship; Follow the Inner path; Speak only in True Need_

' _True Need. Like the dragons did before the war.'_ She looked up at the structure and gulped. _'Like…dragons…'_

The stairs here seemed to hold more weight than the ones leading up the mountain, each step having a seeming finality to it, yet she began to feel a sort of calm wash over her. She thought back to the shrines and the plaques within them, and took courage in the fact that she was here to learn from the masters themselves. Even as the weight of her footfalls increased, she felt her spirit grow lighter. As she reached the door, she looked off to left and gasped. Through the mist and in the distance, she could see Whiterun from where she was. The sight of the familiar city brought a smile to her face and she took in a deep breath of the chilling air. Her eyes locked onto the door a moment later as she released the breath in a fog of steam.

"Let's do this."

She reached forward, and opened the door.

* * *

 **Zeymah!** – Brother

 **Mid gein! Hin miiraad lost drun wah dinok!** **Fin sil los vod! Pah los queth!** **Nid daal! Ul los vul! Erei faal laat, Vah Su'um Ven! -** Loyal one! Your path has brought (you) to death! The soul is gone! All is bone! No return! Eternity is dark! Until the end, farewell!

 **Vah Su'um Ven** \- Spring Breath Wind - used as a farewell (similar to Drem Yol Lok - Peace Fire Sky - used as a greeting)

 **Laas! Yah! Nir!** \- Life Seek Hunt - The Aura Whisper Shout

 **Zun! Haal! Vik!** \- Weapon Hand Defeat - The Disarm Shout

 **Ruth Strun Bah! Ogiim, fen naak hin kopraan** \- Rage Storm Wrath (expression of anger and hatred)! Orc, (I) will consume your corpse!

 **Hin sil fen…kos du…gein sul!** \- Your soul will...be eaten...one day!


	11. Assassins, and Ghosts, and Bears, Oh My!

**It's good that I have a forum to go to in order to have this story as straightened up as possible before posting. And it's good for you guys that xTRESTWHOx is there to ensure the quality of this story is top-notch.**

* * *

Upon leaving Ivarstead, it quickly became very apparent that Maurice, while a traveler, was not a fighter. Or even a good lookout for that matter. Every other member of their traveling party had superior senses. Blake had excellent vision, especially at night, and great hearing thanks to her array of ears. Weiss's sense of smell was extremely acute, more so when blood was involved, which most predators carried the scent of to some degree. And all of the Khajiits were good at each sense, and unlike Weiss had them their whole lives. Maurice, on the other hand, had almost walked into a bear trap one time. Luckily, they were able to keep him alive.

Nevertheless, they were able to keep their party in one piece. Continuing northward through Eastmarch, they encountered a few scattered wildlife, but outside of wolves and a sabercat nothing of note hit them during the day. As dusk neared, however, they heard a dragon in the distance. Everyone but Maurice had halted in their steps, but Blake had caught him by the shoulder. To their east, at a place called Northwind Mountain on the map, a dragon was circling around its summit. It made three circles and roared again before seeming to land, disappearing from most of their views. Blake and the Khajiits could just barely see it roosting atop a large wall of stone. If they had been noticed, the dragon seemed content to leave them be.

"…Gods that scared me half to death," Weiss complained. Blake couldn't help but note the irony in that, but felt a little bad about it.

"Dragons are becoming a bit too common a sight, this one thinks," Jo'nir voiced. "Perhaps we should move on before the dragon decides to find a bedtime snack."

"Right..." Weiss quickly agreed, pulling out the map. "There's a fortress ahead called Mistwatch. I'd rather not go in there in case of bandits or other such miscreants taking over. But, with a dragon nearby, I'd like to have a fortress between us and it."

The others agreed to that sentiment and pushed on, stopping to camp near the bridge that continued the road, the four towers of Mistwatch just between them and Northwind. A watch was set, but nothing bothered them throughout the night, thankfully. They began again the next morning, heading straight north and off of the road. The sanctuary wasn't much further, and they reached it well before noon. The girls were a little dubious about going into a cavern, but decided that they had to in the end, and went in first to make sure everything was safe. Past a few turns, they emerged into a grove, streams flowing through, birds singing as they fluttered about the trees, and a beautiful, pink and red leafed tree sitting above the rest, directly under a skylight with sunshine pouring down upon it. The group stopped in awe for a moment as they took in the scenery.

"The Eldergleam," Maurice admired. "It's as beautiful as I had imagined."

Weiss and Blake nodded to one another, both in agreement with Maurice and in understanding of their purpose here, and moved up ahead. Maurice and the Khajiits went to speak with a Nord man and woman who seemed to be visiting as well. While the others became preoccupied with conversation, the two huntresses looked for a way up to the tree, but couldn't find a straight path. Blake attempted to leap over a root in the way, only for a smaller one to smack her back. The faunus landed with an 'ooph', and Weiss looked down at her with concern.

"Well… Feistiest plant I've had to deal with since those chilies," Blake joked as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"Well how are we supposed to get the sap?" Weiss placed her hands on her hips in annoyance.

Blake took the dagger from her side and unsheathed it. She glared at the evil looking dagger before wielding it and trying to tap the root itself. The root suddenly shot away, like an arm being pricked. The creaking of wood echoed and Blake looked to the dagger.

"Well, guess we know how to get to it."

"This…doesn't feel good," Weiss admitted. "I'm getting a bad vibe all of the sudden from this place where it used to feel so…calming."

" _She doesn't trust in your mission."_

' _Shut up!'_

"We're just going to tap it for a little sap. Trees have it happen all the time. I'm sure the oldest tree in the world can take it."

A few more roots lay across their pathway, but a single prick of the Nettlebane sent them reeling out of the way. The two soon stood just across from the Eldergleam, but they both could feel the dark aura in the air clearly now. Blake gulped and looked at the dagger again.

"It'll be fine," she reasoned. "The tree just thinks we're out to hurt it. Everything will go back when we leave."

She started walking forward when a voice stopped her.

"I had no idea you were such violent women!" The two turned to see Maurice standing just behind them, and expression of rage written across the normally tranquil man's face. "Just what are you trying to do here, hurting the Eldergleam's roots like this?"

"Look, Danica asked us to gather sap from the Eldergleam in order to heal the Gildergeen," Blake explained.

"You would… would… Violate this marvel of Kynareth's glory for that half-breed…stump in Whiterun!?" Blake was shocked by his words. "Abominable! Barbaric! Why didn't you say something about this?"

" _He's getting in your way,"_ the voice whispered.

"We… I didn't think it was _that_ big of a deal," Blake admitted. "I was just trying to help the temple. I didn't want to hurt the tree. But, without the Gildergreen to bring pilgrims around to Whiterun, what can the temple do? What would you do?"

"What would I do?" His expression calmed some and he sighed. "What _would_ I do? I certainly…wouldn't go to these lengths, but…" He looked over at the ancient tree. "I do have an idea. Wait for a moment."

The man walked over to the Eldergleam and kneeled before it, holding his arms out as if to accept an offering. Blake and Weiss watched as they felt the dark tension in the air slowly evaporate, until the previous serenity that once filled the place returned once again. In front of the tree, a sprout emerged from the ground and grew rapidly, branches splitting from the tiny trunk, and leaves forming at their ends. The two girls watched in awe as this miracle happened right before their eyes. The tiny sapling's roots seemed to pull themselves from the earth and wrapped about a chunk of dirt beneath it. Maurice took a cloth from his own pack and tied it around the roots of the new tree, and lifted it up above him as he revered it.

"The Eldergleam has blessed us with a sapling," he announced with his returned tranquility. He gingerly handed the newborn tree to Weiss, who looked it over curiously and carefully. "Have it taken to Whiterun. Danica should see that the true blessings of nature lie in renewal, not a slavish maintenance."

"Thank you," Blake uttered, still in awe of what just occurred. "This is…better than I'd hoped."

"You are very welcome, friend. Please, try to keep your mind open always for the less violent approach to such problems." He looked back to the Eldergleam, a serene smile on his face. "Please, feel no need to wait for me. I believe I'll stay here and bask in Eldergleam's warmth a while longer. Good luck on your travels. May Kynareth's winds only carry the sweetest scents."

Blake nodded, and looked once again at the Nettlebane in her hand. She took a few steps over to the Eldergleam and held the wicked looking blade across her palms as she considered what she'd nearly done.

"I'm…really sorry," she offered, not knowing if the tree could understand her or not. She bent down and laid the dagger before the trunk. "Hopefully, no one will ever harm you again."

A single root came up from the ground and dragged the dagger below, amazing Blake once again. The sounds of creaking wood echoed out once more, but this time when Blake looked back, she saw that the roots had rearranged themselves. Now, rather than looking like they'd been scared away from the path, the roots lined themselves with it, showing an inviting picture, as though the tree welcomed visitors with its boughs. She felt a light smile crawl across her face.

* * *

"K-khajiit will make sure the priestess receives the sapling," M'thri stuttered out as Blake handed the little tree over to him.

' _Oh god, Weiss was right! Still, kinda adorable, in a sort of kitten with a favorite kind of way.'_

"I trust you. You're all sure you'll be fine?"

"The road is always easier on the second trek," Jo'nir explained. "We'll be back at the camp at Whiterun before you reach the gates of Windhelm. Of course, we may leave soon after. Up to Solitude this time. Jo'nir will see to it that word is given to other caravans about you and your friends. For such a small favor as a ride, you have shown our families much kindness."

"Thank you so much," Weiss said as she began reaching over, but stopped herself when she realized that she'd almost pet a _person_. She pulled back and began stammering an apology, but Jo'nir simply turned his head.

"Behind the left ear if you must."

"Father, don't solicit the young man girls," S'dir scolded the smaller Khajiit. "Please, forgive him, girls. He's losing his inhibitions in his old age."

"Forty-four is hardly old," Jo'nir argued with a nip at his son's paw.

"May as well be to me, old cat," he teased back with a pat at his father's head. The two began pawing back and forth in a mock-up of clawing at each other, and M'thri sighed in exasperation.

"This one is so sorry about this."

"It… It's fine," Blake got out while trying to holding back her laughter. Weiss just watched on with joviality.

* * *

The monochrome Huntresses continued on their journey soon after entrusting the sapling to the family, heading north along the nearby river rather than going back to the road, figuring they could cross at a small place marked as Mixwater. Weiss noted that they were almost there when a small trip sent her careening down a canyon.

"Weiss!" Blake yelled as she looked over.

"I'm fine," the heiress said as she straightened up her cloak. "It's steep, but not…" She paused when she noticed just across from her was an old stone building. The location was a strange one, and so she checked the map to see if it was labelled.

"Not here…" she muttered in interest. Blake slid down next to her, kicking several stones and dirt into the river below.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Of interest though, that old building there isn't on the map."

"Well, it looks like it's been abandoned," Blake admitted.

"Which means that there could be things of value left inside. We should check it out!"

"Weiss, seriously? I don't think…" The heiress hopped over the canyon and onto the ledge in front of the old, nearly rotted wooden door. Blake sighed and jumped after her. "We'll go in, look for your loot, and leave."

"It's not looting. It's salvaging," Weiss argued as she entered.

"And if someone still lives here, it's robbery," Blake muttered under her breath.

Within they could hear the sounds of running and dripping water. Weiss immediately began searching every nook and cranny for septims or small things of value. Blake went down the stairs and glanced around, noticing a battleaxe sticking out of a chest too small to hold it in a mostly flooded room that was likely draining from somewhere seeing as water still poured in from a hole in the wall.

"I don't like this," Blake complained. "The whole place looks like it could collapse at any time."

"Oh, get a hold of yourself. We've been in older structures that stayed together. Come on, let's see about below."

Blake groaned and followed the vampire down the stairs into a room with a table pushed against a wall and a set of elk antlers mounted above it. There was an old, dirty plate set atop it, probably meaning that someone had to leave their meal behind. To the left was a storeroom, where Weiss picked up a bag of coins with a glint in her eye, but also happened to notice an old piece of paper. She looked at it from where she was, not wanting to risk it falling apart from age by picking it up.

"' _We can't let the prisoners out, so either kill them or let them drown_ '," she read aloud before sneering. "Barbarians. ' _Either way, all guards must evacuate as soon as possible. The storm is about to wash this whole fort into the river, and I'll be damned if I have to report one Legion death while under my watch. You have your orders!_ ' What a horrid response to disaster! Leaving people to drown!"

"It could have been a prison solely for the worst criminals. But I do agree. That's just cruel."

"Well, any compunctions I had with taking everything of value here is gone."

"Wait, you had _a_ compunction about it?"

"Oh hush," Weiss playfully responded.

The next room down held some armor pieces, a few weapons, and ingots of iron. One of the hallways connected to it had collapsed, but there was still a way downstairs even further. Here the girls could see a few prison cells, as well as a skeleton with rotted, rusty armor lying next to a rusty, old sword and rotten shield. Weiss didn't feel any sympathy for whoever it had been, and Blake only stopped long enough to look at another piece of paper beneath one of its bony hands. The paper hadn't aged well, but the writing on it was only slightly smudged.

"' _The storm is coming, I can tell_ '," she read aloud. "' _The water leaking in has become stronger. There's no better time than now._

"' _When the storm hits, the guards will be scrambling to figure out what to do with us. Amidst the confusion we need to overpower the few that will be standing guard outside our cells and hold off the cell block entrance. We need only hold off until I can get one of their swords and break open the drainage gate in the corner of my cell. That's where we'll make our escape. Everyone move down river and we'll try to find shelter there until the storm passes._ '"

"So the warden planned to murder them all while the prisoners planned an escape?" Weiss deduced. "Sounds like one of those thrillers Yang would love to watch. Hm, but the intrigue behind it would make for a good story. I… What is that?"

Weiss suddenly pointed over to a glowing form that had risen from the floor. It bore a human shape, but was translucent and seemed weightless. The figure pulled a weapon made of the same substance as it and began running at them, passing straight through the bars of the cell it was within.

" _You're not welcome here!"_ it shouted in an echoing tone while swinging for them. Weiss pulled out her rapier and parried the strike, and Blake made to stab at it, only for her weapon to pass through it harmlessly.

"Wh- what!?"

" _Fools! The living should not be among the dead!"_

"It's a ghost!" Weiss cried out as she blocked another strike from its mace.

"What do we do?!"

Weiss's response was to suddenly grab at the ghost as her hand funneled electrical magic through it. The electricity managed to actually affect the ghost, and it lost its cohesion with a cry, melting into a puddle on the floor.

"Right, I recall now. Silver, daedric, or magic. That includes enchanted weaponry. Unfortunately, all I have is a dagger." She pulled out a steel dagger and handed it over to Blake. "Careful, it's frost enchanted."

"So..." Blake paused to look at the pool of what she could only describe as ectoplasm, "this will hurt them?"

"The enchantment more than the weapon. Essentially, it's like you're stabbing them with an icicle."

"Good to know. I think I hear another one."

A ghost appeared from the opposite side of the cell block and pulled out a hammer. _"There are living here!"_ it shouted. Weiss aimed Myrtenaster at the ghost and channeled her lightning spell through it. A bolt of electric magic slammed into the ghost and caused it to practically explode.

" _Death…"_

"So, these ghosts seem to be…bitter." A glance around let the two see that the cells were mostly filled with skeletons. "I can imagine why."

"But why are there ghosts in the first place?"

"I have no idea. The research into the causation of ghosts varies, but the basis of it is that sometimes souls feel unfulfilled and either end up staying behind, or imprinting their emotions onto the world, causing magicka to congeal around them into ectoplasm. Wish I had a jar with me. This stuff isn't exactly easy to find, and that makes it rare and expensive."

"You're still on with getting money out of this?"

"Well, at worst we just hurt some things that are already dead. At best we're freeing them from their chains to this world and releasing them into the afterlife. Or these ghosts have no souls at all and are just the impressions of hatred left behind."

Weiss walked over to a table at the end of the block and plucked a key from its surface. Looking into the cells, she found one with a broken wall and opened it up, leading to a conjoining cell block where another ghost resided. It charged her, only to be met halfway with a fireball.

" _I will return!"_ it yelled as it melted.

"Sure, whatever."

She and Blake traveled up the stair from this room, discovering that it was the section closed off from the collapsed hallway, as well as it being the guards' sleeping barracks with another storage room, this one seemingly more dedicated to books. Luckily, the room had remained dry and the book were in rather good condition.

" _Biography of Barenziah_ ," Blake read the title as she picked up and packed away a book before grabbing and packing another. " _The Real Barenziah_. _The Adabala-a_. _Journey of the Heroes_. _Song of Hromir_. Huh, _The Champion's Pinning_. Looks like a side-story to _Journey of the Heroes_."

"Didn't expect to find a library in here. Suppose doing naught but guarding prisoners can get boring." Weiss went over to a chest and used the key to unlock it, finding herself giddy at the number of scattered coins of nearly every type. After looting the rooms for all they were worth, the two headed back and found the drain in the corner cell. Weiss was the first to look down, and for the first time seemed hesitant in continuing. Blake followed her in and she both peered down to see a couple of small skeevers looking around at the bottom before seeing them and running.

"Uh, after you," Weiss indicated. Blake sighed and hopped down into the drain and ducked into it. It was short, and emerged into what seemed to be another hall, though she had to push a skeleton out of the way at the end of the drain. Weiss came in right behind her and yelped when she accidentally stepped on and crunched the skull.

At a left turn the girls found themselves at a flodded room with a rickety ladder at the end. Deciding to risk it, Blake climbed up the ladder and came up to the sound of rushing water. Weiss followed her and the two could see that they were under a bridge just before a waterfall.

"Well, bridge means path," Blake reasoned. "At least we're on the right track."

"And we're now two-hundred and thirty nine septims and sixteen cents richer than before," Weiss happily pointed out.

"That many?" Blake asked with a raised eyebrow.

"There was a denar and several malks. Of course I'm not carrying almost three hundred gold coins."

The heiress and faunus began walking along the edge of the water, hoping to find a place to climb up onto the bridge. Blake began finding some handholds, but when she was ready to pull herself over, an elf in black and red suddenly leapt at her from above with a green dagger. Blake immediately called up her Aura defense and caught the Dunmer's wrist, but was pushed over the edge with him and into the water.

"Blake!" she heard Weiss scream before she went under. The faunus struggled against the Dunmer as he tried to somehow stab her while they wrestled with each other and the current. Blake felt the river suddenly change direction, and expected the worst before she and her assailant were tossed out of the water and onto a stone ledge at the far side of the falls. She was able to pull in a breath, but then the attacker was at her again, almost desperately trying to drive his dagger into her. Blake fought against him and tried to push him off, but when he rolled off of her he dragged her along, and rather than reverse their positions, they rolled right off the ledge.

The dark elf shouted, and Blake kicked him away from her, knocking them both in opposite directions. She was certain that she saw her life flash before her eyes, and then watched as the Dunmer hit a stone with a muffled splatting noise while she hit water. Her breath was knocked out of her for a long moment, but she began regain her sense and tried to swim upwards. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and drag her up and out of the river, pulling her up the shore and away from the water. She started coughing and hacking, and looked up at her savior to see a scantily clad, violet-skinned woman. Weiss was hopping down from above on self-made platform glyphs until she hit the ground and ran over to Blake, the Sanguine Rose in her left hand.

"Blake! Are you all right? Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?" She frantically asked while checking over her teammate.

"I'm fine. Weiss-" a few coughs interrupted her and she cleared her throat. "I'm fine. Just wet and cold. Way better than the other guy."

They looked and saw the corpse of her attacker, bleeding on the stone he landed on and into the river.

"Mazken, thank you for rescuing my fried. Could you please retrieve the corpse over there, and try not to get it too wet."

"Will be done." The summoned daedra turned and dived into the river before swimming up against the current as though it was no obstacle. Blake stood up and shivered in the cold air.

"We'll get you warmed up, even if we have to burn down… Wait, I think that's Mixwater right up there." Weiss indicated a mill just down the river from them. "Well, we can warm you up there. First, let's-"

The body landed on the ground next to them with a thud, and the two turned to see that the Mazken was still at the spot where he died, apparently having thrown him all the way to where they were several meters down and across the river.

"Right. Let's search him, and see if we can find what that was all about." Weiss began opening pockets and pouches and searching them. Several vials labeled as poison were found, as well as two extra daggers of differing materials. Blake pulled a piece of paper from a thankfully watertight pocket and unfolded it.

"' _As you were instructed, you are to eliminate the targets, Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee, by any means necessary._ '" Blake blinked and looked at her teammate, both of them feeling a substantial amount of dread.

"Wh- What?! Why?!"

Blake looked it over and over, but came up empty. "It doesn't say. Just gives…frighteningly good descriptions of us, and it's signed by someone named Astrid, from the Dark Brotherhood."

"Oh… Oh Brothers, you don't think…this has to do with Ruby? What if… What if they sent people after her and Yang? Yang's all on her own!"

"Weiss calm down!"

"Calm?! How can we be calm about this?!"

"Look," Blake began as she looked to the Mazken, who had just returned. "We need you to pass on a message to Sanguine."

"Do I look like a messenger to you?" the daedra patronized as she crossed her arms. Weiss jumped to her feet at that with her eyes glowing yellow.

"You! Are whatever! I! Order!" she yelled as she hefted the Sanguine Rose. "If I demand you to be a pile of dung to spy on the stable boy then that is what you'll do!" At this, the Mazken looked totally in fear of Weiss. "Now, you _will_ tell Sanguine that our friends are possibly in danger and that we need him to warn them as soon as possible that the Dark Brotherhood is after us, or I'll summon you for that very purpose! Understand?!"

"A- At once, ma'am!" And then the daedra disappeared into a swirl of Oblivion energies. Weiss's eyes lost their shine, and she sighed while gripping her forehead.

"This is disastrous. Why is this happening?"

"I don't know," Blake admitted. "But we'll get through it. They can't send assassins after us forever."

* * *

' _How the heck am I supposed to find a woman who's been missing for a year?'_ Yang thought as she combed through the forest for the third night in a row. She only needed one more bear for Temba, and that would be it, but on the side she had run into Narfi, a poor man living in the most run-down house in Ivarstead. He was clinically insane just going by how he spoke, but Skyrim, and perhaps Tamriel at large, didn't really have much in the way of mental institutions to take care of people like that.

" _With father I said goodbye… With mother I said goodbye. Reyda leaves and Narfi can't say goodbye."_

Just the memory of the pure sadness in his voice nearly brought a tear to Yang's eye. She wanted to help him, gods know she did. She could only compare it to the time when Summer disappeared, and she wanted nothing more than for her to come home. And when that didn't seem possible any more, she tried finding her birth mother. She never stopped looking, but she no longer searched for the same reasons as she did before. After a while, it was less about completing her family, and more about just getting closure. And closure seemed to be exactly what Narfi wanted, even though he was sure his sister was still alive. Wilhelm, though, was convinced she had died, and the only advice he could give was to search around the small islands to the east, where she used to pick plants for alchemy. Yang had already looked there, and found nothing of note. She would've tried using clairvoyance, if only she really knew what she was looking for.

' _I just don't know what to do for the poor guy,'_ she thought forlornly.

A sweet scent hit her nose and Yang looked upwards and saw a cave just a little ways away, a broken beehive sitting near it. Two of the bears she had found had similar evidence to their presence, so she figured she was close to finding another. She was ready to be done with this request and get back to Ivarstead with one, final bear corpse. As she approached it though, she heard a more human sound. It sounded almost like a man groaning in pain. As she came closer and angled up, she could see by the light of Masser that there was a man sitting at the mouth of the cave, wearing clothes so ragged that they made Narfi's rag look pristine. He was clutching his stomach and kept doubling over while groaning, obviously in a great amount of pain. Yang wondered if it was hunger or something bad he ate as she approached, keeping in mind the supplies she had with herself.

"Hey!" she called out, catching his attention. Fear was sparking in his eyes, but Yang held out her hands pacifyingly.

"Easy, easy," she whispered. "Are you okay? You need help?"

"Gods…" he muttered. "No, no! You can't- You have to run! Run!" He stumbled up to his feet and began looking around before going into the cave.

"Hey! Hold on! Let me help you!" Yang started chasing after him, but paused to let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the cave. She tried recalling the candlelight spell, and cursed herself for not having practiced it more.

"Get out of here!" the man screamed in fear. "It's…not…safe!"

Giving up on the light spell, Yang just summoned flames above her hand. While not as good for guiding, it was better than nothing. But, before the Huntress could get very deep, she heard the man screaming, followed by something that sounded like crunching bones and squelching flesh.

Terrified of what was happening, Yang rushed deeper into the cave. The man's cries ceased, and the Huntress's boots skidded as she came to a stop. Bloodied, torn rags were scattered about, and standing before her was the biggest bear she'd ever seen. Closer to an Ursa in size and build, this bear stood in a hunched stance as it turned to look at her and growled. There was no sign of the man, but the cloth in the giant bear's claws told Yang enough. Her eyes flickered to red as her fists balled together, and with a cry of rage, she punched forward.

Almost every other bear she faced went down in two or three hits, the toughest thus far taking five before going down, and it had been a superb specimen. Even then, one hit from Yang was enough to send them all reeling. This bear was sent back a step before catching itself and then swinging forward with a roar. Yang blocked, but was sent flying back and out of the cave with a shout. She hit a tree with a yelp and tried to recover, only to see the massive bear charging at her on all fours.

Huntress and bear burst through the tree in a spray of splinters. As the tree fell over, Yang rolled to her feet and tried to get out of the way of another swipe, only to be sent through a thinner tree barely more than a sapling and smack into a third. Yang barely pulled herself out of her daze enough to duck under the incoming claws of the bear, which swiped through the thick trunk behind her like butter. The bear roared again and chomped towards her before clawing at her face. Yang jumped back in a back handspring and readied herself.

"All right, you bastard! Bring it!" she shouted in anger. Her body lit up as her Semblance activated and the bear charged at her again. Yang leapt out of the way as it sped by at the speed of an automobile. As the bear stopped, Yang ran at it and punched out towards its face with a battle cry. The blow connected and sent the bear in a spin, but it recovered and swiped up at her, sending her through the air where she had to adjust for falling to land on her feet. When she came back down the bear was back upon her and smashed downwards. Yang tried to block, but the strength of her foe was far more than its musculature suggested, and it had a lot to begin with. She actually felt herself sink several inches into the ground before she managed to deflect a blow and return it, rewarded with the sound of ribs cracking. Rather than be distracted by pain, the bear simply roared and bit down, catching her head in its jaws.

Yang screamed and tried to pry the bear's mouth from around her skull as it grasped her with its claws and seemed to try to rip her head from her neck. Unable to dislodge its bite, she reared a fist back and felt magicka alight itself at her fist and punched while releasing an explosive fireball. The force of the blow jarred the bear enough to lose her, and Yang punched with another fireball empowered punch. Screaming, Yang summoned all of the arcane energy within her and used it to fuel her next several hits, punching the bear solidly while also burning its hide with fireballs. When her magicka ran out, she continued laying down punishment with just her fists, punching with the maximum amount of strength she could summon until the bear finally fell over. Yang then grasped its muzzle and yanked it around, breaking its neck just to be sure.

With the death of the 'super bear' ensured, Yang began pulling back her Semblance and catching her breath, her eyes fading from red to lavender. After her adrenaline left her system, she let out a shaky breath and leaned against a tree while cradling her head. She recalled the man, and realized that he must have been warning her about that bear, thinking she couldn't handle it. She wasn't sure about his suicidal move, but the fact of the matter was that he was gone. As she went to get the sled she used to drag the other bears back, she made a mental note to ask around and see if anyone knew who he might have been. She'd need to warn them before having the bear skinned.

She dragged the overly large bear into Ivarstead, and the people still about began pointing at her kill and running to get others. She figured killing one of these 'super bears' was a big deal, and she could see why. She, a Huntress-in-training with Aura and enhanced strength, had trouble with it. Temba was one of the villagers to come out and see Yang's newest kill, as well as Yang's disheveled state.

"Got number ten," she quietly cheered to the mill owner. "This one put up a big fight too. What the hell kind of bear is this?"

"Kind of…? Girl, this is a werebear!"

"Werebear? Weird name."

"A werebear's not a bear," Wilhelm interjected as he looked over the creature's singed fur. "It's a man-beast. A child of Hircine."

Yang was utterly lost at that. "Huh?"

"Haven't you ever heard of lycanthropes?" Temba asked. "A werebear is a cursed being, like werewolves and such. It would be a man by day, but then transform within the night, normally during a full moon, into a terrible beast with no mind but to kill. A beast you apparently put down."

Yang's mind seemed to screech to a dead halt and rewound itself.

"A… A man?"

"Aye, this would've been a man earlier in the day," Wilhelm affirmed. "Likely lost his mind when he changed. Werebears pop up from time to time, but this is the first one I've seen this far south in years."

"Oh gods, be sure it didn't scratch you!" Temba warned. "Well, I don't know if scratches will do it, and bites are so-so, but it pays to be safe. Get yourself washed up. Wilhelm, you have some monkshood and wheat germ, right?"

"I'm already on it," the inn keeper said as he headed back to his establishment. "I'll have you a fix-up in just an hour or so, Miss Yang," he called back.

"Fix-up?"

"Just in case. You can make a decent lycanthrope treatment with monkshood, wheat germ, and a sprinkle of silver dust. It'll make you queasy for a few hours, but you won't turn."

"Turn…" She looked back at the corpse and gulped. Her stomach began to churn as her mind began spinning again. "I… I'm going to…"

Temba just patted her on the shoulder and Yang started to stumble forward. Her eyes locked onto the inn as she started trudging towards it, her hands twitching a little. She stopped in her tracks and took in a deep breath before steeling her resolve.

' _Slow down,'_ she reminded herself.

She turned from the inn and headed over to the bridge on the river. She watched the currents flowing by the village as she crossed, and then began walking along the river's bank, listening as her feet crunched sand and silt beneath her. She took in a breath and looked to her hands, focusing magicka into a pale blue light with no real sense of direction. Without a goal in mind, the clairvoyance spell simply twinkled uselessly in her hands. When she exhausted her supply of magicka, she waited and did it again, letting the sight and sound of the spell calm her.

Suddenly, a line of blue leapt from her hands and trailed a little ways away from her. Yang followed the trail with her eyes and spotted what looked like the end of a bone sticking out of the ground. Curious, Yang went over and dug up the bone to find that there was a set of human wrist and finger bones connected. Yang dug through the wet soil with no real goal but unearthing whatever she'd found. Soon she had exhumed a skull, and the top of the spine connected to it. She spied a silver pendant on its neck and decided to pull it out to examine it closer, figuring that this was no consecrated grave she'd discovered.

Yang gently took out the pendant and washed it in the river's water. As she observed it with only the moonlight, she found what seemed to be etching on its face. She angled it in the light and her eyes went wide.

 _Reyda_ was the single, solitary word etched upon it in a stylized form. Yang looked back at the skeleton and realized that she'd discovered Narfi's sister's fate.

"Oh god," she muttered as she looked back to the pendant. Tears began to fall freely from her eyes, and then she looked back to the village upriver from her position. Her thoughts spun wildly for a moment, and then, a moment of clarity seemed to flow over her as a stray breeze brought a scent of honey though the air.

"… _a terrible beast with no mind but to kill,"_ she recalled.

' _He was so scared. He knew what was going to happen. He knew, and he was afraid he'd hurt me.'_ She looked to her right hand and slowly clenched it, feeling the leather of her glove crease and hearing it squeeze.

' _But if I hadn't run into him, he would've been so close to Ivarstead. So close to so many people that couldn't hope to fight him. So many could've died.'_ She looked back at the skeleton again. _'It's so easy to die here. It's so easy to die…at all. Reyda… I don't even know what happened to her. She could have drowned. She could have been murdered. She could have been killed by a bear, a werebear, or just a large skeever._

' _He couldn't…stop himself. I stopped him.'_ She looked at the pendant once again and clutched it tightly. She pushed the displaced bones into the holed and kicked the soil back over them before heading back towards Ivarstead. She first stopped at Narfi's broken down home and knocked on the wall before walking inside.

"Left. Gone. When will… Oh, hello friend. Did you find her? Is Reyda coming home?"

Yang felt her heart crumble, but put on a smile anyways for the beggar.

"Hey," she started, feeling herself croak up. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I did. I found her." She squatted down and placed the pendant into his hands. The man looked over it with misting eyes and ran a finger over its surface.

"Reyda…"

"You…" she felt her voice nearly crack again. "You need to be strong, for when she comes home." At that, his face lit up. "She said it was going to be a while, probably a long time. But you'll see her again. Until then…you need to take care of yourself. She- Reyda would want to see you doing well, right?"

"She would. She would! Thank you! Thank you friend! You made Narfi very happy! Thank you for finding Reyda! Tell her I'll do it! Narfi will take good care!"

Tears spilled from Yang's eyes for a moment, but the crazed beggar didn't seem to notice. "I will, okay. I'll see you later."

"Thank you friend. Good bye!"

Yang stepped out of the broken down house and sniffled. She looked up at the stars and took in a deep breath before going forward to the inn. When she entered the building, she could smell something bitter coming from a pot boiling over the fire.

"It'll be ready soon," Wilhelm assured her. "Are…you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine, yeah," she sniffed with a smile. "I'll…just have some water right now."

* * *

Yang awoke the next morning quietly before leaving the inn. Temba was up early to work as usual. Just as Wilhelm had warned, the cure or preventative or whatever didn't sit well with Yang's stomach, but she drank it down all the same. Her muscles ached and her head rang, but it was a small price to pay to not turn into a werebear. She could only imagine the horror of being trapped in one's own body and forced into a savage state against their will. As Yang prepared to leave the small village, the mill owner saw her and gave a light smile.

"Glad to see you up and about. Listen, I think that werebear should count for the request, so I'm going to say you've done your part. Really, you've done far more. Who knows what a werebear could've done to us. Anyways, the Companions have the bulk of your pay, but I've tacked a little something else on." She went over to a table and picked up a war axe. It seemed to be made of a kind of bronze and had a more angular shape to it than most axes she'd seen.

"Is that Dwemer metal?" she asked.

"And Dwemer made. Had a cousin who found it in an old ruin. Apparently he thought I could use it to chop wood. There were several problems with that idea, not the least amongst them is that it's enchanted to set whatever it cuts on fire. And given how fire enchantments seem to work better on Dwemer metal... Anyway, seeing as you're the kind to set things you kill on fire, though, I think it's better in your hands." She handed the axe over to Yang, who held it in her right hand before tossing it between each hand to get a feel for the weight.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Oh, and one of your friends came back from High Hrothgar. She's speaking with the guards at the Foot Bridge."

"One?" Yang immediately headed to the north end of the village. Like Temba said, one of her friends was there. Specifically, Lydia, who was talking to two Rift Guards, their distinctive purple cloth and chainmail standing out. If nothing else, the helmets gave them away as guards. She paused for a moment when she saw a dead body near them, but continued on soon after.

"Hey Lydia."

"Ah, hello Thane Yang. I was about to come and see if you were still here."

"What's…this about?" Yang questioned as she got a good look at the body, a Redguard woman if she had to guess.

"I got word that the Dark Brotherhood have sent assassins. And then I found one. The guards are here to clean up and see if they can't sniff out any more of the murderers."

"Wait, assassins? After who?"

"After you, apparently," one guard said. "Found a note on the corpse. They're after you and a Ruby Rose."

"What?!" Yang shrieked.

"It will be fine," Lydia calmed her. "Trust me. This is one of the main things I've trained for. Are we good here?"

"As good as we can be until Tarl gets that cart."

"Then have a good day, brothers. Talos smile on you." With that, Lydia walked away, Yang right behind her.

"Just what is going on?" the blonde demanded.

"We got a note last night, pinned under a bottle of Argonian Bloodwine. It was from Sanguine. Normally, I'd be wary of notes from Daedric Princes, but it said that he was passing on a message from Weiss and Blake. Why he decided to do so is beyond me, but I am glad he did. Apparently, they were attacked by an assassin yesterday, but managed to fend him off, and they feared you two may be in the same danger. They were right."

"Oh god, this is bad!" Yang muttered as she rubbed her eyes. "Oh, we shouldn't have split up. This is all-"

"Calm down and listen," Lydia said as she grabbed the younger girl's shoulder. "Ruby is in one of the safest places in Skyrim. If Ulfric Stormcloak can Shout an army off walls, then the Greybeards can Shout them into ash and scatter it to the winds with the same breath. I'll also be there, and like I said, I'm trained to handle these things. I'm not one to brag, but Irileth often said I was the second-best housecarl after her. I'm certain she meant it as a compliment."

Yang cracked a laugh at that and sighed. "Okay. So, what do I do?"

"I suggest sticking to the roads and trying to travel in sight of other people. You'll be safe once you reach Whiterun, and either way it may take some time before the Dark Brotherhood realize their assassins have failed. A week at least, a month at the most. After that, try to always have someone by your side outside of the walls."

"I guess I can do that." Yang took in a breath and let it out with a puff. "By the way, how's Ruby doing? She taking to the training well?"

"Well…"

* * *

" _Fus!" Suddenly dozens of pots were flung all around the monastery main hall. "Wah, I'm sorry!"_

* * *

" _Fus! Ro!" The wave of force knocked Master Borri onto his backside. "Oh cheese and crackers! I'm sorry!"_

* * *

" _Wuld! Wah!"_

 _Ruby bounced off of the grate and the Greybeards looked over her in concern before she sprung back up._

" _Okay, that works way different from my Semblance! Still, what a rush!" She noticed a small dent where she'd collided. "I'm so sorry!"_

* * *

"Well, it could be worse."

"She's actually taken to the meditation aspect much better than expected."

* * *

" _Let the breath of the world flow through you. Treat each breath as a motion of power. Think of each exhale like you would a swing of your blade. Picture a-"_

 _Einarth tapped Argneir's shoulder and pointed his thumb at Ruby, whose eyes had fallen completely shut and posture had slackened. Her breaths had a slight noise to them, like a soft snore. Argneir made to sigh, but ended up laughing._

* * *

"I guess it's…progress?"

"She's only just begun. Still, they made it clear that it's to be a short lesson. Only a few days more and then she'll start setting out. Part of the training is the search for Word Walls, which can help her to better understand the dragon language, and make it easier to learn Shouts."

"Ah, I'll have to keep my eye open for those then." Yang nodded. "Well, it's good to hear from you guys. I hope Blake and Weiss are doing okay too. God knows they're probably scared out of their minds after that attack."

* * *

"Thank the gods!" Weiss sighed as they came upon Windhelm around dawn. Blake looked over at a clifftop to see a shrine to Talos overlooking the city. It certainly wasn't a recent construction, but she couldn't help but feel it symbolized defiance against the White-Gold Concordat's ruling to the people of this part of Skyrim. Weiss quickly noticed the shrine as well, and turned towards it.

"Kind of surprised that they would have that shrine that out in the open like that. Even Whiterun had theirs behind their walls," Weiss mused, curious towards the implications.

"Well, we're in rebel territory now," she said to her teammate.

"Yes, but despite that, it doesn't feel like there's a war going on. Though, I suppose dragons suddenly popping up would grind things to a halt. If Windhelm got attacked, they'd probably be reeling from it for a while. And that's if Ulric made it back in one piece. If he'd gotten caught out on the road by something, it could leave a power vacuum in the Stormcloaks and cause in-fighting. That would spell the end of their rebellion right there. Seeing as the city isn't up in flames or smoldering, however, I think it's safe to assume he made it back and there hasn't been a major dragon attack."

They passed by the horse stables and crossed over the bridge leading to the gate. A few guards were patrolling about, but didn't pay them much mind except to look at Blake's ears on occasion. The faunus nearly froze when she realized she hadn't put her bow back on, but when the guards didn't say anything about it, she felt a little calmer. The two stepped through the opening and looked around, glad to see another city that was more stone than wood.

"Has a real rustic feeling to it," Weiss commented. "Almost like the older parts of Mantle."

"Speaking of nostalgia, that guard's glaring at me like the police back home would." Weiss looked over to the guard in question, who was glowering at Blake with a grimace and whispering to another guard, who quickly ran off to the palace.

"Well, if anyone tries to say anything, I have over a dozen lines to put them in their place. Just play along with whatever I say and we'll be fine."

They started heading over to some signs that seemed to be indicating an inn, when they caught sight of two Nords on either side of a Dunmer woman near a stairway. Both girls immediately noticed the uncomfortable expression on the woman's face and stopped as their attention swapped over to them.

"We haven't taken a side because it's not our fight." The Dunmer seemed defensive, her posture tense, and hand near a concealed iron dagger, details the two Huntresses caught onto as they walked over.

"Hey, maybe the reason these gray-skins don't help in the war is because they're Imperial spies," one Nord accused.

"Imperial spies? You can't be serious!"

"Maybe we'll pay you a visit tonight, little spy," the other Nord proposed. Blake felt her teeth clench at that, and Weiss had to resist reaching for her rapier's hilt. "We got ways of-"

"Back off," Blake growled as she shoved the man back. Her eyes focused on his face as her pupils shifted. The man snarled and clenched a fist, but saw Weiss's hand on her sword hilt.

"There are certain ways men should _never_ treat ladies. It could be hazardous to their health."

The man spit and started stumbling away. "Whatever. Filthy foreigners."

"Th- thank you," the woman expressed once the two Nords were out of earshot. "But please, don't get yourselves in trouble on my account. You'll find that the guards aren't up to taking the side of a dark elf against a human."

"We couldn't just stand by and let that man harass you like that," Blake replied. "What was that all about anyways? About being an Imperial spy?"

"Some Nords, in their ignorance, don't know how to differentiate a dark elf from a high elf. They tend to forget that our kind have hated each other since before the first men set foot on Tamriel. So there's no love lost between Dunmer and Thalmor, just most of a continent." She smiled a little and held out her hand in greeting. "I'm Suvaris Atheron. Pleasure to meet you both."

"Weiss Schnee," Weiss greeted as she took her hand.

"Blake Belladonna," her friend met while repeating the handshake.

"Good to meet you both. I should say though that you might not want to stay here too long. Windhelm's a dreary place to be, especially if you're not a Nord."

"We won't be too long. We plan to head up to Winterhold, actually."

"Headed to the college? Must be. It's the only thing of worth up there."

"Yes actually." Weiss beamed a little. "I'm hoping to study planar travel in-depth."

"That…is a rather deep subject to get into. I wish you the best though. May you find what you're looking for."

The Dunmer began heading down the stairway and Blake let go a sigh.

"Everywhere we go," she muttered.

"It could have been worse. Besides, I'm almost certain those were quiet threats. From what I've read, Dunmer aren't exactly the forgiving sort, and if she has even one family…" Weiss trailed off trailed off as she noticed a guard marching over to them, his eyes never leaving the two huntresses. In any other situation, Blake and Weiss would have already had their weapons drawn, but wisely decided against it. Soon enough, the guard had marched up them and stood face to face.

"You have been summoned to the Palace of the Kings by Jarl Ulfric himself. I am to escort you both. Come with me." The man left no room for argument.

"Why? We haven't done anything," Blake argued before receiving a sharp elbow to the rib by Weiss.

"We would be honored to speak to the Jarl," Weiss diplomatically replied, receiving a light glare from Blake.

"Hmph, at least one of you is smart. Not surprised it isn't the Khajiit," the guard huffed before motioning for the girls to follow him, Blake's stare of righteous anger not fazing him in the least. Soon enough, the three walked up to a large set of doors, with a plaque in between them, showing that this was indeed the aforementioned palace.

"Hurry along, then. The Jarl's inside," The guard ordered before setting off again into the city, continuing his previous patrol.

"I swear to the gods...!" Blake was fuming at this point.

"Blake, now is not the time," Weiss cautioned, attempting to calm the angry faunus down.

"When is the right time?!"

"Unfortunately, not right now. I'm angry too, but lashing out is not going to help us," Weiss reasoned to Blake, who began breathing deeply before calming herself.

"Fine. But if that happens again, I'm punching whoever does it, status be damned."

"And I'll join in. Come on, the guards are staring." Indeed they were, some of them with curiosity, others with suspicion, yet none made a move. Deciding to move inside and out of the cold, the two opened the doors to see a group of men and women in Stormcloak garb, but most of them wearing symbols of office like bearskin caps or insignias on their shoulders. Many of them turned their heads when the girls entered, and at the head of the group was a man wearing a long, fur coat over a set of armor.

"Oh, uh, we're sorry," Weiss apologized as she curtsied. "We didn't realize-"

"Come in and shut the door," the man's voice boomed. "The meeting just ended. Everyone, you have your orders. Talos watch you."

The soldiers saluted. "Talos watch you, Jarl Ulfric!" As the crowd began to disperse, either heading into different sections of the building or outside, the girls began to notice that not all of the apparent commanders were Nords. A handful were Bretons, or perhaps Nords with a lot of Breton heritage. Three were, surprisingly, Dunmer, though they stuck close to each other and didn't seem to mingle much with their Nord fellows. The sore thumb in the whole group was a single Argonian with dark blue scales and a white neck. He had no horns, but most of his head was covered in black feathers. His red eyes looked at them for a moment before he went back on his way to the west wing of the building. Seeing as the way was cleared, Weiss and Blake approached. Before they could speak, the Jarl, Ulfric Stormcloak, spoke up.

"So, two of the newest Thanes of Whiterun have come to Windhelm?" Ulfric stated as he sat down, surprising the girls. "Two of the four who gained the title after the slaying of a dragon, an event that likely triggered the Greybeards calling upon the new Dragonborn. It stands to reason then, that the Dragonborn would be amongst those four. Seeing as you two have traveled all the way here, however, it's neither of you. On the other hand, another Thane, the only one given a housecarl, was seen climbing the Seven Thousand Steps. Am I correct in assuming that she is the Dragonborn?"

"You… You know about all of this?" Weiss questioned, alarmed and slightly impressed. "How?"

"I'm a man at war. I don't like cloaks and daggers, but I'd be a fool to refuse their use in this time of strife. I have eyes in every hold, and some spotted a new Thane, reportedly one of the Dragonslayer Four, heading up to High Hrothgar. After that, it's simple deduction.

"I have no quarrel with any of you, of course. I just want you to know that I know who you are. What I don't know is why you're here."

Weiss and Blake looked between each other, trying to gauge whether or not they could trust the man. In the end, Weiss swallowed her suspicions and moved forward. "We only meant to stop for the night on the way to Winterhold, nothing more." Ulfric pondered their words for a moment, thinking them over while staring them down, before nodding.

"I see," Ulfric simply replied, a heavy silence descending upon the group, broken only by the sound of him rising to his feet. "Well, I suppose that makes us your hosts for the evening. I recommend Candlehearth Hall. You'll find the food and mead to be more than satisfactory."

"I... Thank you for the recommendation, Jarl Ulfric," Weiss curtsied, motioning Blake to follow, who slowly complied. Rising, the two made their way out of the palace, feeling the stare of Ulfric Stormcloak at the back of their heads the whole way.

As they left the palace, the Argonian commander came out from a corner.

"Excuse me," he began, his voice deeper than the last Argonian that they met. Both girl's felt a moment of hesitation, but Weiss ended up stepping forward.

"Can I help you?"

"Simply welcoming you both to Windhelm. I am Commander Runs-Through-Storms. You're newcomers here, but more than that, you're growing in fame. Tales of four dragonslaying women are spreading throughout Skyrim. You aren't famous, exactly, but you're getting there. And I'm beginning to see why. I heard about how you pulled Ralof away from Helgen, and how you cut short Rolff's bullying of some dark elf. You're brave, kind, and strong. Those three traits are difficult to find in a single being, let alone four who work together."

"We just try to do what's right," Weiss explained. "Nothing more."

"Funny. I think it's written down that the Divines-Blessed Hero said the same thing many a times." His face didn't change much, but they could see a smile in his eyes. "I hope your experiences in Windhelm haven't turned you off, like some of my people."

"Your people?" Blake asked.

"Argonians," he clarified. "We've never gotten the best when it comes to Skyrim, and many still are bitter over the Dunmer's slaving of our race for centuries." That statement shocked Blake so that her ears went stiff upwards as her eyes widened. Weiss only covered her mouth in concern. "Still, when we work hard, we can accomplish great things, even in a place that prefers its own kind above all others. Don't be too harsh in your judgement of the Jarl over the disparity. He's not anti-Argonian so much as he is pro-Nord. I'm living proof of this. Still, there are things that can tie us down, keeping us from reaching our full potential. Most Dunmer hate us, more than Nords hate either of us. And the rage my people feel against the Dunmer is untellable at times. Still, we get along enough, even if we can't live within the walls with them."

"Wait, your people are segregated from the rest of the city?!" Blake was shocked, even more so when the Argonian nodded not in sadness but something that she couldn't quite pin down.

"We tried. It didn't last the month. Frankly, I'm surprised Ulfric didn't just kick both races out, he had every right to. But he didn't."

"Still! Why do you put up with this injustice?" Blake demanded.

"Because only Ulfric will actually _do_ something against the Thalmor!" the Argonian Commander resolutely declared. "When the Oblivion Crisis hit, Black Marsh, my homeland, was left to fend for ourselves by the Empire. Our armies died by the thousands, but we ultimately prevailed, even leading charges straight into Oblivion itself! But now, we are ruled by the An-Xileel, who are so isolationist that they ignore the threat the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion pose to us all. The Empire is crumbling, unable to defend itself, and now the Thalmor have free reign over the entirety of the Imperial Provinces, abducting people as they please, whether they be men, mer, or beast-folk. I love Skyrim, it is my home, and Ulfric recognizes that and when he becomes High King, he and a strong, independent Skyrim will make the Thalmor pay for what they have done." Runs-Through-Storms' declaration was surprising to both girls, who were unable to form a reply. Seeing this, the Argonian shook his head and laughed.

"Don't mind me, just venting a little. Well, I shall take my leave. Enjoy your stay in Windhelm," With that, the Runs-Through-Stroms turned to leave and walked away, leaving the two girls behind, who silently looked to themselves before moving towards Candlehearth Hall.

* * *

"He's trying to recruit us," Weiss suddenly declared, inside the privacy of their room, which to their surprise was already paid for by the Jarl himself., along with their food and drinks.

"What makes you say that? Not to say I don't agree," Blake asked, agreeing with the sentiment but wanting to know her teammate's reasoning.

"It all adds up. Us meeting the Jarl not ten minutes upon entering the city. Runs-Through-Storms telling us his reason for joining his army, which while I believe him to be telling us his actual reasons, he was clearly ordered by Ulfric to make his case. And now, our room, board, and food have been paid for. It all adds up."

"Why would he go to such lengths to recruit us?"

"Think about it. We killed a dragon. Two in fact, and there is no doubt in my mind that he knows about the second. Not to mention Ruby. Us joining his cause would give him incalculable legitimacy to the eyes of Skyrim, not to mention a massive military advantage. And with us just waltzing in, it's too great an opportunity to miss. I caught on to what he was doing as soon as he revealed he knew who we were."

"Speaking from experience?"

"My father did it all the time," Weiss coldly replied, her father, even worlds away, still being quite the sore spot. Blake nodded at this, before standing up from her bed.

"Well, he's going to be disappointed. I have no plans on joining this civil war."

"Agreed," Weiss stood up as well. "Well, we might as well explore the city. We aren't going anywhere for a while, and I heard about some interesting shops in the city from Susanna the Wicked."

"Why is she called 'the Wicked'?" Blake asked, following Weiss out the door.

"Because she flirts with the patrons to earn extra tips," Weiss giggled, nodding her head to Susanna, who was doing just so to a Nord patron. "See?" Blake merely smirked before the two turned and exited the door, leaving the warm hearthfired inn for the cold tundra air.

* * *

"God, I'm freezing. How do you stand this?" Blake complained as the girls walked near the Grey Quarter. To no surprise, the guards didn't harass them at all, despite Blake's heritage. Some even seemed to give the two respectful nods. It seemed Ulfric was going all out in his recruiting.

"Quit your whining. It'll be fine. We've taken on dragons, and you're complaining about a little cold? Honestly, nothing could be worse than those things at this point." The two then rounded a corner, seeing a young boy talking to a Dunmer woman. They paid the two no heed, only to slow down as the two's conversation reached their ears.

"Then it's true," they heard a boy say as they started to walk nearby, "what everyone is saying. That Aventus Aretino is doing the Black Sacrament?" They both paused at that. "Trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood?"

Blake felt bile reach up for her throat as her memories played back to the other day. That assassin had almost killed her, by virtue of simply having gotten the drop on her. And they still weren't sure if Ruby and Yang were safe.

The Dunmer woman he was talking to shook her head. "Oh Grimvar…always with the nonsense. No, no, of course not. Those are just tales."

"Fine, then I'll invite him out to play." He started heading towards a doorway. "He lives right here. I'll just knock on his door…"

"No, child! Wait!" The Dunmer shot over between the boy and the building. "That boy, that house- They're cursed!"

"I knew it! Ha! He's trying to have someone killed!"

"All right, I won't deny it. What you heard is true. But Aventus walks down a dark path, and it's one that can only lead to ruin. You needn't concern yourself with him. Now come on, I'm the only friend you need," the Dunmer woman gently told the young boy, who smiled and took her hand, both walking away.

With no one in earshot, the two huntresses, both pale -paler in Weiss's case- went over to the house, feeling fear twist knots in them both.

"Blake," Weiss whimpered.

"Yeah, I know." Blake eyed the house, looking at the door and the windows. Listening closely, she could hear a steady tapping coming from inside. "Watch out for me. I'm going in."

"Going in?"

"If this is how someone summons them, then maybe I can get to the bottom of this." A lockpick was pulled from her pants and she set to work on unlocking the door. Weiss watched for any incoming guards both ways down the path. The moment the door came unlocked, Blake put her effects away and stepped inside. The sound of tapping was much clearer within the building. Pausing for a moment, Blake took a bandana and tied it around her mouth and nose, and then placed another on top of her head.

She followed the noise to a room lit by candles, and heard a voice murmuring an incantation, over and over.

"Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child onto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear. Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child onto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear." The boy sounded tired, like he had been doing this nonstop for days. Judging by the smell and the large amounts of discarded leftovers, that might have been the case. "Please...how long must I keep doing this, Night Mother?"

Walking up the stairs, she looked in and saw a boy kneeling down, tapping the yellow bones of a rotted corpse with a knife. The body was nearly a skeleton, with almost all of the flesh gone and most of its yellow bones exposed to the air. A book lay next to the boy with a purple flower lying upon it. He repeated the incantation once more, and slowly stopped, having noticed Blake's presence.

"You've come at last!" he cheered as he turned around to face her. "I knew you would!"

"Are you all right?" she asked in concern when she saw the bags under his eyes.

He didn't seem to hear her, however. "I knew it'd work! I just knew it! I did the Black Sacrament over and over with the body and the… the things. And then you came! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood!"

Blake had no idea what to say, or what to tell him. She remained silent for a moment, and the boy seemed to be willing to carry on without a word more from her.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want. You're here, so I know you'll accept my contract!"

"Contract?" If he meant that, then there was someone he'd want dead, and, looking at the ritual, Blake knew that there might actually be a sort of magic, perhaps even a daedra, behind this sort of thing. The Dark Brotherhood probably didn't even _need_ to show up. They might just know who needed to be killed whenever the Black Sacrament was performed. And for payment, it could have been anything from money left at the spot, killing the contractor when all was said and done, or taking their souls upon death. Apparently, some of the Daedric Princes loved to do that last one.

"My mother she… She died. I was all alone, and then they sent me to that awful orphanage in Riften. Honorhall," he spat. "The headmistress there is an evil, cruel woman they call 'Grelod the Kind', but she's not kind. She's terrible. To all of us. So I ran away, and came home. And performed the Black Sacrament! And now you're here! And you can kill Grelod the Kind!"

Blake said nothing as she started to back away, but then her eyes fell to the book with the nightshade laid across it. She pointed it out, and the boy looked over to it and quickly grabbed it once he realized her intention.

"Okay, here you go. I guess this is part of it?" He handed the book to her and nodded. "And please hurry. I'm kinda lonely here, and to be honest, as much as I hated getting sent to Honorhall, I miss all of my friends from there."

Blake just nodded and used her Semblance to disappear, mostly just to throw off the boy, but also because it got her to the door that much quicker. She closed the door quietly and took off the bandanas before taking a deep breath.

"What happened?" Weiss asked as Blake stowed the cloths away.

"He thought I was the assassin he summoned," she explained. "Weiss, I'm pretty sure this Black Sacrament thing is a magic ritual. I don't know how it works, but I'd bet that there's already someone after Grelod."

"Who?"

"The headmistress of the Riften orphanage. Either she got an ironic nickname, which would be stupid, or the boy is simply overreacting to such a degree that he'd send trained killers after her."

"Wait, so, what are we supposed to do? Riften's not exactly a stone's throw away, and we need to set out for Winterhold tomorrow morning."

Blake thought their options over, but concluded that there was no way for both of them to go stop the assassin _and_ get to Winterhold in a timely manner.

"Weiss, I hate to suggest this, but...we're going to have to split up again."

"Wait, split up? I… I'm not being needy here, but I don't think I can be on my own!"

"Not for long, no, but I swear I will get back as quickly as I can. Look, if nothing else, I might be able to figure out how to stop the Dark Brotherhood from coming after us ever again. If I go right now, and rush, I can get there in two days, and be back in four. I'll let you get as much blood as you need, and we can… You have some bottles right?"

"Blake…"

' _She doesn't trust you._ ' The Ebony Blade made its presence known once again to the faunus, who quietly ignored it.

"You have to trust me on this Weiss. Someone's life is in our hands right now, and we're the only ones who could possibly save her. Can you do that?"

Weiss scowled. "What kind of question is that? Of course I trust you. It's just…I'm worried for you. For both of us."

"We'll be fine. Fought dragons, remember?"

"Don't go using my words against me," Weiss protested good-naturedly. "That's just unfair."

* * *

Blake hadn't expected to feel as woozy as she did after filling up a couple of pint-sized bottles and letting Weiss take a deep draught of blood. The heiress actually objected to taking any more of the precious liquid from her after a point, even though she was willing to give more. Probably for the best, as Blake couldn't even walk to the stables under her own power.

Luckily, a carriage was resting there, the driver having just swapped out his horse. Weiss negotiated a price with the man, and then pulled her teammate onto the back before taking a thick blanket and fur pelt from Blake's back to throw on top of her.

"Don't expect a smooth ride now. And I expect you to stay on this thing until this evening at least."

"Yes _mom_."

"Don't sass. She's ready to go when you are sir."

"All right t'en. Must be a tired lass." The driver checked over the horse's harness before hopping onto his seat. "All right, let's go. On to Riften."

As the carriage began moving forward, and unable to do much of anything, Blake took out a book from her sack. _Journey of the Heroes_. She knew the basic story from people talking about history, and a children's picture book she'd come across, but she never got to read a full novel about them before. Weiss gave her a final wave and Blake waved back before cracking open the book. The first page was a simple little introduction, describing the heroes themselves before actually going on with the story proper.

 _In the time of our greatest need, when the Third Empire was threatened by the very denizens of Mehrunes Dagon's Deadlands, when death hid around every corner, and any moment doom could be spelled for an entire city by way of a single Gate, there were five heroes who answered the call to bravery, and faced Oblivion without batting an eye._

 _Their leader, the Hero of Kvatch, the White Knight of the Empire, The Great Crusader of the Divines, The Golden Paladin, The Great Healing Archmage. He was a man of valor, the first to look into the Gates of Oblivion and step into them, knowing he may never return, all with the intent to stem the tide._

 _His second, and by some accounts his lover or admirer, The Champion of the Arena, Martial Champion of Cyrodiil, The Unerring Spear, Goddess of Victory. Always by his side, she gave her all to defeating the daedra not just for herself and the people, but for him as well._

 _Their comrade and joy of their party, Hammer-Maiden, The Guardian of Thunder, Savior of Minotaurs, The Last Laugh, The Lightning Hammer. If the daedra gave pause from the Hero and Champion, then they fled at the sight of the Guardian, for she was blessed by Wargod and Madgod alike, and even conquered the once wild minotaurs themselves to lead them against the forces of Dagon._

 _Every group must have the quick of foot, and theirs was no different. He was the Monk of Bladed Fists, the Silent Watcher, The Painless Death, Everywhere and Nowhere. The calm to the Guardian's wildness, the two were considered as inseparable as the Hero and Champion. He kept watch over all the others as his solemn duty to be the guide of their spirits, and anchor to the world._

 _And the last of their great party, the one most tragic, for he is Unknown. All records of him near vanished, all memories of him fogged. All anyone can recall is his odd turn of phrase, his skill in finding things in unlikely places, and the indications of madness about him. With the Five Heroes last venture into the Oblivion Gate of The Shivering Isles, and evidence that Jyggalag is free of Sheogorath, many philosophers have assumed the worst, and that the Fifth Hero sacrificed his very being to Mantle the Madgod, and free the Prince of Logic and Order._

Blake sighed. _'Okay, never read Tamriel introductions again, because apparently they're_ spoilers _!'_


	12. Pieces of Apocrypha: Four through Six

**Not a chapter, but some more Apocrypha!**

* * *

 **The Daedric Princes: The Lords of Oblivion**

 **Date: 4E196**

Within the realms of Oblivion lies a wide array of creatures. Some call them monsters, demons. Others call them gods. Regardless, there is one name that is universal: Daedra.

The origins of the Daedra stretch back to the creation of Mundus itself. When Lorkhan, Hero God of Man and Villainous Trickster God of Mer, asked for the assistance of the et'ada to create Mundus, not all offered their aid. Many refused to lend their power to such an endeavor, meaning that when Mundus was complete, and become populated with the races of men, mer, and beast-folk, these et'ada were completely unrelated. This lack of relationship is reflected in their name, Daedra, which means "Not Our Ancestors" in Aldmeri.

Regardless, like the races of Tamriel, the Daedra have a wide variety of forms. Most, the Lesser Daedra, inhabit Oblivion almost like a mortal inhabits Nirn. However, there are a group of Daedra, seventeen in total, that are the most powerful. In fact, they are so powerful, that they can reliably call themselves gods. These are the Daedric Princes. Each Prince resides in a different realm, made of their own being. Most Lesser Daedra pledge themselves to them as servants, soldiers, or denizens of their respective realms.

Despite the naming, like all Daedra, the Daedric Princes are gender-neutral. They are beyond such mortal concepts, and merely choose whichever form they so desire. Each Daedric Prince is the embodiment of what they represent. Most mortals regard the Daedric Princes as being evil entities, with their worship outlawed in many places following the Oblivion Crisis. And yet, even that is an incorrect assumption. They have existed since the creation of the Aurbis itself, and are beyond mortal concepts of good and evil. They are simply _are._

The Daedric Princes are as follows:

 **Azura:**  
The Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn, Azura commonly depicts themself as being female. Her sphere represents transition and change. Her realm of Oblivion, Moonshadow, is reportedly a beautiful land of twilight and blurred colors. Azura is commonly viewed as being one of the so-called "Good Daedra", as she makes the appearance of caring for her followers. Indeed, she is included in both the Dunmeri and Khajiiti pantheons as a goddess.

 **Boethiah:**  
The Daedric Prince of Deceit, Secrecy, Conspiracy, Treason, and Unlawful Overthrow of Authority, Boethiah is commonly depicted as a armored warrior, however the gender changes. Sometimes a man, sometimes a woman. Boethiah's realm is Attribution's Share, otherwise known as Snake Mount, a realm that is filled with maze gardens, spiraling towers, and constant treasonous upheaval. Boethiah is worshipped, in both a positive and negative way, by the Dunmer.

 **Clavicus Vile:**  
The Daedric Prince of Deals, Pacts, Power, Bargains, and Serenity through Wish Fulfillment, Clavicus Vile often takes the form of a mischievous imp-like child with horns. He is also known for breaking pieces of himself off and imbuing his essence into his artifacts. As such, the artifacts associated with Clavicus Vile have more independence than other Daedric Artifacts. He is commonly found with Barbas, a shapeshifting Daedra, usually depicted as a dog, who houses a significant degree of Clavicus Vile's power. Although known for making deals, Clavicus will also re-interpret the mortal's intentions to create suffering for the mortal and amusement for himself.

 **Hermaeus Mora:**  
The Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Memory, Hermaeus Mora, also known as Herma-Mora in the Nordic Pantheon, still practiced by the Skaal in Solstheim, does not even make the pretense of taking a humanoid form. Instead, Mora appears as a floating mass of tentacles and eyes. Mora rules over the realm of Apocrypha, an endless library of all the knowledge ever gained. If there is something Hermaeus Mora does not know, there is no limit to what Mora will do to gain that knowledge.

 **Hircine:**  
The Daedric Prince of the Hunt, Sport, _The Great Game_ , and _The Chase_ , Hircine is first and foremost a hunter. Appearing as a man or mer, sometimes with antlers, Hircine is the creator of all Lycanthropes, and as such lays claim to all who suffer from the affliction. Once every era, he descends upon Tamriel, but not to destroy. Rather, he participates in the Bloodmoon Prophecy, a great hunt where he selects the greatest of fighters and pits them against each other before facing the last survivor himself. The last Bloodmoon Prophecy occurred in 3E427, in which Hircine kidnapped many warriors on the island of Solstheim, including the Nerevarine, who was the only survivor. His realm is his Hunting Grounds.

 **Jyggalag:**  
The Daedric Prince of Logical Order and Deduction, Jyggalag is a mystery, even to the other Daedra. Unlike the other Daedra, who are Padomic in orientation, beings of chaos, Jyggalag is almost Anunic, a being of order. Appearing as man in armor, Jyggalag is among the most powerful of the Daedric Princes. Indeed, his expansion into the other realms of Oblivion, aiming to impose order on what he saw as chaos, caused the Daedric Princes to bind him to his antithesis, Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. At the twilight of every era, Jyggalag would become the dominant personality once again and undergo the Grey March, turning the Shivering Isles, Sheogorath's domain, into a realm of order, before Sheogorath would re-impose himself. Supposedly, the last Grey March occurred at the end of the Oblivion Crisis, which involved the Hero of Kvatch and his four companions, who disappeared shortly after arriving in the Shivering Isles. They have not been seen since, but it is apparent that they changed the Grey March, as sightings of a separate Jyggalag from Sheogorath have been recorded.

 **Malacath:**  
The Daedric Prince of the Spurned, Betrayed, and Ostracised, Malacath was not always a Daedra. Indeed, he used to be an Aedra named Trinimac, one of the most legendary Aldmeri heroes. However, when the exodus of the ancient Chimer, the ancestors to the present day Dunmer, was commencing, Trinimac tried to stop it. Boethiah and him fought, until eventually he was defeated and subsequently eaten. When he was expelled from Boethiah's bowels , he emerged as Malacath, with his followers transformed into the Orsimer, though some daedra have pointed at this tale as being too literal for what truly occurred. To this day, Malacath is viewed as an evil entity of the Dunmer, yet is the patron god of the Orsimer. He craves combat and despises the weak, yet seems to care for his followers, namely the Orsimmer. His realm of Oblivion was subsequently created, the Ashpit, an almost inhospitable landscape.

 **Mehrunes Dagon:**  
The Daedric Prince of Destruction, Violent Upheaval, Energy, Change, and Mortal Ambition, Mehrunes Dagon is among the most infamous of all Daedric Princes. Indeed, he was the architect of the Oblivion Crisis, where his followers, the Mythic Dawn, assassinated Uriel Septim VII and all his heirs in one night, causing the seal that prevented the realms of Oblivion from directly interacting with Nirn to collapse. Only through the actions of the Hero of Kvatch, his followers, and the sacrifice of Martin Septim, the last Dragonborn Emperor, was Nirn prevented from being absorbed into his realm of Oblivion, the Deadlands. He appears as a towering, four armed humanoid creature. He has attempted to invade Nirn many times in the past, and will likely do so again. Some texts, likely from the days of the Interrum or perhaps another time entirely, suggest that Mehrunes Dagon was once another daedric being, the name of whom is now lost to time, who had actually tried to preserve a part of the ending world against Alduin, the Nordic Dragon-God of Destruction, who then cursed and ate him in a fashion eerily similar to what happened with Boethiah and Malacath.

 **Mephala:**  
The Daedric Prince of Unknown Plots and Obfuscation, Mephala's sphere is lies, sex, secrets and plots. She loves nothing more than to manipulate mortals into betraying one another. She appears as a woman with six arms, and her realm is inaccessible to mortals.

 **Meridia:**  
The Daedric Prince of Life and Energy, Meridia is considered to be one of the more benevolent of the Daedric Princes, by mortal standards. Taking the form of an angelic woman, Meridia, like Malacath, was not originally a Daedra. In fact, Meridia used to be a Magne-Ge, one of the Aedra who fled with Magnus, the architect of Mundus, into Aetherius, their flight creating holes into Aetherius, which we perceive as the stars, with the Sun being the hole Magnus made in his retreat. Originally known as Merid-Nunda, Meridia eventually consorted with the Daedra. As such, she was cast down, and became the Daedric Prince known as Meridia. Above all else, Meridia is known for her complete hatred of all undead, and takes great joy in rewarding mortals who kill and destroy necromancers. Her realm of Oblivion is the Colored Rooms, a place filled with coral like growths and floating rocks, illuminated by stars.

 **Molag Bal:**  
The Daedric Prince of Domination and Spiritual Enslavement, appearing as an unholy hybrid of man, lizard, and bull. Molag Bal also has another name: the Rape King. Molag Bal is universally considered to be the most evil of all Daedric Princes. Even Mehrunes Dagon is more a force of nature who does what he does simply because of what he is. Molag Bal enjoys tormenting mortals. He created the first vampire by raping a virgin priestess of Arkay, a Nedic woman by the name of Lamae Beolfag, who survived and became known as Lamae Bal, the first vampire. All vampires are his to claim, and when they die, they arrive in his realm of Coldharbour, a dark reflection of Nirn. He once attempted to merge Coldharbour with Nirn in an event known as the Planemeld, an event stopped by the Vestige, with the assistance of Meridia.

 **Namira:**  
The Daedric Prince of Sundry, Dark, and Shadowy Spirits, Namira is the patron deity of cannibals. Her plane of Oblivion is the Scuttling Void, and she enjoys the act of mortals consuming other mortals. She actively encourages her followers to partake in the consumption of mortal flesh, who are happy to do so. Supposedly, beggars are her eyes and ears into the world.

 **Nocturnal:**  
The Daedric Prince of Darkness and the Night, Nocturnal is the patron of all thieves and all things secretive. Appearing as a robed woman, and said to be the sister of Azura, she is heavily associated with crows. Her realm of Oblivion is the Evergloam, a dark and foggy land. She is supposedly the source of a thief's luck, and as such is revered by all thieves. Her hold over luck may go both ways, as those who work against her or displease her may find themselves luckless or followed by bad luck. Despite having such a large following, Nocturnal does not seem to care about worship. There are rumors of a group of three that guard Nocturnal's treasure, known as the Nightingales, but their existence is unproven.

 **Peryite:**  
The Daedric Prince of Pestilence, Peryite takes the form of a mighty dragon, yet is considered to be one of the weaker Daedric Princes. He is also charged with ordering the lesser realms of Oblivion. His realm is the Pits, the lowest of all planes of Oblivion, and may encompass more than one plane, though it is unknown, as living mortals cannot enter The Pits. He is also known as the Taskmaster, and works to keep the 'natural order' amongst the lesser deadra.

 **Sanguine:**  
The Daedric Prince of Debauchery, Hedonism, and the Darker Natures of Man, Mer, and Beast-folk, Sanguine appears as a humanoid demon. He enjoys coming down to Tamriel to spread what he calls "merriment", a sentiment not all share. Sanguine is said to control tens of thousands of individual realms, each housing untold methods of decadence and pleasure.

 **Sheogorath:**  
The Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath is one of the most infamous of all Daedric Princes for simply how unpredictable he truly is. Often taking the form of an elder man with a cane, Sheogorath's domain is the Shivering Isles, otherwise known as the Madhouse. Like Sheogorath, the Shivering Isles is split in two. One half, Mania, is more cheery and lighthearted, but with a dark undercurrent, while the other, Dementia, is dark and dangerous, but holds a sliver of catharsis. The Shivering Isles is unique in that it houses permanent mortal residents, complete with cities, and self-sustaining environments. His creation is tied to the removal of Lorkhan's spark, and is one of the patron deities of artists.

 **Vaermina:**  
The Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares, Vaermina is known for sending out evil omens, spreading terror and fear into the hearts of mortals through terrible nightmares. Her realm is known as Quagmire, the source of all nightmares.

The Daedric Princes are not to be trifled with and one would be wise avoid all interactions with them, less they succumb to a terrible fate.

 _Trestus Whovinicci, Historian at the Imperial Academy_

* * *

 **My Experience with Cults**

Cults are usually a thing best left avoided. They can be enigmatic at the best of times, or just murderous at the worst. Then, there's always the chance they could sacrifice you and send your soul to an unspeakable torment within Oblivion, but that's actually harder to do than it sounds. Not that I'm experienced in such. I've just read about the process, in order to better defend myself.

The more acceptable cults are normally the Aedric Cults. The main religion of the Empire, the Divines, is often considered a cult from those outside of it. Dunmer of Morrowind, for example, think of it as the Imperial Cults. There are smaller sects, of course. Some focus on a single Divine, giving themselves fully into that particular form of worship. Arkayan Cults are filled with those who seek to keep the dead rested. Maran Cults have those who proclaim themselves for gentle love of all and seek to ensure that those with feelings for one another come together. Dibellan Cults are perhaps the least socially accepted Divine sect, but most communities do not mind them, so long as their 'worship' is kept private and restricted to those of age.

On the Deadric side of things, there are those considered somewhat acceptable, such as the Dunmer's cult, The Reclamations. After the fall of the Tribunal, Morrowind returned to their old ways of worshiping the three Daedra, Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala. They also believe in the House of Troubles, which exist as a sort of antithesis to their gods. The Four Corners of the House of Troubles include Malacath, Sheogorath, Mehrunes Dagon, and Molag Bal. Each one exists as a sort of test or temptation for the followers of the Reclamations. They also revere Lorkhan as the Missing God (odd for a religion made by Merkind) as well as the Godkiller Nerevar and his reincarnation Nerevarine.

Also for acceptable Deadra worship is the cults of Meridia, who isn't even considered a Daedra by some. As her sphere is that of Light and Life, she seems mostly positive in nature. Though, I have heard her voice as she spoke to some of her worshipers on her summoning day, and she honestly sounds more demanding than my mother, a Breton Noblewoman.

Back home in High Rock, it was not unusual for cults to spring up in odd secret ties made by different nobles. Most of them were little more than noblewomen getting together once or twice a month to either wish for their husbands to die or read books. I recall once when a Dibellan Cult was revealed and my mother immediately cut all ties with those who were a part of it. It was strange to me then when she learned I was in a very non-serious Hermaeus Mora cult (we never summoned him or any Daedra of Apocrypha, we just constantly talked about knowledge, shared books, and contemplated theories concerning planar travel and Dragon Breaks) and she only reacted with a little disappointment, despite thinking the worst of it.

During some of my travels I have come across some of what people would call 'the worst' sorts of cults. I happened upon a ceremony of Namira worshipers, who were feasting on fetid human flesh. Luckily, none of those that chased me were particularly fire-proof. At another time, I found myself in one of Sanguine's countless realms, this one dedicated to the finest of foods in the largest portions. I fear my will faltered there for some time, making my misnomer carry another meaning behind it. There was also the time when I stumbled upon a group of vampires. Luckily, they weren't too hot-blooded, and I was able to convince them to not kill and/or enthrall me. They actually turned out to be a rather pleasant group, having dedicated themselves to finding a cure for their affliction while only feeding upon bandits, highwaymen, or adventurers idiotic enough to take on an entire clan of vampires.

Though my worst encounter, and likely the worst sort of cult, is that of a particular sort of witch's coven. Now, some covens are little more than lady mages who practice their craft while worshiping a daedra of some sort. The deadra could be malevolent, or benign, but that is how witches are ultimately defined. However, some covens go to great lengths to obtain power, and there's few ways to gain more power very quickly than that of blood sacrifice. Yet the true price of such actions are very steep indeed, as few Divines are forgiving of such an act, and those that are demand a high penance.

Some of the worst of these sorts are the northern hagravens, usually found in Skyrim and High Rock. A horrifying fusion of an old crone and bird, hagravens can be formed in a number of ways, but likely all of these include mortal sacrifice or the death of a mortal at the least. One adventurer did tell me of a time where he fooled a witch who planned to 'ascend' herself using the body parts of a nearby family, who, while strange in their ways, were simple, innocent folk. He had given her 'substitutions', including a giant's toe, skeever hide, and the heart of a decidedly not innocent bandit, who had attempted to murder him earlier. It actually worked, proving that the process does not require any special sort of being, so long as they were Black Souls - though I would still say such a process is a wicked one. Despite this, it appears that most of these covens decide to go about it in the worst ways, normally through the sacrifice of children. So I lose no sleep at night from the destruction of these hagravens. I did nearly lose an arm though, as it turns out trying to cave in their skulls and avoid their explosive magics is not much less risky than hurling lightning bolts.

 _Jesse Kay, the Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **Lycanthropy: A Study**  
 ** _4E 190_**

One of the most dangerous diseases known to Tamriel, Lycanthropy is a supernatural disease where an individual's body is physically changed into that of a were-creature, an unholy mixture of man, mer, or rarely beast-folk with that of an animal into a monstrous form. Once transformed, the individual loses much of their higher brain functions and becomes more of an animal, driven primarily by instinct. Many lose control of themselves once in this state, and are consumed by bloodlust, forcing them to constantly seek out and kill other creatures and beings.

Similar to Vampirism, Lycanthropy was originally created by the Daedric Prince Hircine, who often bestows the "gift" on individuals he deems worthy. There are also multiple strains, all of which are highly contagious, and unless cured before the first transformation, it is nearly impossible to remove. The transformation, the most obvious of symptoms, can vary from strain to strain, and individual to individual. Some strains create involuntary transformations every night, whereas some occur once a month. There are rumors of a Lycanthrope pack located in Skyrim who are able to transform at will at any time in the day, although no one has been able to find just where this pack is.

The physical transformation itself is dramatic. The entire skeletal structure of the individual is changed. Bones become denser, larger, alongside muscles and body mass. Senses become more attuned, with an individual capable of smelling a single drop of blood from over a mile away. They become faster, stronger, less susceptible to damage, with the notable exception of silver, which harms them more. By many accounts, the transformation is quite painful, at least the first time. Overtime, the transformation becomes quicker and less painful. Outside of the transformation, there are a few other symptoms as well. Lycanthropes, in their "base form", for lack of a better term, have higher senses than normal, although not to the extent of their beast-forms. They are also hairier, with many having hair start to grow out of their ears even. They are also completely immune to disease, including all the strains of Vampirism (as a side note, this characteristic has caused a great deal of friction between many Vampire clans and Werewolf packs, leading to many wars between the two groups). Lycanthropes are also generally stronger than normal even when in their base form.

Lycanthropes are considered by most of Tamrielic society to be highly dangerous and untrustworthy. For the most part, they would be correct. However, as with many things, many misconceptions exist regarding Lycanthropes. For starters, not all Lycanthropes are inherently dangerous. Some are able to control themselves whilst in beast form, although it is noted to be extremely difficult. If a person's strength of will is not strong enough, they will lose control to the beast within. The transformation proper is also not dependent on the phases of the moon. The belief of full moons triggering the transformation stems simply from the light of the moons illuminating the landscape, thereby making it harder for Lycanthropes to conceal themselves. They are also not entirely carnivorous and are capable of surviving off of berries and plants. Another misconception actually stems from the name itself. The word _Lycanthropy_ technically only refers to one specific type of were-transformation, Werewolves, but as that particular transformation is the most prevalent, the word has become synonymous with the condition. The primary purpose of this study is to document the various types of Lycanthropes there are, in the hopes of informing others of the condition.

 **Werewolves**

The most common type of Lycanthropy, even lending the condition its name, Werewolves are those who turn into a wolf-like form. They were the first type of Lycanthropy to be recorded, and by far the most common, hence their specific condition, Lycanthropy, being used to describe the condition in the broad spectrum. They are found in every province of Tamriel, and are so varied that multiple strains of Werewolves exist unto itself. Ironically enough, they are not the strongest of the Lycanthropes, nor the fastest. Rather, they have a balance of both traits.

 **Werebears**

Prominent in the northern portions of Tamriel, Werebears are among the strongest of all Lycanthropes. They transform into a giant bear-like form. More built for strength than speed (yet still far faster than any man), Werebears can take greater punishment than most of their brethren and inflict even greater damage to any that comes into their path. They are found in the provinces of Skyrim, northern Cyrodiil, northern High Rock, northern Morrowind, and the Nordic island of Solstheim.

 **Wereboars**

Wereboars are found in the provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell, particularly in the Iliac Bay region. Wereboars transform into a large, humanoid boar. They have among the greatest senses of smell of all lycanthropes, but physically are among the weakest. That said, they are still leagues above most other mortal creatures. They commonly use their large tusks to gorge their opponents, then use their razor sharp claws to rip them to shreds. There is actually debate as to whether or not Wereboars are the creation of Hircine, and not an unintended mutation of the original Werewolf strain. Regardless, they are the most likely to completely lose control of themselves and become beasts in both body and mind, and are highly solitary. They may in fact be the creation of another Daedric Prince, similar to the Whet-fang Vampires, which was a creation of Peryite, not Molag Bal.

 **Werecrocodiles**

Werecrocodiles, found in isolated swamps in Black Marsh and Southern Morrowind, transform into a large humanoid crocodilian. They are among the strongest of all Lycanthropes, particularly in the water, with their reptilian skin providing a sort of armor. Their jaws are their greatest weapon, capable of shredding through the toughest of hides and armor like butter. The are also highly isolated, which means that should an adventurer come across one, that one is the only one in the area. Werecrocodiles are almost solely Argonians, and their tracks are indiscernible from normal crocodiles.

 **Weredaedroths**

Only created once by Hircine to battle Sheogorath, Weredaedroths can turn into Daedroths, large reptilian Daedra that were commonly found in the service of Mehrunes Dagon during the Oblivion Crisis. They are the strongest of all Lycanthropes, but as only one was ever created, nothing else is known about them.

 **Werelions**

Werelions are found in the provinces of Elsweyr, Cyrodiil, and Black Marsh. Werelions turn into a large, humanoid lion. They are mostly comparable to Werewolves, but far less prevalent, and likely are slightly slower, but slightly stronger. Like Werewolves, Werelions form prides among themselves to facilitate hunting and protect themselves from hunters.

 **Werevultures**

Werevultures, like the Wereboars, are actually a matter of debate. Due to their more beast like characteristics, it is unknown if they are a creation of Hircine or another Daedric Prince. They are commonly found in the province of Valenwood and are capable of limited flight. They are not related to Hagravens, whose transformation, although birdlike, are permanent.

 **Werebats**

Not related to vampires, but commonly associated with them, Werebats are those who transform into a large, bat-like creature. They are found in the swamps of Valenwood, and, like the Werevulture, also capable of limited flight.

 **Weresharks**  
The least common, perhaps non-existent, form of Lycanthropy, Weresharks, if they exist, are found in the seas of Tamriel. Due to there being no actual verified instances of Weresharks, nothing else is known.

Lycanthropy is a highly varied condition, with an equally wide array of forms and strains. Once a strain has taken hold, it is practically impossible to remove. No matter how Lycanthropy may affect an individual's life, one thing is constant. Upon death, the souls of all Lycanthropes depart for Hircine's Hunting Grounds to either become his hunting dogs, or to become his prey in his never ending hunt.

 _Trestus Whovinicci, Historian at the Imperial Academy_


	13. Blood on the Ice, Blood in the Water

**And here's chapter 11. (Wait, what?) Yes, the Pieces of Apocrypha aren't chapters. Thanks again to xTRESTWHOx for filling in the blanks and correcting most of my mistakes.**

* * *

Later that night, Weiss was sitting at one of Candlehearth's bars, throwing a smile towards Susanna as the woman pulled on her coat, getting ready to leave now that her shift was over.

"Take your time, but don't forget to rest, honey," she told Weiss with a wink before heading out the door. The girl just shook her head with a laugh. Despite the nickname she got for the flirting, she was actually a rather kind woman. For one thing, she actually saw Dunmer as people first, and couldn't understand her fellows' hatred of them.

"Hope she doesn't bother you too much," Elda said as she wiped up a clean mug. "She can be a little bit much for some, but she really can bring in the customers."

"I have a friend who'd have loved to hear you say that, simply so she could make uncouth jokes at everyone's expense."

The inn keeper laughed a little, but a nervousness began to show on her. "Say," she began. "You're…a fighter, right? Do you think you could do me a favor?"

' _Oh boy…'_

"If it's within my limits, certainly."

"Could you…watch over Susanna while she walks home? The streets have been…dangerous lately, and I fear for the girl. She's headstrong though, and won't ask for anyone to walk with her, even though… Will you, at least?"

"Ah, that's not too much to ask." Weiss stood up and stretched herself. "Just point me in the right direction."

"Thank you kindly. I'll have a free cup for you when you get back. She normally heads through the cemetery on her way home, towards the west. She usually stops there a minute, so you'll likely catch up with her there."

"I remember seeing it earlier. I'll find it. I'll be back shortly."

"Keep yourself safe as well," Elda warned as Weiss opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air. She took and deep breath and headed on her way, using clairvoyance for just a moment to get started. As she walked along and stuck her hands in her coat pockets, a breeze flowed across her, carrying the scents of chimney smoke, pines, and blood.

Weiss paused in her steps and took a sniff of the air. She was picking up blood and a lot of it. She started walking quicker, deciding to track the scent first and then go back on Susanna's trail. However, as she got closer to the source of the scent she realized she was still headed towards the cemetery rather than veering off like she'd expected. She turned a corner, seeing the light of the cemetery candles, and saw an older woman in threadbare clothes looking over the balcony, covering her mouth with eyes wide open. Weiss looked over and saw Susanna, her coat thrown aside, clothing ripped apart, and her body pockmarked by stab wounds. She was lying atop a grave, a bloody pool still growing around it.

"Oh gods!" Weiss muttered in horror.

* * *

 _His foe then twisted his mace, shattering his sword. Surprised as he was, he was unprepared for the Dremora to kick his chest and then pin him to the ground._

" _You were strong, mortal, but not nearly strong enough!" the daedra taunted,_ _swapping his mace for a sword and hoisting it above him_ _. "How does it feel knowing that you've failed?"_

 _The young man clenched his teeth_ _, clawing at the foot pressing down on him,_ _and tried to stand, but it was no use. He looked up at the Dremora with defiance in his eyes._

" _I…didn't fail. I did exactly…what I set out to do. I beat your army back long enough…for my team, my friends, to get as many people out of the city as they could." His hand fell to his side, but his eyes continued staring with righteous anger at the monster before him. "I don't matter. Only they do. They're the strong ones, the powerful ones, the ones with skill. I'm just a boy who tried to swing a sword. That's all you've beaten."_

 _The Dremora snarled as he reversed his grip on the blade and hefted it up to stab down into the young man, who continued to refuse giving him the satisfaction of seeing any fear or regret._

" _This is only the beginning!" it shouted as its arms raised up high. "Of our vic-"_

 _A spear suddenly sank into the Dremora's chest, and only a second later a hammer was swung forward, smashing into its gullet and sending it flying back, causing the spear to be forced from its body. The young knight looked up to see his two female companions standing battle ready, and then his two male friends dragged him back a few feet and started tending to his wounds._

" _Don't you ever," that musical voice reprimanded, cracks coming up to try and interrupt her words, "do something so foolish again!"_

" _You have several cuts, and I think a rib might be cracked, but overall you're fine."_

" _And if that isn't a shattered sword I see," the Unknown One observed. "Good thing I brought you a spare." Said spare sword was stabbed a few inches higher than his knees in the space between his legs. A little frightened of the placement, but thankful for the blade, he took it in his hand as he was helped up to his feet._

" _Ready when you are boss!" the Hammer-Maiden called back as their Dremora foe stood up and a veritable sea of scamps and clanfears came charging._

" _Keep them from the Gate!" he shouted as he readied himself for battle._

The carriage stopped with a small jolt, pulling Blake out of her reading. It was rather good, to be honest, if a little embellished. The thought of the Hero of Kvatch being a boy with only a few months of basic training saving the world was obviously an artistic interpretation meant to sell more copies. She read the exact same plot numerous times back on Remnant. Yawning, Blake took a look around to see that the sun was going down, and it looked like the carriage driver was getting ready to set camp for the night.

"I think that's as far as I need you to take me," Blake told him as she climbed down and began packing her things. It was much warmer this far south, but Blake still needed a coat on.

"I wouldn't be going just so soon, missy. As tired as ya were this morning, I doubt you up for trekkin' at night." He gestured over to what looked like a bonfire nearby. "Ya better off waitin' here, near the Steamcrag Clan's camp. The Giants'll keep most anything away, and we can always get near the fire if it gets too cold on ya."

"Thanks, but, I'm in a-"

The familiar roar of a dragon stopped her words and Blake felt dread overtake her. In all their encounters with the beasts, she was never the one doing much damage to them. The most she could do was distract or go for their wings. She looked west and saw one coming from a plateau. The Giants nearby were moving around, startled, and the mammoths trumpeted in fear as the fire-breathing reptile swooped in and hovered down, landing only a few meters away from them. The bronze and grey dragon let out a sound that Blake could only consider a laugh.

" **Welcome, little joor, to the lands of Vulgahrotru. You needn't worry. There is simply a toll, a fine you must pay for passing through my borders.** " The dragon laughed again, as though doing this was hilarious.

"Wha- what do you want?" the carriage driver stuttered out, holding onto the horse's reins to keep it from galloping away.

" **Mm, I'd say…fifty gold for both of you, and twenty for your key.** "

"My... My what?" The carriage driver was a strange of mixture of confused and terrified as began to fish for his coin purse.

" **Your horse** ," The dragon chuckled, confirming to Blake that this Vulgahrotru did find this to be hilarious.

"And…that's it?" Blake asked, surprised that she was, essentially, being shaken down by a dragon rather than it trying to kill or eat them.

" **Well, I can't take** _ **all**_ **of your gold at once. Otherwise, you won't pass through again, and I won't be able to charge the fee again. Yuvon nu, yuvon ruz.** "

The driver began looking through his coinpurse and started pulling out malks, to which the dragon sneered.

" **Not your moonstone bits! Gold!** "

"Y-y-y-ya want it in septims? O-okay!" He dropped them back in and began fishing out the gold pieces. Blake checked herself for septims as well, but found she was nine short of fifty.

"Tell me you have at least ten extra," she whispered over to him. "I'll give you a malk, just please have ten more septims."

"I- Ive got ya c-c-covered, lass."

The two went to hand over the gold, but were unsure how to do so, when the dragon opened its jaws and pulled its tongue back. Blake saw golden trinkets, coins, and even a fork in its mouth, and so dropped her fifty coins in as well. Once they were in the dragon closed its mouth slowly and seemed to be pushing them around with its tongue.

" **Mmhm, yes. All accounted for. Tiid bo viing. Farewell, little mortals.** " With that the dragon highwayman took off into the air, heading back to his plateau. Blake watched him as far as she could, but at this distance the dragon seemed like a silhouette. The driver nearly collapsed in relief as he let out a sigh.

"By Mara! We were just held up by a dragon! Boys back home ain't gonna believe this one!"

"I'm…having trouble believing it," Blake murmured as she looked at the road ahead of them. "You know, I think I will rest for the night."

' _Yang must never know_.' Blake thought, knowing exactly how that conversation would go.

* * *

' _A serial killer,'_ Weiss, standing in front of the palace gates, thought as she shivered once again. Not from the cold, but from the thought that around a corner a killer could be waiting to strike. She was relatively safe, having concentrated on keeping up her Aura defense at all times, but the same couldn't be said for anyone else. _'An actual, damned serial killer on the loose.'_

With one final push, she stepped into the Palace of the Kings, thankful to see that the steward was still at work this late. She took in a deep breath, ready to approach him and get herself on this case. Her gut told her that she might be the only one able to do this, and it just might be true going by what that guard had said, the conversation still fresh on her mind as she made her way towards the steward.

" _Susanna makes the third. It's always the same: young girl, killed at night, body torn up."_

" _How's the investigation into this going?" Weiss asked_ _, struggling to avert her eyes from the grisly scene_ _._

" _To be honest, there isn't much of one," the guard explained with shame lacing his voice. "War's stretched us thin, and the dragons aren't helping matters. No one has the time to really look into this."_

" _What!? No one has the time?!" Weiss practically shrieked, loud enough to echo off the walls._

" _Please, don't be upset. It's the truth. I'm already pulling a double shift, and I've been pulled away from my watch. Jarl Ulfric's trying to straighten things out with his commanders, but there's a lot going on. Between keeping villages from being burned down by either dragons or Imperials, and the fighting in general, supply lines, recruit training, arming the soldiers… Just…don't blame him for this. This killer's truly taken advantage of the times."_

" _But…there must be something. Maybe I could help?"_

" _You want to help? You can be my guest, but first, you better speak to Steward Jornleif. Make it official."_

"Yes, may I help you?" the tired man asked when Weiss came close.

"Yes, it's about the recent murders. There's…been another one. Susanna, who worked at Candlehearth."

"Susanna?" the man asked in surprise as he fully turned towards her. "Oh, gods, that poor girl. I just can't… Oh, look, if you want to ask about the investigation-"

"I want to _join_ the investigation," Weiss clipped in. "Something like this… It can't be allowed to continue. I never realized how close something like this can hit someone. I saw her less than _half an hour_ before her death. Not only that, but I've been trained to investigate criminal acts like this." Not entirely the truth, but she had been trained in _some_ criminal investigation. "Let me help you."

"I'm not sure that's appropriate, ma'am," Jornlief protested with great reluctance. "I'm afraid that-"

"You heard her," a voice boomed, and the two turned to see Ulfric Stormcloak and his housecarl coming from the east wing. "Let her help."

"Oh, uh, my Jarl, uh-"

"She has some skill in magic that most of my men lack. She may be able to find angles that we might not have been able to search. And, if she really has been trained for this, she might be the push we need to find this bastard." The Jarl grimaced. "This killer has made a mockery of my city, and turned the streets at night into a place of fear. He's harmed _my_ people. Frida Shatter-Shield, Giraise Droldran, and now Susanna. This needs to end."

' _Droldran?'_ Weiss thought. _'That sounds like a Dunmer name! What is this degenerate's target spectrum?'_

"Of course, my Jarl. Well, then, if you're going to be on this case, let's get you a badge of office to-"

Ulfric placed a dagger onto the table, a carving of a bear on its pommel. Weiss immediately picked up the dagger and unsheathed it for a moment to see that the Windhelm bear was also etched on the blade itself.

"Go with my authority. Find this killer, so I can put his head on a _pike_." Ulfric practically growled those last few words. Weiss nodded as she sheathed the dagger.

"I won't disappoint."

* * *

When Weiss got back to the crime scene, the body had already been cleared and taken into the Hall of the Dead. Even after talking to the witnesses and getting permission to examine the body itself, Weiss wasn't getting much. Susanna's coinpurse was untouched, so money wasn't the objective. The beggar she'd seen, Silda, explained that she just heard a scream and came to see Susanna already murdered. A guard had questioned a man named Calixto, who said he saw someone running, but didn't get a good look at him. That didn't really narrow anything down. If anything, it only made things more complicated.

 _'If the motive wasn't money, what was it? Spurned lover? Jealous customer? Brothers, I wish I had more to go on! The incompetence of that guard!'_ Weiss internally raged, directing a glare towards where the guard stood, who had, perhaps a bit more quickly than normal, had went back to his previous patrol. The idiot didn't even think to ask which way the suspect had headed, and Weiss let him know just how much of an imbecile he was for that. After venting her frustration a decent amount, the girl went off to the side to take a few breaths of fresh air. She didn't mind the smell of blood, but the smell of death was something altogether different.

 _'I just hope that I never get used to the smell of death. Gods know I experience that first one enough as it is. And with the blood...'_ As she breathed in the clearer air rolling in from outside of the city, she caught a faint whiff of something and looked down. The deliciously sweet scent seemed faded, but she could still pick it up. She bent over and brushed away the snow layer by layer until her eyes caught the slight spreading of a red line. Weiss tapped a finger to it and brought it to her mouth.

' _Blood,'_ she realized. She took a sniff of the air again and began walking forward. She uncovered another spot of blood, and looked forward, practically seeing with her nose at this point. She slowly followed the trail, taking deep breaths in through her nose and out of her mouth to the side. There was almost no chance that anyone else could have followed such a trail, but Weiss's sense of smell was especially attuned to the scent of blood. Even a Khajiit would have had trouble matching her in this regard.

Following the faint trail of blood, Weiss walked through the city, moving out of the Stone District and into Valunstrad, where all the nobles lived. No one was awake at this hour, so she wasn't disturbed. So focused on the trail of blood, she didn't notice that the trail stopped at a door until she walked straight into it.

"Ow!" Weiss grunted in slight pain, holding her nose as she gazed at the door. "Stupid... Wait. The trail... It goes inside..." Weiss could smell the blood from outside, and judging by the strength of the stench, it was a lot. Backing up, she was able to observe the manor in greater detail. It was a large, wood and stone two-story manor, surrounded by an iron fence. It was close to the palace, and seemed practically abandoned. She tested the knob and snarled when she found it locked.

"What a time to not have Blake around," she muttered as she stepped back and looked the house over once. She focused magic into her eyes, weaving it so that it matched the pattern she wanted, and then she could see pinks lights all over the district in the basic shapes of humans, a few dogs and cats, and a family of mice. Nothing appeared inside the house before her, telling her that the killer had left the vicinity. She sighed and let go of the detect life spell. Just in case, she cast detect undead, but saw nothing but her own hands glow. Satisfied, she left the building, planning to get someone to unlock it for her, or just get a key.

* * *

Finally arriving to Riften, a little shorter on septims than she would have preferred, Blake walked from the stables up to the city of Riften as the carriage driver told a heroic story about how a dragon had forced him and "the fair young maiden" to pay a toll or be eaten, where he naturally gave her what she needed to pay the beast off, for while he was a man of heart, he was not so much one of arms. Blake decided to let him have at it and acted like she couldn't hear him. Seeing the wooden gate standing before her up the hill and the wooden walls, she once again felt a bit of apprehension concerning so much burnable surface area when there were fire-breathing dragons about. Still, dragons weren't the problem right now. Rather, she was glaring at her current problem, a guard who had stopped her from entering.

"There's a tax for all new visitors to Riften," the guard, wearing the purple gambeson of the Rift, smugly told Blake. "Twenty-five septims to enter." The guard held out his hand, expecting to receive the 'tax', only to quickly pull his arms back when Blake merely glared harder and crossed her arms.

"Look, I got shaken down by a dragon on the way here. I am _not_ putting up with this! Let me in right now, or I swear I'll-"

"Alright, alright," the guard placated her. The other guard nearby looked over to them, his eyes squinting at his fellow, confused as towards his actions. Or frustrated over his apparent lack of spine. Blake couldn't quite tell with the helmet. Regardless, the first guard began walking towards the gate. "Keep your voice down. Go on in then." He pulled the gate open and Blake walked through to see Riften from within. The city almost seemed to be halfway a dock, with much of the market and shopping district suspended over the waters of the lake. Blake could actually look down in several places and see water, as well as the lower level of the city, which seemed to be where most of the commoner population actually lived. Some people fished from just outside of their homes, making Blake think of having a nice trout for dinner before she refocused on her task. She saw a sign for 'The Bee and Barb' and, assuming from the building's size that it was the local inn, she pushed open a door, curiously placed at the building's corner, and entered into the atmosphere of coziness she was coming to associate with inns and their main floors.

"Come on in," a raspy voice called out from behind the counter. Blake walked in the rest of the way and shut the door behind her, then noticed that the person working behind the bar was actually a female Argonian, identifiable by her slimmer, almost feminine build and duller scales, as well as a lack of feathers, large horns, head crests, or head bumps that the males displayed. A waiter taking orders at a table was actually a male Argonian, and Blake had to wonder if they were married or related. "Don't be shy, dear," the female continued, somehow getting her voice to carry a sense of care across. "Let Keerava know what she can do for you," the female Argonian, Keerava, spoke in an approximation of normal Khajiit speak, only to receive a blank look from Blake. Rubbing the back of the head, Keerava let out a small chuckle. "Heh, sorry if I offended you there. Just saw the ears. Wasn't-"

"It's okay. I don't talk like that anyways," Blake brushed off. "Never even been to Elsweyr, so," she shrugged.

"Oh, well, if you don't mind my two cents, perhaps you should visit, once things calm down. It's always good to see the lands of your ancestors, get a perspective on the past." Blake thought over her words for a moment before nodding.

"I might one day. Right now though, I was hoping you could point me out to the orphanage, Honorhall?"

"Honorhall? Ah, Sithis' spit! Look dear, if you were hoping to adopt, I have some bad news for you there."

Blake felt a knot form in her throat. Was she too late?

"See, for some reason I can't fathom, adoptions aren't being allowed right now. I can't tell you why. If I ran an orphanage, my only worry would be if I was sending them to a good home. Other than that, I'd do my best to get them out as quick as I could. Of course, I run an inn, so I'm always trying to get people inside, and only out when they don't pay or get unruly."

"Oh, I see," Blake sighed in relief. "Well, it's not that. I just have an important message to give to the headmistress. Family related."

"Oh, courier then? Or one-time job? Eh, either way, can't imagine anyone sending her something. Maybe someone died? Well, you'll find Honorhall on the west side, on the southern pad, just past the Scorched Hammer. If you see Rena's goat, you've gone too far south. If you're wondering which is Rena's, it's the only one in town."

"Thank you so much," Blake said as she headed for the door. She paused a moment and looked back. "I, uh, may need a room when I'm done."

"And you'll have one once you pay," Keerava responded playfully. Blake smiled, headed back out, and went south of the inn. As she maneuvered through the odd, planked streets, she heard voices calling out, trying to get customers to look at their wares. There was another Argonian at one stall, right across from a Dunmer, and both seemed to be selling jewelry, though the Dunmer also had an array of daggers and potions on display. As she started wondering why the two seemed to not have any sort of hatred showing between them, a large Nord stepped in her way and stared down at her.

"I don't know you," he growled bluntly. "You in Riften looking for trouble?"

"I'm just here for a little while then I'm gone." She made to go around him, but he stepped back in her way. A grimace crept onto her face as she looked up at him angrily.

"Well listen here, get out quick. The Black-Briars don't need anyone sticking their nose around here."

"Who?" The large Nord snarled and actually had the audacity to look offended

"The Black-Briars are the most powerful family in the Rift, and have Riften in their pocket, and the Thieves Guild watchin' their back, so you best keep your nose out of their business. Otherwise, you answer to me, Maul." Maul declared, slapping his large war hammer for added emphasis, only to receive an unamused reaction from the faunus.

"Well, lucky for you, I'm not interested in anything here," At this point, Blake moved around the man, only to pause. "…What's even your deal with me? I can't be the only person you haven't seen before."

"No, but you stood out. Most Khajiit don't leave their caravans, and I ain't heard a Khajiit speak clear like you before. Ya practically sound like a Breton. Then you go looking for information. I don't know what it was, but I'm keeping an eye out on you."

"I was _just_ looking for the orphanage, okay."

"Heh, so that's it, huh?" He seemed entertained by that statement. "All right then, piece of "friendly" advice, stay out of Maven Black-Briar's way. She's pretty much runs the whole operation. She's got friends in high places if you know what I mean. She's also got ties to the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild, so basically no one can touch her." At that Blake's eyes opened wide and her breath hitched in her throat. Maul noticed and chuckled. "Yeah, I see that got your attention real quick. Just remember, if she tells you to do somethin'... you damn well better do exactly what she says."

With that, the man walked away, and Blake did her best to recover her sense.

' _Couldn't have anything to do with it. She doesn't even know who we are! I don't even know who_ she _is! But, if I- No!'_ She banished the thought of her silently 'getting rid of him' from her mind. More than a little unnerved still, Blake continued on towards Honorhall, hoping she was in time.

* * *

Blake stared and blinked after the headmistress's little 'speech' to the children was finished and looked over to the young woman beside her.

"Is she…always like that?"

"Unfortunately," Constance answered with a nervous rub to her neck. "Sorry. She's just old and set in her ways. And I think more than a little bitter."

' _I think some people would say way more.'_ She looked over the crowd of children who had slowly dispersed from the spot where Grelod had told them to basically stop talking or thinking about ever getting adopted and to basically just accept that their lives were doomed to misery. There were nearly two dozen children, most of them humans of one type or another. There were a handful of Dunmer children that had sequestered themselves from their human counterparts, and a few Bosmer that seemed to be divided among the groups. Two Altmer children were present, a boy possibly nearing mid-teens, and a toddler girl. The odd one out was a single Argonian child of indeterminate gender who seemed to be keeping to themselves. Not a single one of them didn't look miserable or angry.

"I…don't see any Orsimer or Khajiit," Blake observed.

"Well, Khajiit children are…difficult to tell…"

"Because they're cubs?" she deadpanned.

"That, and the caravans always pick up any orphans and take them in. It's rather inspiring, actually. As for orc children, I don't think I ever even heard of one being orphaned, since they most likely have ten or so mothers to spare, and who knows how many brothers and sisters."

"Makes sense." She looked over the groups of children once more and sighed when a couple looked at her longingly. It seemed they were completely willing to ignore her ears so long as she could pry them out of this den of melancholy. "I need to speak with Miss Grelod a moment. It's private, so…"

"Don't worry. I won't stop you. Just…don't expect her to be civil."

Blake nodded and went up the staircase she'd seen the old woman go up. There were several rooms, most with a couple small beds inside them, but the first one Blake aimed for was at the end and shut. She knocked and waited a moment while the sound of a chair's legs scraping the floor came from within.

"Who's there?" a shrill voice range out, clearly irritated.

"I have a message for you, Miss Grelod. It's really important and confidential."

"Oh come in then," the woman begrudgingly called out. Blake opened the door, entered, and shut it behind her. Grelod stood up with a grunt and looked at her with disdain.

"Oh, great, a cat. Well, give me your message then."

Blake took in a deep breath, ignoring the part of her mind that said to let her die and reminding herself that being a bitch wasn't reason enough for murder. Just to help solidify her stance, she recalled that stopping an assassin here might help lead to finding their central base and stopping them for good.

"I have it on good authority that someone is planning to have you killed," Blake explained, causing Grelod to raise an eyebrow. "Aventus Aretino has used the Black Sacrament. I don't know when or how, but a Dark Brotherhood assassin is out for you, probably on its way right now."

The old crone actually smiled and began laughing. "Dark Brotherhood? Oh that's rich! Those are just an old wife's tale dumber women tell their brats to make 'em do their chores and go to bed. Personally, I prefer tangible threats."

Blake growled. "It's not a fairy tale! An actual assassin tried to kill me and a friend of mine on the road! I barely survived, and it was mostly luck."

"Oh, so someone sent an assassin after you?" she taunted while her smile dropped for an unpleasant frown. "Must have ticked off the wrong person. Stole something from someone important, did you? Picked the wrong locks?"

Blake resisted the urge to gulp as she remembered the Ebony Blade's weight against her shoulders. Her mind panicked a moment before she recalled that no one who even could have known about the Blade would have been willing to have them killed over it.

"The reasons don't matter. Look, I want to stop them as much as I'm sure you want to not die. Just let me lend you a hand for a short time so I can catch them off-guard, maybe capture them. Then I can question them and try to stop the attacks altogether."

"So you're telling me, that you want to stick around for a while like a body guard, stop a likely highly trained assassin, and then destroy an age old cabal that entire legions of people have sought to oust? Well, I've heard some big ones in my day, but that has to be in a category all on its own," Grelod sneered, catching Blake off guard.

"Wh- what?"

"Listen here, if you're looking to squat down somewhere, we have inns, the bunkhouse, and Beggar's Aisle for you. Or maybe you should find yourself in the Ratway? Can't think of a better place for a mangy cat like yourself."

Blake felt her face heating up in anger as her nails pushed into her palms.

" _She's undeserving of life, and it will be snuffed soon anyways."_

' _Shut up!'_

"Are you…really so stubborn that you're just going to let them come and get you? I didn't come all the way from Windhelm just to sit around in your dusty orphanage! I came here trying to save your life!"

"I don't need any help from a half-cat like you. Now, if you're done spouting out tales of assassins and boogeymen, I have some papers to go through." The old woman looked back to a stack of sheets sitting on her desk, obviously dismissing the faunus. Blake turned and went to leave, embroiled with anger, but something made her pause in her steps.

 _Check the closet._

Normally, she wouldn't even _think_ of rummaging through someone else's things unless she had to, but something about the door within the room was calling out at her. Reaching over, she grasped the handle of the closet door and pulled it open. Her eyes widened and her ears went backwards as she saw the inside. Small manacles were lined on the walls, at a short height, with musty hay placed beneath each of the three pairs. A horse whip and a leather belt sat on a stool next to a half-full bottle of something. There were little flecks of dried blood in some places, not enough to be alarming in its amount, but considering everything else it was horrifying by its presence alone.

Grelod seemed to finally notice Blake looking within the closet. "What the- Get out of my-"

Blake turned on her with a feral snarl, her cat-like pupils having turned to slits, and her larger than normal canines on full display. "What the hell is this?!" she shouted in rage.

Grelod sneered. "Oh come off it, you self-righteous cat! I run this place by the sweat of my brow, and when a child steps out of line, it's up to me to teach them a-"

Blake's hand whipped out and smacked Grelod across the face, but to her immediate horror, she heard a crack. The old woman fell to the floor, her eyes rolled back into her head, and her neck bent unnaturally. Blake stared at her hand in fear, and realized she had hit an elderly civilian with not an ounce of combat skill, much less Aura, with a strike powerful enough to hurt a Huntsman. Blake gripped her chest as her heart hammered against her breastbone and backed into the wall. Terror at the situation eclipsed her mind for a long moment, before ideas seemed to pour into her head. Tentatively, she gripped the hilt of the Ebony Blade, and those ideas became more tangible.

' _Mephala is the god of murder and_ plots _,'_ she recalled as she looked at the corpse.

Blake got to work quickly, moving the chair from the desk and putting it on its side. She gently dragged the body over and set her neck onto one of the legs. She took a slipper from Grelod's left foot and gently tossed it from her position directly opposite of the chair. Done, Blake stepped back and looked over the scene. Just to give it more credibility, she went over and pressed against the chair leg enough to crack it, and then scraped Grleod's nails against a bed post. If she didn't know any better, she would have believed Grelod to have just had a nasty fall with the unluckiest landing.

Once she had calmed herself, Blake headed back downstairs, holding herself back from moving too quickly, and politely gave Constance a goodbye. Before she made to leave, something wrapped around her leg, and Blake looked down to see the toddler Altmer having hugged her tightly.

"P'ease be my mama!" the elf girl begged. Constance seemed to be ready to pull the girl away, but Blake reached down and patted the little girl's platinum blond hair.

"I'm sorry, but I don't even have a home to take you to. I can promise you though, a sweet girl like you will find a good family one day." The child smiled at that and let go before Constance took her hand.

"Have safe travels," the woman told her.

"I will."

* * *

Back at the Bee and Barb, Blake plopped herself into a stool at the bar with a groan and a desperate need for a drink, consequences be damned.

"I take it that it went about as well as you'd expect from a conversation with Grelod 'the Kind'?" Keerava observed as she set a Black-Briar mead in front of a Nord man a few stools down. The inn itself was steadily emptying out, leaving only herself and a few patrons, mostly drunkards hoping to get another pint. Besides the Argonian owners, the only ones she could see that were wholly of sound mind was the man next to her and a solitary Nord woman, sitting in a booth on the far side of the room.

"Can you believe there's a runaway trying to put a hit on her? I could never imagine," Blake joked, hoping to drive her mind from the event from earlier.

' _When I get back I should probably tell him she's dead, just so he'll go back to the orphanage. He'll probably die from disease or the cold up there if he doesn't starve.'_

"No kidding? Know what, you deserve something special. Talen-Jei, get this girl a White-Gold Tower. She looks like she needs it."

"Right away," the Argonian man said as he went over to a shelf and began mixing the drink together. Blake smiled at the sight.

"Haven't seen an inn or bar actually mix drinks in Skyrim. Most just give a bottle or pour it from a keg."

"Well we scaled folk like to have a little sophistication in our bits of debauchery. That, and going the extra mile in our services can bring in a lot more varied customers, and a bit more coin."

"Here you are, White-Gold Tower." The drink looked creamy to Blake, and had lavender set on top and an orange flower petal dipped into it. She picked it up and took a sip to find she actually loved the taste. Seeing her smile, Keerava laughed.

"Got it again. Haven't met a Khajiit who didn't like it."

"It is good," Blake agreed before taking another sip. "Better get something to eat though. And a room. Got any fish?"

"Do we ever! How about Lakeside Menagerie? It's pretty much every fish you can catch in the lake all baked and then mixed with rice before set onto a pair of slaughterfish fillets. Or salmon if you don't like the taste of slaughterfish."

"That sounds amazing! Can I get both kinds?"

"Half and half? All right then. We'll have that ready for you in a few." As Keerava went to prepare her meal, the Nord man scooted over to the next seat closest to her with a smile on his face.

"Say, I think I heard about you. Miss 'I-Was-Shaken-Down-By-A-Dragon'?"

"Oh boy," Blake muttered before taking a deeper sip of her drink. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Just a little impressed is all," the man smirked with a cocked eyebrow. "Not an ounce of fear when telling off a guardsman, staring down Maven's attack dog, and then going to mouth off to the eighty time recipient of 'worst caretaker of the year' award. All of that after getting robbed _by a dragon_ and all you do is try to unwind. You're an interesting one, lass. That's all I'm saying. Interesting and low on coin." At this, the man's voice lowered to a whisper. "Look right stealthy too, and stealthy people can make good coin if they've gotten the interest of a group dedicated to making the world easier for them."

Glancing around, Blake saw that no one was near enough to overhear her. "So, I take it you're with the Thieves' Guild I heard about?"

"Got it in one. See what I mean? You've a good head on your shoulders. What do you say to a little…expenditure?"

"Sorry, but I'm in the middle of a very tumultuous point in my life. Kinda have people trying to kill me." No sense in covering that up. "So, I'm going to have to decline."

"Ah, understandable, lass. Just look up ol' Brynjolf if you ever want to have a go at it."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With that, the Nord man moved back where he was. Blake smelled the scent of fish cooking in the air and sighed.

* * *

Weiss could smell blood, old and new, all over the place. Her nose first led her to a chest, where she discovered several fliers and a small notebook. The fliers were all the same, warning people of 'The Butcher', written up by a Viola Giordana. The notebook, on the other hand, was written by someone else about a plan referencing 'flesh magic' and spoke of Susanna's 'strong joints' and 'exquisite tendons'. She felt herself grow sick at the implications, and realized that this was a whole new kind of criminal.

"Necromancer," she murmured. So far, everyone who ever taught her even a little bit of magic had the same thing to say about necromancy. Don't touch. Cynrrbert and Farengar both explained it in a little more detail, telling her that 'lesser' necromancy was fine and okay. Raising a body to fight was one thing. Ripping souls from the afterlife, or trying to 'create' life from death were something completely different. A necromancer would also likely be a skilled mage, at the very least a very skilled conjurer.

She followed her nose again, this time to another room. On a small shelf there were even more of the Butcher fliers, making her think that this criminal was trying to minimize the awareness of his presence. One pile looked a little off, and so she moved the papers to find an amulet beneath them. She lifted it up and looked it over, seeing that it was well-crafted and very old, a jade set in its center with a long worn carving. Giving it another glance with her magic, she could see that it was enchanted to make conjuration easier, perfect for a necromancer. There were other enchantments, but she couldn't make them out, which was odd, as she could usually make out any enchantment with a bit of focus, even if she hadn't studied the enchantment on a table.

She pocketed the amulet and went over to a wardrobe where the smell of blood wafted from. Opening it showed her nothing, which she immediately found suspicious. Closing her eyes, she tried to just let her nose guide her, taking small sniffs while moving her head about. She bumped into the back panel of the wardrobe and then backed away, but frowned when she thought it over. Testing it with a tap, the panel sounded like it was loose. Weiss checked the outside of it and confirmed that the wardrobe was, indeed, bolted to the wall. She reached back in and fiddled with the back to find that it slid to the left. This revealed a secret room hidden in the house, and the sight within made her gasp.

Inside the secret room behind the wardrobe was an altar, and atop it were severed limbs, organs, bones, and other body parts carefully arranged to the anatomically correct position relative to each other. Discarded pieces littered the floor, some thrown into a basket before whoever had done this seemed to give up on any semblance of upkeep to anything but the altar itself. Weiss managed to step inside and looked at the symbols etched into the altar.

"I…don't recognize this. This isn't the symbol for Conjuration." She noticed another small stack of notes amateurishly bound by a piece of leather and picked it up and flipped through.

 _17 tendons and assorted ligaments_

 _173 fragments of bone for assemblage_

 _approx. 4 bucket-fulls of blood (Nord preferred)_

 _6 spoons of marrow (no more than 2 from a thigh)_

 _12 yards of flesh (before cutting)_

 _star-scrying to the edge of the ice-mind_

 _look to the lights where the souls dance_

 _revealing the time when a spark will revive_

 _when the rotted united under most skillful hands_

 _(translation from Aldmer text, as interpreted by the Ayleids and first transcribed by Altmer. provenance and authority unknown)_

 _Soon_

"What in the living… What is this?" Weiss looked over the room again, and then at the partially assembled body. She'd never heard of anything like this. The warnings she was given told her to beware of people trying to bring the life back into a _single_ body, not constructing one from an array of parts. And there were far more than two people's worth of pieces.

' _The girls they found, the bodies that showed up… Those were just the ones he couldn't drag back.'_

Feeling sickened, but not so much by her senses as she was her thoughts, Weiss left the room and headed for the door.

* * *

After telling a guard of what she found at Hjerim, Weiss was pointed to Calixto as a person to ask about identifying the amulet. Recalling him from earlier in the investigation, she went towards his home/museum, Calixto's House of Curiosities. Luckily, he was just heading in when she got there.

"Calixto?"

"Ah, hello there miss," he greeted her pleasantly. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually. I've been investigating the murders that have been happening recently, on authority of Jarl Ulfric. I was told you might be able to identify this." She handed the amulet over to him and he began looking it over, humming to himself.

"Ah, yes. This is the Wheelstone, a symbol of power in Windhelm, traditionally carried by the court mage."

' _Court mage? Could it be that Ulfric's own mage is responsible for this?'_ Weiss thought to herself at the implications. _'Would certainly explain why no one's been able to find him... Who would expect the court mage?'_

"I would, uh…be interested in acquiring it," he continued, breaking Weiss out of her thoughts. "If you're willing to part with it that is."

"You want to buy it?" She raised her brow at that. "Shouldn't it be returned to the court?"

"Bah, it will be fine. It's purely ceremonial. They've likely already made a new one to replace it. Here, I'm willing to part with…two ebons for it."

Weiss eyes widened at that, and in her mind they changed to lien signs. Her mind started wondering if they shouldn't change to septim signs instead, but she shook the thought away and smiled.

"Well, for that much how could I refuse?"

"Excellent! This will be a wonderful piece for my collection! Here, step inside while I go get your coins. Have a look around while you wait."

Weiss followed him into the house and looked about as he went upstairs. There was a variety of items about on tables and shelves, ranging from Soul Gems, to embalming tools, to animal bones, to instruments. While interesting to look at, nothing much really popped out at her, save for a book sitting on a center shelf with the words _The Book of Fate_ on its face. Before she could continue that train of thought, she thought about picking it up to have a gander at the words, but supposed that it might be rude to do so. She heard Calixto coming back down and turned to him as he came back to the ground floor.

"Here you are," he said as he handed her the two black coins, the silvery etchings of Tamriel on their side. "Oh, were you interested in The Book of Fate there?"

"A little. Didn't want to be rude, of course." She held onto the two coins tightly as she tried to think of where to stow them until she could get to the bank.

"Oh don't worry. Let me tell you a bit about it. It was discovered in a secret room at the Arcane University. The writing in the book describes the destiny of its reader, so the words change from one person to the next." Weiss was very intrigued by that, but also wondered if it wasn't something like a fortuneteller's scam where it could be so loosely interpreted it could mean anything. "Some see only blank pages, and nobody knows why. Perhaps some of us are born with no destiny, or maybe the blank pages signify an imminent death."

' _Oh, if carnivals were a thing in Tamriel you could run with them,'_ Weiss thought with a smile as she picked up the book and opened it. The first page was blank, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but then something changed. Lines of ink seemed to bleed into the pages, slowly creating a clearer picture, until she could make out the general outline of herself and some other creature facing each other. More lines joined, and she could see that it was definitely her, but she was holding a bow, and the arrow's tip shined brightly. The monster she faced was humanoid, with bat-like wings and claws, roaring at her in defiance. On either side of her two figures were drawn up, a woman and a wolf-like beast shaped like a Beowulf, but wearing armor.

 _'What the hell...'_

When the page didn't change anymore, she flipped to the next and watched and waited. This one followed the same theme, only this time the creature they faced was the dragon from Helgen, likely the one in charge, Alduin. Rather than her at the forefront, Ruby was ahead of them all, Weiss and her teammates alongside her, and a group of warriors behind them. However, the picture never stopped changing. Or rather, Ruby's image didn't stop. One moment it was Ruby as she knew her, then the lines would darken, and more would come forward, and Ruby would be wearing jagged armor. Then it would shift again, and she'd be in thin, skintight leather with a feral look upon her face and a pair of sickles rather than Crescent Rose. The last change showed Ruby almost the same, but with a mouth open revealing fangs, and at that Weiss flipped the page, her heart hammering in her chest.

Following the theme once again, a creature formed and Weiss facing against it. Now it was something she couldn't identify. It was tall and lanky, humanoid, but covered with reptilian skin and large bull horns upon its head and a long tail behind it. Its mouth was open, revealing a horrible maw of fangs and sharp teeth and things that weren't supposed to be teeth, the line between flesh and bone never made clear. Empty eyes sat on its face, but within them seemed to be a piercing void. Weiss stood before it, hefting up a double-sided axe, only one side seemed like a normal battleaxe, while the other blade looked like a lumber axe. Frighteningly, no other figures showed up on her side, but the bleeding body of a dying child between the two foes did, a likeness of Myrtenaster lying beside her appearing soon after.

Wondering what could possibly be next, Weiss flipped the page, but then words started to appear.

 _Weiss Schnee went to Jarl Stormcloak to inform-_

She slammed the book closed and took a deep breath. Calixto hummed beside her.

"Well, haven't seen anyone react like that before. I suppose you do have a destiny drawn out for you."

"I did. Literally, I did." She set the book down and took a few more calming breaths. "But…I saw one of my friends. Her image kept changing."

"Well, if that's the case, then she may have no destiny. Or rather, her destiny branches out, but it has an ultimate goal to it, meaning that wherever you saw her alongside you, she will be there, but how she gets there can vary."

Weiss gulped at that. One of those changes clearly showed Ruby as a vampire, and another made her look like a stereotypical evil overlord. If what Calixto was saying was true, then wherever life could take her could change her for the worse. She looked up at the man with a spark of interest.

"If you don't mind me asking, did you ever read it?"

"I did, once. You won't mind if I don't share too many details, but I saw that I would gain peace, in the end." He smiled at the thought. "Well, don't let me hold you up. Unless you want to see some other curiosities?"

"No thank you. I should move on. I have a lot to do and…a lot to think about."

"All right then. Have a good day, miss."

* * *

A quick talk with the impassioned Viola pointed Weiss, once again, to the Court Wizard Wuunferth. Seeing as he was one of the only mages in Windhelm, it actually made some sense, but Weiss wouldn't be jumping the gun just yet. Rather than go straight to Jorleif, Weiss decided to corner Wuunferth in order to get the truth out of him. While guards were hard to get a hold of, several Stormcloak Commanders wouldn't be leaving for some time. Including Runs-Through-Storms, Weiss was able to get the assistance of Commanders Bloodsguard, Rogir, and Terintver, a Dunmer. The four followed Weiss up into the palace and into the Court Wizard's work room, finding the old man grumbling while looking over several sheets of paper, which Weiss immediately noticed looked nothing like the notes she'd found. The notes in Hjerim had been old and tattered, despite being recently written, while the papers Wuunferth were working with were new and pristine. Still though, she had to be sure.

"Wuunferth," she called to him, making him turn towards them.

"Hm, what? What is it? What's this about?"

"I'm Weiss Schnee. I've been investigating the murders that have happened recently."

"You are?" he asked in surprise and curiosity. "Not sure what they're thinking, having a young girl chase down a killer of young girls. All right. You need my assistance or some such?"

"I have two accusations pointing to you as the possible killer." At that Wuunferth seemed startled. "On top of that, there's plenty of evidence found at a scene showing that the killer is using a necromantic ritual."

"Hold on, necromancy?!" Rather than frightened, he now looked offended. "I can't believe you'd come here accusing me of necromancy of all things. Why, I'm a good standing member of the College of Winterhold! They haven't allowed necromancy there in centuries."

Weiss blinked at that. "You're saying that you're currently a member?"

"Yes, I am. I may work for the Jarl and his Court, but I work _with_ the College. Why?"

Weiss took the two notebooks from her pack and held them before her. "I found these at the scene. One of them has the killer's detailing of stalking Susanna, as well as mentioning that he'd _left_ the college. If I can get people to back your statement… It won't completely clear you, but…"

"There's some more proof for you then. Look around. I never kept a journal. Never felt the need to jot down my own thoughts. Even these are just maths and drawings." He held up one page he was working on to show them that it was, indeed, a long math equation next to a drawing of a ruin opening. "Never so much as kept a journal my whole life. Even if I did feel the need to do so, I could have put together a blank book, not made…that rubbish."

That was pretty good reasoning in Weiss's mind, but she wasn't going to stop until she was certain. "And what about your amulet?"

"My what now?"

"I found an amulet. Calixto's holding it now. He said it was called The Wheelstone."

"Never heard of it." He hummed to himself. "Describe it to me. Just what did this…amulet look like?"

"Uh, let's see… It was an eight-sided jade ringed with ebony. There was a really worn carving on it."

"Ah, I know it well. Or at least, I've heard of it. I'd wager that carving once depicted a skull. What you just described to me is the Necromancer's Amulet, of legend."

The Commanders behind her shifted nervously. Even Storms was looking on with fear.

"You're talking about the Worm-King's jewel," the Argonian stated.

"Worm-King?" Weiss asked, just imagining what would cause people to give one such a moniker.

"Mannimarco, the most powerful necromancer to have ever lived, both in life and undeath," Wuunferth clarified as he stroked his bead. "He had manipulated Tamriel for well over a thousand years, avoiding death for so long, until finally the Hero of Kvatch put him down to save the Arcane University. Shame it didn't survive the war." Wuunferth sighed in disappointment. "Regardless, it appears you were at least half-right. There's necromancy at this thing's core."

"Then Calixto was wrong?" Weiss suggested.

"Eh, Calixto and his books are often confused about matters. Happens to the best of us.

"But then what can I do? I don't really have any other leads, and now the killer's just going to find a new nest to hide in. The only thing I've accomplished is setting him back. Arguably worse than nothing."

"Well, despite what your youthful arrogance would suggest, you weren't the only one investigating this," Wuunfferth said as he went over to a shelf and pulled out a book. "I've been noting a pattern to the killings, as well as the disappearances from the surrounding villages. Now that you've brought to light that they're tied to a necromantic ritual, we may just be able to find the very next time and place the killer will strike." He flipped through several pages and began following lines with his finger, mumbling as he read along. "From a Loredas of Last Seed to a Middas of Heartfire… It'll happen soon. Very soon." He looked up at the group, alarmed. "Keep watch at the Stone Quarter tonight. That's almost certainly where the killer will strike next."

"Thank you, Wuunferth." She looked back at the four Stormcloaks. "You all don't mind helping me once again?"

"As long as this ends with the killer caught," Rogir declared, "I'll heft a boat on my shoulders to Hammerfell if we need it."

"I'll gladly help," Runs-Through-Storms affirmed.

"Thank you. Please, meet me at the Great Hall before sunset. We need to come up with a plan to capture him." The four saluted and began making their way back. Storms paused and looked over at Wuunferth.

"Do not be offended when I ask that you remain by the Jarl's side the rest of the day. We are still unsure in these trying times."

"Well, no helping it I suppose. Let me grab a few things and have a word with the young lady here." The Argonian nodded and went along down the hall with the others. Wuunferth rolled up a few scrolls, got out a few inkwells, and picked up some quills. "So, you're a young mage right? Headed to Winterhold after this, I hear."

"That's correct. You said you're a member? What's it like?"

"Cold. Colder than here, anyhow. Most days are covered in snowstorms. As for the College, you'll find plenty of training, camaraderie, books. Also, don't be surprised when most of the teachers figure out that you're a vampire."

Weiss wanted to pull out her hair in frustration and scream, but doing so would just attract attention.

"How?! How do people keep figuring it out?" Weiss settled for a stomp instead.

"Well, for me, I cast detect life constantly. Bit of a habit from my traveling days, but it also lets me know when company's on its way. Doesn't show the undead of course, and since you're against necromancy here I can assume you're not some kind of lich or zombie. Obviously you're not out to kill either. Let's be clear though, you can't keep this from the Jarl. It won't do you any good, and it's better than him figuring out on his own."

"And if he decides to have me executed to keep me from being a threat?"

"From what I hear, you have friends in high places. A Thane of Whiterun? Possibly a friend of the Dragonborn? You could be Mannimarco's secret lovechild with the daughter of Jagar Tharn and the High Priestess of Mehrunes Dagon all on top of your vampirism, and they'll make an exception for you. Like I said though, letting him find out on his own will make it hard for him to trust you in the future. I doubt you want that." He left his workshop with his items and Weiss walked after him, a little fearful for the future.

* * *

Seeing as it wasn't quite sunset yet, but far too late to get a nap, Weiss decided to scope out the Stone Quarter under the pretense of shopping. The ebons were safely tucked away into their bank account, and she had withdrawn a denar, some malks, and septims. A few things caught her eye, like the stall where a man was selling meats, all of them frozen simply by the temperature. She could see a man forging and instructing a young woman on it as well. Spying the alchemy shop, she decided to step inside, figuring she needed to brush up on her alchemy and stock a potion or two anyways.

"I'll be fine," she heard a voice that was certainly not fine say as she entered.

"Master," a young man responded, "you're far too old for this sort of journey." Looking at who he was talking to, Weiss could see that the Altmer was certainly old, and considering his race, that could be well over a thousand years old. Multiple hundreds of years at the least. "We don't know what's inside."

"I'll…" He started coughing violently, but tried to keep speaking. "I can…" The coughs came stronger for a moment before letting up a bit. "…just…"

"You see! You're not well. Go have a seat and I'll fetch you some tonic."

The high elf wheezed out a laugh as he followed the younger man's instructions, the young man heading towards the back room.

"If there was a tonic that could help me," he got out as he sat, "I would've found it by now."

He looked over at Weiss with a small sound of interest. "Welcome, miss, to the White Phial."

"Were you arguing over something?"

"Ah, just a mer's life work, is all. I've finally derived the location of the White Phial, uh, the actual one, but this doting busybody here won't let me go get it."

Weiss thought over that a moment. At this point in her journey, she wasn't in a huge rush, and it wasn't like she hadn't taken detours before. "Well, maybe I could pick it up for you, if it's not too out of my way."

"You would…do that for me?" He seemed genuinely touched by the gesture and smiled. "It's good to know that there are some people in this world willing to help an old elf. It's buried with its maker, Curalmil, in a forsaken cave, to the west of here. Curalmil was a crafty one, even in death. You'd need the skills of a master alchemist to reach his resting place. Luckily, I've already made the mixture." He stood up and went over to his counter, then reached under and took out a bottle of something before handing it to Weiss. She looked it over in interest, finding it to be a cloudy green. "Don't…" he wheezed, "dally now."

"Maybe you should sit back down," she suggested. The high elf looked like he wanted to argue, but instead chose to go back to his seat and catch his breath. "What exactly _is_ the White Phial?"

"A legendary bottle," he explained with wonder, "forged in the days when Skyrim was just starting its turn to ice. A small container, made of magically infused snow that first fell on the Throat of the World. It is said that the Phial will replenish whatever fluid is placed inside of it. For an alchemist like myself, it is the most pure expression of my art. To create from nothingness is…poetry."

"It sounds really important to you." The Altmer nodded at this

"It is. I've spent my whole life searching for it. It brought me all the way to these frozen reaches from the warm embrace of the Summerset Isles. Entire years spent in libraries. Seeking out tiny villages with local legends of but a hint of a whisper of the Phial. I even named my shop after it, hoping that it would attract anyone who'd ever heard of it. And now, it's within my grasp, but the Eight, it seems," a small cough came up "have chosen me for their amusement." He started coughing a little more. "For in my current condition, I'll never be able to lay my hands upon it."

Weiss frowned. "No, I'll do my best to get it for you. Um, where on the map should I go again?"

* * *

As the sun sunk below the horizon, Weiss waited patiently in an alley overlooking the Stone Quarter, the four commanders nearby. They had told the guards to skip over patrolling the area for the night, and just in case Weiss had asked Nilsine Shatter-Shield, the twin sister of Friga, if she would act as bait for the Butcher. While nervous, she was willing to help if it meant that they'd catch the killer of her sister. The last of the people in the market were clearing out when the sun was gone, and a few hours later, Nilsine walked in from the side. She began making calls for the family's pet cat, hoping that the seemingly natural action would further pull in the killer.

Weiss was beginning to wonder if the killer would even show, when she suddenly caught sight of Calixto wandering in. At first she felt annoyance, but then recalled how he'd misled her about the amulet.

' _Wuunferth said he often gets confused, but how do you end up mistaking a famous amulet for one that…doesn't exist?'_

Just as the thought crossed Weiss' mind and she began moving from her hiding spot, Calixto pulled a steel dagger from his side and readied it in a reverse grip as he snuck up on Nilsine. The Nord girl turned with a gasp and screamed as the man bore down upon her. As the dagger was plunged, Weiss leapt forward and caught it with her rapier, a loud clang sounding out as the weapons met. Calixto looked back in shock and turned to run, only to find his exits blocked by the four Stormcloak Commanders.

"Calixto Corrium," Commander Bloodsguard called out, "you are under arrest for crimes against Windhelm and her people. What say you in your defense?"

"Say what you want, but you're going to die you bastard!" Terintver hissed. "Either here on the snow or by the headsman!"

Calixto looked back and forth worryingly. He began to dash away and Weiss nearly bolted after him, but a lance of green magic went past her and hit Nilsine. Worried for the girl, she stopped and caught her, sighing when she realized it was a paralysis spell, if the frantic looking eyes of Nilsine dashing around told her anything. She went back just as Runs-Through-Storms popped out from the shadows and struck Calixto with his sword. The man screamed and flared his hands out, producing a stream of fire that forced the commander back and made Weiss pause in her chase once more. When Terintver and Rogir caught up they began extinguishing the flames with frostbite spells, but by the time it was clear they had no idea which way Calixto had ran.

"Damn it!" the Dunmer cursed. "May Mephala take his soul!"

"At least now we know who he is," Bloodsguard said. "Good striking him, Storms."

"Not good enough," the Argonian groaned. "Hm, can't quite make out anything."

Weiss smelled blood even through the smell of fire and went forward. Only a few feet away, and she already could visibly see the blood on the ice. "We have a trail!" The Stormcloaks went over to her and saw it as well. They all began running after the blood, soon coming onto Valunstrad, where people were beginning to come out of their homes to see what the commotion was about. The trail ended, once again, at the door of Hjerim.

"What a fool," Rogir growled. "Or maybe a mad genius. It's the first place we'd think to look, but the last we'd expect him to run to."

"Expectations don't matter here, we have him cornered." Bloodsguard readied his warhammer as he approached, but Weiss held out her arm.

"Wait a moment. You should all watch the doors and windows. Surround the house from all sides. Storms, get ready to chase him if he tries the sewers and goes for the bay. I've been inside the house before, so I'll know where to look."

"Good planning overall," Terintver agreed.

"I don't care who goes in, as long as Calixto comes out dead. Come on! I'll watch the back entrance. Rogir, take the south side. Storms, watch the front and get ready to jump down that manhole at a moment's notice. Miss Weiss, go ahead."

Weiss nodded and stepped into the building. The scent of fresh blood nearly overran the old blood, and she was able to easily follow him.

"I'm so sorry," she heard him muttering. "Sorry, but it's going to be so much longer now."

"Probably not as long as you think," Weiss said darkly, and then the man turned around to look at her in fear, the effigy behind him on the altar. She raised up Myrtenaster, ready the pierce the man and end him. "I don't care what you wanted to do, you went too far. How many people did you kill? How many mothers lost a child? How many children lost their mothers?! Do you even care?! Do you sleep well at night, figuring the one life you're trying to revive is worth it?!"

"You'd never understand," the man groaned as he brandished his dagger and readied his other hand to cast. "No one does."

With a feral snarl, Weiss struck forward, but a sudden flash of blue enveloped Calixto and her blade barely sunk a few centimeters into his shoulder. He grunted and struck at her, cutting the cloth of her sleeve, and then pushed his hands forward as he summoned sparks to strike her. Weiss cried out and spasmed as she backed away, her Aura stopping most of the damage, but unable to stop it from lancing her with pain or disrupting her manaflow. Calixto charged her and stabbed into her belly, but in a sort of reflection of her strike his blade barely got past her Aura before it was stopped. Surprised, he paused long enough for Weiss to wrap her arms around him and locked her fingers. He struggled to get away, but froze in fright when Weiss' eyes reopened yellow and her fangs were bared.

"Oh gods…"

Calixto didn't even have time to scream before Weiss bit down on his neck, punching through his magical armor, and then began drinking deeply. He struggled more, but as time went he weakened in his attempts. Weiss forced herself to stop and then dropped the body, gasping in sweet rapture at the taste of fresh blood. When she looked back down, her good mood quickly dissipated upon seeing only a light trickle of blood coming from the two holes on his neck, reminding her once again of what she was. She swallowed, and looked around, wondering what she could do, and then recalled the dagger-badge Jarl Ulfric had given her. She unsheathed it and carefully pressed it where it would hit the bite marks, then plunged it into the corpse's neck. Satisfied that the way she killed him was covered, she took the dagger out and looked at the blade hungrily. She shook her head and wiped it off on the murderer's clothes, then exited the building to give everyone the good news.

* * *

Blake woke up early in the morning, smacking her lips at the thought of the previous night's dinner. Most of the food in Riften was freshwater fish and some of the more water-demanding plants as well as honey, but she had no complaints. She was planning to try the honey-roasted trout with a side of grapes for breakfast as she walked downstairs, enjoying the quiet of the morning.

"Welcome back, sleeping beauty," a man said with a lecherous leer. Blake inwardly sighed in disgust and went over to the bar. From what she heard he was Maven Black-Briar's son. She figured if she could get out of town quick enough, she wouldn't have to worry about the consequences of shoving her possessed daikatana down his throat. Even dumb lechers figured it'd take more than one or two lines to get a girl to notice him.

"Don't mind him, he's just staring and posturing right now," Keerava tried to comfort her. "Already got your breakfast ready. Oh, and someone left a letter for you." She reached beneath the counter and set a piece of twice folded paper down with a wax seal on it.

"A letter? Has to be from Weiss." Wondering how fast couriers must be in Skyrim, Blake tried to break apart the wax.

"Oh, and have you heard? They found Grelod's body last night." She set the plate with Blake's food on it in front of her. "They say it looks like an accident. Just fell down and broke her neck against a chair."

"Oh, that's too bad," Blake responded nonchalantly, grabbing a kitchen knife to open the envelope.

"Yeah, I have nothing good to say about her, but I always figured she deserved something more-"

Blake screamed as she jumped back from out of her chair, the letter landing face up on the counter.

"Are you all-" Keerava stopped and gasped when she saw the black handprint on the letter and two simple words.

 _We know_

"Oh Divines," the Argonian muttered as she clutched her collar.

* * *

Blake set out immediately after paying her tab and took her breakfast with her. She went at a constant jog, only slowing when she neared Vulgahrotru's territory, and then to hide within the forest cover, as she'd forgotten to trade in malks for septims. Surprisingly, the dragon didn't show up to toll her, but she did hear him and see him fly closer to Riften. At the very least, he could be snuck past. Once she was certain she was out of his radius, she started back at her forced march, not stopping again until the sun had begun to set. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and her legs felt like lead weights. She sighed in relief when she saw a few thatched buildings ahead. She practically stumbled into a place the sign denoted as the Braidwood Inn and fumbled over to the counter, surprising the inn keeper as she slapped down a malk.

"Oh well uh…"

Blake didn't bother waiting to listen and walked over to the nearest room, collapsing onto the bed, her body aching all the while.

"Can you shut the door, please," she asked from her prone position. The inn keeper just shrugged and closed the door for the girl. Blake let out a thankful groan and slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Yang gave a thumbs up and then a wave to Golldir and Agna Hillgrund as she left their family tomb.

"Bye guys. And next time, try to get professional help instead of running to go fight a necromancer on your own."

"We'll keep it in mind," Agna called to her. "We owe you so much!"

"Just buy me a hot meal next time you're in Whiterun."

"And a cold drink," Golldir added with a laugh. Yang waved back as she disappeared from the two's sight. "Oh, I sure am glad she stumbled upon us, Aunt Agna."

"Me too. Who knows what could have happened if she hadn't crashed through like that. I might have died."

Yang whistled as she opened her map and looked at it and her surroundings. After a short clairvoyance, she adjusted her course for the road and put her map away.

' _I wonder what Ruby's been up to?'_

* * *

" **Fus!** " Ruby Shouted upwards. As the pot started arcing down, she dashed over and shouted upwards again, sending it back into the sky.

"You know, I never thought anyone would actually train their control like that," Argneir admitted to his brothers, who all nodded as they watched the young Dragonborn trace and chase the pot before Shouting it back up. "I wonder if Tiber Septim did something similar in his youth."

Borris merely shrugged, watching Ruby dash after the pot once again.

 **"Fus! Ro!** " Deciding to add a little extra 'oomph' to the shout, Ruby could only watch as the pot soared higher than previously, first in excitement then in horror as the pot's angle sent it soaring past the cliff edge, away from the monastery. Rubbing the back of her head, and hoping that pot wouldn't hit someone, she turned to see the mirth filled eyes of the Greybeards boring into her. "Heh, heh... Oops?"

* * *

"Probably trying not to fall asleep meditating again," Yang chuckled to herself as she adjusted her pack and continued on.

* * *

Weiss Schnee went to Jarl Stormcloak to inform him personally of the Butcher's demise. It was late at night, nearly morning, but the runner she sent ahead of her was fast and the Jarl was ready long before she got there. Wuunferth and Galmar stood on either side of him. They were the only ones present in the room, everyone else was fast asleep.

"So, it is done," the Jarl observed as Weiss came forward.

"Yes, Jarl Ulfric," she said with a bow. "The killer was Calixto Corrium. Four of your commanders and I caught him attempting to murder Nilsine Shatter-Shield, who bravely volunteered herself as bait. He then ran and entered Hjerim, despite my locking it, and went straight to the altar. We fought, and I killed him."

"Ah, very good. The city can sleep a little easier now. You've done Windhelm a great service, Miss Schnee, one that cannot go unrewarded."

Wuunferth made a motion, and Weiss tipped her head over at Galmar. The Court Wizard nodded and the heiress sighed, and closed her eyes.

"Sir, there's one more thing. I haven't been fully honest with you about myself. I was able to solve this case partly thanks to… Because I am a vampire." Weiss opened her eyes, revealing them to no longer be an icy blue, but a shining gold. Galmar stumbled and reached for his battleaxe, but Ulfric waved his hand towards his housecarl.

"Odd that you'd admit to that, but I appreciate the honesty. To be fair, one of my scouts suspected as much, but he was uncertain. I worked under the assumption that you were, but waited to see what you might do. As for what you have done, I'm impressed." The Jarl stood up and walked down the steps to his throne, but he was still head and shoulders over Weiss. "When I was fighting in the Great War, I once went forward on my own to find something to hunt and bring back. I stumbled upon two men fighting, but then one started shouting at the other about being 'kind-hearted' and 'weak', so I could easily tell who the villain was.

"I had walked into two vampires from competing clans fighting in their own war. But the difference between them was night and day. One clan was responsible, made sure not to bite for their blood, and tried to keep their kind under control. The other…well, they fit every fear mankind has about vampires. I saved one of the former, and killed one of those Cruelbloods.

"After that, I ran into several more, and found that vampires are not _just_ some monsters prowling in the night. Like anyone, there are good and bad. The balance was just different. So I helped them. Started attacking the Cruelbloods hideaways, or leading Aldmer straight to them. The Kindred gave back. They started infiltrating our enemies for us, because of what I did for them. So, I know a vampire can be good, and after what you did, looking into a case not concerning you, delaying your planned travels, putting yourself in harm's way more than once, all to help my people, I know you are good."

Weiss felt inspired. She could definitely see now why so many people followed this man, even those who could easily feel mistreated or despised by him. Still, she had to hold back her praise for now.

"I thank you sir, from the bottom of my heart but… I know your overarching interest in me is to eventually bring me to your side, and then my friends." She looked up at him, seeing his expression unchanged, and held herself steady. "But before we go any further, I need to make something clear. We won't be joining this war. There are many reasons, but the most important is that we aren't from the Empire at all, and our power, and my friend's status, would essentially make any side we join the winners by default. I mean no disrespect, but I want it to be clear and not give you any false hopes of such."

"I understand completely," he went on as he walked back to his throne. "You're all defenders, dragon slayers. You're not soldiers." He sat back down and nodded to her. "And I can't force you to fight for me. Conscripts make for poor soldiers anyways, something the Thalmor will one day learn first-hand. Still, I aim to reward you for your service, and with the highest honor I can. Weiss Schnee, I name you Thane of Eastmarch, and give you all the benefits of such a station. Keep my dagger as your permanent badge of office."

Weiss was shocked by this. "Tha- But I-"

"If I might, my Jarl?" Wuunferth asked. Ulfric nodded towards him and the Court Wizard looked back to her. "Thanehood is not limited to a single Hold, rather, each Hold has a separate list of Thanes. You could, if you put forth the effort, become a Thane of all Nine Holds, essentially a Thane of all Skyrim. Also, you're not the servant of the Jarl of the Hold, you're a servant of the Hold itself. That's why you're a Thane of Whiterun, not a Thane of Balgruuf. Serving a person directly makes you a housecarl, like Galmar over there."

Said housecarl grunted, but nodded.

"I see. I…understand. I graciously accept."

"As well, I also assign Calder to be your housecarl. I doubt you'd want him traveling with you for now, so he can stay at your new property, Hjerim."

That really surprised Weiss. "H- Hjerim? The manse?"

"The Shatter-Shields sold it to Windhelm after the death of their daughter. They haven't been able to move back, and barely go near it. And, you will need somewhere for you and the other three to lay your heads when you come by Windhelm. I'd rather it be easier for you than not. We may need you all well rested in the case of a dragon attack."

"I can't…thank you enough, my Jarl. This is much more than I ever expected."

"I thought it might be. You're dismissed for now. I'm certain you want to get your rest and head on to the College as quickly as possible."

Weiss bowed and left the palace. Galmar watched as she left, then sighed.

"Are you sure we could just let her go like this? I'd hate to see her on the enemy's side."

"We'd push her to the Imperials if we tried to force or coerce her. We also know she's not the strongest. If we did anything, the other three could come crashing down on our heads. My Voice may be strong, but I'd rather not test it against the likes of the Dragonborn." He leaned back and smiled lightly. "Besides, it's not us they aren't joining, it's 'the war'. I'd much rather they all be neutral, than even one side with the Imperials. Because if they aren't joining them, how long until the Imperials realize they aren't with us?"

* * *

Blake's eyes fluttered open. Everything looked blurry. Everything felt heavy. Her mind felt hazy.

"Wake up," a voice whispered to her, making her turn towards the source. She blinked a few times and her vision cleared. If she had the energy, she would have screamed, because sitting casually on a shelf was a woman in black and red leather armor, her face hidden behind a mask.

"Sleep well?"


	14. Death Dealing Draugrs and Dragons

**Posted this rather quickly last night. We wanted it on Spacebattles before we went to do our things (movies for Trest, work for me). Luckily, thanks to NaanContributor, you guys get the refined version the first time. Still, let's give thanks to xTRESTWHOx for keeping me from adding at least ONE stupid cliche, and probably a dozen more through this story.**

* * *

Despite being gifted a lovely abode, Weiss elected to sleep once again in Candlehearth Hall. Given Hjerim's present condition, no one could blame her. She did, however, stop by the mansion on her way to the palace, having already selected which furnishings she wanted, and met her new housecarl there. Calder was a rather unremarkable looking Nord, but so had Lydia when she first met her, and that woman turned out to be all right. While she wasn't comfortable traveling with him, that didn't mean she wasn't willing to give him a chance.

"Now Calder, while I'm gone I expect you to look after Hjerim. Make sure no one breaks in and keep things in order. Here's the spare key," Weiss commanded as she handed the housecarl the key.

"Of course, my Thane," Calder replied with a thump to his chest, something Weiss had learned was a traditional Nordic salute.

"Thank you," Weiss nodded then turned to leave, but paused at the door. "... Are you sure that you are okay with merely guarding Hjerim? I would imagine that a warrior like yourself would feel like his talents are being misplaced."

"Not at all, my Thane. While I will admit that I would much rather take the field by your side, given your...condition, I can see why you would be uncomfortable. Speaking of which, I have taken the liberty of donating a few pints of blood and have placed them inside your knapsack," Calder admitted. "Not enough to leave me drained, but enough to get you to Winterhold, at least."

"Thank you, Calder," Weiss wasn't that surprised that Ulfric had let Calder know that detail.

"Besides, guarding the home of a Thane is the longest held tradition with being a housecarl." At Weiss' raised eyebrow, Calder laughed. "What, you didn't think housecarl's were _always_ bodyguards, right? Housecarls, when first brought over from Atmora, merely kept their master's homes. Becoming their bodyguard came later. It's in the name, after all."

"...You know, that makes a lot of sense, actually," Weiss hummed in realization. "Well, it looks like Hjerim's in good hands. Until next time, Calder."

"By your honor, my Thane," Calder saluted, making Weiss smile as she opened the door and headed outside into the cold

Certain that everything was in order, she headed to the Palace of the Kings, but stopped short as she ran across Wuunferth.

"About to say goodbye, hm?" he asked as he stepped alongside her.

"Jarl Ulfric has been more than gracious to me. I will thank him personally before I head on to Winterhold."

"Good. It's good to see the young still have manners. So, while you're headed that way, I have something." He pulled a sack from his side and handed it over to her. "We confiscated a lot of things from Calixto and his house, including a journal, and the _Book of Fate_ of all things. Apparently, he saw that he would reunite with his sister, the very one he was trying to revive. Heh, wasn't too specific on how though, was it?" He cleared his throat after a short laugh. "Anyways, deliver those to the Archmage, Savos Aren. He'll take good care of them. Also, we recovered this." He pulled forth the jade amulet from before, only now Weiss could clearly see the skull carving on it. "That 'wear' you saw was some resin he used to disguise it. Cleared it off easily enough. This truly is the Necromancer's Amulet. It can focus one's power in the arts of Conjuration, especially the necromantic, far beyond their scope, and expands the magicka threshold more than I've seen any amulet do. Sadly, useless in the hands of the living, as it also causes the life force to be drawn away, making it harder to heal and replenish one's energy. A cut that could normally heal in a day will keep bleeding for a week if I were to wear this. I think you should have it."

He passed it over and Weiss held the amulet in her hands, staring at it dumbly. "Me? But you just said that-"

"You're undead. You don't have an actual lifeforce for it to disrupt. You can have all of its positive effects without any of the drawbacks. Feel free to pass it to Archmage Savos with all those other things if you want, but in my opinion, something useful should be used, so long as it's safe. That thing's safe for you, and it'll let you bring up familiars and elementals far easier. Maybe even a bound weapon, seeing as you like to keep a blade on you."

"Oh, well, thank you, I suppose." Weiss turned the amulet about in her hands before pocketing it, figuring wearing such a necklace at this time would be in poor taste.

"Another thing. Normally I wouldn't do this without you proving it to my face, but I've been assured you're talented by Ulfric's eyes and ears." He handed her an envelope, which was addressed to Savos Aren. "A letter of recommendation for you. Should make it simple for you to get in. Most prospective students have to practice a spell for weeks until they can show that they're suitable for the College. Like I told you before, I'm in good standing, so they'll take my word for it. Don't make me look like an idiot for this."

"I would never dream of it," Weiss beamed.

The two entered the Great Hall and Weiss curtsied while Wuunferth gave a short bow to Jarl Ulfric. The Court Wizard began heading towards his work station while Weiss remained. Along with Weiss and the Jarl, the commanders from last night were all present, most looking a little tired.

"I will be leaving soon. I just wanted to thank you one last time before I move on."

"It is us who should be thanking you, Thane Weiss," Ulfric responded. "I hope that you shall come around again. Perhaps one day I could even meet your other fellows?"

"Perhaps. I imagine they'll come through Windhelm at some point. At the very least if they ever wish to visit me at the College they'll come through."

"I look forward to the day. Well then, I wish you safe travels. Whatever knowledge you're looking for in Winterhold, I hope it finds you. Talos watch over you, Thane."

"And may the Nine smile on you, my Jarl." Weiss curtsied once again and made to leave.

"Thane Weiss," she heard and turned to look back at Runs-Through-Storms. "Good luck." She saw his eyes smiling, and she smiled back.

As she exited the palace and past the city gates, the guards, who once looked at her in suspicion, now looked at her with respect. Most nodded at her, while a few saluted, lifting Weiss' spirits higher. Reaching the road, Weiss paused and looked south towards Riften.

' _I wonder how Blake is doing? I hope she's alright._ '

* * *

Blake's heart pounded in her chest, and her head pounded from something else. Her breathing quickened, and then the assassin…giggled, which was arguably the most terrifying thing yet.

"Whe- Where-" Blake found that even speaking was harder. She swallowed, and tried reaching for her weapon, only to find her arms were as wobbly as her voice.

"Don't be so worried," she gently assured the faunus. "If I wanted to kill you, we wouldn't be speaking right now."

"Where…am I?"

"Does it matter? You're warm, dry,…and still alive. That's a lot more than can be said for old Grelod, isn't it?" Blake only felt her fear increase as the Brotherhood assassin laughed again. "I will admit, you did a very excellent job making it look like an accident. No one even expected it was you, despite being the last to see her alive. Not even the barkeep. A nice touch with the slipper."

"I… I didn't…" Blake winced and took a deep breath. "Why…so hard…?"

"Oh that would be the potion. Couldn't have you waking up in the middle of it all, could I? I had to get everything set up for us. Take a look."

Blake managed to look behind herself and gasped. There were three people, each of them with black hoods tied over their heads and their hands bound together and tied to the floor behind them, a man, an older woman, and a male Khajiit.

"Let's be clear, the Black sacrament was performed, and so that means the one the Aretino boy wanted dead was a kill meant for the Brotherhood. A kill that you stole. A kill that must be repaid." Blake gulped in fear, scared to death of where this was going "So, here I have a little test. There's a contract on one of these poor souls' head. Speak with them, get to know them, find out who it is, and repay your debt. A life for a life."

"I... I won't...kill for you..." Blake struggled to convey, at which the assassin darkly laughed.

"I don't think you have much of a choice, at the moment. Someone in this shed has to die. I suggest you don't make me choose for you."

Blake's mind was swirling around in her head. She wanted her to kill one of these people, and wanted her to kill the right one? Blake gulped and clenched a fist, finding that her strength was slowly returning. Whatever potion she used was fading away. She just needed a little more time. The faunus pulled herself to her feet and stumbled over towards the man. She knelt before him, and the man's head moved around in fear.

"Hello?" his muffled voice tried to call out. "Please, who's there? I'll give you whatever you want! If it's about the raid from last week, I told Holgrim there was no honor in it! No honor in killing men in their sleep! I swear I-"

"Calm down," she told him. "Calm down. Tell me who you are."

"I- My name is Fultheim. I'm a soldier, er, a mercenary, really. Lived in Skyrim my whole life. That's all! I'm just a nobody! Please, let me go!"

"Would someone pay to have you killed?"

"Would…? Oh gods… Please," he sobbed, "I don't want to die!"

"Shh, just tell me. It'll be all right."

"I don't know. I mean, I'm a soldier. I've killed, when ordered to. Maybe… Maybe sometimes I got carried away. But…that's war, right? I can't… They can't blame me for that!"

Blake grunted as she picked herself up and went over to the woman. "What did I do?" she heard him faintly. "Please, whatever it is, I'm sorry!"

"Is someone there?" the older woman asked as she kneeled next to her. "Get these things off of me!" she demanded.

"Can you tell me who you are?"

"That's none of your damned business!" the woman decried. "If you're going to kill me, just do it already! Mara as my witness, if this hood wasn't on I'd spit right in your face!"

"Would someone pay to kill you?" Blake was feeling the eyes of the assassin bore into the back of her head, but she pressed on, trying to pump her Aura up.

"Excuse me, what kind of question is that?"

"It's all right. Just tell me what I need to know to get us through this."

The lady scoffed. "I'm a woman living in Skyrim with six children and no husband. I have no time or patience for being 'nice'. Do people look down on me? Have I made enemies? You're damned right they do and I have!"

"Thank you," Blake muttered before she moved on to the Khajiit. The woman groaned, more in anger than anything else, and then she was in front of the Khajiit man.

"Whoever this is, we appear to have clearly got off on the wrong foot," he said with confidence. "Ah, but no worries. This is not the first time I've been bagged and dragged."

"Who are you?"

"Ah! Vasha, at your service," he told her as though having a pleasant conversation. "Obtainer of good, taker of lives, and defiler of daughters." Blake rolled her eyes at this, and then flexed her left arm, finding that most of her control was already back. "Have you not heard of me? Perhaps I will have my people carve my name into your corpse as a reminder." His words steadily got more venomous, letting Blake know that he was taking this at least somewhat seriously, though still with more confidence than she believed he should.

"I guess there's no point asking if anyone would pay an assassin to go after you."

"True enough. The real question is 'would anyone pay to have me killed…again?' I have lived in death's shadow every day. A knife behind every doorway. A notched arrow on every rooftop. I would be insulted if there was an enemy of mine that wasn't trying to kill me."

"I see. Thank you."

"Tell you what," Vasha continued as Blake stood up, "you release me, and I promise to not have my associates hunt you down."

She looked over them all and clenched and unclenched her hand before drawing Gambol Shroud.

"So, which one will it be?" the assassin asked her as her eyes went over each one. Her grip on her ballistic sickle-sword was loose, and trying to tighten her grip didn't last long, but each attempt lasted longer than the last.

"An assassin was sent after me and a friend," she told the woman. "We know it was the Brotherhood that sent them."

"Yes, someone offered a handsome sum for you and your three friends. Yet, you all survived. We were still weighing the cost and benefits before this came up." She pulled a dagger from her side and began flipping it between her fingers. "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement to break off the contracts on you all."

Translation; kill for us, and we won't kill you. Blake took a deep breath and thought it over. The safety of her team was her priority, but what if she got this wrong? Vasha seemed the most likely, but his presence was almost too obvious. Fultheim almost believed someone was out for him after some sort of raid. The woman didn't seem likely at all, but her attitude reminded her of Grelod, a woman who also had a contract out on her. She could have been just as horrible a mother as Grelod was a caretaker. But then Vasha freely admitted that there were many people that wanted him killed as a daily occurrence. The chance that at least one of them did it with the Black Sacrament was more than likely. Then, there was the fact that someone could've lost a loved one to Fultheim, perhaps in a dishonorable way that the average Nord in Skyrim would've seen as reason enough to put a contract on him in retribution.

" _You could kill them all. That will get the right one."_

' _No, I won't do that! I don't want to kill any of them!'_

" _You need to kill at least one person."_

Blake's hand shook, her weapon clattering a bit as it did. She looked between each of them, trying to figure out who it could be, trying to see if the assassin hadn't lent her any clues to the identity of the right one. She felt her Aura rising up slowly, having finally pushed the poison from her system, and then her hand stilled and her mind made.

"Made a choice?"

"Yeah." Blake whipped around and fired.

* * *

"Now the key to Whirlwind Sprint, Dragonborn, is to see where you will be going _before_ you move. To _feel_ , and then act upon that feeling," Argneir explained, once again in the castle courtyard, only this time without the company of the other Greybeards. Lydia herself was with the others in her own meditation, wanting to further understand what her Thane was doing. Ruby closed her eyes in deep thought and imagined her surroundings, the snow and stone that covered the court, and the gate in front of her, before opening her eyes once more.

" **Wuld!** " Ruby Shouted and shot forward at blinding speed, only to stop suddenly right in front of the closed gate. She smiled and turned to look at Argneir, who smiled back, only to stop once Ruby's smile broke and was replaced with one of worry.

"You seem troubled. May I ask what is wrong?" Argneir gently asked Ruby, who began walking towards him. Ruby stopped herself near Argneir and took in a breath of air, releasing it slowly.

"I'm still kind of worried about that pot. What if it hit someone?"

"Don't worry, young Dragonborn," the Greybeard speaker assured her. "The chances of it hitting someone are near nonexistent. More likely it just landed somewhere on the mountainside, or in the forests below if it made it that far. I highly doubt anyone will ever see it, much less be harmed by it."

* * *

"So then I came across this body, pretty sure he was a thief because he had a silk bag full of gems, but the head was busted wide open, and nearby was a cast iron pot with bits of his head on it."

"What? You're joking," Vilkas objected to Yang's tale.

"No, really. Someone brained that guy with a pot. Unless it fell off the mountain, but then he'd just have to have had the worst luck on the planet."

"Maybe his wife had finally had enough," Aela joked as she joined up with the two. "The Khajiits brought something back from the Eldergleam Sanctuary by the way."

"Oh good, that means Blake and Weiss were able to…" Yang looked forward to see a small tree, about as tall as she was and not even as wide as her calf.

"They brought back a sapling. Danica was a little upset at first, but decided to take what she was given, especially after the cat boy told her how Kynareth herself seemed to make the sapling sprout up for them. Now the old Gildergreen's wood is being made into a pavilion with an outdoor altar just outside the walls and near the forest. Heard she's thinking of calling it the Windshade."

"Well that's pretty cool," Yang admired. "No tree lasts forever, anyways. Better to make good use of it than let it go to waste."

The three Companions walked into Jorrvaskr and then down towards Kodlak's room. Skjor and Farkas were waiting alongside the Harbinger, and Aela and Vilkas moved to stand alongside them. The Circle complete, they all directed their gaze towards Yang.

"Well, Yang, I can assume that your first mission was a success?" Kodlak knowingly asked, to which Yang sighed.

"Well, I got rid of the bears for Temba," Yang told them. "And…then some..."

"We heard about the werebear," Skjor told her. "Heard you brought it back covered in burns, dents, and full of broken bones, but that you yourself looked scuffed up as well. They say they gave you a treatment. Did it work?"

"Well, I haven't turned furry on the way here, and I'm not craving salmon, berries, or honey any more than usual, so I guess I'm fine," Yang joked, earning a soft chuckle from Farkas, who was quickly silenced by a glare from Vilkas and Skjor. Clearing his throat, Kodlak continued.

"Could you tell us how you came across it?" Kodlak asked. "Where was it, and what was it doing?"

"It… _He_ was out in the forest. He sounded like he was in pain, and I offered to help, but he started shouting about danger and ran into the cave. I went in expecting to find him in the back or stumbling on another bear, but then I heard… It sounded like meat being torn and bones cracking. When I caught up, I thought the werebear was just an extra-large bear that had killed and eaten him." She scratched the back of her head. "It didn't seem like it'd be too out there. Back home, we have these things called Ursa. They're not really bears, but very bear-like. They're part of a group of demon-like creatures we call Grimm. The werebear reminded me of those more than anything."

"So you had to fight it," Farkas rightly guess. "How'd that turn out?"

"He was tough. Way tough. Most of the bears weren't really much trouble, but he could take a hit and dish it out as well. Kinda sluggish, at least compared to me, but his strength more than made up for it. I think we knocked over three or four trees just by fighting. Nearly tore my head off, too. I killed him, but it was hard going."

"And what'd you think of it?" Aela asked. "About the werebear? In fact, werebeasts in general, how do you view them after fighting one yourself?"

"View them?" Yang closed her eyes and sighed. "It's…terrifying. The idea that you could be trapped in your own body like that…while it goes out looking to kill."

"That is indeed a truly terrifying thought, not having control of your own body," Kodlak nodded in understanding. "I notice you didn't say anything about the man himself. You don't hate him or anything?"

"No, how could I? The guy wanted me to get out of there. He was…afraid he'd kill me. He didn't want to do that. If anything, I feel sorry for him. If I knew it was him when I was fighting him, I might've been a little more hesitant, but…I would've still stopped him, put him down if I had to. He was dangerous, and within walking distance of a populated village. The werebear part of him could've slaughtered most, if not all of the people living there."

"Ah, so it was the beast, not the man, that you fought," Kodlak clarified. "But what if you ran into another? If you came across another werebear or a werewolf, yet they seemed in control of themselves?"

"Well, if they aren't hurting anybody, then there's nothing to worry about, right?"

"I suppose so," Kodlak smiled at Yang, along with the rest of the Circle. "That is a very mature way of thinking Yang, not seeing the world in black and white. It will carry you far." At Kodlak's praise, Yang beamed. "Now then, go ahead and help yourself to whatever you want from the food hall. You more than deserve it. We'll get you your share and see about getting you a new mission soon."

"Thank you, Harbinger." She saluted from her forehead, and then thought about it before thumping an arm across her chest and nodding before heading back up into the main hall. As she disappeared from view, Farkas moved to close the door behind her, leaving them isolated from the rest of the mead hall, and in total privacy.

"Well, she's got a rather good head on her shoulders," Vilkas said to the others.

"Even if that bear did nearly rip it off like she said," his brother agreed.

"She's brave, thoughtful, and looked at the situation from each angle she could," Kodlak mused. "When she thought she was fighting a simple beast, she fought it to stop it, both to avenge the man she thought had been killed by the beast, and defend the villagers as well. When she learned the truth, rather than cling to regret, she accepted what she'd done, as well as how it may have been necessary either way. I think she would make an exemplary Companion. Perhaps even a Circle member one day."

"I think she's nearly ready," Aela added in, thinking back on how Yang looked when she explained how she felt about the werebear. "She's a lot more responsible than we originally assumed. That one-off with her friends and her drinking too much and ending up on the other side of Skyrim seems to have been just that, a one-off thing."

"Aye," Skjor agreed, "and the first thing she did when they got back was look for her sister, and then immediately went to find her. And the others trust her to be the one to hold down the fort, so to speak, while Ruby trains under the Greybeards and the others go up to Winterhold. She's the only one on her own. That's a lot of trust to give one person."

"Maybe she's Circle material, but I don't know if she's up for…all of it," Farkas explained. "We could probably leave her out of that much, right?"

"Every member of the Circle gets the Gift," Aela countered. "That's how it's worked for centuries. Besides, you heard her. I don't think I ever heard someone speak for the sake of a werebeast like that, especially not after fighting one to the death. If anyone could use it, it's her."

"Perhaps Aela," Kodlak noted. "But it's still early to tell. We should take the time to think it over better now that we know what we know. Vilkas, wasn't Amren looking for someone to get his sword back?"

"Ah, should be a quick and easy trip for her. I'll let her know then."

"'Til then, let's let the facts of the matter show themselves to us. We have some other concerns to tend to."

"I'll see if I can't verify the rumors," Aela said as she headed off.

* * *

As she'd half expected, Blake's shot missed. Or rather, the assassin dodged it, the bullet harmlessly impacting the wall where she'd been. Without wasting a word, she rushed Blake with her dagger, a black, double-edged blade with gold filigree that had gained a red tint, likely from use as much as age. Blake parried her to the side, but the killer was quick to recover and sliced at her, forcing the faunus to step back. Blake felt something against her leg and stepped away, recalling that there were three people helplessly bound on this battlefield.

"What's going on?!" she heard the mother shrilly scream.

The assassin came at her with a low stab, but she was able to get the cleaver half of Gambol shroud down in time to block. She attempted to behead the murderer, but she easily ducked and then came back with another dagger in her off-hand, this one single-edged, black, and with silvery etching. Blake blocked several strikes aimed for her with both her blades and tried hitting back, but even hits she made were little more than shallow cuts, and already she could feel what little Aura she had was nearly gone.

She leaped out of the way of a downward strike, but then the double-edged dagger swiped in from her left, breaking through her weakened Aura and slicing just under her rib. Blake cried out and backed away as she saw something flow into the killer, and the small wounds she made seemed to close with the energy.

"Such a shame," the assassin said as she came at her again. Blake desperately tried to fight back, but the cramped quarters gave her no real maneuvering room, and her opponent kept pushing her to the walls. She felt the other blade rake her arm and screamed as it sent jolts of electricity through her. With her off-balance, the assassin kicked her sword from her hands, sending it across the room. She tried to block with her sheathe, but then one dagger snaked around and stabbed into her gut. She felt it drain away part of her energy before she got away, backpedaling to the middle of the room again, clutching her wound to stem the bleeding.

" _That dagger is nothing compared to my Blade,"_ she heard.

Once again the assassin charged at her, this time striking towards her neck with both daggers. They sunk into her throat, but then the image of Blake disappeared. The assassin's eyes went wide as she turned to the sound of a blade being drawn. Blake nearly tore the Ebony Blade from the polished sheath Ruby had made for it and swung from her right. The assassin blocked with her left, but the Ebony Blade shoved against her and then bit into her arm. It carved through flesh and bone, severing the limb from the body. It continued on, cutting between ribs, through the bottoms of her lungs, and then out the other side of her chest, only to slice through half of her right bicep, biting the bone as it passed through. The killer's eyes went wide as she feel to her knees, one arm gone and the other useless. She dropped her dagger to the floor and tried to breathe, only to find her lungs wouldn't follow her commands.

"…well…done," she managed before collapsing forward, blood pooling around her corpse. Blake took a moment to catch her breath, but then smiled as an ecstatic feeling overcame her. She couldn't describe it, but something was sending a tingling up her spine that caused her to shiver in delight. It was a feral feeling that made her look towards her weapon that had slain her foe, watching as the blood that had fallen upon it seemed to wisp away into the metal as the wounds on her body sealed up, the hole in her belly shrinking. Suddenly she snapped herself out of it and shook her head.

' _That…was the first time…I ever used it,'_ she realized with a deep gulp. _'It felt…_ I _felt amazing.'_

Now she shivered in fear, now fully understanding just why this thing had been locked up in the first place. Shaking her head and with steady breaths, she sheathed the Blade and looked back at the dead assassin.

" _Well done, indeed."_

Blake went over and picked up the black and reddish gold dagger. _Woe_ was etched onto its pommel. She took the sheath for it from the killer's belt and fastened it to her side before recollecting Gambol Shroud's halves. Done with that, she went over and began untying the prisoners in the same order she'd spoken to them. Fultheim slowly pulled off his hood once he was free and looked to the corpse before them. The woman was a little more hasty, but when she saw the body she covered her mouth and retched. Vasha remained calm and sneered at the killer's body.

"Oh, so that was a battle Vasha heard. Well then, seems I owe you a debt, and an apology." The Khajiit stood and brushed himself off. "In hindsight, your questions make much more sense."

"What was this all about?" the woman shrieked. "Who- Is that a Dark Brotherhood assassin? Why?"

"They were after me before," Blake explained. "I…accidentally killed one of their targets and she was… I'm not sure what she wanted. Trying to recruit me? Getting some sort of sick pleasure from making someone else kill?"

"Whatever the cause, she is dead now," Vasha said as he picked through her pockets. He pulled forth a key with a satisfied sigh and went over to the door. Once it was unlocked, he stepped out and was closely followed by the other two. Blake paused a moment and took the hood from the assassin, seeing a woman who, while pretty, would have looked like any other Nord woman. She probably could have seen her in her periphery and never really noticed.

"Wait a second..." Blake squinted her eyes before widening them in slight recognition. "The woman sitting alone... She was there the whole time..." Shivering at the thought, she pocketed the hood and stepped outside.

"Swamps," Vasha stated in observation of their surroundings. "Hjaalmarch, most likely. Closest city would be Morthal. Must have teleported me."

"Going by the faint smell of salt, Morthal should be to the south," Fultheim added. "Maybe a few hours away at most."

"Well, let's get out of here," the woman said and she began walking. "I got to get home to my children."

"That's east," Fultheim warned.

"I know that, but I ain't swimming through that swamp water!"

"Quite a batty one," Vasha stated as he began walking. He looked over to Blake and nodded. "After this, I meant it when I say I owe you greatly. I may be a low-down good-for-nothing, but I make sure to pay my debts whenever I accrue them."

"I'll keep it in mind. Where would I find you if I needed you?"

"Riften, most likely. Solitude on other days. Just mention me in the rougher areas, and people will either threaten to gut you or bring you to me. The second sort work for me, the first sort is about an even split."

"Great," she deadpanned.

* * *

They made it to Morthal with little incident, though the woman, who finally let them know her name was Alea Quintus, complained most of the way there. Fultheim and Blake were annoyed by it, but Vasha seemed to find it entertaining. Whether it was because he was used to being surrounded by yes-men and quivering underlings and was just refreshed by her attitude, or because he found the other two's annoyance entertaining, he did not say. Blake headed straight for the guardhouse while Fultheim and Alea gave their testimonies to a few guards at the edge of town, Vasha skipping over the guards and looking for the stables.

Stepping into the guardhouse, Blake looked around for the most important looking one of them. Upon seeing him, currently signing papers at a desk, she marched straight up to him, causing his attention to be redirected, slightly annoyed. "Good afternoon, miss. What can I help you with?"

"I had a run-in with a Dark Brotherhood assassin," At this, the captain's attention was wholly focused on her, previous task completely forgotten. "I don't know who she was, but I think she might have been one of the higher-ups, maybe their leader. She's dead in some shack in the middle of the swamps." She showed him the hood and the dagger, and the guardsman gasped.

"If what you're saying is true… You should take this information straight to Commander Maro of the Penitus Oculatus. He'll know what to do better than I. I'll have some men go see this shack. Can you give better directions?"

"A man named Fultheim can help you find it better than I can. He's talking to some guardsmen at the entrance right now. Where can I find Commander Maro?"

"At the Penitus Oculatus headquarters in Dragon Bridge." The captain practically leapt out of his seat. "Please, get the information to him post-haste. I'm going to go speak to this Fultheim."

As the guard captain left to speak to the mercenary, Blake went over to an alchemist store and downed a poison cure and healing potion. As what few wounds remaining on her healed and the remainder of the poison flushed from her system, she started marching out, checking her map to see that Dragon Bridge was directly west along the road. She stowed the map away and prepared herself for another long jog across a long stretch of land. Her mind had only one thought.

' _I'm going to kill them all!'_

* * *

Looking at her map, the 'Forsaken Cave' was not far from her path to Winterhold. The road went almost directly to it. She'd just have to go a little further west at the fork, and then the cave would be around there. After that it was only a few minutes of backtracking and she'd be back on track to Winterhold. As she trekked on, she saw a group of three people wearing robes, gauntlets, and shin guards, each of them with a weapon at their side, two men with maces, and the woman with an axe. She waved at them, but then they started looking at her with apprehension. Curious, she approached.

"Excuse me, are you all-"

"Die, abomination!" the woman screamed as she pulled out her axe and made a heavy swing. Weiss yelped and leapt out of the way.

"Damn it, Re, I said wait!" one man yelled as they took out their maces and readied themselves to cast. Weiss drew Myrtenaster and watched out for her assailants.

"What are you doing?!" Weiss shrieked as she prepared to block another strike from the woman.

"Putting you down, monster!" she yelled before swinging again. This time Weiss parried and elbowed the woman in the face, smashing her nose painfully. She ducked under a man's mace and flipped, kicking his jaw, and snapping his head back. As he stumbled back the other came at her, but he was more cautious than the other two. He tried to swipe her legs out from under her, but she jumped over the attempt and jumped forward, knocking him down with a shoulder charge. The woman came back at her and Weiss flipped the troublesome girl over and onto her back. The man she'd kicked held out a hand and shot out flames towards her, which Weiss screamed in panic at and jumped out of the way. Unfortunately, his unconscious fellow was now on fire.

"Re!" the other screamed as he tried to put out the flames. Weiss fired out a cone of frostbite at them, putting the flames out for him as well as quickly chilling him to the bone. Her knee came around into his head as her rapier parried away the other's mace. She pirouetted and kicked out at the other, knocking him flat onto his back. He tried to get up, but Weiss placed Myrtenaster's tip at his throat.

"You attacked me," she growled.

"You're undead," he spat. "A filthy vampire!"

"I can't help that! Do you think I wanted to be a vampire? Go back to praying in a monastery somewhere. You aren't any good as a fighter anyways." She pulled away and continued on her journey. "You were probably closer to killing your own teammate than me anyhow."

"What? Where- Where are you going?" the warrior-monk shouted at her as he pulled himself up. "You didn't kill me, why?"

"I have no time to waste on imbeciles," she called back to him, seeming to stun him there. Eventually he disappeared in the white horizon with the other two. Weiss felt aggravated by it for a long while, but eventually figured that such things were to be expected.

' _Guess those were some of those Vigilants of Stendarr. They were practically nothing to me, but I would be worried if they had anyone in their ranks with skill to their name. Well, not for me, but it would be much harder to non-lethally take down someone highly skilled, and I'd rather not kill someone for doing what they really think is right. Still, someone needs to do something about these preconceptions on vampires. It's probably the only reason there are 'bad ones' in the first place. That and the daedra, but that's something else entirely.'_

Eventually she came upon the cave, but then a white bear made its presence known by roaring at her. Weiss readied her rapier, and when the bear charged she could only sigh. A quick thrust into its heart ended its life quickly, though the bear did struggle against the inevitable as its life faded. With that, Weiss entered the cave to find a few human bones next to the broken remains of a cart. Wondering about them, another snow bear nearly rounded on her, but luckily she was able to duck under its paws and slashed out at its throat. It's fur and fat were thick, though, so slashing did not seem as effective as piercing. Backing up, she aimed once again and went for the chest. With that bear dead, she pushed forward into the icy cavern and around a bend, where a third bear reared up on its haunches and roared.

"How many…" she wondered aloud before unleashing a shower of sparks at the beast. It twitched and tried to bat the electricity away, and the distraction was enough for Weiss to stab it through the eye and into its brain. Grumbling about bears, Weiss went on and saw an ancient iron doorway surrounded by some ruins embedded in the ice. She pushed the doors open and stepped inside before going down a spiral staircase, her sense of adventure beginning to take hold. She nearly missed a flagstone that triggered a trap, likely darts going by the structure ahead of her.

' _I wonder if there are some…other treasures down here that I could procure. Maybe something like that Dragonstone? Ooh, or an amulet of great power! Well, I already have one of those, don't I?'_

Pausing, Weiss wondered about whether or not to put her Conjuration to use. She pulled out her spell book on summoning familiars and read over the lines again, this time seemingly grasping the instructions a little easier. Her right hand began waving, and she began picturing herself weaving threads of magicka into the cloth that would become the spell. A light, blue orb shone and then expanded into a shape like a dog. The wolf-shaped extension of her will looked to her, and Weiss felt a little dizzied by experiencing two points-of-view at once. Unlike most summons, familiars were conjured from the summoner themselves, and could technically take any shape the conjurer wanted. The wolf form was just the one the book gave as an example. Weiss wove another spell once again, and the familiar dissipated before another showed, this time in the shape of a fox. Weiss split herself from the familiar to make it easier on herself, and pointed forward.

"Go ahead of me and scratch near any traps. Return if you come across an enemy."

The spectral fox yipped and ran forward, stopping to scratch at the trap right in front of Weiss. The heiress sighed with a smile and continued forward, but paused when the fox returned, a draugr right behind it.

"Very well."

Draugr were easy enough to kill, and this one was nothing special. A well-placed swipe and the body fell dead once again. A few more tried to stand in her way as she went, her fox familiar nipping at heels to distract them as she cut down the lesser undead while going through the tomb's halls. She paused momentarily when she spied several ingots on a table to the side and moved to pick them up. The slight sting they gave her confirmed them to be silver, and so the vampire happily began packing them away, knowing they'd be valuable.

Continuing forward, she found that the once narrow hallways widened, and more draugr came. Most went down quickly, but then one of them proved to be tougher than normal.

" **Fus** …" it said as it backed from her.

"Oh no!"

" **Ro DA!** "

Weiss jumped out of the way of the concussive force blast and then speared the draugr in the eye. It kept fighting for a moment longer, but Weiss could see its magic leaking from the wound profusely before she added another cut that downed it.

"Great, the boss from the first dungeon is now a miniboss." She blinked and then smacked herself. "I've spent too much time listening to Yang."

* * *

Weiss pushed through the tomb, killing draugr left and right, pausing to check certain places for anything worth looting. She was able to find several more silver ingots, along with precious gems and coins, a worthwhile haul to be sure. As she came onto a set of iron doors she pushed them open to see a pendulum trap and sighed.

"There's no way I'm risking that."

She summoned two glyphs, which the pendulums immediately crashed into and stopped cold, giving Weiss the time she needed to walk through unimpeded. On the other side, a coffin was kicked open, and a draugr wearing ancient ornate armor stepped out. Weiss readied herself as the draugr leveled its gaze at her

" **Fo…** " it began and Weiss immediately moved. Unfortunately she went too soon and the draugr tracked her. " **Krah diin!** "

An icy blast hit Weiss, but luckily the girl was more than attuned for the cold. More draugr began to join in as the battle began, and Weiss re-summoned her familiar, this time weaving it into the form of a bear. The spectral beast roared and ripped into the lesser draugr while Weiss focused upon the leader. As her blade sang forward, it blocked and tried to twist her sword away, only for her to follow the momentum and spin around with a slash. Weiss practically danced circles around it, giving precise cuts and stabs while it sought to chop her apart like a lumberjack. Finally the reanimated corpse couldn't seem to take it anymore and fell to its knees, where Weiss plunged her blade into it back, sending it back to death.

With the threats gone, Weiss took a moment to appreciate the ruins around her. Looking forward, she could see a Word Wall like the one from Bleak Falls Barrow. Seeing as stepping towards it didn't suddenly fill her with knowledge on how to read dragon script, she continued and opened the ancient chest before it, finding several age old coins, a war axe made of malachite, and two silver necklaces, one with a sapphire set into its face, and the other with two small garnets on either side of a large one in the center. Feeling an enchantment upon it, she observed it to see that it granted an immune system boost, what most simply called disease resistance (she had several things to say about why that was incorrect, but there was no point in arguing about the finer points of disease information with a people who probably haven't even discovered bacteria yet). She observed it further and found that it somehow granted complete immunity.

"How in…" she began, but decided to hold it in for now. Packing the stinging jewelry away, she walked back down and went under the Word Wall and walked forward to find an ancient bowl. Hoping that she was right, she took Nurelion's mixture and poured it in, where the potion began to glow. A rock door slid away at the back of the room, and Weiss went through and saw a room in much better condition with a phial sitting on a pedestal. Excited at finding her goal, she walked up and nearly plucked up the White Phial, but paused as she got a good look as it.

"It's…" She gingerly lifted it and turned it in her hands. "It's cracked."

There was no way for it to hold a liquid with some of the cracks it had. Feeling let down, Weiss slumped forward a bit, but stopped herself and looked it over once more.

' _If there's one place in Skyrim that can fix this, it's right where I'm headed.'_

Nurelion may have wanted the Phial quickly, but she knew he wouldn't be happy with it in this state. Even if the College couldn't fix it, she could always deliver it to him later and apologize for not being quicker. He'd probably appreciate the effort, at least.

Carefully wrapping the Phial in linen, Weiss packed it where it wouldn't be crushed and left the old tomb.

* * *

"Hmm-hm-hmm-hmmm," Yang hummed to herself, twirling the sword in her hand, a bound body hung over her shoulder, who had long since ceased his struggling.

"Will you stop that incessant tune?!" The man groaned, only to receive a painful jolt as Yang jumped him up slightly, deliberately striking his wounds in the process.

"What, my musical talents not good enough for you?" Yang asked, her point clear.

"No, no, you're great! Keep going!"

"That's what I thought." Once again, the air was filled with the sound of humming, now coupled with a slight whimper. Overall, Yang was happy with herself. She was able to liberate Amren's sword easy enough, having beaten the bandits black and blue, and as it turned out their leader, the man currently hung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, had quite a substantial bounty on him, to the amount of five hundred septims. Upon arriving in Whiterun, she deposited the bandit chief with Commander Caius in exchange for an ebon, and made her way to Amren's house to deliver the sword. In the end, with another ebon thrown into the bank account and more than enough gold to get her some good food and a few other things, Yang went back to Jorrvaskr to turn in for the night, wondering if Blake and Weiss were learning any interesting spells.

' _Maybe there's one for walking on water?'_ she thought near absentmindedly when Farkas and Skjor came up.

"'Sup, guys?"

"Uh…" Farkas intoned. Yang giggled at his confused expression.

"It means, 'how are you?'."

"Oh, well, fine, I guess."

"What brings you both out here?"

"We just wanted to tell you that we've decided on your last Trial to become a full-fledged Companion," Skjor explained. At this, Yang's interest was caught. "Farkas will be going there alongside you as your Shield-Sibling, to Dustman's Cairn, where a scholar tells us that a piece of Wuuthrad may lay. He seemed like a fool, but if he's right, then the honor of the Companions demands that we seek it out. Farkas will watch over you during this Trial." A heavy silence descended upon the group, the importance this artifact had for the Companions abundantly clear.

"Okay, cool." Yang shattered that silence and the stoic looks of the Companions, with them replaced with ones of confusion.

"What?" both Nords asked.

Yang sighed, but kept her expression pleasant. "It's a way of saying 'that's great'."

"Your homeland has many odd phrases," Skjor groaned. "Well then, I leave it to you two. Try not to disappoint, or get Farkas killed." The older man walked off with that, leaving Yang to talk with Farkas.

"So, Shield-Brother, huh?" Yang perked an eyebrow at Farkas, who shrugged.

"Yeah, looks like it. Don't be mistaken though, it's your trial. I'm just there to watch. Or drag you back if you get yourself killed."

"So much confidence you have," Yang chuckled, only for her expression to turn serious. "So, what's this Wuuthrad thing?"

"Wuuthrad is a legendary battleaxe. More importantly, it was the personal weapon of Ysgrammor himself," Farkas explained.

"Remind me, who was Ysgrammor again?"

"Ysgrammor was an ancient warrior from Atmora, who founded the Companions and Skyrim for the Nords. Had to kill all the elves to do it, mind you."

Yang blinked. "Wait, what?" At this, Farkas sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Uh, yeah, not all the elves. Just the snow elves, or Falmer, they were called. And, well, not all of them either."

"Wait, I thought Falmer were those blind things that live underground and farm giant bugs. Ruby told me that on her First Trial they sent her to a cave full of them."

"To be honest, I don't really know what happened. Vilkas tried to explain that they adapted or something, but I couldn't get the finer points of it. Basically if you live underground long enough, you and your descendants could go blind and crazy."

"Oh, so they evolved that way?" Yang rubbed her chin in thought. "Yeesh, they must've been under there a while. Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning then. We'll grab breakfast and head out?"

"Yeah. Don't wanna take too long."

With that Farkas went his own way and Yang scoped out the living quarters for a decent bed to sleep on. Thankful that someone was keeping this place clean, she kicked off her boots, set her gauntlets down, and crawled in to bed. Soon enough, she drifted into a deep sleep, dreaming of home.

* * *

Dustman's Cairn wasn't all that far from Whiterun, comparatively. It was about twice as far as the Western Watchtower had been. After eating a filling but not stuffing breakfast, Yang and Farkas headed out towards it, going over the tundra for a straighter shot. As the warm sun crawled higher in the sky and they kept up a slight jog, something distinctly echoed across the plains. The two stopped and looked to the south, where a shape was growing steadily in the sky.

"Uh oh," Farkas uttered as he grabbed the hilt of his sword. Another roar echoed out, and the distinct shape of a dragon showed. The beast quickly flew up to and over them, then banked around and circled them twice. Yang stood back to back with Farkas as they both prepared their weapons.

"Well, it was good knowing you, Shield-Sister," Farkas gulped.

"We aren't dead yet," Yang told him as the dragon slowed itself and landed. It was smaller than Mirmulnir, but a bit larger than Paalduzaam had been, covered in green scales speckled by yellow. The creature growled at them as it leveled its eye.

" **Hi los briinah do Dovahkiin?"** its voice boomed in an aggressive but questioning manner.

"Uh, Farkas, did you get that?"

"I don't speak dragon."

"Hey, neither of us speak dragon," she called out over to the dragon.

It growled. **"You are…sister of…Dragonborn?"**

"Uh, yeah, I am."

The dragon's face seemed to smile. **"Then…I can destroy you…and the Dovahkiin will be…enraged. Ni koraav naal rahgol, naal ni motmahus wah krii. Blinded by rage, easier to kill."** The dragon chortled as it began to take wing again. **"Fall, briinah do Dovahkiin! Fall to Dezgeingron!"**

"Couldn't have said no?" Farkas' question was flat, as was his expression.

"I didn't think about it, okay. Last two dragons just skipped to the attempting to murder us part." At this, the two broke into a sprint and separated.

Dezgeingron reared his head back, and the two dodged as fire came forth and hit the field where they were standing. He tried to chase Yang with it, but the girl stayed ahead of the inferno as she ran to a boulder to hide behind. Annoyed, the dragon let the fire die and flew over to her cover. As his head poked over, Yang jumped up with a spin and uppercut the dragon's chin, actually flinging its head back and causing Dezgeingron to stumble.

"Ha, knew the Shēnglóngquán would be effective!"

The dragon shook its head and looked at Yang in anger before trying to snap her into its jaws. She jumped up above its bite and then punched downwards, knocking it fully to the ground. Farkas came in from the side and swiped his blade against the dragon's wing, cutting through part of the membrane and the 'wrist'. Dezgeingron roared and snapped at the Nord man, only for his teeth to clang against the Skyforge steel greatsword. Yang promptly jumped in and punched the dragon's face, causing him to back away.

" **Fo! Krah! Diin!"** Icy breath suddenly leapt from the dragon's maw and hit Yang. The Huntress yelled and tried to cover her face. She could feel the heat being quickly sapped from her body. To combat it, she shot a hand out and a fireball slammed against her foe's body. She pulled herself away and tried to summon flames to warm herself, but the dragon went after her immediately, frosty air spilling from its mouth. Farkas came between the two and squared off against the dragon. Safe for now, Yang watched as she tried to thaw her blood out, feeling her heart jump every time Farkas had to block or dodge a snap of the dragon's jaws or a slash of his claws. He breathed fire again, but Farkas quickly ran out of its way. Yang watched as the flames tapered down, despite the fact that the dragon couldn't track Farkas with them fast enough.

' _Wait a minute,'_ Yang thought. _'He's not good at controlling it!'_

Finally having the warmth in her restored, Yang went back into the battle. Dezgeingron saw her, but a cut along the side of his face dragged his attention back to Farkas.

" **Yol!"** she heard and began running towards his head. **"Toor! Shul!"**

Less than a second after the first of the flames poured out after Farkas, nearly hitting him this time, Yang crashed into the dragon's head and pulled its mouth closed. Like she'd hoped, the muscles for opening them weren't very strong, but it was still a struggle to hold them. Fire licked out from the sides of his mouth as Dezgeingron tried whipping his head back and forth. Seeing an opening, Farkas ran forward with a shout, spearing his sword forward into the dragon's chest. Dragon and man struggled, and Yang could feel his face heating up. She let go and Dezgeingron roared upwards in pain as the remaining flames shot out. She grabbed a hold of Farkas' sword and with a yell helped him to shove the blade further into Dezgeingron's chest. The dragon struggled away before falling to his side, his wings twitching, his neck bent, and his body writhing, before finally going still.

After a pregnant pause, Farkas tentatively went forward and began pulling his sword free. Seeing how the corpse didn't respond, and with his weapon back in hand, the two looked over the green and yellow dragon corpse. The plain was silent, before slowly the sound of laughter began to spill out of the two warriors.

"That's what happens when you mess with the Companions!" Farkas taunted the corpse before continuing to let out a hearty laugh. Yang patted his shoulder with another laugh, before a thought entered her mind.

"It's not burning up," Yang realized and then laughed. "Guess that means I'm not a Dragonborn too."

"Guess not. But what does that mean for the dragon?"

"No idea. But now we've got a whole dragon's worth of scales." She tapped a finger to its hide. "Admit it, these things are tough, even on the weaker dragons. I bet it'd make for awesome armor."

"As hard as it was just to make this thing bleed, I can only imagine." He let out a sigh and looked in the direction of their destination. "Let's take a moment and then move on."

' _These dragon attacks are becoming more and more frequent_ ' Yang thought to herself, now worried. ' _I hope the others are okay._ '

* * *

As she neared Winterhold, Weiss stopped and looked in awe at the statue of Azura in the distance. It was a towering monument that likely took years to build, and was also the largest recent construction in Skyrim she had seen yet. She couldn't help but imagine what work and reasons went into its creation.

"I'll have to visit that," she told herself as she continued on. Winterhold was in sight, but most especially the building she could only assume was the Mage College of Winterhold. It sat at the very edge of a cliff overlooking the nearly frozen sea. There was an ancient majesty about it, and it seemed an almost fantastical place. Weiss then recalled that _magic_ was involved, so it really was fantastical. As she neared the town something seemed to carry over the wind that never seemed to let up. Ignoring it, she kept moving forward, but then it came again, and she instantly realized what it was.

' _Dragon?'_

She turned and looked southwest to see a blue and white dragon flying fast. A low roar resounded once again, and Weiss could hear the town suddenly coming alive as everyone either prepared to defend themselves or fled at the sight of the dragon. As it passed over the town, frost left it mouth and either nearly froze civilians to death or iced over the buildings, trapping those within. Weiss immediately rushed forward and drew Myrtenaster, intent on helping the people and stopping the dragon. As she ran into the city, the beast winged around and landed atop a building before roaring directly at the people cowering beneath it.

" **Mortals! Your kind are filth! You dared to usurp us! Dared to bury my brethren! Dared to bury me! I, Nahkrensos, will show you the error of your ways! I, Nahkrensos, will shatter your little Kro Hofkah!"** Weiss saw a few guards bravely fire arrows at the dragon, but most of them bounced off of his scales. When one penetrated, the blood could be clearly seen against his white scales, but the way he reacted they may as well have stabbed him with a sowing needle, as he turned towards them with a growl and then unleashed his Voice.

" **Fus! Ro! Dah!"**

Weiss had seen and felt the Force shout before, but seeing a dragon powered version made them all look like light shoves. The men were thrown back as everything around them was flung through the air, the corner of a wooden building caved in, and the one most directly hit by it silently rag-dolled through the air, his body appearing almost boneless. Weiss gritted her teeth and aimed Myrtenaster forward as she took the Sanguine Rose from her back and summoned up a daedra for combat. A dremora wearing robes came forth and immediately began summoning firebolts.

"A worthy challenge!" it cried upon seeing her foe.

Lightening coursed through her multi-action Dust revolver rapier and fired out at the dragon, hitting it in the chest and eliciting a pained response. The dragon glared at her as she and the dremora kept coming, her summon's firebolts splashing against the dragon's hide ineffectively. Nahkrensos raised its wings up and reared its head back, and Weiss readied herself to dodge.

" **Kun! Strun! Qo!"**

A mass of lightning leapt from the dragon's mouth directly at Weiss. She gasped and barely activated her repulsion glyph in time to get herself out of the way, but the dremora was not as lucky, and was directly hit by the blast. It cried out briefly before being practically vaporized as it returned to Oblivion. The massive lightning bolt was dragged for a moment, sheering off half of a building's roof before it stopped. The dragon roared as it took to the air, leaping off its perch, with Weiss taking cover behind a building, trying to formulate a plan in her mind. The dragon was perhaps as big as Mirmulnir had been, and seemed to be almost as strong, if not stronger going by what she'd seen. The building behind her shook and she looked up to see the dragon staring down at her in rage.

" **Diil dinok!"** he shouted as he bit towards her. Weiss screamed and summoned a glyph in time to stall, but the Semblance structure shattered after but a moment. Still, a moment was all Weiss needed to escape. She quickly went around the building, but Nahkrensos' gaze followed her. Weiss took a breath and used her magic to summon her familiar, this time weaving it in the shape of a Nevermore. It wasn't very large, having a wingspan a little longer than she was tall, but still she sent it directly at the dragon's face. The false Grimm pecked at the dragon's eyes and Nahkrensos snapped at it, all while Weiss ran between building hoping to find a place to hide once again. Thinking that she lost him, she took a second to breathe and collect her thoughts before the buildings near her shook again. She looked up and saw the dragon waving its head back and forth, searching for her.

" **Praan,"** it practically whispered. **"Yah. Nir."**

Weiss could see a change in its eyes, and then it was looking down at her. It snarled and bit towards her, but Weiss ducked and it missed, hitting the wall instead. She stabbed up, hitting near its eye, but its tough hide prevented any meaningful penetration and it went away with barely a scratch. Weiss jumped through the hole into the building and saw a woman hiding behind a counter.

"What in Oblivion are you doing?!"

"Trying to fight a-" Weiss halted her words as Nahkrensos' head showed up at the opening upside down.

" **Yol!"**

Weiss immediately summoned a repulsion glyph in front of the dragon's face and began pushing it as hard she could.

" **Toor! Sh-"**

The dragon's head was forced away just before it spewed flames, while the woman herself screamed in terror. Weiss herself turned and went out the door leading back to the streets. As Nahkrensos turned, she began summoning as many ice spikes as she could with both magic and Dust, hoisting them within a glyph and aimed at the dragon. All were aimed and she set it to repulse, firing them all at speeds nearing the sound barrier. Ice smashed against the dragon's side, and Weiss felt a moment of satisfaction, which soon faded when her foe raised a wing, showing that there had been almost no damage, not even a hole broken through the membrane. The dragon hissed and began taking to the air again, and Weiss felt despair at ever hoping to as much as hurt it. Before it went on the offensive again, something exploded against its face and sent it reeling. Weiss looked to the side and saw a handful of mages coming across the bridge from the College.

"Spread out and protect the townspeople!" a Dunmer in clearly different robes from the others ordered. "Colette, try to find and heal any wounded! Phinis, ranged atronachs! Mirabelle, Faralda, watch for the dragon's attacks and hit it with all you've got!"

Nahkrensos roared, but the Dunmer lashed out with fireballs coming from one hand and lightning coming from the other, in such rapidity that Weiss didn't even know it was possible. Fire smashed against the dragon and electricity coursed through its body as it was forced to fly out of range. It circled about, and Weiss could see where it was clearly scorched by the Dunmer's magic, clashing against its white and blue frame. The woman he called Colette came up to her, yellow magic readied in her hands.

"Are you injured?"

"No, it never hit me. It got close, though. I saw several guards get hurt that way." She pointed to where most of the guardsmen had been Shouted through the air. "I don't know if any made it though."

The mage nodded and sped off to the men. The dragon came back around and dodged through spells of lightning, fire, ice, and others that Weiss couldn't put a word to. A few guardsmen tried to use their bows to effect, but once again even those that hit did nothing or so little they may as well have. Seeing a mage in the path of an oncoming breath attack, Weiss summoned a glyph beneath him and launched him out of the way in time to avoid the dragon's fiery breath.

The Dunmer, noticing the glyph, looked over to her and far too calmly walked her way while continuing to lay down punishment on Nahkrensos, who had fled once again.

"Girl," he called out to her before lobbing a two-handed fireball. "That spell; can you use it to hold things still?"

"My glyph?" she asked, thinking quickly. "Yes! But if you need me to hold a dragon steady…"

"I understand. It won't be but a moment. I'll tell you when." Nahkrensos suddenly appeared over them and twisted in midair, rearing his head back as he dropped onto a building's roof.

" **Kun!"** The dark elf's eyes went wide and he pushed down on Weiss' back.

"Get down!" he yelled as he pressed his hands forward.

" **Strun! Qo!"**

Weiss screamed when she saw the deadly lightning breath coming for them, but just before it hit a transparent shield formed before her and the mer, blocking the attacks and sending it off to their side. The dragon looked at them in fury, but had to duck under a swirling ball of ice and wind before jumping up and flying off. The ward spell ended and the Dunmer offered his hand to Weiss.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes! Thank the gods!" Weiss' eyes were wide at the sheer power the Dunmer was projecting as she quickly got to her feet and readied her weapon.

"Good. Let's see if we can bring down that flying lizard!"

The two went out towards the town square and tracked their foe in the sky.

"When I give the word, lock its wings in place. The spell I'm going to use takes a moment for even me to prepare." Lightning formed at his hands as he waved his arms around in mirror opposites of each other, and then he balled them at his side. When he had a clear shot, he thrust his hands forward and unleashed a cascade of electricity that was almost as devastating-looking as the dragon's lightning breath, and sustained it as it crashed into the dragon's body and poured into it. After several seconds, he let go and the dragon looked at them wearily, but still hateful.

"Come on, you overgrown salamander! You haven't harmed me yet!" he taunted. The dragon turned towards them, and bits of static seemed to jump between its teeth as it snarled. "Lock it!"

Weiss focused as much Aura as she could and formed two glyphs on its shoulder joints. The dragon noticed and looked to either side of it and attempted to pull itself free. Weiss struggled against the strength of the dragon, feeling her Aura steadily and quickly drain as she held the massive beast in place. Beside her, the Dunmer mage spread out his arms and made symbols with his fingers.

"Julianos, grant me the wisdom." His right hand became covered in a blue-green mist and he turned, the right behind him, left hand in front. "Stendarr, grant me the might." His left became covered in a green gold. He brought both hands together in front of him and the two began melding. "Kynerath, grant me your winds, and let me strike!" the colors completely coalesced into a light green, and then he raised it above him. Weiss felt a sudden change in the air, and her strain to hold the dragon in place began to feel very different. She looked forward, and saw that the wind seemed to be pushing against Nahkrensos at gale force.

"Now, let go!"

Weiss released her glyphs with a cry and the dragon went tumbling through the air, out past the cliff and then straight down. The ground rumbled and shook, and everyone able to ran to the side to look down. The dragon had landed on its side, but was now struggling up. The Dunmer looked down while gasping for breath.

"Everyone, hit it with your strongest spells! Don't hold back!"

As he said that, a massive ball of fire formed between his hands and was launched down, where it exploded against the dragon's back. The other mages began firing what they had as well, sending down the elements of destruction in torrents of power. The ground exploded around the dragon as it roared out in pain. Weiss joined in as well, adding her bolts of lightning and spikes of ice to the mix. Everyone stopped at nearly the same time, waiting as the dust and scattered snow settled. A few began laughing, but that early celebration stopped when a roar echoed out and Nahkrensos' wing claw emerged and pulled him forward. Most of the dragon was scorched, and parts of him were bleeding, but overall the dragon was still in one piece, even its wings didn't look overly damaged.

" **Mortals!"** he screamed in rage. **"I! Nahkrensos! Will! Destroy you!"**

"Damnit!" a bald man cursed as he backed away. "What in the gods' names will it take to kill that thing?!"

Weiss looked down and noticed something off. Its right eye was squeezed shut, and seemed to be leaking blood. She looked around at the steep rock face and then pulled out her scroll to see that her Aura had only about a quarter left. She stowed the device away and began planning.

"I need you to distract it," she said to them. "Keep it looking at its right while I get into place."

"What are you doing?" an Altmer woman demanded as Weiss prepared a platform glyph.

"Going for the eye," she simply explained before leaping forward and catching herself. She jumped again and again as some of the mages listened and fired from the dragon's right, keeping his attention on them. When she was nearly level with his head, she readied herself to jump as hard as she could, and formed a black repulsion glyph directly across from her and near his eye. As Nahkrensos focused in on it, Weiss jumped over his head and landed against it. In less than a second after her foot touched the glyph, she turned her focus and held Myrtenaster straight up and aimed at his eye. Her glyph activated as much power as she could push behind it, and she fired like a bullet with a crack of thunder. Her blade sank halfway in and Nahkrensos roared out as his pupil was pierced through. Weiss formed a small glyph at her rapier's hilt and used it to push the blade in deeper.

The dragon slung its head around, whipping Weiss about as well, then he caught her left leg in his teeth. The dragon snapped down and the heiress screamed in pain as she cycled her Dust to ice and pulled back the hammer. She focused nearly the remainder of her ice Dust as well as an untellable amount of ice magic through Myrtenaster, and suddenly the dragon began twitching as its eye frosted over. The ice spread across its scales and over a quarter of its head before the dragon collapsed, its wings twitching as it did. Weiss tried to pull herself free, but found she didn't have the strength to do so, especially with one leg caught in the jaws of a dragon. Suddenly a spectral mace wielded by the balding man smashed against the frozen part of the dragon's head, shattering its flesh to the bone. An ice atronach pried open the dragon's jaws and Weiss was caught and gently lowered by at least three pairs of hands. The vampire felt her consciousness beginning to fade when she saw the Dunmer wizard looking down at her, a look of pride on his face.

"Well done, young lady. Well done."

* * *

A couple days after leaving Morthal, Blake arrived at Dragon Bridge, once again feeling sore and exhausted. Rather than let herself rest any more, though, she stopped by a camp and asked them if they had any stamina and healing potions, having used up the entirety of her supply on the way. She quickly bought one of each and downed them. While not exactly energy drinks, they did help to relieve the feeling of lactic acid buildup burning in her muscles and keep her from feeling tired. It couldn't replace rest, people had talked about how doing so wasn't a substitute for taking a few minutes to sit and recover, but Blake didn't want to wait ten minutes. The half minute buying and drinking the potions almost felt like too much as it was.

She saw the banners of the Empire flying outside of a building and headed straight for it. Inside was a man wearing defined armor looking over a map of Skyrim, another nearby shuffling through papers.

"I'm looking for Commander Maro," she announced.

"That would be me," the standing Cyrodiilic man told her as he stood up straight. "What's this about?"

"I was captured and taken by a member of the Dark Brotherhood," Blake explained as she set the assassin masked hood on the table. "She was trying to convince me to kill someone. I killed her instead." She set the dagger on top of it.

"That…" the man said slowly with pause. "That's the Blade of Woe. The one who carried… The assassin? Who was it? What did they look like? Was it a woman?" Maro gently asked.

"I didn't get a name, but I did get a good look at her after I killed her. It was a blonde Nord woman, average looking, green eyes, and seemed to carry herself with a high degree of importance."

"By the grace of the Eight…" A smile exploded onto Maro's face. "My friend, you didn't just kill an assassin of the Dark Brotherhood. You killed their _leader_ , a Nord woman known only by the name Astrid."

"Their leader?"

"Yes. More importantly, she, if my sources are to be believed, is also their Listener."

"Listener?"

"The Listener is the one person in the Dark Brotherhood with the ability to 'hear' the Black Sacrament through some dark magic first made by the Night Mother, centuries ago. It's how they make their contracts. If she's really dead… You said that you killed her?"

"I did." Blake figured the details didn't really matter here. "The guard captain in Morthal said I should head straight to you."

"And you were right to come to me. We've been preparing for this for some time, but never had the opening we needed. Now, with their Listener and one of their strongest fighters out of the picture, not to mention leaderless, we can finally put an end to them." He smirked and looked over the Blade of Woe before handing it to Blake hilt first. "That would be yours now. Spoils of war. It's an infamous blade, but after this, it's going to be a symbol of something else. Listen, miss…?"

"Blake. Blake Belladonna."

"Miss Belladonna, I ask that you help us a little more. I have men in place, ready to raid their sanctuary and put an end to the Dark Brotherhood once and for all. They're down in Falkreath. Now, listen closely. I'm essentially using you as both a courier and an agent for this. You have to go to a guard in Falkreath, and tell him 'the sheep are silent'. He'll take you to my top man in the field, if it isn't him in disguise. After that, say that it's time to move forward with the phrase 'night is almost over'. The last thing, and arguably the most important is the passphrase from the Dark Brotherhood's sanctuary, which we only recently acquired. It is 'silence, my brother'."

"'The sheep are silent'. 'Night is almost over'. 'Silence, my brother'," Blake repeated, burning the phrases into her memory. "Sir, if I may? Can I ask to be a part of the raid? I want to make sure the Brotherhood goes down myself. They've sent assassins after me and my closest friends. It's personal at this point."

"After learning you personally slew Astrid, I'd be disappointed if you didn't. Here, come with us. Mercurio, come."

"Yes sir," the man at the desk responded, long having left his paperwork behind to hear what the other two had to say. The three walked outside and to the back of the outpost, where a small stables was set with a few horses inside.

"Here, this is one of our fastest steeds available," Commander Maro said as he pointed out a white mare with brown speckles. Mercurio immediately saddled the horse and prepared it for departure. "I ask that you get to Falkreath as quickly as possible, but even with a horse it will take you over a day with a stop after dusk. And do stop to rest. We need to get there alive. Late is better than never."

"You can count on me," Blake assured the man. As Mercurio led the horse out, Blake reached forward and petted her snout. Speckles might not have been a real horse, but riding him did get her used to the act. She pulled herself into the saddle, only a little unsteadily, but it seemed that military horses were well-trained.

"Gods' speed, Miss Belladonna."

Blake nodded, and spurred her horse forward, headed down the road and southeast to Falkreath, determined to put an end to this once and for all.


	15. Nearly in Place

**Here's chapter 13. There's a mess, but for once, I ain't me!**

* * *

With the sun hanging lower in the midafternoon sky, Yang looked down the hole that they had come upon. It was Nordic in design, a few scattered urns around its edge, with a dragon emblazed door leading inside.

"So, Dustman's Cairn? It's all underground?"

"Seems to be. Not scared are you?" Farkas laughed. "Scared of a little draugr, perhaps?"

Yang blew a raspberry at that. "Please. Me and my team went through Bleak Falls Barrow, killed at least a dozen draugr, _and_ a bunch of spiders." She noticed his eyes widen at that and smirked. "Wonder if there's any spiders in here?"

"There aren't!" Farkas yelped, his voice a higher pitch. Upon seeing Yang's knowing face, he quickly tried to regain his composure. "Uh, I mean, there shouldn't be."

Yang chuckled and walked down and into the tomb. "Yeah, probably not."

Inside the first chamber, Yang immediately noticed a couple of mummified corpses laying on the ground near busted open coffins. Farkas looked forward and picked up a discarded shovel before setting it back down, a cautious look on his face.

"Looks like somebody's been digging. Tread lightly." Farkas pulled out his sword and nodded at Yang, directing her to take point.

Yang nodded in agreement and led the way down into the newly dug up hole. There were a few more slain draugr, fresh wounds decorating their bodies, but before Yang and Farkas could investigate further, more rose up and pulled their weapons out. Yang smiled and charged the nearest one, smashing it against the wall. Another tried to round on her with an axe, but she smacked the blade aside and uppercut the undead, snapping its head all the way to its back. One brought forth a frostbite spell and let it loose at Farkas, who seemed untroubled by the cold magick and sliced his sword through its body from shoulder to hip.

"Not gonna use that axe of yours?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"Eh, I prefer my fists. The axe is just a little extra oomph for the right occasion."

"Fair enough. Come on, let's keep going." They continued on, passing through a set of old doors and going further down into the tomb, entering a large room with a throne sitting at the head. Unfortunately, a large iron gate blocked the way forward. Farkas sheathed his blade and walked up to it, giving it a small nudge before shaking his head.

"Gate's locked. Let's look around, try to find a way to open it," Farkas suggested, walking over to the other side of the room.

While Farkas gazed around, Yang went forward and saw a lever set in the wall. Figuring it opened a gate at the other side, she pulled it, only for the gate directly behind her to slam shut.

"Uh, oops?"

Farkas walked over to her with a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Now look what you've gotten yourself into."

"My bad." Yang shrugged and pulled the lever again, hoping it would raise the gate. When it didn't, Farkas sighed again.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Just sit tight while I look for the release." As soon as he said that, however, several people came out from the next room, all wielding weapons that seemed shinier than steel should be. Farkas snarled and turned, drawing his greatsword just as they surrounded him.

"Uh oh. Farkas?!" Yang frantically started looking around the room in front of her, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Just stay calm, Yang." Farkas' reassuring did nothing to stop Yang's frantic state. Before Yang could respond, the armed men, faces full of hateful rage, snarled towards Farkas. "It's time to die, dog," one man yelled at him.

"We knew you'd be coming here," an orc added.

"Big mistake, Companion." More and more of them started joining in, forcing Farkas to back almost fully into the gate.

"Which one is that?" a woman asked, looking towards Yang.

"Doesn't matter. She's with the beast, she dies." At that, they all roared and charged, each with a grin or grimace on their face.

"FARKAS!" Yang grasped at the bars of the gate and tried to pull them apart, feeling them slowly, too slowly, give under her strength.

"Heh, killing you will make an excellent story," a woman declared, swinging her axe down towards Farkas' head, only for her blow to be suddenly stopped by the armored glove of Farkas, his enraged eyes boring into her.

"None of you will live to tell it," Farkas growled before violently kicking her back. One of the men came at him and the Companion swung his blade with a shout. He tried to block, but ended up being slung back several feet. Another came at him from the side, and he blocked his axe before punching his face, then grabbed his sword's leather-bound ricasso and swung it upwards, splitting through the man's armor and body. The orc swung at him with his own greatsword and Farkas blocked and twisted away before stabbing towards him. The orc leapt back and the woman came in with a swipe, hitting his side and earning a grunt of pain from the Companion.

"Farkas!" Yang screamed as she began slamming her fists against the iron bars. The metal began to groan, but she was nowhere near able to get free.

Farkas continued fighting off his attackers, but as outnumbered as he was he was receiving several cuts and bruises for his efforts. He was able to fell another man when his sword swiped clean through his neck and sent the head flying, but doing so seemed to put the woman into a rage, and she began rapidly slicing at him, and the orc used the opportunity to come in with a heavy chop that nearly broke Farkas' armor apart. The man backed up to the cage and his enemies began to slowly close on him again.

"Gods…damn it all," he muttered. He dropped his blade, to Yang's horror, and stood up straight. "You asked for it."

Yang felt her muscles slack and her eyes widen when she saw fur beginning to sprout from her Shield-Brother's arms. The armed men and women ceased their assault, freezing in terror, while Yang backed further and further into her cage, away from what she was seeing. The familiar sound of flesh and bone changing hit her ears as his arms grew longer and became tipped with claws. One hand hit the floor as his legs changed shape, becoming digitigrade, his feet ripping his boots apart. His face became elongated, jaw and snout shooting forward, becoming more and more wolf-like by the second. Clothes and armor fell off of the black-haired manbeast and he roared at his enemies. They came charging in, but a swipe sent most of them reeling. The orc was targeted first, thrown clear across the room with a blow from the left. Another man was clawed open before he could get up. The last tried to hit him with his axe, only for the werewolf to catch his arm and rip it off. He screamed in agony, but then a claw came for his head. The woman went to stab at him, but the blade didn't pierce very well, and the werewolf responded by snapping her head into his jaws, crushing it in a spatter of blood and brain. His enemies dead, he turned and looked to Yang, but the feral rage he displayed had gone, and was replaced by a look Yang could compare to what Zwei looked like when he was sad.

"…Farkas?" Yang tentatively asked, praying that the man she considered to be her friend was still in there.

"One…moment," he got out before walking over to the area his attackers had come from. A moment later, Yang's prison was opened, and she walked out and over to see that Farkas had managed to find and pull another lever. He turned towards her and gave a sort of smile. Or at the very least a close approximation of one.

"Hope I…not scared you." Farkas struggled to make out, Yang still keeping a healthy distance.

"So…you're a werewolf?" Yang matter-of-factly pointed out, to which Farkas nodded.

"Yes. Blessing that…some have. Beastly. Fearsome. Strong."

"What's with the whole...speech thing?" Yang inquired, growing more and more comfortable with the situation.

"Hard to...talk. Sorry..." Farkas whined like a dog, his ears drooping and eyes directed at the floor. A sympathetic look entered Yang's face, and she walked up to him, now certain she wasn't in danger, and started to pet his head, smirking at his tail now wagging.

"It's okay, Farkas. Thank you," Yang continued to pet Farkas until a thought made her stop, which made Farkas whine when she did. "Wait, is that why they asked me about my opinions on werebeasts? Are you guys planning to make me a werewolf too?" The idea was both frightening and intriguing to the Huntress. She still recalled how the man had been unable to control himself, but Farkas was not only in control, but still able to speak, if in broken sentences.

"No. Beastblood is…Circle only. You're still…trying to prove honor…to be Companion." He snorted and shook his head in a doglike manner. "'Eyes on prey, not horizon.'"

Yang nodded at that. "Okay. I see." Going by that, the entire Circle was werewolves. Really, it only made sense that they'd be interested in how she felt about werebeasts after hearing about her successfully taking down a werebear. If the size was anything to go by, that werebear was far tougher than the average werewolf. But, judging by Farkas' performance, a werewolf was much faster.

"Should keep going. Still draugr. Maybe more…Silver Hands." Yang assumed that those men were Silver Hand, and eyeing their weapons, she noted that they too were silver.

Yang nodded and began to leave, but paused a moment to pick up a few silver swords. Farkas growled, but she just shrugged.

"Come on. Imagine how much Adrianne would pay for this. I am saving up to buy a house. Besides, I think I remember someone saying how silver weapons work really good against undead."

He snorted and outstretched his arm. "My sword too."

"Oh yeah." She picked up the blade and its sheath and put it to her back as they walked along. Farkas stayed right behind her, walking on all fours one moment and then on two the next. "So, are you staying like that because you don't want me to see you naked or…?"

"Takes time…wear off."

They came across two more of the 'Silver Hands' talking to each other, but they stopped immediately and went on the offensive the moment they saw Farkas, not even giving Yang the opportunity to demand their surrender. Realizing that none of these werewolf hunters were of the merciful sort, Yang closed in with the archer and slammed a fist into her gut hard enough to cause the woman to vomit and fall to the ground, while Farkas tackled his foe and bit down on his neck before ripping it out.

"Messy," Yang commented, trying her hardest to avert her eyes.

"I'm beast. We're messy."

The woman groaned and Yang kicked her head, knocking her out totally. To his credit, Farkas didn't immediately try to attack the downed woman, merely staring at her intensely. After taking a moment to recover, the two marched on, taking down draugr and Silver Hands along the way. They paused once at a large chest with a particularly hard lock, one that only a master lockpicker could break. Giving up on the attempt, Yang merely punched the lock off to open the chest, causing Farkas to literally howl with laughter. Something that was quickly becoming apparent to the huntress, Yang noticed that, as well as being stronger and faster, Farkas was also acting a lot more wolf-like. He sniffed at things, growled, and she was certain she saw his tail wagging at one point. After opening a set of iron doors, the two came into a large hall with a Word Wall at its end. Yang whistled and pulled out her scroll to take a photo of it as they approached, intending to inform Ruby of its location later. While she looked it over, she noticed a piece of metal sitting on a pedestal on a long, stone table.

"Fragment," Farkas pointed out.

"So the piece of Wuuthrad was actually down here? I guess it wasn't a complete setup by those guys." Yang picked it up and put it away into her pack. "Well, now we-"

The sound of a coffin being kicked open made Yang stop and turn to see a draugr at the center pull itself up.

"Right. Boss battle." Several more coffins were opened, and more draugr came forth, drawing weapons and grunting in their mummy-like way. "Multi-boss, it is!"

Yang charged in with Farkas alongside her. He went for a group of the oncoming draugr while Yang targeted the one from the center coffin. She used fire magic to coat her fists in the burning element and punched, but the draugr managed to block her and sliced back. Its sword clanged against her gauntlet as she guarded, and she left loose a spray of flames before kneeing forward. The draugr stumbled back and tried to grab her arm, but Yang pulled back and punched forward, nailing it in the jaw. Bones cracked, but the mummified warrior kept fighting. Ancient sword clashed against futuristic cestus as the two went back and forth. Yang then heard claws scraping stone and smirked when she saw a giant, black-furred wolf run up and catch her opponent's head in his jaws. Farkas grasped either side of the draugr, and ripped the head off of its body.

"Kill steal," Yang teased as the werewolf dropped the head and scraped his tongue against his teeth. Yang looked around and saw how the rest of the draugr had already fallen to Farkas' fangs and claws, with several torn to shreds.

"Yeck. Disgusting." He shook his head and looked to Yang. "Well done, even if help a lot. Silver Hand…tried to get…in the way. Still won."

"Yeah, we did. What was with those guys anyways?"

"Hate werewolves. Circle werewolves. Lead Companions. Hate Companions."

"Wow. What a bunch of asses," Yang mumbled as she started to backtrack, but paused when she decided to look around for a possible back entrance like from Bleak Falls. "So, we should probably grab you some spare clothes before you change back, huh?"

"Probably."

* * *

Weiss's eyes fluttered open to see a stone ceiling above her, the sun's rays shining through the window. She pulled herself up, smacked her dry lips, and looked around her newfound environment. A familiar bottle was set on the counter beside her, and with a start she realized it was one of the bottles of blood from her belongings. Looking around to make sure no one was there, Weiss took the bottle in hand and let healing magic flow through it in order to restore the blood to a more drinkable state. She gulped it down, and instantly felt refreshed, even if it was nowhere near as good as getting it fresh. She heard footsteps coming and turned to wait. The wait wasn't long, as a woman she recalled was named Colette entered, carrying a few bottles of assorted colored liquids, and upon seeing Weiss up, looked at her with a smile.

"Welcome back, dear. You slept rather soundly through the rest of yesterday and all of last night. It's getting pretty close to the lunch hour now."

"Oh, well, uh, thank you for taking care of me," Weiss stated, not bothering to try and hide the bottle, certain that the mage in front of her already knew.

"Any time dear. Oh, and we've already set you up a room. We came across the letter from Wuunferth and set you up straight. Mirabelle and the Archmage had your belongings taken there in the Hall of Attainment."

"Oh." Weiss cleared her throat. "Well, I guess that means I'm accepted."

"Well, you did make a rather impressive display of magical aptitude against that dragon. Don't get your hopes down if you feel like you didn't compare to the others. Almost all of us there were professors. Experts in our craft, at the least."

"Thank you. Am I allowed to leave?" Weiss got out of her bed at this.

"Oh certainly. Let me just show you the way out." Colette motioned to Weiss, who dutifully followed.

Colette led Weiss to a stone spiral staircase and went up and then out of a metal door. It led to the outside, where snow still fell from the grey, cloudy sky. It reminded Weiss of home, if she had to be honest, a thought that brought a slight smile to her face. Weiss walked with Colette around to another section of the facility, but her eye was caught by a statue of a man holding a staff.

"Who's that?" she asked, pointing towards the statue.

"Oh, that's Shalidor, one of the greatest mages in history," Colette explained. "And the founder of the College. He was…a bit pickier about his students than we are, though. And his teaching methods were…deadlier. We try to actually limit self-combustions and the like."

"I think I saw Shalidor mentioned here and there in some books. Never much information on him himself. All I could really garner was that he was a powerful mage, and, oddly, a Nordic one at that."

"Used to not be so odd, but ever since the Oblivion Crisis people have been wary of magic, and after the war Skyrim near about became paranoid of it. Honestly! Just because a lot of bad mages were Thalmor they think every mage is that much closer to 'em." Colette shook her head in exasperation before motioning to continue on.

They stepped into another door and walked downwards into a room similar to the Hall of Healing, but with a far different setup. In the Hall of Healing, beds were set with minimal surroundings and shelves stocked with healing implements. In the Hall of Attainment, the rooms were larger, and far more furnished. Weiss saw several young people who all appeared to be studying in one way or another, or simply talking to their fellow students, most of them formed into different groups that almost seemed like cliques. They went up a level and stopped in front of a room with a key left hanging on its knob.

"Here you go," Colette said as she handed the key to Weiss. "I'll be back in a moment with your school robes. Let me… Yeah, that should be your size."

Weiss smiled as the woman left and then unlocked her room before entering it. It was smaller than she was used to, but had a cozy feeling to it. Her bags and pack were set on the chest at the foot of the bed and she quickly went through her things to begin the trivial task of placing items in decent spots. Her clothes were hung in the wardrobe, bottles were set into a cupboard, her stash of blood was put away inside her end table, and then Myrtenaster was hung up with care near her door. Before she could plan any more organization, a knock resounded on her door and she went to answer it. The door opened, and three young people stood just outside of it, a lanky Nord boy, a young Dunmer woman, and a Khajiit man.

"Uh, hello," the Nord started awkwardly while holding a plate of something. "We uh,… We noticed that you're new here and…you're on our floor. Second floor of the Hall of Attainment."

"What Onmund is trying to say," the Dunmer interrupted, "is welcome. I'm Brelyna Maryon. This stuttering, lovable oaf is Onmund Farlson. And our friend here is J'zargo."

"J'zargo is pleased to make your acquaintance," the Khajiit greeted. "He has heard that it was you who killed the dragon that attacked. Impressive."

"I only made the final blow," Weiss waved off. "Honestly, the Dunmer professor did most of the damage."

"Dunmer professor?" Brelyna wondered. "Do you mean Archmage Savos Aren? He's the only Dunmer in the faculty I know of who could do that much destruction."

"I suppose. We didn't really have time to exchange pleasantries." They all nodded in understanding at that, before a thought suddenly entered Weiss' head. "Speaking of, I am Weiss Schnee, heir- ah, never mind. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Weiss curtsied to the three in front of her.

"The pleasure is, um…" Going by his expression, Onmund was trying to figure out what he was trying to say. "It's nice to meet you. Oh, Talia from the third floor said I should give you this. She's, um, usually right about stuff."

Weiss took the plate and lifted the cloth to see three pastries beneath it.

' _Please just be an awkwardly nice guy and not another Jaune,'_ Weiss begged whatever deity cared to listen.

"Do you suppose you'll be starting soon, Weiss?" Brelyna asked. "There aren't many courses for today left, and I suppose you haven't had the time to really make out a schedule."

"No, I only just regained consciousness." She set the plate on a table nearby. "But, I am hoping to learn more in Conjuration, Alteration, Destruction, Enchantment and Mysticism. I don't much care for Illusion, and Alchemy is more of a hobby to me. As for Restoration, I'm simply quite terrible at it. It takes me half a minute to heal a normal burn or cut."

"Oh dear, that does sound like a problem," Brelyna sympathized. "Guess you'll need Madam Colette's assistance more than the average student."

As though summoned, Colette appeared with another woman, both carrying a set of robes on their arms, both a light blue, with a yellow collar.

"Hello there, apprentice," the other woman greeted her. "Good to see you up. And already meeting your new peers, I see. I'm Master Wizard Mirabelle Ervine. Here," she and Collette offered over the robes and Weiss took them both. "See which fit you better. You needn't wear them at all times, but they'll be your identifier for when classes come about. That way we can keep up with your expected general level of skill. All robes are also enchanted to assist in spellcasting and magicka regeneration."

"Oh, thank you. One moment." Weiss shut her door and laid both of the outfits on her bed to look them over. After trying on both, she folded the other one neatly and opened the door back to find everyone listening to something J'zargo was saying.

"And so he said to the Bosmer 'Don't ever invite me to a funeral again!'."

The group laughed lightly before looking towards Weiss.

"Ah, splendid! We got it right," Mirabelle said as she looked Weiss over. "Let's see… All right. I'll have a few spares sent to your room later. For now, you should go and speak to the Archmage. He wanted a few words with you as soon as you were able."

"Oh, uh, I suppose I should go then. Where-"

"I'll lead you there. Afterwards I'll give you the general tour. Normally I show the new students around as soon as they join, but your initiation was a bit different from the norm." She began walking away and Weiss followed. "Everyone, have a nice day."

"You as well, Madame Ervine," Brelyna said, followed by the matching sentiments of the other two. Colette followed along with them, but split and headed back towards the Hall of Healing while Mirabelle led Weiss to the large doors behind the glowing well and statue of Shalidor. A few more students were wandering around, with some directing looks towards the heiress, hushed whispers among them.

"This is the Hall of the Elements. Here most of the lectures will occur, unless stated otherwise by the class Master. Above us is the library, then the research labs, and at the top is the Archmage's quarters." They began heading up one of the spiral staircases in the foyer, winding about the long way up the main tower.

They exited the stairs into a large and spacious room, almost as large as the lecture hall. In the center, rather than another magical well, a sort of garden was set with two lights giving nourishment to an array of flowers, mushrooms, some odd plants, and a tree. The back third of the level was partly walled off in a semicircle with an open entrance at either end. One end looked like it led directly to a pantry and the other into a dining room. Weiss supposed that in the middle somewhere was the living area for the Archmage. Towards the front of the spacious room they were in, she saw the Dunmer wizard speaking with an Altmer in purple robes.

' _A Thalmor? This far east?'_

"While I'm certain that your people could use the corpse for research, you have to keep in mind that we could also research it here as well," Savos told the high elf. "Going by the rumors, dragons aren't so rare anymore. Surely the 'mighty' Dominion can take down one on their own?" Weiss couldn't help but smirk at that. While she would normally reserve judgement for a group of people, especially after the last time she did that, both the Imperial Loyalists and Stormcloak Rebels had nothing but the worst to ever say about the Thalmor. Even the Khajiit, whose homeland was nominally allied to the Dominion, didn't much like the Thalmor party.

"Of course, but we have yet to come across one. They're mostly focused in Skyrim and the counties nearest the province, and they've mostly attacked villages and small towns before anyone could respond."

"Well, you'll get one yet Ancano. Perhaps one will make the headstrong mistake of attacking your embassy."

"Are you suggesting something?" the Altmer seethed.

"Suggesting? All I was saying is that if one attacks your embassy, surely you will put it down quickly. Then the Dominion will have their dragon corpse to study. Until then, let the College do what it's meant to. If we find anything substantial, you can be sure we'll share it with you. As well as the rest of Tamriel."

The Thalmor agent crossed his arms and sighed. "Very well. Don't expect Elenwen to be happy with this though."

As he walked away, Savos shook his head. "Don't think that woman's ever been happy, so my expectations aren't changing too much." He turned his attention over to Mirabelle and Weiss. "Welcome, apprentice. I hope today finds you well."

"As well as I can be, sir. I'm just happy to finally be here." Weiss respectfully bowed.

"And we're happy to have you. Mirabelle, please see that Ancano is busy with something…elsewhere. I'd rather we had this chat uninterrupted."

"Of course, Archmage. I'll show you around later," she said to Weiss before leaving. Savos walked over to a nearby table with two chairs and sat down, motioning for Weiss to join him. Once she did so, he cleared his throat.

"So," Savos started, "let's begin with the obvious. We know you're a vampire."

Weiss sighed. "I was hoping that I could be the one to reveal it this time."

"You might have, had you not nearly gotten your leg chewed off. Regular healing spells weren't working, so we had to resort to force-feeding you potions while Colette resorted to using undead healing. Not many people understand it, and she's one of the few that do. Sadly, even her skill in it isn't much. From there, it was rather easy to figure out."

"I suppose so. I guess it isn't a problem?"

"Not at all. We've had vampires come and learn from us before. We try to send most of them to an underground lair west of Dawnstar where an old friend of mine established a safe haven for them. They're peaceful enough. Most of them make vows to never bite a mortal except as a last resort. A few leave themselves open for the possibility, although even then only for the most unscrupulous of people. Bandits, murderers, and the like. They've spent centuries trying to rediscover the old potion of blood recipe, or a cure for the Sanguinare Vampiris strain, which is likely what afflicted you. You were turned in Skyrim, yes?"

"I was. We were in a cave and I was bitten. The land my friends and I hail from doesn't have vampires, so we didn't even know what was going on until I bit and drained a bandit a week later."

"A land without vampires? Interesting," Savos mused, curious eyes staring into her undead soul, and Weiss sighed.

"Well, that's another thing I need to go over with you," she began explaining. "My main purpose for coming here wasn't just to learn magic, but also to find us a way home. We... My friends and I, we're not from Nirn." If Savos' interest wasn't piqued before, it definitely was now, judging by the look in his eyes. Weiss, seeing how it wasn't in disbelief, continued on. "Where we're from, the entire world has been mapped, though not all of it explored. Also, we only have one moon, and it is shattered. Going by what we know, we are certain that our world is completely separate from Nirn."

"Another world?" Savos thought out loud with a small amount of wonder. "Would certainly explain your pseudo-magic, and the strange minerals in your weapon," Savos paused to think. "I can only think of two possibilities with that. Either your world is one of the gods' bodies, one of the other planets in Mundus, or it's somewhere in an unclaimed portion of Oblivion."

"I've thought that might be a possibility as well. Our world has been inhabited for as long as history can recall by the Creatures of Grimm, dark, soulless monsters who only try to destroy my people and our creations. After reading about daedra, I think they may be another type or species that Nirn has never dealt with before, but to be honest I'm not entirely sure on that."

"A realm in Oblivion filled with mortals? I would have never thought… Well, the Shivering Isles are said to be populated by mortals as well, but what would we expect of the realm of madness? From what you've told me though… Do you know if there is a Daedric Prince in charge of it?"

"None that I could tell. I've compared some of our world's old religions with the _Monomyth_. Most do have the duality of darkness and light, with mankind being born through a mix of the two, while life itself is of pure light, and Grimm are born of pure darkness. I'm not sure if that helps."

"I'm afraid not. Though, if a Prince does oversee your realm, I imagine they must be quite Padomaic in nature," At this, Savos stood up and walked to the side, grasping his chin in thought, with Weiss still sitting down. "So, you're hoping to find a way back? Conjuration will be the first step in that. However, planar travel has not been studied much since the Oblivion Crisis. Don't expect much support in that endeavor either, as people still shirk anything to do with Oblivion in general, the scars from that time run so deep. You'll be starting with little to go on, and building up everything yourself. Perhaps you may discover a way in time, but don't be surprised if it takes you years, even decades."

"However long it takes, I'll do it. It may not be the best world, but it is our home."

"Then good luck. I'll help as best I can, but I will be quite busy. Mirabelle will help set up your schedule, just let her know your goals."

"Thank you. Um, I have a friend that should be coming up soon. She's rather skilled at Illusions…"

"If she passes our entrance requirements, she may join as well. Did you get separated on the road?"

"She may or may not have backtracked in order to stop an assassination plot." Savos' eyes widened in concern at that.

"By Azura, I hope she comes out fine, then! If it's what I'm thinking, she may be in a perilous situation as we speak!"

"Don't worry. Blake is more than capable," Weiss reassured both Savos and herself.

"Still, here's to hoping."

"Also, where should I take any letters I wish to send?"

"Ah, that will be handled at the Courier's Guildhouse, right next to the guardhouse. Just let a Professor know when you venture down so we don't assume you've accidentally sucked yourself into a portal or vaporized yourself."

Weiss giggled at the joke and nodded. "Yes sir."

* * *

When dusk came, Blake decided she would be taking Commander Maro's advice and set up her tent hastily, laying down with Gambol Shroud, the Blade of Woe, the Ebony Blade, and her hunting bow all within reach. Scared as she was of a knife coming in the dead of night, she was so exhausted at that point she couldn't fight sleep if she wanted to. She awoke to the sounds of birds singing at the crack of dawn, feeling refreshed, but still frightened and determined. She packed everything as quickly as she dared and went back on the trail, double-checking her map to be sure she was on the right track. Luckily she remembered to feed and water this horse last night and so she went uninterrupted to the Hold capital of Falkreath. She handed the horse over to a stable hand along with the fee, and then headed into town. Once inside, she quickly spotted a guard wearing a gray-blue tabard with the Falkreath stag embroidered on it over a suit of chainmail. She approached the woman, clearing her throat to catch the guard's attention.

"Yes, can I help you?" the guard asked her responsibly.

"Yes, I just thought that you should know, the sheep are silent."

Blake saw her eyes widen beneath her helmet. "I see. Here, come with me."

The guard woman led her from the streets and to the nearby guardhouse. They went down into the basement level and then past the jail cells. On the other side a man in regular Imperial Legion armor was going over a map with pins set around Falkreath.

"Captain Falker, we've got word from the Commander," the guard told him.

"Hm, word? Who's this?"

"I'm Blake Belladonna, sir. Commander Maro sent me. He told me that night is almost over."

The captain practically jumped to attention at that. "By the Eight! This is… Agent, I'll be pulling our resources together in preparation. Just act natural, go to the inn or tavern or some such, and wait for a guard to come get you. Again, keep up the act, but go along with them."

"Yes sir. Any chance I can borrow a few coins? I've only got five septims left."

He tossed her over a bag. "Here. Feel free to get what you want, but don't stuff yourself."

"Thank you very much."

With that, Blake headed out and tracked down the Dead Man's Drink, hungry for some solid food, she got a pair of grilled trout and ate them both with gusto. A while after finishing them and drinking down a glass of watered down wine, a guard came into the inn and saw her.

"Excuse me, miss," he began. "We caught the thieves, and we need you to come back to the barracks. Standard procedure; have to make sure your story matches up with what the others have been telling us."

"Ugh, and I just got comfortable too," she complained while standing up. She followed him back to the guardhouse, where the man who had been in Imperial Legion uniform was now in armor like what Maro and his assistant had been wearing, but with the red more dulled. The eye sigil still stood out on his chest as he turned towards her.

"Ah, good. Welcome back, miss. I'm Captain Arcturus. So, everyone here is with us for the assault, though my agents in the field will be spearheading it. Can you tell us what exactly has happened? Anything not confidential, of course."

"A few days ago I was captured by a member of the Dark Brotherhood and then promptly killed her. Commander Maro confirmed that it was Astrid." Some of the guards murmured at that. "He then sent me ahead so that we could put an end to the rest. They're supposed to be vulnerable now."

"Vulnerable, and by the latest report, all but Astrid are in the sanctuary. Agents said that they seemed to be worried over something, but now I think we can guess rightly what it is." He laughed at this. "Finally, a lifetime of work is coming together. Please, Miss Belladonna, will you join us for this? Anyone who could take on the leader of the Dark Brotherhood would only be a boon to our assault."

"Absolutely. I would've come even if you told me not to."

"Glad to hear it," Captain Arcturus smiled. "Well then, let's go put an end to these death cultists."

With that, Arcturus headed out, the group of guardsmen following him. Blake tagged along with them, taking up the rear as they jogged out. People watched the strange procession with interest, but no one seemed shocked or made any move to stop them. They continued into the forest, stopping some ways away from the city. Several agents seemed to step out of nowhere, telling Blake that they were stealthy individuals indeed.

"Captain?"

"Night is nearly over, men. Spread the word. Close in on the sanctuary, keep the secret exit covered. Not a single assassin is leaving this place alive."

"At once." The agent ran off, but disappeared into the underbrush.

' _Of course they'd need stealth experts to spy on assassins,'_ Blake thought to herself. _'How else would they combat them?'_

After a stretch of time, the agent returned and nodded. "We're ready."

"Men, let's move in," the captain ordered before heading towards a nearby hill. Under an alcove and hidden behind a boulder was a door with a giant skull carved into its side and two stylized skeletons crossing arms. Arcturus nodded towards Blake, who nodded and approached the door, to find, to her surprise, it spoke a question upon her pulling the handle.

" _What is the music of life?"_ it whispered out.

Blake grimaced. "Silence, my brother."

" _Welcome home."_ And then it opened. Blake pulled the door all the way and agents began filing in, holding their shields aloft and swords at the ready. Blake fell in with Captain Arcturus and they went down the hallways of the assassins' lair.

"I know some of you are concerned," a baritone voice said up ahead, "but there's nothing to worry about. Astrid will come back soon and…" Blake turned a corner and saw a group of no less than a dozen assassins of varying races, at their head a Redguard man with desert-style clothing and an Argonian. The group looked as though they'd been caught completely off-guard, and some went down before they could prepare for the agents charging them with a shield wall.

"The Oculatus have found us!" the Redguard shouted as he pulled two scimitars from his side, a brutal melee promptly ensuing.

Blake jumped in a gap and swiped down a Breton with a V-neck slice. A Bosmer tried to avenge him, only to strike a clone and be stabbed under his chin. As she yanked her blade free, she saw the Argonian throw an agent over his shoulder and stab into his gut. He looked at her with a snarl and prepared himself to battle her. Blake jumped from the shield wall and slammed her blades into his. Arrows began flying into the mix from a number of Falkreath guards, and Blake saw one strike a Suthay Khajiit assassin in the eye, felling her. Her instincts shouted, and she ducked to see a pair of scimitars pass over her. The Redguard cursed, and then she was assaulted from both sides by the two.

"Take her down!" he cried out to his reptilian comrade. "She's one of their elites!"

Blake fought to block strikes from both the assassins, her two blades against their four. She kneed at the Argonian in his gut and parried a dual strike from the Redguard, only to immediately block the Argonian again. She disengaged him and swiped one strike from the Reguard and went to give her own, but had to knock away the Argonian's blade once again. The Redguard drew back and stabbed forward, but his blades passed through a clone that instantly vanished and jabbed into his comrade.

"Brother!" he cried out, but then his attention was drawn by the sickle flying past his head connected to a ribbon. Blake grasped Gambol Shroud's ribbon and pulled back hard while funneling a small amount of Aura through it, triggering the firing mechanism. The sickle burst forward and cut deep into the Redguard's neck, knocking him into the floor as his throat was cut open wide. Blake brought her sickle-sword back to her and looked at the wounded Argonian, who was clutching his abdomen wounds. He snarled at her, but when he attacked, he stood little chance. Blake parried him away, stepped back, and then swiped Gambol Shroud around on its ribbon and cut him bottom to top. Part of his guts spilled out from the wound as he fell to his knees, where she stabbed down into the back of his chest.

Before Blake could redirect her attention, the sound of an explosion suddenly rang out and sent several guardsmen flying. Blake looked up and saw an old man in robes with the same colors as the assassin outfits and flames surrounding both his hands.

"Festus!" someone yelled out.

"They have us boxed in!" he announced before forming a ball of fire in one hand and throwing it. "Astrid had the portkey! We have to fight our way out!"

Nimbly dodging the fireball, Blake jumped up to his level and went to stab him, but he was suddenly covered in a black mist-like aura and her blade was stopped almost as soon as it hit his skin. She backed off as he let loose flames that felt as hot as a bonfire and tried to swipe at him again, only to find her sword and cleaver sliding off of his magic armor like butter knives against rock. He nearly caught her with a flaming grasp, but her Semblance saved her from being burnt up. She tried to think of a way past his defense, when, almost like someone whispering at the back of her mind, she recalled she had a blade that had sliced through human flesh and bone with almost no resistance. Gambol Shroud promptly went to her back, and the Ebony Blade was drawn. The wizard threw a fireball at her feet, but she leaped over the missile and reared back, aiming for his neck. She sliced forward and felt resistance like what she would normally expect from cutting through ballistic gel, and then she saw the old man's head flying.

The sweet sensation flooded her once again, and all the little aches she'd gained fled. Her left knee shook and she kneeled as the life stolen was syphoned into her. Blood wicked away into the Ebony Blade again and she looked at the sword.

Snapping herself out of it, she sheathed the daikatana and brought her regular weapons back to the forefront just in time to block an arrow aimed at her. She looked and saw a Dunmer with a bow off to the side. Three more arrows came at her rapidly, and Blake blocked or dodged them as she ran at the archer. The Dunmer dodged her first attempt to kill her and fired an arrow point blank, which Blake narrowly avoided in such a way she was forced to do a backhand spring as she struck out again with her cleaver. The archer back stepped it and notched an arrow, but as Blake came back to her feet her sickle went out and sliced through the bowstring. The sliced string whipped out and struck its wielder in the cheek, causing her to cry out in pain and clutch the bleeding wound. Blake went at her with her cleaver, which the Dunmer barely blocked in time with a dagger, but had no way to stop her sword from stabbing up into her abdomen. Blake drew back and stabbed into her heart to be sure, then went back where the main battle was still occurring.

As she returned, a barefoot Nord came from a lower level and smashed two men aside with a greatsword. An agent charged him, only for his shield, armor, and body to be chopped through down to his waist like the assassin had been splitting firewood. The Nord kicked him off his blade and then sniffed the air. He looked up at Blake and a feral snarl stretched across his face.

"You!" he called out. "I smell…Astrid's…blood. You… You!" He threw his sword in an overhead toss at a nearby agent, skewering the man and pinning him to the opposite wall. He looked back at Blake as brown fur began sprouting on his arms and body. "You killed my wife!" he screamed just before his body expanded and changed into a form that reminded Blake of a young Beowulf, his upper clothing ripping apart. Unsure of what she was seeing, she was shocked when the creature jumped up the wall and kicked off to the platform where she was.

"Werewolf!" a guardsman called out. "One of them's a gods damned werewolf!"

Blake ducked under the 'werewolf's' clawed swipe and tried to stab, only to find it had a tough hide to penetrate. She backpedaled from the beast as he chomped at her and rapidly tore at the air in front of her. He leapt at her with teeth and claws bared and she jumped aside and ran into an adjoined room. He followed her into the circular room with a stained glass window and let out a low growl as it prowled around her. The beast charged and Blake ran and jumped over while raking her weapons against his back. The werewolf yelped in pain and turned as she did, while Blake raised her gun and began firing. Bullets hit fur covered flesh and punched through, spattering a small amount of blood with each hit. The beast roared in defiance as he covered his face, and then Blake's gun clicked empty. She reached back to grab a new magazine, but to her astonishment found nothing.

' _That was my last mag,'_ she realized in distress. The werewolf, realizing her weapon was empty, recovered and ran at her again. Blake turned and jumped through the stained glass, her pursuer jumping after her. She swiped with Gambol Shroud, but only scored shallow cuts as the beast fell upon her and pinned her to the floor. His teeth went for her throat, but her cleaver came up in time to block him. She slid across the floor as he pushed and struggled against her, trying to bring his teeth to her flesh.

Before he could, an Oculatus agent cried out as he jumped onto the werewolf's back, stabbing a silvery dagger into his shoulder. The beast roared in pain and jumped off of Blake before turning and knocking the man away with a yelp. The werewolf started scratching at the dagger as though it pained him greatly, and Blake stood up and drew the Ebony Blade once again. She shouted and speared it through the werewolf, which roared as the artifact pierced his body and drank up his blood. Blake pulled the Blade free and sliced across, removing an arm and cutting through part of his neck, sending him to the ground. With a wild grin, she plunged the Blade down into his body twice more, until he ceased moving.

Her hands gripped the hilt of the Blade tightly, twisting around it as the rapturous feeling washed over her, all of her wounds sealing shut once again. Her knees knocked against each other, and then she looked to the back of the sanctuary, where something told her more assassins were gathered. She rushed forward, and saw another dozen of them looking at some kind of tunnel, as though trying to figure out how to get through it. Her heart pumped wildly as her pupils turned into slits and her lips drew back to reveal her fang-like canines. Some of the assassins noticed her and readied their weapons, and she laughed. Before she attacked, she let her voice roar like she'd heard her father do at times, and then she leapt at them, the Blade coming forth for them.

" _Their hearts wilt as one meant to be their sister slaughters them."_

Blake sliced left, right, up, down, and diagonally, going for the way that would slice through the most flesh in one strike each time. One pitiful Ohmes-raht tried to block with an iron sword, only for it to be cleaved through as easily as the Huntress cleaved his body. Blake only stopped when the last of the assassins fell beneath her in several pieces and stood as she was enamored with the feeling coursing through her veins. She sighed in pleasure as she gripped the handle tightly once again, watching as blood flowed into the Blade and to her.

"Miss?" she heard and swung behind her, stopping herself inches from beheading one of the Oculatus agents. The man went pale after the Blade stopped just short of his neck, and she slowly reeled herself in until she finally forced herself to sheathe the Blade at her back.

"Sorry, you startled me," she lied through a shaky voice. A glance down showed her that she was mostly covered in blood at this point. She felt sick when she saw the severed limbs and spilled organs around her. Walking away from the gore coated floor, she went to where she last recalled Gambol Shroud being left.

"We… We think we've gotten all of the fighters. The agents are combing through the sanctuary now," the agent, clearly disturbed, informed the equally disturbed faunus.

"Good. That's good. I'll… I'll look around too." She picked up her discarded weapon and began walking through the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, trying to keep her mind away from the scene she had just left in her wake. There were a few bedrooms, as well as a torture chamber. Some men had just stabbed a small frostbite spider to death and were wondering what it was doing there. Blake entered into one room and paused at what she saw.

A little girl with brown hair was gasping in fear and holding a dagger shakily. Her eyes quivered and Blake felt a knot form in her throat. She didn't know what the Penitus Oculatus' policy on finding child recruits was. For all she knew they'd kill her like the others, or send her somewhere to 'purify' her. Horror stories were told about what humans, and faunus for that matter, often did to the helpless back before modern times in Remnant.

" _She's been-"_

' _Shut up! Shut UP!'_

The faunus swallowed and sheathed her weapons. Seeing the girl calm slightly, she walked over and formed a magic spell between her hands and then placed it on her head. The girl seemed to vanish from sight, and little displacements in the air let Blake know that she'd noticed it.

"Get out of here," Blake told her. "Just forget about everything."

For a moment nothing happened, and then Blake heard tiny feet pattering away silently. If she hadn't the excellent hearing she had, she would have never heard the child run out.

"God- Gods, help me," she muttered as she left the room. Captain Arcturus showed up from another one.

"Find anything?"

"No. I think that's everyone. We got them all," Blake lied, a lie which the captain believed.

"Good. Good. We'll let the men sweep a while longer, then we'll burn this place out."

* * *

By the time it was over, and Blake stepped out of the sanctuary with several items that the Oculatus told her she could take as spoils, she felt sickened by the amount of blood everywhere, as well as relieved that it was all, finally, over. A week spent doing nothing but worrying about whether or not there was a killer ready to put them down in their beds had passed, and now Blake could look forward to sound sleep once again. Just as well, there appeared to be a Word Wall in the sanctuary, so Ruby could come down here at some point and read it for them. Maybe it contained a big clue to everything.

The victorious soldiers returned to Falkreath with plenty of tales to tell, and already she could hear some of them talking about how she 'butchered the Brotherhood'. She tried to shake the image from her head, but it was practically useless. She just had to focus on other things. The odd jewel, for instance, seemed peculiar. She'd have to see if a jeweler somewhere could tell her about it. And then there was the enchanted armor of the assassins. A little stitching work to remove the Dark Brotherhood sigils and it could work for her. A quick stop at Grey Pine Goods got her the needed items as well as some new clothes to replace her bloodstained ones. As she started making the necessary cuts to the armor, Falker Arcturus came up and saluted her.

"Good work in there, miss. We might not have been nearly as well off if you hadn't come. The werewolf came as a complete surprise to everyone."

"Just glad to help, and finally have it over with." She began sewing a black dyed piece of leather into place. "I don't have to worry about them coming after me or my friends again."

"That's true, I suppose. Well, I guess you'll be returning to Commander Maro to receive your reward soon? You deserve everything the Empire gives you and more." He took out a letter and handed it over to her. Blake took it in hand and flipped it around as she observed it. "That's for the commander, letting him know we've finished down here. Once everything's set, the men and I will be headed back to the outpost. There are other dangers in the Empire that will need our attention, now that we're free of one burden."

"I'll make sure he gets it."

"Thank you, Miss Belladonna. Have a good day." He saluted, and headed back to the guard barracks as Blake continued her work. Once she was done, she packed away the leather armor and went to the stable to get on her borrowed horse and head back to Dragon Bridge. She looked up at the sky and smiled lightly, letting the peaceful wind blow a comforting breeze through her hair.

* * *

By the time Yang and Farkas got back to Whiterun, the sun was nearly set. Farkas proudly carried his sword across his shoulder despite losing his armor and walking in shoes three sizes too large. They entered Jorrvaskr and Farkas went to go get his own clothes on while bragging to his brother about how his sword had pierced a dragon's heart.

"And while she was holding it by the snout, I drove it right in. She hopped down and helped, but I was about to get it on my own."

"Yes, because the girl who knocks dragons silly with her fists didn't add anything to your strength at all."

Skjor shook his head as he walked past the two, and stopped right in front of Yang as she took the piece of Wuuthrad from her satchel and held it up with a bright smile.

"We got it!"

"So you did," he said while taking it from her hand. "Yes, this looks genuine. I'll bring this to Kodlak. Meet us outside in a moment."

"No problem. Let me just see if I can't get some of that stew real quick." She went over to the pot and helped herself to a bowl, thankful that it was at the perfect temperature for eating as she dug in. By the time she was finished, she saw Aela, Kodlak, and Skjor head out the back, and then Farkas and Vilkas exited as well. She set the empty bowl down and headed out after them, to see that they had formed a circle with just enough space for her to walk in. The other Companions had all gathered around as Kodlak lit a torch and held it up high.

"Brothers and sisters of the Circle," he announced, "today we welcome a new soul into our mortal fold. This woman has endured, has challenged, and has shown her valor. Who will speak for her?"

Farkas proudly stuck out his chest as he spoke. "I stand witness to the courage of the soul before us." Yang smiled brightly at the ceremony unfolding before her.

"Would you raise your shield in her defense?" Kodlak asked.

"I would stand at her back, that the world might never overtake us."

"And would you raise your sword in her honor?"

"It stands ready to meet the blood of her foes."

"And would you raise a mug in her name?"

"I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall reveled in her stories."

"Then the judgement of this Circle is complete." Kodlak turned back to Yang. "Her heart beats with fury and courage that have united the Companions since the days of the distant green summers. Let it beat with ours, that the mountains may echo and our enemies may tremble at the call."

"It shall be so," the others of the Circle said at once. With that, the ceremony seemed concluded, and the group began dispersing. Kodlak set the torch down into a brazier, lighting it as he left it there, and then approached Yang, who had just received a half dozen shoulder pats from her fellow Companions.

"Well, lass, you're one of us now," he said with a small smile. "I look forward to seeing you grow with us."

"Me too," she admitted. "I have some questions if you don't mind, but…" she looked out to the crowd that was slowly funneling its way into Jorrvaskr to begin celebrating. "I'll have to ask them when we have a more private setting."

"Yes, Farkas mentioned you seeing something we prefer to keep secret. No helping that, given the situation at the time. Just let me know when you wish to speak. My door is always open for you." He patted her on the shoulder as well and the two headed inside.

* * *

As the morning sunlight came upon the Hrothgar mountains, the door to the front of High Hrothgar opened, and a young girl followed by a woman some years her senior came out. Ruby paused and looked over to Whiterun, and then took a deep breath through her nose and released it from her mouth. She closed her eyes and, as though making for a final check, looked into her own soul. She could easily envision it; two dragons flying around an endlessly tall pillar, her point-of-view slowly spinning around the impossible structure. One dragon was large, grey-black, and flew with predatory grace. The other was much smaller, green, and fluttered spastically at times. Both were within her, yet both existed separate from her. They were her, but she was not them. She released another breath and opened her eyes back to the outer world. She turned to the path, and began heading down the mountain.


	16. Returned with Interest

**And here we give you all chapter 14. Another calm chapter with not much action happening, but going by reviews on SB, it's not boring. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Good morning, Adrianne," Yang greeted cheerfully.

"Hail, Companion," the blacksmith replied before giggling to herself. "So, I was able to sell those swords you sold me, all but one. Seems that vampires are becoming a bit of a problem up northeast."

"Ran into one of those a month ago. Weiss killed it with a single stab to the heart," Yang stated. "Are they normally dangerous?"

"Older ones are. Something about how their powers age. Never cared too much to learn." She looked over an incomplete helm and took it to her worktable, where she started prepping the pieces to put it together.

"Eh, guess I'll ask Farengar or something. So, did they get the scales in yet?"

"Heard they're dragging them in right now. You really think we can make armor from dragon hide?" She pressed a bolt into the leather inset and then set it on her head to try it on. Satisfied, she began putting on the bolts to attach the visor.

"If we can make armor from deer and cow leather, we can make some from the giant, fire-breathing dragons that arrows tend to bounce off of more often than not." The women looked over and saw a man coming through the gate, hauling a cart laden with sections of green scales with yellow speckles.

"A lot of farmers are also heading to the dragon corpse," Adrianne explained. "They were talking about taking the meat and smoking it for winter."

Yang felt his stomach turn a bit at that. "You mean they're planning to _eat_ it?"

"Well, it's meat."

"Yeah, but it talked! And thinks! Eating dragon meat is like… It wouldn't be all that different from eating an Argonian."

Adrianne grimaced at that. "Oh, I see what you mean. Still, it's not all that bad, right? Winter _is_ coming, and folks are just trying to keep from starving. Besides, we are planning to make armor out of it."

"Yeah, because if a dragon comes down and snaps up a guy I think he'd rather be protected by dragon scales than steel, which I've seen them bite through," Yang argued, shaking her head. "Well, I'm not going to begrudge anybody doing it. Just don't expect me to sit down to a dragon steak."

"I don't think I would either, now." She looked over the completed helm and set it aside. "I hear you're planning on purchasing the house next door."

"Yeah, I think it's labelled as 'Breezehome'. Kinda weird to name a house, but I guess that's tradition here?"

"Some people name their houses, others don't. Last man to live there gave it that name because he always felt a breeze going in or out. Sadly, he disappeared a few years ago. Everyone assumes he finally ran afoul of the wrong bear."

"Ironic," Yang said under her breath. "Well, I'm gonna head up and see what I can do with those scales. You have a good day."

"You too, Yang." Nodding to the blacksmith, Yang walked away, the sounds of hammer hitting steel ringing behind her.

As Yang walked through town, she was stopped a few times, but it wasn't long until the blonde walked up to the Skyforge, where the man set the cart down and wiped his brow. Eorlund, always up and about, was already looking over the scales and testing a few with a steel knife. He ran the blade against one, yet nothing seemed to come off. He rubbed the scale and nodded before looking up at the newest Companion.

"What ya think?"

"I think you were right. These certainly will make a good, light armor. A little heavier than steel scales, but much lighter than ebony."

"Well then, I can't wait to get started."

"This might be a little beyond your skills, to be honest, but if you want to help I'll get some holes bored into them. You said something about speaking with Kodlak later, right?"

Yang nodded. "I did. Now that I think about it, I should get that done with. Lotta…stuff to talk about. See ya later," she called back as she waked into the longhouse and down the stairs, leaving behind a slightly confused Eorlund. Like she'd hoped, Kodlak was in his room, looking over something in a book while a notebook with a quill and inkwell sat on his table.

"Hello?" she called in while knocking on the wall. Kodlak turned to her and smiled.

"Ah, welcome Yang! You wanted to speak to me about something?"

"Yes sir. Mind if I close the door?" At his nod, she shut the door of the room as she walked in and sat across from where he was atop a chest. "It's about… Well, first off, all five of you guys in the Circle are werewolves, right?"

"We are," he answered simply.

"Well that answers that. I saw Farkas and how well he could control himself after turning. He didn't break any rules, did he? I swear he only did it to save-"

Kodlak held up a hand, stopping Yang before she could even start. "I assure you, Farkas is in no sort of trouble for what he did. Like you were saying, it was self-defense. And the Silver Hand already knew about us. They've known for a long time. As for you, we planned to let you know eventually. A few Companions are chosen to give the secret to, ones picked for a number of reasons, not the least of which is having an open mind when it comes to werebeasts themselves. Aela was especially touched by your stance on that matter with the werebear. Heh, it seems your progress to this state was accelerated twice by circumstances."

Yang nodded. "Okay, I see. And what about the Silver Hand? What's up with them?"

Kodlak groaned. "That…is not easy to answer. Well, sometime before the Great War, back when I was just a lad, the Silver Hand were a reputable organization of werebeast hunters. Skyrim had a large population of werewolves and werebears at the time. There were even a few wereboars near Markarth at one point. You were almost as likely to be attacked by a werebear as you were a sabercat if you traveled at night. The Silver Hand rose to the occasion, hunting them down and culling their numbers. For years they were considered heroes of the people. But, they faced a problem. They kept growing, while the lycanthrope population shrank drastically.

"Eventually, there were far too many Silver Hands, and not nearly as many werebeasts as there once were. Without jobs to be paid for, they ran out of money. Many of their members turned to mercenary work or banditry to fill their coffers and bellies.

"Then the Great War started. Many went to fight, but those who remained were in dire straits. The Silver Hand had become a shadow of its former self. They still declared themselves as werebeast hunters, but few could see them as little more than bandits with fancy weapons. Then, one day, they attacked several Companions, targeting their Circle members. No one outside knew why, but here in the Companions, we know we know now it's because they were werewolves. The Silver Hand had somehow found out, and considered them no different than any other werewolf. The whole of Skyrim just saw it as the Silver Hand lashing out, and now, no one trusts them."

"Then, why do they still have members?" Yang asked, leaning forward in interest.

"Bandits joining them, somewhat. Others are perhaps born into it from the old members. Then, there's always simple hatred. Hatred that they've put before common sense. They've let the hate they feel for werewolves drive them, and now they target those who have shown themselves as peaceful and ambivalent. Hate can be a powerful fuel at times, but like anything, too much of it is a poison. And it's so easy to hate far too much."

Yang nodded at that. She could understand feeling bitter about things. It was…hard not to once she started. Letting go of anger was not easy. She couldn't imagine what kind of grip actual hatred could have on her.

"And…being a werewolf," she started up again, "what's it like?"

"Well," He stroked his beard a moment in thought. "It's hard to get a good night's sleep at times. I rarely dream anymore. I still do, but the dreams are so far apart now. The Beastblood also has a gnawing hunger to it. It comes from Hircine, the Lord of the Hunt, and he wants us to hunt. Every once in a while, even an old wolf like me has go out get a kill or two. Sometimes I hear howling and think to answer, or better yet, to go out and join them. To be a werewolf is to have another side of you. A beastly side. Well, in truth there's a beast in us all, but to have the Beastblood is to give that beast form and power. It's only for the strongest of heart, but that, again, is a part of Hircine's wishes, I suppose."

Yang hummed and nodded once again, then thought back to the other night.

* * *

" _You're offering to make me a werewolf?"_

" _I can understand if you don't want to, of course."_

" _No, no. It's just that…this is really sudden. I only just found out_ you _guys are werewolves, or that werewolves could control themselves."_

" _It's all right, pup. Take a while to think it over. Our offer stands indefinitely. Just let us know if you want it."_

* * *

"Do you think I could make a good werewolf?"

"You mean, do I think you're strong enough to handle it, brave enough to face it, and honorable enough to deserve it?"

Yang let out a little laugh. "Yeah, guess so."

Kodlak nodded. "In truth, I think you'd make an exemplary member of the Circle in time. A little more experience under your belt, and you could stand among the best of us. You're already a strong warrior, and brave enough to face off against a dragon. And the way you've carried yourself time and time again has shown that you are in no way lacking in honor. I believe you could be one of us. You could be a werewolf. The question is, do you want to be?"

Yang looked down towards the floor as she bit her lip. She made a quick scratch to her head and then shrugged.

"I still don't know," Yang admitted, looking forlorn, only to look up when she felt Kodlak's hand on her shoulder.

"You will know one day, my child. You will know, when the time is right."

* * *

Weiss found that life in the College was not all as exciting as she'd thought it'd be. She blamed her time at Beacon for warping her expectations. That wasn't to say her experience so far was unpleasant. On the contrary, she was actually enjoying herself. Her first official class of the day was in Conjuration, and today they'd be going over bound weapons. Master Phinis Gestor began by first conjuring up a ghostly wall and then having words appear on it as well as pictures.

"First thing to note about bound weapons, everyone, is that they are exactly that, _bound_. The weapon you summon from Oblivion is not actually a weapon, but a shape-shifted daedra in the form of one. Now, if all of you did your homework, you know how to summon a basic bound sword. The way the book describes how to form it makes it appear to be a daedric blade. Don't be fooled, as that doesn't mean it's nearly as sharp as an actual daedric weapon. It's simply that whoever wrote the most comprehensive guide on the basics of summoning a bound sword had a flare for dramatics and aesthetic appeal.

"We'll be going forward and branching out. Most of you were here for familiars. Apprentice Weiss Schnee, do you understand how to form a summoned familiar in different manifestations?"

"Yes, Master Gestor. I have made my familiar a fox, wolf, bear,-"

"That'll suffice, apprentice," he cut her off. "Here to learn, not to boast. Now, we're doing something similar here. But the big difference to keep in mind is that familiars come from you, but these weapons will come from Oblivion. There's no telling what the deadra in question that becomes your weapon will be. You could bring forth a scamp, a clanfear, a hunger, a Dremora, a Winged Twilight, a Mazken, or any other denizen of Oblivion. Hopefully you'll never know as failing to bind them into a weapon could also result in failing to bind them under your control, and that can end up messy. Often with you as the mess. Now, this is a safe environment where the magic I've meshed over the place will keep any 'free' daedra from running amok, so here is where you can practice summoning new bound weapons. Go ahead and begin practicing it. The basis is the same; simply change the energy of the spell where you make it a sword and form it into something else."

Looking around, Weiss saw the other students begin forming the spell in their hands, most summoning the default sword first to get a feel for it before they began. Weiss did so as well, thinking of how she formed it into a sword and going over it in her head. She dismissed the sword, but before she could start again, a yelp sounded out and everyone turned to see Onmund stumbling back and barely keeping himself from tripping backwards, a small, scraggly creature that looked like the unlovable spawn of a monkey and a naked mole rat sitting there snarling at him.

"It's all right everyone," Phinis announced as he formed an ice spike over his hand. "It's just a small scamp." The spike shot forward and impaled the creature, and it disappeared back into Oblivion. "This does help me bring up the point of how badly these things can go. That could have just as easily been a Dremora Lord or a Daedroth."

Shaking her head, Weiss heard a spell near her and looked to see J'zargo holding what appeared to be a grip claw. He was admiring his work while Brelyna seemed to be still trying to figure hers out, with a few other students forming simple weapons, like axes and hammers. Thinking for a moment, Weiss looked to hers and once again formed a bound weapon, this one long and thin, feeling natural in her hand.

"Ah, you made a copy of your blade," J'zargo pointed out. "A shape you know well. Rather elegant in its design."

"Why thank you. What did you make?"

"A claw weapon popular in Elsweyr for when claws alone are not sharp enough."

"Interesting." Weiss dismissed the Myrtenaster clone and then tried to summon up a similar claw weapon to what J'zargo had. It mostly worked, but her version was straighter, rather than following the animal claw pattern J'zargo's did. Almost as if in response, J'zargo dismissed his and then summoned a rapier with a basket guard and jagged ricasso. Weiss smirked at his bound weapon and wondered what to form next.

Brelyna saw them as she looked up from helping Onmund form a mace and sighed. "Oh great."

* * *

After several days of travel, and some mild exploration, Ruby and Lydia trudged up past the stables near Whiterun's gate. The caravan had long since moved on, nary a trace of their presence besides some ash piles left from their camp fires. Approaching the gate, the guards saluted her as she walked in to see the hustle and bustle of the city once more.

"Ya'know, Lydia, I really like Whiterun," Ruby began, watching the people go about their daily routine. "I think it's starting to grow on me. Every time I come here it just feels right."

"Glad my home feels that way to you." Lydia smiled, with Ruby returning the smile in kind.

"Come on. I bet Yang is up at Jorrvaskr. Or at least they can point us to her."

Their destination set, the two headed up the stairs leading to the Wind district, where their eyes lingered for a moment on the sapling growing in place of the Gildergreen. Wondering what happened, but not curious enough to break from their trail, they headed into Jorrvaskr to see the dark elf Athis caught in a fist fight with Njada.

"Oh boy. Again?" the young girl asked.

"Come on! Duck and up!" a familiar voice called out.

Suddenly Athis ducked under a hook from Njada and then came back up, smacking her chin with his head. Both stumbled back, but the Nord woman was the worse off. Once she turned back, Athis put his weight behind a punch and knocked her flat onto her back.

"Take that, you…blockheaded… All right, I need to sit." The Dunmer Companion fumbled over to a chair and flopped into it. The Hall laughed as he held his dizzying head and Njada slowly picked herself up. Yang herself came up clapping and patted his shoulder before seeing Ruby. When her eyes beheld her sister, her smile changed from jovial to joyous as she ran over and scooped Ruby into a hug.

"Ruby! I missed you so much!"

"Missed you…too, Yang," Ruby got out despite her compressed ribs. She got back at her sister by squeezing her just as tightly. After a minute, they finally released each other from their embraces and looked one another over.

"So you hadn't got the wolf armor yet?" Ruby smirked, her hand placed on her hip.

"I'm gonna." Yang smiled back, her arms crossed over her chest. "So how have you been? Learn more about…your Voice stuff?"

"Yeah, and other stuff. I think I'll be okay next time I… I have to kill a dragon."

Yang nodded slowly at that. "I get ya. By the way, me and Farkas killed one a while ago. It, uh, didn't burn up. Got a lot scales off of it, and me and Eorlund have been trying to figure out how to make armor from them."

"Oh cool! How's that going?"

* * *

 _Yang smacked the armor piece with an iron mace a few times. The scales were undamaged, but the steel rings holding the whole thing together bent and broke after a few hits._

" _Oh come on!" she decried._

" _I guess steel won't cut it," Eorlund observed. "Maybe if I made rings from… No, too heavy. Well… Ah! It'll take me a few days, but I'll see if I can't make some rings from ebony. Seen a few people wear ebony mail before, so I know it can be done. Should hold up with the dragon scales, at least."_

* * *

"Could be better. Still a work in progress." Yang admitted. She herself couldn't work ebony yet, so at this point she was mainly observing Eorlund work. Not that she minded; he was a master at his craft after all.

"Well, I can't wait to see what you guys put together. How's everyone doing here?"

"Pretty good. Farkas has his old sword mounted on the wall now that he's killed a dragon with it," Yang thumbed to the wall, where sure enough a steel greatsword hung proudly for all to see. "I'm a full member of the Companions now, and Aela even talked about… Well, I'll tell you more later. What about you? Anything interesting happen on the trek up?"

"Not much, really. But, before me and Lydia left, we explored that Shroud Hearth Barrow in Ivarstead. Some crazy elf guy pretended to be a ghost to scare people away from the barrow while he searched for a way inside."

"Oh, like the Mystery Bunch?"

"What's the Mystery Bunch?" Lydia asked, clearly confused.

"It was an entertainment series back home about four teenagers and their dog solving supernatural mysteries. The monster always turned out to be a guy in costume, though. Usually in some real estate scheme." At Yang's explanation, Lydia nodded her head in understanding, while Ruby herself became forlorn.

"Yeah, only...he actually came to believe he really was a ghost after spending such a long time there. Really convincingly, too. I didn't find out until I shot him..." Ruby went silent and shuddered slightly. "Anyway, turns out that the 'treasure' was just one of those Word Wall thingies. It talked about some Nord who could tame beasts, and now I can, too." Before Yang could inquire further, a loud rumbling sounded from Ruby's gut, and as Ruby turned as red as her cloak, Yang smirked.

"Oh, hungry are you? Come on, let's grab some grub. Food's still hot." Yang put an arm around Ruby's shoulder and led her over to the table, where breakfast was still laid out. "Speaking of Word Walls, I took a pic of another one in Dustman's Cairn." Yang pulled out her scroll and flipped over to the picture in her gallery, gasping a little when she realized she still had all of the pictures from "the Night". Figuring she had better go through those and delete some of them later, she passed the scroll over to Ruby, who zoomed in and read over the words.

"Hn, Qethsegol vahrukiv kiir jun Jafnhar wo los ag nahlaas naal yol do lot dovah Lodunost." Yang could almost swear she saw her sister's eyes glow slightly as she read. When she finished, she sighed in disgust. "Geez!"

"What's it say?"

"It was made to commemorate a 'child king' who was burned alive by a dragon named Lodunost. What a jerk! Yang, if we ever run into that dragon, make sure we remind him of this."

"Uh, sure. So was that supposed to be his grave or…?"

"No idea." Ruby looked at the words again and pictured each one in her head, remembering what Argneir told her about reading Dragonscript.

' _Stone. King. Alive. Burned. Fire'_

 _Fire. Yol. Change given form._

Ruby felt herself beginning to Understand, and focused within herself.

 _Power at its most primal._

She heard her sister calling for her, but she didn't listen. Her lungs felt ablaze, but did not hurt her with their burning. Her blood felt like it was boiling, but it only filled her with excitement, not pain.

 _My voice burns and spares at my discretion! My_ _ **Fire**_ _changes with its power!_

She breathed in with a smile.

 _I burn!_

" **Yol!** " Fire rushed from Ruby's mouth and straight forward, where luckily nothing was at the moment.

"Ysmir's beard!"

"Breathe of Arkay!"

"Holy shit!"

"Ruby! Whoa!" Yang yelled. The young Dragonborn covered her mouth and looked around in slight embarrassment as all the present Companions stared at her.

"Sorry!"

"Let's...move this downstairs. Away from everyone else," Yang suggested.

"...okay."

* * *

"So, reading the Word Walls can help you learn more dragon words?"

"Yeah. Basically, if I hear or read them I learn faster. I can just meditate and figure it out from my soul, but that takes a while, and I'll kinda…ya'know, get all stiff and stuff." At Yang's raised eyebrow, Ruby shrugged. "I need exercise."

"Don't forget that hearing isn't all there is," Lydia reminded her. "If just anyone says it, she's not guaranteed to learn it from them. It's has to be completely correct. And dragon names are completely different."

"Oh yeah. Either a dragon has to tell you their name, or you figure it out and know the pieces. Remember Aakdremsot?"

"Uh, was that the dragon that was crying about Mulminnir?"

"Mirmulnir, and he was mourning. I don't think dragons _can_ cry." Ruby shoved her pack to the side and sat on the bed. "Anyways, I know his name, but I don't know the pieces themselves very well, and he hasn't given me his name either, so I can't Shout it. On the other hand, if Paalduzaam was still alive, I _could_ Shout it after I took some time to think it over, because he told us his name. Basically, when dragons do that, it's pretty much them setting up a deathmatch, or a dominance battle, depending."

"Wait, so any time a dragon tells you his name, he's going all out to kill you?"

"Especially if they call me Dovahkiin, first. Not many dragons would give up either. So there's that. But, now I'm ready to learn more and hopefully get stronger so I can take down Alduin. According to the Greybeards, Alduin is the Nordic god of destruction, so…it's going to be tough, but I know I can do it! First test is that I have to retrieve the Horn of Yergal."

"Jurgen," Lydia corrected.

"Right. While I'm doing that I'll drop by Solitude and see about that Argonian guy, then I'll give Meridia her beacon, and head back."

"Okay. What's this Horn thing supposed to do?"

"I don't think it _does_ anything. It's just up in an old testing ground for Shouting. They didn't say, but I imagine that Greybeards go there to be tested as well. Kinda like getting a relic for initiation at Beacon Academy."

"Okay. I can see that," Yang nodded in thought. "Oh hey, Lydia, mind going by Carlotta and picking up some tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and stuff? I'm planning on beef stew. Ooh, and some beef." She pulled out a few malks and septims and handed them over to the housecarl, who nodded before heading out.

"I'll be back in a little while then," Lydia announced, closing the door behind her.

Ruby looked to where her housecarl left their room and then at Yang with suspicion. "Okay, what'd you want to talk about that's so secret?"

"Yeah, I wasn't being subtle there. Listen, do you know what werebeasts are?"

"Lydia talked about them a bit. Why?"

"I got in a fight with a werebear." Seeing her sister's eyes widen in shock, Yang raised her arms in a placating manner. "Don't worry. It got some hits in but hadn't broken through my Aura. Got pretty damn close, though. But that's not all. On my last Proving mission, Farkas went to observe me and we got ambushed by some werewolf hunters called the Silver Hand. I was stuck in what was basically a cage, and they were nearly about to kill him." Ruby gasped at that and Yang nodded. "But then he turned into a werewolf."

"Wait, Farkas is a werewolf?!"

"Keep it down," Yang warned. "But yes. And so is the rest of the Circle."

"So Farkas, Vilkas, Aela, Skjor… Even Kodlak?"

"Yep, even Kodlak. But it's okay. They control when they change, and they have control over themselves when they do. Farkas could even talk, though his speech was broken up."

"Wow! That's pretty cool!"

"There's…something else though. Aela…offered to make me…'part of the Circle'."

"Oh. Did you do it?" Ruby asked nervously.

"No, but…the offer stands. I mean, I saw the difference between a normal guy and a werewolf. One second he's barely standing, and then the next, he's throwing them around the room like toys. I was a bit scared at first, but Farkas never made so much as a snarl at me and even held back from killing every one of our enemies. True, it wasn't many, but those Silver Hand guys were worse than some White Fang tend to be."

"So you think you being a werewolf will make you stronger?" Ruby leaned back in her chair, beginning to see where this conversation was going.

"It will, but… I don't know about the whole thing. I mean, I'll be compelled to hunt every once in a while. I'll have a sort of bloodlust thing going on I'll have to reel in. Apparently sleeping gets harder."

"Yang, are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Ruby asked sincerely. The elder sister stopped at that and sighed.

"I was hoping you could help me decide. This is…a big deal."

"Well, Weiss is already a vampire. And what you've told me is that a werewolf just needs to go hunt every once in a while?"

"Yeah. Not sure how often it is, but…"

"And you really want to do this?"

"I… I don't…"

"Yang, why do you want to be a werewolf?"

Yang went still and looked at her little sister for a long moment, then looked down at her hands before clenching them.

"You guys…are just kinda…leaving me behind."

"Yang, we're not going…"

"Not like that, but… You're a messianic figure with the power to bend reality by yelling at the world. Not even ten minutes ago I saw you breathe fire. Weiss and Blake have gone up to learn how to do magic. Actual magic. No tricks or Dust or smoke and mirrors. Blake was able to go almost invisible just from what she learned from a notebook. And the Ice Queen's already firing lightning from her fingers and enchanting weapons that turn people to ice when they cut them. So far I've…made some fire. It might not be the best thing, but if I do it, I'll be so much stronger."

"Yang, you're already strong," Ruby comforted her as she grabbed her hand. "But if you really want to go through with this, you have my support, okay. Weiss has an actual curse on her and she's doing fine. From what you've told me, being a werewolf has way more positives and less than half the negatives."

"Thanks Rubes," Yang said quietly before sniffing. "Well, guess we better get out of here. First off, I really am planning to make some beef stew. And maybe I'll see if Hulda will let us use her oven to try and bake some cookies."

"Oh god, you're the best sister ever!"

* * *

Weiss looked over the armor piece she had enchanted to resist fire once again before letting Master Sergius Turrianis look it over.

"Well done. That's your assigned work for today then. Feel free to use the rest of the period as you see fit, but remember what is and isn't yours."

"Yes, Master Turrianis. Thank you." As he took the armor piece, Weiss took out a plain, iron dagger and a Petty Soul Gem. The idea of taking a creature's soul was still a little unnerving for her, and the act of actually doing it to that rabbit had felt really bad, but that might have just been killing the defenseless creature in general. Still, this was how she would be doing at least a tenth of her research most likely. She'd need to get used to Enchanting, and then excel at it.

"Well, if it isn't the famous Snow Angel," someone said as they came from the side. Weiss looked over to see a young Breton woman with apprentice robes on. Brelyna saw her coming over to her neighbor and came to Weiss's side, an action that rose Weiss' guard towards the newcomer.

"Hello. So, you know me?"

"Yes. Onmund mentioned you. Weiss Schnee. You're every bit as lovely as he said."

Weiss felt her cheeks go a bit red at that, and was slightly thankful that blushing was a lot harder as a vampire.

"Brelyna, you haven't introduced us yet?" the Breton asked as she turned toward the Dunmer, a smirk on her face.

"Yes. Sorry. Weiss, this is Talia Hourl. She's the one who gave those pastries to Onmund to give to you."

"Oh, those were from you. They were quite good." Weiss bowed her head a little. "Thank you for the gift."

"No problem at all." Weiss felt the girl's eyes go over her. And again, and again. Increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with each passing second, Weiss felt like she was being undressed by Talia's eyes. She wasn't sure if there was a spell that actually could let people see through cloth, and that thought suddenly made Weiss much more conscious of her leering.

"Well, I'll see you later, Snow Angel. Can't stay much longer, unfortunately. Need to write a letter to my father and all. Bye-bye," she called sultrily as she left.

Weiss shivered and wrapped her arms around her chest.

"Gods, I felt like she was planning to eat me!"

"Might be," her Dunmer co-student remarked.

"Oh, seriously?! What?"

"She has no compunctions with…well… You're her type, is what I mean to say."

"What type is that?" Weiss, red all over, asked.

"Fresh and new," Brelyna explained. "Don't bother with her if you're looking for an actual relationship. She plays around and then leaves you. Learned that a little too late…"

Weiss nodded, feeling a bit of sympathy for her neighbor. "Thank you. And thanks for coming up. That would have felt way more uncomfortable without you there."

"Actually, I dispelled the illusion she puts over her eyes when she does that. You wouldn't have noticed at all if I hadn't."

"Well, now I'll never feel safe." Weiss darkly joked as she turned back to her project, which Brelyna looked over her shoulder at.

"Are you trying to figure something out?"

"Well, remember how some people have been mentioning my 'unique' magic?"

"The one where you create those platforms that can be either solid or repulse and/or attract things?"

"There's a lot more I can do with my glyphs, but those are two of the basics, yes. Well, I had…one too many one night and somehow enchanted a scythe with the repulse effect."

"Really? So, you're trying to figure out how you did that?"

"Essentially. If I can recreate what I did that night, then I can make weapons for my friends that they can use to escape hairy situations. And if it extends to my other glyph abilities, there's a near limitless number of things I can enchant on top of the enchantments people already know."

"Well, you did make a brand new enchantment that's never been seen before. While drunk, at that. I'm actually a bit excited here." Weiss looked up to see the dark elf grinning while she bit her thumb.

"I suppose it is a little revolutionary," Weiss replied before spying Talia leering at her from across the room as she left. Her mind turned in on itself and she groaned. "Say, can you do me a favor?"

"Hm? Sure, I suppose."

"You know Talia, so please explain to her that I'm straight."

"That you're…what?"

"I like men, not women."

"Oh, well, she'll be a little disappointed, that's for sure." Then she mumbled where she thought Weiss couldn't hear, "I kinda am too."

The vampire went wide-eyed at that. _'Seriously?!'_

* * *

 _Denor struggled against the minotaur chief, but then turned, and used his weight against him to bring him low before grabbing his horns and pushing him down to the ground. The massive bullman struggled, and his tribe bellowed as they watched the woman hold him in place, her muscles straining against the massive being._

" _Listen to me!" she shouted above the cattle-like cries of the minotaurs. "Listen! There are enemies, foes to all that live, attacking that city, that piece of the Empire right now!"_

 _The chief tried to thrash away, but Denor pulled him up and slammed his chin to the ground before pointing his face towards the city of Chorrol._

" _You're supposed to be the descendants of Morihaus and the First Empress! You defended the Empire for gods know how long! I will be the first to say you were wronged, that men betrayed your people! But that's not what's important right now! What's important is that the Empire needs you! I've seen you defend the ancient ruins! I've seen how you look at the old castles with gloom! You want to defend the Empire, but after being beaten and turned away for so long you're scared of mankind, and we're scared of you! But we must put it aside! We need you this time!"_

 _The chief only struggled a moment longer as the woman's words hit his ears. As a gentle breeze passed through and by his snout, he looked at the city as though seeing it for the first time. His throat felt croaked, and tears began to drip from his eyes. Chief Ironcall let out a low, sad bellow, and his tribe followed his gaze and saw it as well. The breeze passed them slowly, and they all remembered what they had forgotten millennia ago. Tears were shed by every minotaur man and woman as a single feather gently fell from the heavens. Finally, Denor let the chief's horns go and stepped off from his back. The strongest Minotaur picked himself up from the ground slowly, then outstretched his hand and caught the feather. He held it gingerly as he looked back to the red-haired woman who had held him down almost effortlessly. Snorting, he placed the feather behind his ear._

" _We fight for Empire!" he declared as he lifted his hammer._

Blake heard the stomping of hooves on dirt turn into clopping on stone. She looked to see that she was on the titular Dragon Bridge and closed her book before putting it away.

' _If that was any bit accurate, it sounds like Denor got some Divine Intervention.'_ It was rather tragic what led up to the Guardian's path to that point, but the fact that she hadn't let it get to her and instead became an advocate of equality for all beings really resonated with Blake. The Nordic woman was the opposite of how a lot of them acted when it came to other races. She even was trying to help _goblins and ogres_ of all things after her experience with 'The Tragedy' as that chapter was named. Blake shook her head. She nearly cried reading the end of that one. She wasn't sure if that part of the tale was true or just made up for dramatic purposes -much like giving fill-in names to the five main heroes- but it cut deep.

As she neared the Penitus Occulatus outpost, Blake unhorsed and stumbled for only a moment as she regained her walking legs. Mercurio saw her and went in immediately before coming right back out.

"The commander's ready to receive you," he reported as he took the horse's reins. "Did it… Did everything go well?"

"Perfectly," she replied as she straightened up and walked into the outpost. Commander Maro was there, waiting expectantly.

"Good news, I hope!" he said as Blake took the letter from her satchel and handed it over.

"Every one of them's dead," she remarked as he opened it and began looking over the contents. "I think I know how they got me as fast as they did. A wizard said something about a 'portkey'. I asked, and it's apparently an enchanted object used to open set portals or-"

"Or to allow teleportation where it's normally warded against," Maro finished for her as he let the letter down from his face. "Like a sanctuary for assassins. Trapped inside of their own defenses, hah! Well, I can't thank you enough Miss Belladonna. But, the Empire can thank you a lot. Between Astrid, and the sixteen assassins this letter reports you having personally slain, including a Master Wizard _and_ a werewolf, the total reward for all of those bounties come up to…right at fourteen thousand septims."

Blake nearly balked at the amount he'd just uttered. "F- fourteen thousand!?"

"Yes, it may seem a hefty sum, but do realize what you've done for the Empire with this. I can't tell you how many officials, councilmen, and nobles have fallen to their blades. A few were corrupt, I'll admit, but the Dark Brotherhood would work for the corrupt as soon as they'd kill them. Just as many, if not even more, good, innocent folk have been slain by them. They've even killed a few emperors, and we have reason to suspect someone was looking to hire them to do the same with Emperor Titus Mede II. With this, that will no longer be something to worry over, outside of searching for the would-be client." Maro quickly rose to his feet, a stunned Blake still rooted to the ground.

"Well, I'd love to hand you a sack of ebons after all that you've done, but I'm afraid I wasn't issued such a thing. I'll have a notice sent, and we can either give you your reward at Castle Dour in Solitude, or have it sent to a bank account if you have one."

"Oh, I, uh, do, actually." Blake's mind was still reeling at what she'd been told.

' _Fourteen thousand septims?! If two septims buy a bushel of apples… No, I don't know where to go with that math. I think a suit of armor costs six hundred. This is like twenty full suits of steel armor!'_

"Miss?"

"Oh sorry, just thinking."

"It's fine. What's the name on your account?"

"Oh, it's 'Ice Flower'. Two words, spelled exactly like you'd expect."

"Ice Flower? All right." He dipped a quill into some ink and began writing out the letter he would be sending. As he did so, Blake suddenly coughed, catching his attention

"Actually, what _do_ you have? I'm kind of…broke at the moment."

* * *

Blake left Dragon Bridge with five hundred septims, mostly in denars and some malks, as she hitched a ride onto a passing carriage. The three passengers didn't like the idea of being delayed on their way to Dawnstar, so Blake compromised with them and promised to get off when they passed the Hall of the Vigilants to head down to Whiterun on foot.

"Already have to share the ride with a lizard," a man complained as he scooted away from Blake as far as he could. "Now we've got a half-cat added to the bunch."

"Shut up, you ignorant horker spawn," the brown and yellow scaled Argonian with a mohawk of feathers and spiny frills on the sides of his head practically hissed at him. "If you had any sort of academic knowledge in that skull of yours, you'd know that Khajiit don't interbreed with other races, and that the ones that more resemble Man and Mer are just different moon forms."

"Oh, what? You a scholar now, swamp breath?"

"Compared to you, seeing as I can read words."

"Stop it or I'm tossing ya both off," the carriage driver told them. "Guild policy says I only need to warn you once b'fore I do."

The two begrudgingly kept quiet but glared at each other. Blake sighed and pulled out _Journey of the Heroes_ to continue where she left off.

 _Chief Ironcall charged forwards with the Guardian beside him. Lerian, the fearless monk, reached over and let a shock of magic hit Denor, and her Atronach Birthsign absorbed it thoroughly, letting her cast her own spells of increased strength and pain tolerance upon herself. The Dremora saw her coming and quivered. Daedra saw the army of bullmen charging towards their Gate and screamed in fear. Denor laughed madly as she leapt up and brought Thundersmash down upon the head of the nearest enemy._

* * *

The evening after Ruby returned, the sisters decided that some shopping for supplies was necessary, well-deserved, and would be relaxing for them. To start with they went to Whiterun's Branch of the Tamrielic Bank in order to draw the needed funds.

"I've gotten a good bit with my jobs from the Companions. You could make a living doing this stuff just every once in a while, but it's best to take jobs when you can, from what I hear. Never know when suddenly there might not be any jobs."

"Sounds like that plant work I always heard one of my friend's dads always complaining about. I think it was something to do with shutdowns."

"Sounds about right, only you don't punch shutdowns to death." Yang tapped the crystal ball in front of the slightly confused teller and entered the account name and PIN number, glad that Weiss made it simple enough to remember, but complex enough not to be guessed. As Yang entered the numbers 7929, RWBY spelled out via numpad back home, the numbers disappeared into the orb and were replaced by another set.

"You have eighteen thousand five hundred and sixty two septims and twent-four cents available in your account," the Bosmer teller read as the numbers showed themselves to the two Huntresses, whose jaws had just seemed to come loose as they saw what they had. "Would like to make a withdrawal or a deposit?"

"Uh, withdrawal," Yang barely got out. The wood elf nodded and then tapped the ball on her side before a number pad appeared again.

"How much did you say you got?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Like a couple hundred."

"Then where'd all of that come from?"

* * *

"Thank you for walking with me today, Brelyna," Weiss said as she gave her letter over to the Courier Manager along with the fee. "I promise we'll be back at the College once I've gotten this done."

"Fifty-three cents is your change," the Manager told her as he handed back the copper pieces. "Thank you. We'll get this to Whiterun in no time at all."

"Thank you."

"Don't be in a rush, Weiss. I needed to get some things too."

"Yes, but you're just topping off. I'm practically unprepared for the rest of the week's lessons. And I still have to go out later and hunt some poor creatures for my Soul Gems. At least J'zargo offered to show me some good hunting spots."

"I'm sure he did," Brelyna commented with a smirk. Weiss didn't notice her expression as she said that and continued on to the bank across the street.

"It's interesting how the international banking system works. I bet with a few modifications these crystal balls could be used for long-distance instant communication."

"Maybe," the Dunmer shrugged. "It would be difficult. And someone would have to actually figure out how to make them do that. It took the inventor of these spells his whole, eight century long life to figure it out. It's also expensive."

"Someday, I'm certain we'll figure it out," Weiss explained confidently as she accessed her account, not worried about anyone seeing her PIN thanks to the muddling enchantment that kept anyone from seeing what she was tapping except for her. Bank security was probably better in Tamriel than it was in Remnant with features like that.

When her account balance popped up, though, all thoughts went away as she nearly choked. The Breton woman behind the desk lowered her spectacles and hummed in appreciation of the sum.

"Will you be withdrawing or depositing, milady?" Weiss, rather than responding, fell to her knees and began to cry.

"Weiss, are you all right?" Brelyna asked in worry as the vampire wiped away tears.

"I'm fine," she sniffed. "I'm just so happy to be rich again!"


	17. Indicative of a Secret

It took nearly two days, neither of which went by quickly thanks to two of the other passengers and their constant bickering, before they passed by the Hall of the Vigilants. There had been a brief stop in Morthal for supplies where Blake checked to find that the shared account had, indeed, been expanded, but there was also troubling news about vampires attacking nearby villages. Deciding to let Yang, and possibly Ruby, know about it when she got to Whiterun, Blake continued on to her drop-off point. There, Blake got off and began following the road south. There was already a thick layer of snow in the Pale Hold that had been building for over a month now, by the carriageman's words, but it got thinner as she went. Judging by how the air was beginning to cool she doubted that would last long. Perhaps a month, at most.

A day later, after some unsatisfactory sleep just close enough to a Giant camp for safety, she was clear of the snowy region and nearing Whiterun Hold, only to stop as a curious sight made itself known. Just down the road she saw a wagon, with a strange-looking man wearing a jester's outfit looking over it fretting. Closer, though, was a commoner watching the other man with suspicion from his front porch. A bit of farmland was next to his home, already harvested by the looks of it. Curious, Blake walked over to the farmer, who saw her with a raised eyebrow.

"Trouble?" Blake nodded her head towards the downed wagon.

"I'll say. Some jester over yonder has his carriage broke down. Been jabbering madly about taking his mother somewhere to bury. Asked me if I could fix his wheel for him, but I ain't risking it."

"Risk?" Blake looked over to the jester and his carriage, which was indeed weighed down by a large box, big enough to hold a coffin. He seemed to be trying to figure out how he could lift the wagon enough to put on a new wheel. "What's the risk? Besides him being a little…silly?"

"Honestly? First of all, I had to only speak to him a few minutes to see the man's completely out of his mind. Besides, there could be anything in that box. War contraband, weapons, skooma, you name it. I won't have anything to do with that."

Blake hummed as she took in the situation. "Let me talk to him. If it turns out he really _is_ just transporting his mother's body and nothing illegal, could you fix the wheel for him?"

The man sighed and rubbed his bald head. "I…guess so. Maybe I'm just being paranoid because he's dressed up as a jester out here in Skyrim of all places. All right. Prove to me he's harmless, and I'll get my tools from the barn."

The faunus nodded and gave him a light smile before heading down to the frustrated jester. The jester was practically hopping from foot to foot, looking at the broken wheel from different angles.

"Agh! Bother and befuddle!" he yelled in a high-pitched tone. "Stuck here! Stuck! My mother, poor mother! Unmoving. At rest, but too still!" He seemed to perk up and then turned to Blake as she came close. "Stranger? Or an unmet friend? Are you here to gaze or assist? Hm?"

"I was wondering how bad your situation is." Seeing the wheel, she could only wince. "It's pretty bad. Say, I might be able to get you some help, but the guy at the farm wants to be sure about what you're carting around first."

"Carting around? I'm transporting my dear, sweet mother, of course. Well, not her. Her corpse!" He giggled quickly at that. "She's quite dead, you see."

"I'd…be concerned if she wasn't," Blake warily replied, seeing exactly what the farmer had meant.

"Well, it would certainly… Wait, your armor," the jester suddenly noticed, looking at the black, leather armor Blake wore under a loose shirt and pants. The faunus froze up at that, ready to offer an explanation. "And your dagger…" Now his gaze settled on the Blade of Woe at her waist. "Shrouded Armor? Blade of Woe?! Oh! Sister! How glad I am to see one of us here!"

Blake mentally rewound herself and took a moment to think over what he said. "You…recognize this?"

"Of course! To think I'd find one of my dark siblings in my time of need! Oh, how the Dread Father looks after us! Yes! I know it must be shocking, given our present state, but I'm from Cyrodiil! Unfortunately, the sanctuaries are all gone. The war has brought a hefty toll on us all. I tried the Dawnstar Sanctuary, but it's been abandoned! Oh, but then I hear of Falkreath! A long trip, one devoid of towns to avoid those pesky Penitus Oculatus, but one Cicero would gladly make to keep mother safe! You'll help, of course? We simply _must_ get the Night Mother to safety at once!"

Blake smiled and nodded. "Okay. I understand. Let's just look inside, so I can convince the farmer."

The jester started clapping and jumping for joy. "Oh thank you so much, sweet sister! All right! A quick peek, and then Loreius will come and fix things up for us."

"And Loreius? What about him?"

"Oh, Cicerro will need to kill him, of course! Painlessly, if he does a good job. Mustn't be seen, after all. Need to keep the Dark Brotherhood alive, especially in such dark times! Dark times, indeed!"

"I see." Blake beckoned Cicerro forward, who hopped to the crate. Grabbing a pry bar, he then gently began to push into the top of the crate. Blake came up behind him, placing her hand on the hilt of the Blade of Woe. When she was certain he was too far into his task to notice her, she pulled the dagger free and jammed it into his screamed in pain and dropped the pry bar, but when his hand reached for his own dagger, Blake grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm around his neck before bringing Woe around and jabbing it into his belly.

Her hand rapidly stabbed the blade in and out of Cicero's abdomen, turning screams of pain into choked gurgles. When she finally stopped and let go, she realized she had gone overboard and had stabbed him at least twenty times. Gulping, she looked down at his prone form, struggling on the ground towards his wagon, blood pooling around him. He looked up at her, and she sneered as she reached behind her back.

"The Dark Brotherhood is dead," she declared quietly before stabbing the Ebony Blade into his heart. The jester stilled and Blake felt the rush that came with killing with the daedric sword. Holding herself steady, she focused on controlling it, not letting the bloodlust overtake her, but not constraining it so much that it fought back all the harder.

" _Such a betrayal of trust! His heart shatters as it falls into the Void!"_

Sheathing her blade, Blake turned back to head up to the farm, where Loreius watched her cautiously with wide eyes. He had gone pale as a ghost, but seemed rooted to the spot even as he seemed to want nothing more than to run away screaming.

"How often do guards patrol this road?" she demanded.

"Ev- A few times every day," he answered shakily.

"I need a quill and paper. You were right to worry. The man was a Dark Brotherhood assassin. If you had helped him he would have killed you." As the man's eyes widened in realization, Blake continued, "I need to send a message to Commander Maro as quickly as possible. Once I write it out, I'll need you to give it to a passing guard." Blake looked down at her hands to see the blood had slipped right off of the Shrouded Armor's gloves, leaving them clean.

"You're with the Oculatus?" he asked as he seemed to visibly calm down. "I'll get your writing stuffs! Divines above, I would have never imagined… A Dark Brotherhood assassin!" He ran into his home for a moment before ushering Blake in to where she could write down her letter. Sitting down on a table, she began to write:

 _Commander Maro,_

 _I came across another of the Dark Brotherhood, but this one said he came from Cyrodiil. Going by his words, all of the other sanctuaries in Cyrodiil are gone, with him possibly being the last left. He said he went by an abandoned sanctuary in Dawnstar, and was headed towards Falkreath's._ _Unfortunately for him, his attempts to avoid detection meant he hadn't heard about the raid on the Falkreath Sanctuary._

 _I've dealt with him, but there's still the matter of what he was transporting. He kept referring to it as his "mother", but I believe I heard him call it "Night Mother" when he was under the impression that I was one of his 'siblings'. If I'm right, this is that same Night Mother you mentioned having something to do with the Listener and the Black Sacrament. I'm not sure how important it is, but someone should know what to do about it._

 _From,_

 _Blake Belladonna_

Blake copied the letter and gave it to Loreius, keeping one with her just in case she came across a guard as well. Sending two letters wouldn't hurt, and would just help to insure that Commander Maro got the memo.

"Make sure they know how important this is, and make sure no one takes that cart away," she reminded the farmer, who just nodded fearfully as she left. "And…I'm sorry…for the mess and all."

"No, it's no trouble. Considering what you've done to… Wait, does that mean the rumors I heard were true? Are you…the one they're calling 'Bane of the Brotherhood'?"

Blake blinked at that. _'Just how fast do rumors spread?'_

"I killed a lot of Dark Brotherhood assassins in the raid on their sanctuary, but the name's new to me."

"By the gods," he muttered. "Don't worry, ma'am. I'll be sure to send this forward."

"Thank you, Loreius. Stay safe."

"You too! Gods above..." Blake heard him mumble as she walked away, deep in thought.

* * *

Weiss looked over her creation, the newest attempt at adding her Semblance as an enchantment. It took a week, and most of her free time, but she had succeeded in recreating the process. Just like how enchantments were spells 'stitched' and 'glued' onto items, she had to attach her own glyphs to the item as well. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, but once she factored it down like that it became a lot easier to deduce what she needed to do to the make the Repulse Glyph enchantment. This had the added effect of creating a permanent rune shaped after her glyph to the item, but luckily it was often in an easily accessed spot, likely because she willed it to be there.

As she pressed the rune and slid her thumb slightly forward, the enchantment activated, trying to push the dagger forward. She smiled and let the dagger go, where it flew forward and hit the hay bale target, though nowhere on the colored portion. The enchantment wasn't very strong, but she did only use a Petty Soul Gem to create it.

"Impressive," J'zargo mused with a finger running over his chin. "A little more power behind it, and you could make self-propelled throwing spears. Or bows with faster arrows."

"Or melee weapons with increased momentum in their strikes. Or a perfect getaway device," Weiss added. "There are a lot of possibilities to those with the mind to think them through."

Brelyna was suitably impressed, but also found herself slightly distracted by her thoughts. Onmund, himself a little confused, bent to the side to whisper to her.

"What's going on with J'zargo?" he asked.

"Remember how he complained that no one posed a suitable challenge to him last month?"

"Something like that." It took a moment while he saw the new student chatting amiably with the Khajiit on different measures of Enchanting and the magicka entwinement involved in the process to create a stronger version of Weiss's enchantment. He noted their smiles, then looked over their body language. "Are they…?"

"Not yet, but they're getting there quickly. Another week and I don't doubt they'll start."

"Gods above, help us all." Onmund was scared and confused by the idea of J'zargo _flirting_ with someone.

* * *

Yang looked over the letter and passed it back to Ruby, who read it a third time before giving it back to Yang to read her third go.

"…Blake's missing?" the younger sister finally got out.

"She's not with Weiss, and last the letter says Weiss saw her was when they split at Windhelm." Yang frowned as she wondered where her partner was at this time. "That was close to a week ago, going by the date on the letter. She might have caught up by then, but I don't…"

Ruby stood resolute and looked towards her pack. "We can go to Riften and look for her there. If we don't find anything, we'll backtrack the way she went until we do. Weiss says she went down Steampass, which connects to Shor's Grasp Road, so we'll go that way looking for clues."

"Are you sure?" Yang asked her sister. "I can go look for her while you-"

"Yang, she's your partner, but she's my teammate, too. How cruddy of a leader would I be if I didn't take care of my team?" Ruby rubbed at her left eye, seemingly near tears. "Besides, I'm not in a rush. There's nothing I can't learn in a couple days that'd make that much difference against a dragon invasion. And we're about to buy some horses, so we'll get there way faster."

Yang nodded. "Okay. Let's get a game plan ready." She got up and headed towards the door. "Lydia's getting her armor all fixed up, so while we wait we can-"

She stopped mid-sentence as she topped the stairs to the living quarters, as a familiar head of black hair with cat ears atop it was speaking to Vilkas, who just turned and pointed Yang out. Blake smiled in their direction and headed towards the sisters. Yang sighed in joyous relief and walked forward before surprising her partner with a sudden hug.

"Yang?!"

"We _just_ got a letter from Weiss telling us she didn't know where you were. You have no idea how relieved we are to see you."

Suddenly a small fist bonked the faunus on her head.

"Ow!" Blake grunted, rubbing her head where the fist made contact.

"You big dummy!" Ruby admonished as Yang and Blake separated from their hug. "Weiss is probably worried sick about you chasing assassins, and now you're all the way over here in Whiterun! It's going to take at least a day by express to get a letter to her!"

"I'm sorry! I-" she was once again wrapped into a hug, now by the younger girl.

"I'm just glad you're safe. We were getting ready to come find you, and I had to make myself _not_ think the worst." Ruby sniffed as she pulled herself back. "So what happened? Did you save the orphanage lady?"

"…No. She died from…" Blake looked a little uncomfortable in their surroundings. "Let's go out the back. I'd prefer the open space for this."

With worried glances, the three girls of Team RWBY headed out the back door and went beyond the training yard, stopping a little ways short of the stone wall.

"So you didn't stop the assassin?" Yang asked. "Or did the lady die before they got there?"

"Listen, when I tell you this, you both have to keep your reactions down." At their nods, Blake took in a deep breath. "I…accidentally killed her."

Ruby covered her mouth while Yang seemed struck dumb by the revelation. Blake felt her insides bunch up in anticipation for when her partner fully absorbed what she'd said.

"What… What happened?" Ruby finally got out.

"I was trying to warn her. Did… Did Weiss mention anything about the Black Sacrament?"

"Something about it being a magic ritual," Ruby explained. "She wrote that you didn't say too much about it, except that some boy was using it hoping to kill the orphanage's headmistress."

"Well, she, Grelod, didn't believe me when I tried to warn her. And then she started accusing me of being a thieving, lying 'half-cat', to the point where I started to remember why I always wore my bow." Blake sighed before continuing. "I got frustrated, and was ready to just leave her and try to catch the assassin on my own. Then…I smelled something off. Her back was turned, so I checked her closet." The faunus shivered there. "It was a beating room. She had manacles on the walls where she'd chain up the children and whip them, and based off of the bloodstains it was frequently used." Both the girls gasped at this, Yang suddenly looking enraged. "I got angry. I started yelling and screaming at her. She screamed back about… I can't remember, but I know she was going to justify it with some logic about teaching respect or some other abusive nonsense, so I…slapped her. But…I forgot to hold back."

"How much did you 'not' hold back?" Yang asked cautiously.

"If I had hit you that hard, it would have stung, and maybe stumbled you." Both the girls winced. "And she was an old lady. Someone joked about her being there for eighty years, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was over seventy. Her neck just…broke." Blake sighed as she got the weight of the confession off her chest. "I got scared, and made it look like an accident, like she slipped and fell on her chair. Everyone assumed that's what happened. No one ever even suspected me."

"But what are you doing here?" Ruby asked. "And why now? There's been more than enough time."

"The Brotherhood," she answered simply. Both girls stiffened at that. "Did you guys…?"

"Lydia got one that was after us," Yang explained as she shifted and put a hand on her hip. "She got the message from Sanguine. Under a bottle of wine or something."

"Argonian Bloodwine. It's actually pretty good." Both girls looked at Ruby with surprise. "I only drank a little, and mostly shared it with the Greybeards. Lydia said it does something to increase 'disease resistance', which I think means it's like one of those immunity boosting drinks. Also, you can breathe underwater for, like, thirty minutes after you drink some. I tried. It was kinda cool!"

"So the message got through. And Lydia stopped the assassin?" Blake brought the conversation back on topic, leaving the little tidbit about breathing underwater for later.

"Yeah, apparently that's part of the housecarl training regime. Saw her there right before I left Ivarstead. Kinda freaked me out for a while."

"Oh, by the way," Ruby jumped back in. "In the note, Sanguine said he'll send you a 'collector' at the right time. Something about Weiss paying him back as well." Ruby winced at that. "I get why you guys did it, but…you two kinda owe the God of Sin a favor now."

Blake gulped at that. "H- hopefully, he'll just have some harmless fun at our expense. But, continuing, I _tried_ to head straight back to Windhelm the next day, because I received a note with the Dark Brotherhood sigil on it. It said… 'We know'. After that I booked it out and ran all the way to… I think it was Kynesgrove. But when I woke up, I was drugged and in some old, rickety shack. A Nord woman, who I later learned was the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, had followed me from Riften and caught me while I was asleep." The sisters looked horrified at this. "She told me that I had stolen a kill that belonged to them, and that I owed them a life. There were three people tied up and she told me to figure out which one had a contract on them. I…stalled until I recovered enough and then fought her. I killed her, and when we got out we were somewhere in the Morthal swamps. I told the Morthal guard captain what happened, and he pointed me to Commander Maro, the man in charge of the Penitus Oculatus."

"The what?" Yang asked.

"If I had to compare them to anything, it'd be the Atlesian Specialists, or Vale Homeland Security. He sent me to give a message to the agents in Falkreath, and then we attacked the Brotherhood Sanctuary. We…killed everyone there except a little girl. I don't know who she was, but… Anyways, the point stands that we don't have to worry about the Dark Brotherhood ever again. I did run into another, but he was from Cyrodiil and all of the sanctuaries there are gone, too. He's dead now, but I'm a little uncertain about all of them. I think I know a place I can check to be sure."

"Whoa, now!" Yang called out. "You're talking about going on a manhunt for any possible survivors of an assassin group. Blake, there's taking things too far, and then there's that."

"Yang, I have my reasons for thinking why it'd work, and I know _exactly_ who I'm going to. But if it makes you feel better, I'll only investigate, and send my findings to the Oculatus." The blonde sighed and crossed her arms. Blake then looked over at Ruby, who seemed both nervous and intrigued by what Blake had told her. "By the way, in the sanctuary I found a Word Wall, like in Bleak Falls. It didn't do anything though."

"Oh cool! Did you take a picture of it?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"No. Sorry. Why?"

"Ah, butterscotch!" Ruby groaned. "I guess I'll have to head down there at some point."

"Yeah, Ruby can apparently learn dragon words quicker by reading those, even just a picture of them. Showed her the one I found, and now she's a fire-breathing Dragonborn."

"Oh, wow. I feel a little dumb not doing that now." Blake rubbed her neck. "You mind if me and Yang talk in private for a little while? It's not that I don't trust you or-"

"Blake, Yang's your bestest buddy. Of course you guys tell each other stuff I'm not supposed to know. Even if I do know about the 'not-a-date' with Sun."

Blake's ears shot straight up. "How did you-"

"Not telling~!" Ruby sing-songed as she skipped away, apparently pleased with the way she left the conversation. Blake looked at Yang, who held her hands up.

"I never said anything."

"It's- It's not important right now." Blake took the Ebony Blade from her back and went over to a set of steps where she sat down. A guard passed them by on the wall overhead, and when he was clear of them, Blake took in a deep breath.

"This sword is cursed." At Blake's proclamation, Yang raised her eyebrow.

"Like, you've had bad luck with it or-"

"It's connected to Mephala, the Daedric Prince of lies, treachery, and plots." Blake suddenly cut her partner off, filling the air with a heavy silence. "It…has an effect where whenever I cut someone I drain part of their lifeforce and it feeds into me. It actually drinks up blood when I cut someone with it. It feels… _amazing_ to use, but it wants me to use it…without discretion." Blake took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "It _whispers_ to me. It tries to trick me into killing people, or convince me to do it. The… I only checked that closet because _something_ told me to. It's getting harder sometimes to tell what's whispers and what's my own thoughts." She gripped the sheath tightly as she looked at the Blade. "Every time I've…killed with it, I hear her. Congratulating me. Especially when…I betray someone."

Yang looked at the sword in her partners hands and gulped. "Then…let's get rid of it. Screw it being a Daedric Prince's weapon! If it's going to mess with you like this, we can take it to the Skyforge and-"

"They already tried! Years ago, maybe before even Balgruuf's father was alive, they tried to melt it down in the Skyforge. It just drank up the flames. Hell, the Skyforge _cooled down_! Yang, this is a god-made weapon. It _can't be_ destroyed." Yang moved to protest, but Blake cut her off once again. "But it can't be left alone. Mephala wants it used. She was… I found it when I went to talk to Nelkir. She was whispering to him through the door of the room where the Blade was locked up. If I hadn't taken it, someone else would have. Some random mercenary could have been led right to it, and there'd be almost nothing to stop them. I… I sliced people apart effortlessly with this thing." Blake felt her throat constrict at the memory. "I lost myself for a while in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, after I used it to kill a werewolf assassin. I just…snapped and went after the rest. All I could think about was cutting them apart as much as I possibly could. And…their leader… I think she'd been planning to recruit me. She talked about rescinding the contract on all of us, but I…just couldn't go through with it. Mephala _loved_ it. It was like a huge betrayal to all of them." Blake took in a shuddering breath, and then felt Yang's hand comfortably squeeze her shoulder. Blake looked at her and wiped away a tear that had been forming.

"Listen, if you think we need to get rid of this thing, then we'll take it to Windhelm, get a boat, and drop it in the middle of the Sea of Ghosts. Mephala might get it back, but at least it'll be gone from our hair, and it might be weakened considerably before she does," Blake suggested, her eyes begging for help that was desperately needed.

"That might work, but if you're right, then we're just leaving it for future generations to deal with, aren't we?" Yang asked, to which Blake forlornly nodded. Nodding back, Yang's gaze hardened. "I think I know someone who can help you with these…whispers. Come on." Yang pulled herself to her feet with her partner alongside her. Trusting in her partner's judgement, Blake shifted the Blade back onto her back as they went into Jorrvaskr, and then down into the living quarters. Near the back, they saw Kodlak and Skjor talking to each other.

"If you want to lead this pack when I'm gone, you have to see farther. Look closer," the older Nord told Skjor.

"Well which is it? Look farther or closer?"

"Come on now, boy, you know what I meant..."

"You speak in riddles, sometimes."

"I don't mean to confuse you."

"It's not confusing... just frustrating," Skjor sighed as he shook his head

"You're a strong warrior, Skjor," Kodlak said genuinely. "Your heart is fiery and that serves you well in battle."

"Thank you, Harbinger."

"But even the bravest of men consider their actions," he continued in warning. "I want you to survive long enough to take the mantle."

"Don't worry about me," Skjor laughed before seeing Yang approach. He nodded to her and headed out, and Kodlak Whitemane turned to the two young ladies with a grandfatherly smile.

"Good to see you, Yang. And who's your friend?"

"This here's Blake. We…kinda need your help. She's got a problem with something trying… Well, I should let Blake explain it to you." Yang stepped aside and the Harbinger of the Companions put his full attention to Blake. The faunus shifted and thought through what she wanted to say.

"I've got…a sort of cursed object. It keeps telling me to kill, and I'm…worried it's getting to me."

"Ah!" Kodlak's eyes opened in realization. "And does this curse make you feel bloodlust? Does it try to feed a hunger gnawing in you?"

"In a way." Blake looked down a moment before gazing back up at him. She felt her tension slowly unravel around him. He had an air of wisdom about him she'd only ever felt around a few individuals, and one of those was responsible for training the Huntsmen for an entire kingdom. "Every time I use it, it feels good, but I know it's wrong. If I don't, it keeps whispering for me to do it. It tells me…things. Tries to convince me to betray people I know."

"A dark curse indeed," he muttered as he stroked his beard. "I think I can help you to center yourself, to know the difference between you and the not-you. But fighting against this will be all up to your own strength. I can lead you to the door, but opening it is something you must do for yourself. Do you understand that much?"

"I do," she replied truthfully.

"Then, let's get started. First, a bit of open air. I haven't been outside at all today, and it always helps to feel the breeze rolling in from the plains to soothe a troubled spirit." As the two left, Yang remained behind, smiling at how her werewolf Harbinger was able to help her closest friend.

* * *

A few hours after Blake and Yang went to go speak to Kodlak, Ruby looked over the house that she and Yang had just purchased from the city, now mostly furnished with a few empty rooms. The master bedroom had only one, king-sized bed in it, but they'd decided to place four in one of the empty rooms and a second in Lydia's, in case they were ever all there at once and still had company. It was going to be mostly just Yang living there, but it'd be convenient for keeping their stuff stored safely and having a place to crash at whenever they came around. The house, as well as the furnishings, came at a little over sixty-five hundred septims, a fair chunk of their money, but Weiss had written in the letter that buying it and a horse for each of them was a good investment. Said horses were now waiting for them at the stables, bundled up and well taken care of, each costing around a thousand a piece, give or take due to size and breed.

"Hey Lydia," Ruby began.

"Yes, my Thane?" Lydia turned her head towards the young Dragonborn.

"If we ever make it home, but it turns out that we can't come back, I just want you to know you can have the house and stuff."

"Oh, um, thank you very much, Thane Ruby. It's a good home to have."

"Yep." Ruby then looked at her latest creation, a Dwemer metal greatsword nearly as long as she was tall. She wouldn't be wielding it, but it was a good exercise in working with the special material. It was almost the opposite of moonstone, taking a long time and high temperature to melt down and very difficult to work with. Where an 'elven' piece required a gentle touch, 'dwarven' took a lot more elbow grease to work with. Ruby had to put all of her strength into beating it into the desired shape, but in the end, she got what she wanted, and now she had a lovely decorative piece and backup weapon mounted on the wall of her new home away from home.

* * *

Blake sat crossed legged on the city walls and felt the breeze wind through her hair, focusing on her inner self, making sure she was clear and honest with who she was, good and bad. It was a conflict of emotions as she tried to hammer home what was true, what was believed, what was felt, and most importantly, what was a _lie_. She knew she had a penchant for running, but there were some things she didn't run _away_ from, but rather towards. The Dark Brotherhood was an ironically shining example of that. Rather than keep running away, when she saw that it affected others beside herself, especially her friends, she headed straight into them. The same sort of thing happened with the White Fang stealing Dust. She ran from her friends, and right into one of their operations. She was always trying to take the burden upon herself.

And therein came the Ebony Blade. Without consulting them, or even letting them know what she really did, she took the Blade, telling herself that it was better in her hands than someone who could be tempted by it. She realized now how much of that had been a mistake. She'd promised to let them know if anything wrong ever happened again.

"Hey kitty cat," she heard and looked up to see Yang standing next to her with a platter and two bottles. "Got some fresh sweet rolls from the Mare. Ysolda cooked them, so you know they've got plenty o' cinnamon."

Blake smiled as her partner sat by her. "Thanks Yang." She took one of the sweet snacks and bit into the confectionary carefully. Hot enough to melt in her mouth, but not enough to scald her. Perfect, as always from Ysolda! Yang then offered her one of the bottles and she raised an eyebrow. "This early?"

"It's Black-Briar mead, so it's about half water. Don't really have any cola or People-Like-Grapes here."

"True." She popped off the cork and took a draught. It certainly had a watered down quality to it. "Speaking of Black-Briars, I ran into one of their henchmen. He was suspicious of me and warned me not to mess with any of Maven Black-Briar's interests. He then mentioned something about Maven having 'connections' with the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves' Guild."

Yang looked at her in interest. "Whoa! Heavy! Well, I guess that means she has one less group to call on."

"Maybe, but it got me to thinking. Remember the one assassin I ran into on the road?"

"You said he was a crazy jester or something, right?"

"Yeah. Well, if there are any more out there, they need to be found. He mentioned that he was avoiding towns in order to avoid the Penitus Oculatus, which tells me that any survivors are likely to do the same. Hide in the shadows, like rats, rebuilding their strength until they can strike back. Until we can be sure they're gone for good, I don't think we'll ever truly be safe from them."

"Well, that's not a disturbing thought," Yang groaned through a mouthful of sweet roll before swallowing. "So, what are we going to do about it? Help the guards spot an assassin easier?"

"No, I doubt we have the time to do that. Plus, the assassins are only half the problem. As Maro said, there's also their clients, who are likely just as, if not more secretive. Possibly even using corruption to keep the law off of them, if Maven Black-Briar is any indication. That means, outside of Maro, I can't trust the law with this. To find any remaining Dark Brotherhood assassins, and their clients, I need a group who is just as secretive. I think I'll need to look into the Thieves' Guild."

"Wait, so you're changing out one dark and secretive group for another one?"

"No, I'll join them." At the astonished expression on Yang's face, she shook her head. "Before I left, a man named Brynjolf invited me to join them. He said he could see that I was stealthy, and made me an offer than I could join and end up making a lot of money with them. Now, I don't care about the money. And after what I did, plus the four of us combined, we're not hurting for it anytime soon. Instead, I'm going to go back and use their resources to find out if any Dark Brotherhood assassins survived, and who their clients are, then forward the information to the Penitus Oculatus."

"Well, I guess that can work out. But are you sure you want to do that all alone?"

"I think I'll be fine, but… I'm going to wait a few days before I head off. I was on the road near constantly for a while there. Plus, I can focus more on what Kodlak has been teaching me. It's been helping me a lot."

"Yeah, that's true. And good to hear. So, until Ruby leaves?"

"At least." Blake finished off her sweet roll and reached for another one. "By the way, what's this about fighting a werebear?"

"Oh, now _that_ was a good one. See, I was looking for bears to kill for Temba-"

* * *

Ruby hopped upon her mount, a brown mare with a light chocolate mane, while Lydia climbed onto her white and brown steed. She hadn't thought of names yet, but she had a few ideas. Regardless, she waved back at the guards and some of the Companions out to see her off.

"Be sure to bring up that vampire with the Argonian," Blake reminded her.

"I will. Lydia and I talked about it, and we think he might've had some kind of idea about the vampire being there, but I'll wait for him to explain himself first. You guys take care."

"We will, sis. And be nice when the goddess asks you to do stuff."

"Only if she's nice first." The horses began trotting away and Ruby waved again. "Bye guys! Be safe!"

"You too!" they both called back. As Ruby and Lydia shrank in the distance, Blake and Yang went back into the city. As they headed to their home, Yang smirked over at Blake.

"So, you wanna share or have your own bed tonight?" Yang asked, her tone clearly teasing and not serious. Slightly amused, Blake lightly shoved Yang's head down, earning a laugh from her partner as she ducked away. "Come on, we've got the place to ourselves! Heck, once you head out I can sit in the living room buck naked and no one can tell me anything."

"Which I doubt you'll do because of the dropping temperatures. Stop trying to tease me. I've grown immune to you by now."

"Eh, just had to test out that thing you said about not liking girls. Whelp, that's some broken hearts once we get home."

"Oh gods, who?"

"Not telling!" Yang teased, recalling those passing glances from the visiting students at Beacon, including that one girl who always seemed fixated on Blake.

* * *

As the moons began their rise up, Blake stood upon a boulder and practiced her balance, standing upon one leg for as long as she could, and then letting her mind focus on other things while her body held itself up. She tried to picture a diagram, with one circle being her, and the other the Blade. She sorted every trait she could think of and fit them into one circle or the other. When a trait came up that she couldn't immediately categorize, she focused upon it and asked herself "Is this really me?" until she was certain beyond a doubt whether or not it truly applied to her or the Blade.

" _A plot is afoot,"_ Mephala's voice called out to her. It seemed the dark god wasn't bothered by her trying to resist. Perhaps she actually found it entertaining. Or maybe she wanted Blake to fight against it. She _was_ a god of the Dunmer's Pantheon, and Dunmer tended to be big on passing tests of their resolve.

Blake looked out and saw some figures walking nearby. They had passed her a while ago. Her faunus eyes picked out three Altmer, two of them in gleaming armor made of a substance she'd seen called malachite, or glass, as others called it, with the one leading them wearing purple robes with golden embroidery. Between them was a Khajiit woman with her hands bound. She looked unwell, and it was setting off alarms in Blake's head. Even though Mephala had been the one to bring it to her attention, that didn't necessarily mean it was a negative thing. As they passed, she quietly hopped down from the boulder and followed them at a distance, ducking down low and keeping light on her feet. This went on for a little while, and Blake could feel an urge to keep on their trail. She knew it wasn't the Blade's influence, but she couldn't quite figure out why she was doing this.

"Here's a good place," the Thalmor woman said as she rounded at an outcropping of stones within sight of the still broken Western Watchtower. "Stop," she called to the justicars as she pulled the Khajiit along. Blake came as close as she dared and listened. She heard something fall onto the ground and the sound of a Khajiit panting.

"Shall we chase the other as well?" one of the justicars asked.

"We have to hurry. I'll not have Ulquarion brag over me of finding it first. Let's take this cat to rot in prison."

Blake stood up at that with a hand ready to reach for Gambol Shroud while clearing her throat to catch their attention. The Thalmor wizard turned to her with a snarl when she heard her.

"You there! You are interfering with matters of the Aldmeri Dominion. Leave immediately."

"First off, we aren't in the Dominion. Second, I didn't think Khajiit were big in the practice of worshipping Talos. And finally, as Thane of Whiterun, you're in _my_ jurisdiction. I won't be taking any orders from you. Now, what are you doing to that woman?"

The Thalmor harrumphed. "Never a shortage of insects to mock the boots that crush them." With that the two justicars pulled out their malachite weapons, a sword and a mace, and readied themselves to fight her. As a magic armor spell came into being around the wizard, Blake took out her weapons and leapt to the side, avoiding a stream of fire from one justicar. She jumped at the nearest one and slashed, causing sparks to fly as her swords scraped his armor. He stumbled back and she kicked, sending him to the ground, before turning to block the mace of his fellow. She kicked that one's knee and then struck him with an elbow to the face, and then had to jump out of the way of a lightning bolt. The other justicar recovered as she dodged a second bolt, and charged back at her. Blake parried his first strike away then hit with her cleaver, cracking his armor across his arm. She jabbed upwards, finding a chink in the armor and stabbing into his guts. He cried out and fell back, and then the other was at her again. Blake dodged to one side of him and sliced at his throat. She nicked him and blood squirted out as he struggled to fight back. He tried using a healing spell, but his blood had run too low before it could be effective, and he fell to the ground. Blake nearly missed the incoming lightning bolt, but managed to get out of its way and let a clone take the shot before she ran at the wizard. The high elf mage yelped as she sped by, cutting her chest and left arm slightly, though not as deep as she was aiming for thanks to the magic armor surrounding her. The wizard backed away in fright and summoned a lightning wall between them. Gasping, and with Blake unable to reach her, she held up one hand and cast a spell the faunus had never seen before. Her body seemed to flake away into purple energy, her eyes staring intensely at her foe as she teleported from the field of battle.

The battle over, Blake flicked her weapons clear of blood before sheathing them and heading to the Khajiit's side, immediately checking for injuries.

"Hey, are you hurt? Wounded?"

"P- please! This one's life is nothing! She begs you to go to Riverwood and save the young one!"

' _Young one? A child?'_

"Hold on a moment. Let's see if we can't fix you up. I'm right here right now, and I can save you." Blake recalled how the healing spell worked and tried to get it to flow into the older looking Khajiit woman. She watched as her magic tried to close the wounds on her arms, face, and torso, but the spell drained her quickly due to her inexperience with it. Cursing herself for not practicing it more, Blake waited for her magicka to replenish as she took out some cloth and pressed it against the most worrying wound.

"This one thanks you…" the Khajiit muttered. "She is not used to such kindness." She took in a breath. "But, you must hurry to Riverwood and save the young one! The elves must not get her or this one risked her life for nothing!"

"If you're sure you'll be okay. Just be careful not to reopen any wounds. When you get a chance, try to head up to Whiterun city, tell them Blake Belladonna sent you. I need to go by there real quick to get my horse and any traveling supplies. Will that be okay?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry about this one. She will manage. Just hurry, and find the young one!"

Blake nodded and immediately began jogging back towards Whiterun. She didn't know what exactly was happening, but someone's life was in danger, and this time there was no mistaking it. She didn't know what the Dominion wanted with a young Khajiit, but something told her it couldn't be good.

* * *

For the second time that day, Yang was seeing off a member of her team. This time just happened to be way more sudden. Blake's explanation left no room for argument, though. If there really was a kid in trouble, then there was no way they couldn't help. She checked the saddle again to make sure it was secure then looked at Blake.

"Okay, just be careful riding at night. Everything and its mother just seems more deadly in the dark."

"I'll be fine. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but this-"

"Hey! I want whoever this 'young one' is to be safe and sound as much as you do. But be careful not to cross any more Thalmor. While people will turn a blind eye to anyone fighting them out and in-between, the government legally has to help them unless they're going rogue. Not to mention they're a bit bigger than a death cult." Yang pat Blake on the shoulder then drew her in for a hug. "Just drop by when you're done, okay? We can figure out what to do about the kid then."

"All right." Blake hopped onto the black and white patched horse and started down the road. Yang watched her leave and then sighed before heading back into the city. Rather than stop at Breezehome, she kept going all the way to Jorrvaskr. Only a few Companions were up, but like she'd hoped, Aela was amongst that few. She approached the one given the moniker of Huntress, and the Circle member looked to her with a smile.

"Good to see you, pup. Given it any thought?"

"Given it thought, talked about it, considered it, contemplated it, and really stopped to think it through." Yang looked at her hand and clenched it. "But, before I make any final decisions, I wanted to ask you: what's it like being a werewolf?"

* * *

"So, you just need to cast the spell on me?" Weiss asked dubiously.

"It'll be perfectly harmless, I'm sure," her Dunmer classmate explained, though there was a drop of hesitance in her tone that made Weiss feel like running for the stairs. Still, a favor was a favor, and she might need Brelyna's help in a project or two in the future. Though, she didn't think using each other for lab rats could be a part of it.

Brelyna's tongue poked out from the corner of her mouth as she readied her new spell, and then released it directly into Weiss's frame. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but then color seemed to fade and blend oddly in Weiss's vision, until everything was just different shades of green.

"Oh, uh, that's not what's supposed to happen."

"What? What happened? Why is everything green!?"


	18. Feline Good

AN: **So we've made some mistakes in the past, but this is why we post the story on a forum first before here, because on the SB forum, people can discuss back and forth what's happened in the story, and then me and Trest can realize what we did wrong, and do something to fix the problem, or make it better then next time. So, if you ever feel like something going off, just let us know there. I promise you, while you may not be immediately answered, we take every comment, review, and criticism seriously, and use them to better the overall story Of Elder Scrolls and Huntsmen.**

* * *

With Masser and Secunda providing ample light, Yang nearly threw up as she watched the reddish-brown werewolf tear open the dead man's chest and then rip his heart out in just two, direct bites. Aela swallowed, and then looked over at Yang, who was struggling to keep her eyes on the werewolf.

"So...this is how...stay beast longer." Like Farkas, Aela's speech was broken, but her voice was definitely more feminine. Yang nodded, feeling pale in the moonlight, and then looked up at the ruins at the back of Silent Moons. A lot of the bandits camping here had fled upon seeing Aela as a werewolf, but the Companion quickly ran after and took every one of them down. It didn't matter how far they got, with Aela's heightened senses and enhanced speed there was nowhere for the bandits to run. A Redguard had managed to get a mile away before Aela started tracking him down, and it only took her a minute to catch up to him. Although impressed, Yang had wanted to object to it, but as Aela had told her, they had witnessed her and a werewolf working together, and they didn't need the rumors to run wild.

"Makes...some things...stronger. Sight, smell,...hearing. Track better...after eating heart."

After hunting down each bandit, Aela then demonstrated something that a werewolf would always feel the urge to do: eat their kills. She explained before changing that there was no harm to it, that it was the beast eating, not the man, otherwise Vilkas would have popped after his first time changing back from the five deer he'd eaten. It still unsettled Yang, though. The thing about eating just the hearts wasn't much better. Like eating people, it was avoidable, and could be resisted, but eating a heart specifically made it to where they could stay in the beast form even longer.

"I wouldn't have to, though?"

"No. Your choice. But...sometimes...hard choice."

 _'So's becoming a werewolf at this point.'_

Yang thought about it more and more as Aela went on ahead, looking for the bandit leader, who she planned to turn the head of in to the guards. Apparently, he led a raid that killed a Jarl's nephew, and now everyone in the Empire (and a little beyond) wanted him dead. Separating from the werewolf, Yang headed up the stairs leading to the Silent Moons' main building and was surprised when she came upon a forge, surrounded by some crudely made iron and steel weapons. On a workbench sat a few swords and a mace, each rusty, but with a strange, green glow to them. Yang picked one up and tried to read the enchantments, but came up blank. It felt odd, though, like they were connected to the moonlight. She sheathed one of the swords, figuring that she could find out more from Farengar or Eorlund, and then went over to where two books were laid down. One of them was _Light Armor Forging_ , which she figured might be some beginner's book, and recently written words inside of a notebook.

Reading the notebook quickly revealed that someone had restored the forge to working order, and was trying to recreate whatever had made the 'special' weapons forged here. The idea sounded intriguing to the blonde, and she decided Eorlund, and maybe even Adrianne and some other blacksmiths, should be informed about this place. She turned to see Aela padding up the steps, a severed head held in her jaws like a dog with a macabre tennis ball. She set it down and looked at the forge Yang was wandering around. Seeing they were done here, Yang sighed and closed the notebook, putting it in her bag before approaching her Shield-Sister.

"Well, you've certainly given me a night to remember," Yang admitted, her thoughts jumping through her head.

"Scared?" Even as a wolf, Yang observed, Aela still managed to sound concerned.

"A little. But, like you said, I don't _have_ to do anything like that if I'm not comfortable with it, right? And I can always just hunt animals?"

"True. Not as strong, but works. Hearts too. Not as strong."

"That's good. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Know...Hircine?"

Yang recalled short glances at Weiss's book on Daedric Princes, mostly on Molag Bal, given Weiss's condition, as well as what she heard here and there. "Supposed to be the Daedric Prince of the Hunt. He made the first werebeasts, right?"

"More." Aela placed a claw over her chest. "Soul...goes to...Eternal Hunting Grounds. Will be...hound of Hircine. Forever hunt."

Yang blinked at that. "Wait. You guys had to sell your souls for this?"

The werewolf shook her head. "No. Belong. When changed...werebeasts belong...to Hiricne. Some hunters...give themselves. Hircine has..." She huffed and shook her head. "Not rules...requirements. Good hunters, honorable, give fair sport to prey...hunt alongside him. Bad hunters...become prey...forever hunted."

Yang nodded at that, but then another worry came up. "But what about the...other afterlives? Does that mean I'll never see my family again?"

Aela whimpered, but then pointed up. Following the outstretched claw, Yang looked to see a patch of stars. "Most souls...Dreamsleeve. Forget their...old lives. Reborn. New life. Special souls...get afterlife. Sovngarde. Far Shores. Lunar Lattice. Connected...to certain races...have requirements."

Yang was stumped by that. She didn't know where she could likely end up in for the afterlife if it was connected to race. Humans stopped caring about their different races generations ago on Remnant, and religion had fallen out of most people's minds as well. She rubbed her chin in thought, and then looked at Aela.

"So you won't go to Sovngarde, even though you're a good warrior?"

The werewolf shrugged. "Mother was...Circle. Want to...be with her. Worried? Sometimes...exceptions. Tales of...non-Nords...reaching Sovngarde. Story of...Breton reaching...Far Shores."

Yang nodded, and then looked over as the sunlight began to poke out from the treetops. She looked to see that she was gripping her shirt collar and let go slowly. Being able to hunt alongside a bunch of werewolves and skilled hunters for eternity did sound interesting, but she hoped there were spaces of rest, otherwise it'd get tedious, if not torturous. She imagined there would, as people in Tamriel seemed to like a good sit at the fire to swap stories. She could almost imagine some giant godly thing with a hunting spear listening to dozens of men and women trying to one up each other after chasing down hundreds of who knows what.

The only thing wrong with that was Ruby.

"What about my sister?"

Aela whimpered again. "Maybe one day...join. Maybe...you are...exception. Hircine is...different. Would let...prove her worth...to have your soul. Maybe."

Yang huffed at that. There seemed to be a lot more maybes when it came to this Lord of the Hunt.

Still, as she saw Secunda sink under the horizon, she couldn't help but be reminded of her baby sister breathing fire after reading a little inscription. How Blake had told her about the _cursed sword_ in her possession that cut through flesh like butter and iron like cheese. Then there was Weiss, learning magic at a _magic school_ and turned into a vampire. Her soul was trapped as well, stuck under the thumb of the most evil being they'd ever heard of unless they could find a cure.

 _'A cure,'_ she thought. _'Maybe it could work. God, this is a heavy decision.'_

"Thanks Aela, for showing me, and being honest about it. You've given me a lot to think on."

"Happy to...help, sister." Aela's tail wagged, and Yang nearly burst into laughter seeing it.

* * *

With the sunrise directly behind her, Blake rode into Riverwood, looking around for any Khajiit she could see. When none were obvious, she hopped off of Patches and led her over to the trough in front of The Sleeping Giant, where she tied her up before heading inside. Orgnar was behind the bar, cleaning mugs and glasses at the water pump sink, while a man sat at the bar looking through a book, possibly a ledger. Blake walked up and cleared her throat, getting Orgnar's attention.

"Ah, hello. Haven't seen you in a while, but when the guards came everyone'd figured you all made it." His eyes went to her ears for a moment, but he just seemed to shrug it right off. "What can I get ya?"

"I'm looking for someone. A young Khajiit, most likely. They're in a bit of danger, and I'm looking to help."

"A young Khajiit?" the man at the bar asked. "Might be that odd Khajiit girl that comes around in the morning and at dusk. Orgnar's been putting food out back for the pretty thing."

"Don't get the wrong idea," the Nordic innkeeper said. "Girl just doesn't seem in her right mind. Wouldn't do to let her go starving. Besides, Delphine saw her before she went on her trip. She didn't mind her. Well, after a while. Think she was just scared she might try to steal something or break in. Never did either of those things, so the girl's harmless enough." He looked back at Blake. "Maybe you can talk to her. She's skittish, but perhaps one of her own could get closer. Was hoping someone from the next caravan could talk to her, but that's a few weeks away at the earliest."

"Might want to be careful," the other man warned. "A group of rough-looking mercenaries came looking for her as well, earlier today. You _may_ have trouble with them."

' _Mercenaries?'_

"Don't try and frighten the girl, Albret."

"Only giving some advice."

"Thank you both. I'll see if I can't find anything." Blake nodded, tossing the innkeeper a few cents for the information.

Exiting the building, Blake turned and then went around to the back. Sure enough, on the back porch, just past the emptied vegetable patch, was an empty plate with the scent of fish on it and a pair of empty pewter cups. Blake's ears flickered as she started picking up someone speaking, and headed towards the wall. She spotted some tracks, including three sets of boots, what looked like dog paw prints, and the distinct semi-human foot prints that a plantigrade Khajiit would leave.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" Blake heard as she crept closer.

"No, never. How does she look…so human? Even those ,er, Onnies look more like elves. Doesn't even smell like a Khajiit. Usually you can tell."

Blake began to hurry a little more as she picked up the scent of blood. She was growing deathly worried now.

"Damn shame, too. Wouldn't mind having her as a pet." Blake felt her teeth bare. "I say we get a little payback for Laars and Lauri."

"Get your head on straight. If we don't take her back, we don't get paid."

"Not saying we don't take her back. I'm just saying I'd like to enjoy her first."

Blake came out from the underbrush as she pulled out Gambol Shroud, huffing slightly, more in rage than any form of tiredness. Two men were standing over a small, cowering form, next to the body of another man and a dead shaggy dog. The two looked at her, startled, before reaching for their own weapons.

"You won't be enjoying anything!" Blake hissed at them.

The man in ill-fitting steel armor drew a warhammer. "What's with that one?"

"Don't know," his partner admitted as he took out his bow. "Looks odd, herself. Might be with her." He then smiled sadistically. "Better catch them both, just to be safe. Then, we'll have one for each of us, huh?"

"Hm, not a bad idea."

"You have no idea," Blake muttered darkly before she charged forward. The man tried swinging for her, but he was so slow he may as well have not even tried. Blake's sword dug into his side, straight up into his rib cage, as her cleaver easily held back the latent momentum of his bronze hammer. As he fell, choking on blood, she dodged out of the way of an arrow and sped after the other one. His eyes went wide as he tried to draw again, but then his head was removed from his shoulders by a double swipe of Blake's weapons. Done with the would-be rapists, Blake went over to the Khajiit girl, who was beginning to stand back up.

"Are you-"

"She didn't ask you for your help!" she interrupted as she turned away. "Leave her alone!" With that, she sped off into the trees nearby.

"Wait!" Blake yelled as she tried to chase after her. It became apparent very quickly though that the girl's stealth was impeccable. She lost sight of her quickly, and couldn't hear her at all. Blake frowned and backtracked to the bodies, where a quick search of them gave her a few septims she had no qualms with looting from them, and a bounty note that described the girl. Blake sighed and headed back to the Sleeping Giant Inn, hoping that maybe there was a little more the men could tell her while she waited for the girl to come back for food again.

As she stepped back in, the men looked at her with some surprise.

"So, did you find her?" Albret asked as she came over and sat down.

"Yeah, and you were right to be worried about those mercenaries. By the way, Orgnar, we need to tell Gerdur that there're three men's bodies and a dog out just past the corner of the village."

Orgnar sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Well, that's going to need some explaining."

"Self-defense against rapists."

"…Well, at least the girl's a bit safer then," Albret said as he wrote something down.

"Does she always act so…?"

"Cold? I believe so. Won't even talk to Orgnar. Just eats her food and leaves."

Blake huffed. "Don't know much about her?"

Both men shook their heads. The faunus groaned a bit, but decided that it wasn't a big deal. She'd just have to try again later. Perhaps mentioning the other Khajiit would get her attention. And maybe she wouldn't be so…frosty when men weren't planning on capturing her.

"Thanks anyways. I'll be back later. Don't worry, I'll tell Gerdur about the bodies." Orgnar nodded in appreciation as Blake moved towards the door, only to stop as Albret's voice rang out.

"Oh, if you ever want a look at my wares, let me know," the merchant offered as Blake left. She just nodded and headed out, but stopped when she saw three Altmer standing outside, questioning the villagers. Three were clad in glass armor, and one was wearing the same purple Thalmor robes the woman from before had. The robed Thalmor saw her, and walked up the steps to face her.

"You there, I'm looking for an unusual Khajiit. Have you seen her?" he asked, neither softly nor very roughly. Blake inwardly sighed in relief when she realized he didn't actually suspect her specifically of anything.

"Unusual Khajiit? Well, I guess that depends. Most people say all Khajiit are unusual, and a lot have pointed out I'm pretty unusual _for_ a Khajiit. I hope it's not me you're talking about."

At that, he puffed. "No, you're not the one we're looking for. You'd not be able to mistake this one. So, tell me if you've seen anything," he demanded.

"Sorry, but as far as I know, I'm the only one here. Might be the only Khajiit in the Hold, now that I think about it."

"I'm not surprised," he remarked. "She is a slippery little cat. Very well, you may go." He turned back and walked over to the three justicars. Blake watched as the inquisitor held out his arms and gathered magic into them before throwing his hand forward, surrounding him and his guards in a dense, violet burst of magic. The four Altmer then disappeared, and the small gathering of villagers began to disperse. Blake nearly wanted to chuckle to herself. He may have been the same one the wizard from last night had spoken of, and it looked like she hadn't told him anything.

As she walked down the steps, she saw something coming from the gate at the corner of her eye. Her head turned, and she saw the girl from earlier coming towards her. Blake smiled, relieved that maybe she wouldn't have to track down the odd girl. As she neared, Blake finally got a good look at her. She looked like an Ohmes-raht, but her face was mostly free of the fur that covered her forearms, hands, and feet. Only six tiny stripes of fur existed on her forehead, just above her eyebrows with the top two meeting at her hairline. Her eyes were more catlike than Blake's and an almost golden yellow. Like people had been pointing out though, her face was more human than Blake had seen on any other Khajiit. The most human like she had seen had been Ko'ari, but she looked more like an elf with catlike ears, and other Ohmes simply looked like Bosmer. Like the man had said, she even smelled different. Blake was told she 'smelled lightly' but still like a Khajiit. From what she was picking up, the girl smelled totally different.

The girl looked at Blake with a sort of curiosity. "She saw what you did," she stated. "You didn't turn her in. Why?"

"I know what it's like to be on the run," Blake answered honestly. "I don't know what they're after you for, and I'd rather hear your side of everything before I make any kind of decision like that. Now, are you all right? Are you hurt from earlier?"

At that, the girl sighed, almost in disgust. "She's fine. She does not need your bandages, or your silly potions."

"Alright. Just asking." Blake raised her arms to placate the young Khajiit, an action that apparently worked as the young woman visibly relaxed.

"She wants to know, why are you concerned with her. Why help a person you do not know?"

"Because it's the right thing to do," Blake answered simply. "I saw someone in need of help, and so I helped them. Besides, a cute, young girl like you would be in danger all by herself."

At that, Blake saw another thing she hadn't seen any Khajiit do: blushing.

"Gah! Flattery will get you nowhere with her! So don't even try it!"

"That's not what I meant," Blake brushed off. "I'm just saying what other people have seen. Now, why don't you tell me your side of the story?"

"Her story?" At that the girl looked confused. "She… she doesn't know. Not even her name! Why can she not remember anything?" she asked in honest curiosity and confusion as her ears lowered.

Blake was stunned by that revelation. For a moment, the two remained silent in thought.

"Well, what do you remember?"

"What DOES she know…" The girl thought it over for a moment. "There was a kind elder that helped her, but with what? After that, she was running! Briars, bushes, and dogs!" Her eyes were filled with fear as she recalled the scene. "Loud dogs barking after her! She HATES dogs!" She then seemed to think her words over again. "Er, she means, she was terribly angry at them! They made her mad but she had to run, because… because it was raining, and she hates being wet! She's not scared of anything terrible!"

Blake held back her laughter as the girl tried to cover up her fear of the animals. "It's okay. I hate dogs, too."

"Yes, hate them! But not scared. Not terribly scared, no!"

"Don't worry, I understand," Blake chuckled. "So, someone was chasing you?"

"She thinks so, yes. She found some shelter, an old tower, and spent maybe a week there hiding. From the rain!" she quickly added. Blake began to chuckle again, which only increased when the Khajiit puffed up her cheeks in anger. "Don't laugh at her! When the bar- rain had stopped, she left from there and ran until she ended up here, in this town."

"More of a village, really. Well, is that all you can remember?"

"She remembers a satchel. She left it in the tower because she was in a hurry. Maybe that can tell her who she is!" She brightened up at that. "You can take her there! And she will keep you safe from the mean, old doggies around there!"

Blake thought it over quickly. Yang was expecting her back today, which was the only reason Yang had let Blake go on her own, but neither of them could have foreseen _this_ kind of thing happening. The tower couldn't have been far if the young girl had run all the way from it. Patches could probably get them there fairly quickly, and then they'd both be back. A little late, but not terribly late. It may have been faster than Blake's original plan to stay until she'd come out for her supper.

"All right. Lead the way there, then."

* * *

Ruby smashed apart her last skeleton and looked around at the old cemetery they were at. Ancient gravestones dotted the area, worn with time to the point their words could no longer be made out. Nightshade flowers grew next to each grave, almost too perfectly to be coincidence, and at the back stood three stone alcoves with coffins inside of them, the coffin in the center standing. Ruby, wondering if this place was on the map, pulled it out, only to find a blank.

"Hey, Lydia," Ruby called out to the housecarl, who was swiping down the last skeleton, "do you know what this place is called?"

Having heard her name being called, Lydia walked away from the pile of bones she'd made during the short-lived battle and towards her. "If I had to guess, we're at Hamvir's Rest."

"Hamvir's… How far is that from Rorickstead?"

At Ruby's question, Lydia could only look at her Thane incredulously. "You do know which way we're going, right?"

"Um, we should be somewhere along the White-Green Road." With a blank look on her face, Lydia looked over Ruby's shoulders, took the map, turned it ninety degrees, and then set it back in her hands. Seeing her mistake, Ruby sighed at this. "I knew we should have taken a left at Fort Greymoor. Sorry, I'm really terrible with maps."

"We're still going along the right direction," Lydia reassured her, pointing at where Hamvir's Rest was. "However, I doubt we'd want to continue straight to Morthal. With autumn closing, frost trolls will be moving into the Labyrinthian in droves for shelter. Even the caravans will go around at that point. I suggest going along the plains to the west."

"Ooh, there's a Giant camp way out there!" Ruby pointed out excitedly. "I actually bought a couple Giantspeech talismans, in case we ever needed to talk to one of them, from Ysolda before we left. We can try them out there."

"I…suppose. Never really thought about talking to Giants before."

"Well, why not? They're just really big people, right? Besides, they're like, the only people anyone can buy mammoth milk, cheese, or steaks from."

"Or poachers."

"Well, poachers are bad people, and we shouldn't buy things from them." She patted her horse's neck, whom she now called Chocolate Hooves, before jumping atop its back. Lydia followed suit, the map now safely in her hands. "All right, going west!"

"That's east."

"…I knew that. Stop laughing!"

* * *

After nearly a day of seeing only shades of green, the sight of waking up to see blue was the most beautiful thing Weiss had ever beheld. That joy quickly turned into anger as she was reminded of the cause of her predicament, who had begged her for another chance. Weiss remembered all of this while looking at her classmate with a slight amount of angry annoyance.

"You're sure that you've worked out all of the kinks this time?"

"Yes. I'm certain it will work now," Brelyna reassured Weiss, who remained unconvinced.

Weiss sighed. "All right. But I better not see everything in shades of yellow for several hours."

"No, no. It should work. Trust me." Brelyna prepared the spell, and then loosed it into Weiss. For a moment nothing seemed to happen, then Weiss felt her whole perspective go wonky, and it felt as though she was on her hands and feet, even though she was now a head taller than Brelyna.

She tried to ask what had just happened, but all that came out was a "Neihehehefrrtthth."

' _Did she just turn me into a horse?!'_ Weiss mentally shrieked as she frantically looked around to find that she had, indeed, turned into a white horse.

"I'm so sorry! That wasn't supposed to happen at all! One second." She prepared another spell and let it hit Weiss again. Her perspective changed again, and now she was looking at Brelyna's waist before looking up. Rather than words, what Weiss tried to say came as barks and one short 'boof' when she realized she was a dog.

"No! Here, I got it this time!"

' _No! Not again!'_

Weiss changed, and this time her perspective matched back with Brelyna's face, but now she felt incredibly heavy and more than a bit hungry for something leafy.

"Agh! I swear I have it this time!"

' _Just get a teacher!'_ Weiss attempted to scream at the Dunmer.

"Moo!" was the only thing that came out of her mouth. If she could blush, she would have. To her credit, Brelyna looked increasingly frantic as she tried to fix the problem, launching another spell towards the vampire.

As Weiss transformed, she felt herself on her two legs and her arms out to her side. She began patting herself down to find that she was back to human again. She sighed in relief, and then checked her teeth with her tongue to find, to her annoyance, that her fangs were still there.

' _Guess it wouldn't be_ that _simple.'_ Seeing how she was back to normal, Weiss turned to look at an apologetic Brelyna, her blue eyes now a golden yellow from the anger she felt.

"We never speak of this again." At Weiss' command, Brelyna could only frantically nod.

"I'm so sorry about that, Weiss. I guess I should really take more time to work on this spell."

"Yes, yes you should. And now you owe me big time." Sighing, Weiss let go of her anger, though not her annoyance. "That still only counts as one, I suppose. Which means you owe me two now. Just for curiosity's sake, what was the effect you were looking for?"

"Oh? Well, it's a little embarrassing. See, it's for a friend in Solstheim."

"Uh huh. And the spell for the friend is…?"

"Well, see, he's always seen himself…as a woman in a man's body, so I was trying to create a sex changing polymorphic spell. The theory behind it is solid, but no one ever bothered to make the specific spell, for some reason."

Weiss felt her eyelid twitch. "You mean you were trying to turn me into a man?"

"Well, I would have changed you right back," the Dunmer offered, which did nothing to please the annoyed vampire, who quietly stormed off.

"This is why someone should never come up with new spells while drunk..." Weiss muttered to herself as she entered her room, ignoring the inherent hypocrisy in her words. As she sat down on her bed, she eyed a bottle of mead on her desk, a bottle that was worryingly not there before. A note was attached to it, complete with a little red bow. Wearily, Weiss opened it and read its contents:

 _Dear Snow Angel,_

 _I hope you are enjoying the Rose! I must say, seeing that Mazken arrive in my realm, terrified of a threat to be turned into horse dung, was quite amusing._

 _What was not was being asked to deliver a message, like some lowly courier. You are lucky that I happen to like you, otherwise I would have refused. At best. Keep that in mind in the future, for I shall not do so again._

 _But, even though I did end up delivering that message, I am not a delivery service, much less one that delivers for free. I hope you enjoyed that Dunmer's experiment. I know I did. Consider this to be your payment, for services rendered._

 _Your friend,_

 _Sam_

As Weiss put the letter down, her eye twitched with anger. Picking up the mead bottle, she was tempted to take a swig, only to find it empty. Placing it down, she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"...Gods damn it."

* * *

"There! There it is! She was in that tower."

Blake groaned. They were all the way to the southwest of Lake Ilinalta at this point, and it was starting to get dark. The two hopped off of Patches and headed towards the tower to see three people in iron and leather armor standing around. They went to prepare themselves, but Blake held up her hands.

"We're not here for a fight. Just looking for something we left behind."

"Well, whatever it is, it's ours now!" a Nord man declared. His female Redguard and male orc companions didn't seem as stringent though.

"Ah, whatever it is let them get it," the orc said. "No use fighting over anything in here, except that bag of gold and gems behind the door. Now that's something."

"No, her satchel is up the stairs," the Khajiit girl claimed.

"Hey, that's my new satchel now!" the Nord claimed, only to receive a slap to the back of his head.

"Oh shut up!" the woman told the man, still rubbing his head. "You didn't even notice it until I asked you about it earlier."

"Besides, don't you see that one's armor? Her weapons? I've heard of her," the orc pointed out, his eyes wide in realization. "Folks in Falkreath calling her the Butcher of Assassins, the Brotherhood's Bane, Shadowkiller."

"Wait, you mean the one…who killed all those assassins of the Dark Brotherhood?" Now the Nordic man gulped. "A- all right! Sorry! I was just being…a little irritable. We had a problem with a pack of sabercats recently. Think a pride of cave lions migrated up from Cyrodiil and pushed them around."

"Uh huh. Guess that's why you're so…catty?" As soon as the words left Blake's mouth, she cringed.

' _Dang it, Yang! You did this to me!'_

The orc began bellowing in laughter and the woman soon joined him. Their fellow just looked devastated as the two felines went past them and into the main room. Quickly seeing the item in question, Blake opened up a satchel and pulled a piece of paper from it, a hastily written note adorning it.

 _Dear M'rissi,_

 _I'm afraid this is the only chance to send you a message. I've packed the satchel in a great hurry. Too bad I couldn't gather everything we've talked of. Here is some money- everything I was able to get. Run. Never trust anyone of our kin. The only weapon I could find was this knife, though it's better than nothing_

 _One more thing: I give you this ring. For you to always remember who you are._

The girl picked up the satchel and looked to Blake, who was reading the note once more, carefully.

"Well, what does the note say? Don't keep her waiting and hurry, would you?" M'rissi tapped her foot, something Blake found to be adorable and childlike.

"It says your name is M'rissi." Blake stated, handing over the note. M'rissi quickly read over it before handing it back, apparently not comprehending the words.

"M'rissi…" she tested, rolling the 'r' in the way most Khajiits do. "She likes it. It's a very pretty name and fitting for her, no? But…she still does not remember."

"It also mentioned a ring. Maybe it's a clue?"

"A ring?" M'rissi dug through the satchel and pulled out a ring with an oval, blue gem inset on it. Blake figured it was a sapphire by a glance, but she wasn't exactly skilled in telling gemstones apart. "This… She remembers that it belonged to her, and that it is special, somehow."

"Anything else?"

"No, nothing. She gives up," M'rissi sighed. "The ring has no hint, and she cannot remember." She perked up though, and her ears came back up. "But she knows her name now! M'rissi."

"Yeah, it is a pretty name."

"Mew!" M'rissi went, frightening Blake slightly. The way she did it was more catlike that anything she or any Khajiit had ever done. "What has she told you about the flattery!? It gets you nothing!" She smiled. "But, it is nice of you to notice."

"I was just agreeing with what you said earlier. Remember?"

M'rissi's ears perked up as she thought. "Oh! Yes. She remembers."

' _Oh my god! She's tiny and adorable like Ruby, but has an attitude more befitting of Weiss. I swear if she's abnormally strong and what I said earlier starts her down a road of puns I_ know _there's a god behind this doing something to get a kick out of the situation.'_

"Well, let's not give up just yet. That ring's pretty unique looking. If we can find someone who can appraise it, we might be able to get another clue. Just gotta find someone who can make it talk."

"Talking from a ring? Now she knows you have gone insanely crazy."

"Figure of speech, M'rissi. An experienced jeweler might see something in it we can't."

"Oh! She understands you now! Quick then, let's find a jeweler so she can remember herself!"

Blake was about to suggest starting back to Riverwood to see if Albret was one, going by how he talked about his wares, when the two heard a catlike roar outside. The three bandits started screaming as metal clanged and a bowstring twanged. Blake rushed outside and saw something horrifying going after the Nordic man before pouncing at him. It reminded her of the werewolf from Falkreath, but this creature was feline-like in its appearance, with a mane of red hair on its neck. It was like a lion, if a lion had decided to stand on two legs and beef up to the size of a large bear.

"Werelion!" the man screamed as he tried to bat it away with his axe.

"What's it doing this far north?!" the orc asked as he came at it with his greatsword.

"I don't know! Just kill it before it-" the werelion suddenly pinned him down and bit down on his neck before ripping it out. The orc shouted and swung his sword down hard, but the beast managed to jump out of the way of the blow.

"What- what is-" M'rissi began stuttering out. Blake looked for a way to escape, but only saw the cage gate on the ground level. She quickly took out her lockpick and set onto it, unlocking it within seconds. She beckoned M'rissi inside, and then moved to shut the gate before the Redguard started running towards them.

"Please don't let-" Her words turned into screams when the werelion suddenly pounced onto her and bit down onto her side. She screamed as she tried to claw away, but the werebeast lifted her up and gripped both halves of her body as it bit down and pulled. The woman was ripped in half and the orc came running again with a battlecry. The werelion roared as it batted him away with half of his companion, then jumped onto him and clawed open his chest before gorging on his innards. As Blake set the lock for the cage, the rattle redirected the werelion's attention towards the two felines, and then it charged on all four with a lion's roar. It smashed against the cage door and bent it inwards, but it held. The werelion began trying to pry apart the door, while Blake frantically tried to look for a way out. The trapdoor was too close to the werelion, and she wasn't risking either of them getting close to those claws. She looked and saw the open window behind them.

"Out the window! Quickly!" M'rissi nodded, and slipped through the opening. Blake readied her bow and fired an arrow at the werelion, but the shaft barely sank a few inches into the beast's muscles. It roared at her, rage in its eyes, and then Blake turned a slipped out the window as well. A few seconds later, the werelion's head popped out from the hole, but its body was too massive to fit through. That didn't stop it from trying as it rammed itself against the opening several times as the two girls made their getaway.

* * *

When Blake didn't come back by afternoon, Yang assumed she was just taking a little longer than she'd expected. When night nearly came and she still didn't see any sign of Blake, she decided that, assumptions or not, she was going to go out _right then_ and find her wayward friend. She went down to the stables and got Lucky Day, and immediately set him going full tilt towards Riverwood. She reached the sleepy village maybe before midnight, and went straight to the inn to see if she could find any information.

"Yeah, your friend came earlier," Orgnar explained before yawning. He was about to give the shift over to Sven for the night, but Yang caught him just in time. "Found the girl. Got her to trust her, somehow. Folks talked about there being some Thalmor asking her stuff, but she didn't tell them anything, and so then they teleported away. Some scary wizards those Thalmor are packing."

"Well, what about after that? Where is she now?" Yang asked.

"Oh, she started heading southwest, below the lake. Said something about going to a tower. Could be the Falkreath Watchtower, or Bannermist. The girl didn't know which, just where it was. Couldn't even find it on a map. Poor thing apparently lost a lot of memories. Couldn't even remember her own name."

Yang winced at that. Blake was somewhere out there trying to help an amnesiac girl find some clues, something that would obviously have delayed them. They might have camped for the night, but Yang had already come this far, she wasn't stopping until she laid her eyes upon her partner.

"Thanks, Orgnar. You get you some sleep, now, ya hear?"

"I will. I will. You take care, Yang."

The Huntress left the inn and went right back onto her horse. He was a little tired, but she knew he could at least keep a trot until she reached the bottom of the lake. As she went, she occasionally used clairvoyance to make sure she was headed right for Blake. After a couple hours, she began to hear a distant roaring, as well as shouts and screams. She spurred Lucky Day faster and headed straight towards the sound of battle. As she drew nearer, the roars became increasingly louder. Just when she was nearly at the right place, something flit across the road and Yang pulled her horse to a sudden stop that kicked up dirt and gravel. She looked and saw a young Khajiit gasping for breath while clutching her chest. Yang was about to ask her what was going on, but just then Blake appeared from the forest, rapidly firing three arrows in the direction she'd just left. Blake saw her partner and went wide-eyed.

"Yang?!" Blake yelled out as her partner quickly jumped off her horse and ran towards the two felines. Just she made it to them, a loud roar rang out from where they had come, and a creature burst out from the forest, continuing to roar ferociously. As it pounced, Yang socked it across the jaw and got a good look at it to see that it was a werelion, something that should've only been in southern Cyrodiil, Valenwood, and Elswyr. That either meant this one had migrated a long way without being spotted, or its counterpart purposefully came here. The beast roared at Yang and she prepared herself for battle, putting herself in front of Blake and the young Khajiit.

"That the kid? Get her somewhere safe." Blake nodded and went to help the young Khajiit up to her feet. The werelion turned on them, but Yang came in with a haymaker to its face.

"Oh no! You have to deal with me first, pal!" The werelion responded by clawing at her, which Yang was able to block, but was still sent skidding back by. She jumped back and ducked as it came at her again, far quicker than the werebear had been. Yang uppercut into its jaw and noticed how there were a few arrows sticking from its shoulder, though it didn't seem to bother the beast. She went with a jab then a hook, smacking the werelion back, but it came right at her quicker than she expected, and bowled her over. Its sharp claws landed on either side of her head, and it went to bite down on her face. Yang caught the beast's jaws in her hands and tried to hold it away, but it was slowly pushing closer and closer to her. She could feel the teeth pressing against her Aura until it weakened enough to slip through and cut into her fingers. She screamed and shoved the head upwards, and then a black blade flicked out and sliced cleanly through its neck, sending the head away and through the air. The body collapsed and Yang pulled herself out from under it as she looked to Blake, who was staring forward as the blood from the werelion seeped into her weapon.

Blake sheathed her cursed weapon and assisted Yang in standing up. The blonde brawler was about to thank her when she hissed in pain and looked to her cut fingers. Her recovering Aura was slowly healing them up, but the injuries were far more worrisome for other reasons.

"We've gotta get to a town or something."

"It's okay Yang. I don't think there's-"

"Blake, it bit me," Yang pointed out as she showed her bloody palms to her partner. "I don't know what the chances are, but if we want it certain I don't become the next cat girl on our team we need to find someone who can brew up the cure for this."

Blake stared at her wounds for a moment before nodding. "I'll try to get our horses. Just sit tight with M'rissi for now." The faunus then began running towards where Lucky Day had sped off to. Yang huffed and then looked to the Khajiit girl.

"Doing okay, kid?"

"Sh- she is not too terribly frightened now that the big cat is dead. Are you…oak-y?"

Yang laughed to herself a bit. "Yeah. Totally 'oaky'."

* * *

"So you guys were running from that thing for hours?" Yang asked as she tried to down the anti-lycanthropy concoction for the second time in her life. Blake watched her partner drink it in sympathy. After the attack, she also had to take one of those foul potions. "You couldn't kill it?"

"No, I had to make sure M'rissi was safe, so we kept our distance, but arrows only seemed to slow it down rather than really hurt it."

"I'm just glad you girls made it out alive," Gerdur commented as she set down some beef stew for them. Yang sighed happily as she smelled the cooking and Blake happily spooned some up. M'rissi looked at her spoon oddly and tried to mimic Blake's actions, but it became obvious fairly quickly she was unused to the implement.

"Here, like this," Blake instructed as she rearranged M'rissi's hand. The young Khajiit puffed her cheeks, and Yang giggled at the sight.

"Things got pretty exciting here today. Thalmor, dead mercenaries, and now a werelion attack not too far from town," the village leader said as she sat down to her own bowl, her husband next to her.

"Aye, so is the whole of Skyrim, and maybe even the whole of Tamriel." Hod looked thoughtful for a moment. "Might be the dragons. Ever since Helgen, everything's gotten more dangerous. Wolves and sabers have been attacking far more brazenly. Some giants have broken from their clans and become like bandits. There's even talk of vampires coming out in droves in the northwest. Heard some fellow is going as far as gathering vampire hunters at an old fort, planning to meet them in force."

"Don't be scaring the girls with your rumors and tales, now."

"Well, I've heard about the same with the vampires," Blake admitted. "We ran into one before coming down here the first time. I think I heard something about how a whole village in Hjaalmarch disappeared, and only a few were left, talking about vampires enslaving the healthy, and draining the sick or elderly. Don't know how much is true, but something's going on up there."

"I know Vilkas actually went out to hunt down a few vampires at a place called Mara's Eye." Yang smirked at the thought of him taking down evil vampires as a werewolf. It seemed fitting for some reason.

"So, there is that," Hod pointed out, much to Gerdur's displeasure. As the two began to bicker like the married couple they were, Blake's ears suddenly jumped up as she remembered something.

"Oh, I spoke with Albret," Blake said to M'rissi and Yang. "He knows a guy who can help us find out about the ring. An Argonian named Salthazar. Luckily, he's right where I'm headed, in Riften." Blake made a sign with her fingers as she said that, and Yang mouthed a silent 'oh' to her.

"Now that's where I heard some interesting things. Some crazy story about a dragon highwayman," Hod stated, with Blake beginning to squirm.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's...just a rumor..." As Blake continued to squirm, Yang and M'rissi, who was copying Yang, looked at her with narrowed eyes before a large grin broke out over Yang's face.

"How much did he take from you?" Yang began to chuckle, with M'rissi again copying her.

"...fifty septims. He'd only accept gold, so I had to get change from the driver..." at Blake's confession, Yang began to loudly laugh, M'rissi joining in while not fully understanding.

Gerdur blinked unbelievingly at that. "World really has gone mad. Starting to think Sheogorath has taken an interest in everything."

"I hope not," the two Huntresses muttered, not wanting another Daedra dragged up into their lives.

* * *

Ruby, high atop Chocolate Hooves like a mounted Oobleck, looked at the ruin's walls as they passed them by, gazing in wonder at the structure. As they went past the more sheer part of the mountainside, they could then see the rest of the ruins, which appeared to have several layers of stairs and a large entrance at its front. Curiosity driving her, Ruby slowed and Lydia with her.

"Hey, is this place on the map?" Ruby asked, her eyes never leaving the ruin.

Lydia made a quick check and nodded. "Rannveig's Fast. I'll admit, it is fairly-"

"Whoa! Wait!" Ruby yelled as she pointed towards an oncoming figure, near transparent with a slight glow. "Is that an actual… Oh geez!" Seeing that the ghost was somehow armed, Ruby hopped off of Chocolate Hooves and took out Crescent Rose, Lydia quickly following.

" _I'm sorry!"_ the ghost called out with a pained expression on its face. " _I don't want to attack you! I'm sorry!"_

"What are you-?" Ruby ducked away from a strike and swiped at the ghost with the back of her scythe, only for it to pass through him like he wasn't even there. The girl stared dumbfounded, opening herself to an incoming hit, but then Lydia came forward and stabbed a shining sword different from her normal, steel sword into the specter. The ghost shouted as he stumbled back, and then seemed to fall apart and melt.

" _Forgive me!_ " he shouted before turning into a puddle.

"Wh- What just…"

"A ghost can't be hurt by normal weapons," Lydia explained. "You'd need silver, enchanted, or daedric weapons to harm them. Otherwise, only magic will do it."

"Oh, right. Weiss mentioned something like that." Ruby looked back up at the ruins and frowned. "He said he didn't want to attack us. That's not normal for a ghost, is it?"

"No. Usually, if a ghost doesn't want to attack, it just doesn't. If they're attacking against their will…"

"Then something must be forcing them," Ruby finished for her. "I'd bet my next sword whatever's doing it is in there. We have to stop it!" With that declaration, Ruby began heading forward, but stopped in sudden realization. "I don't have any enchanted weapons. You wouldn't happen to have another silver sword, would you?"

"Sorry," Lydia said with a shake of her head. "Your sister just gave me the one. Apparently she found a bunch when those Silver Hand bandits attacked her and Farkas."

"Oh yeah, that." Ruby knew the truth behind that tale, but it wasn't her place to tell Lydia about it, even if she was sure that she'd keep it a secret as well as she did about Weiss.

"Don't you know a few offensive spells?"

"Um, sorta?" Ruby put Crescent Rose back and focused her magicka into her left hand. After a moment, a jagged, ghostly blade appeared in her grip. "Would this count as magic or daedric?"

"... Both, I guess," Lydia shrugged. The two tied their horses and headed up to the ruin. As they neared the entrance, two more ghosts ran at them, both apologizing for attacking as they did. Now equipped with an appropriate weapon, Ruby blocked the blade of one while Lydia went in with a swipe against the other. As Ruby fought her foe, her bound blade suddenly flickered away, leaving her suddenly unarmed. She gasped as the ghost swung for her, but then her breath abruptly felt hot in her throat, and one word came to mind.

" **Yol!** "

The ghost was covered in flames as they poured from Ruby's mouth. She held the Fire Breath for a few seconds, but then ran out of steam just as the ghost melted down. Lydia had already decapitated hers, the head melting into a separate puddle of ectoplasm, and watched her Thane with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not very experienced with that spell, are you?" Lydia noted, putting away her charge's lack of unarmed skill for later.

"No. I didn't really care for it too much, to be honest. Nothing too interesting about it once you've done it once, and there's no kind of challenge in making a weapon out of nothing." She looked at her hand. "I guess the challenge comes in keeping it."

"I can see that. Nothing beats the feeling of actual steel in your hand."

"Exactly!" Ruby rapidly nodded her head before regaining her composure. ' _Now is not the time to geek out over weapon materials, Ruby!_ '

Inside the entrance, Lydia now taking point, the two found that the roof was open enough for some sunlight to filter in through most of the day, and dew and melted frost had dripped within. This created a perfect, moist environment, making the built-up soil inside something of a natural garden, filled with ferns and a few small tree saplings. Past there, still on edge, they went downstairs into the old crypt and through a bit of a zigzagged hallway, but stopped when another ghost turned toward them, drawing a ghostly axe.

" _Please, no! Get away! I don't want to hurt you!"_ he yelled as he swung his axe at Ruby's neck. The girl backstepped and took in a deep breath before releasing her voice again.

" **Yol!** " she Shouted, holding the word as long as her lungs allowed. The ghost had staggered back, and seemed to be melting like ice cream on a hot day, but he was still intact enough to try and make another attack. This time Lydia cleaved through the gooey ghost, reducing him to ectoplasm.

Further into the tomb, they saw a Word Wall up ahead. As before in Bleak Falls Barrow, Ruby felt the Wall calling out to her, and a sense of giddiness began to fill her. She wasn't quite close enough to read it, but she could catch a few words here and there. However, she paused when she saw another ghost, who also spotted her, but before he could charge she summoned up her bound blade and leaped for him. His ghostly blade clashed with hers, but she made a slight twist, pushing his sword over before disengaging their deadlock and then swiping upwards, slicing through ectoplasmic flesh.

" _Thank you_ ," the ghost got out before he fully melted down. Ruby grimaced, and then looked back up at the Word Wall. The chest was also of interest, but not her focus. She walked forward and began reading it as she went.

"Something's not right here," Lydia mused, scanning the room until her eyes rested on a trap door leading to the Word Wall, with Ruby, in a trance, about to walk right onto it. "RUBY!" Lydia called out in warning as she rushed to her Thane, who was unable to hear her cries.

"Nonvul bron dahmaan daar rot-" Ruby chanted, barely feeling Lydia's hand grasp her shoulder. Suddenly the ground gave way beneath her and her housecarl, and the two fell with a shout. Their feet landed on something, but that gave way as well and then they hit a foot deep puddle of water with a splash. A quick glance around them showed that there were several bodies in the water, some of them looking bloated. Ruby had to hold back her gagging reflex at the smell, but then someone chuckling caught her attention.

"Oooooh yes, yes," A Redguard in black robes said excitedly from outside of the round cage they were in, a Nord woman lying dead at his feet. "You've fallen for my trap! Greed makes a great lure. Odd you didn't die from the fall, though. Most do."

"What the- You're the one enslaving all of the ghosts!" Ruby accused, anger rising as Lydia struggled to her feet, dazed by the fall but otherwise unharmed.

"Oh, was it that obvious? Heh, don't worry, though. Soon, you'll get to experience _just_ how they feel." With a dark chuckle, he headed over to a table on the other side of the room. "All right, let's see if we have something here to end this as quickly as possible. Don't worry though. It'll be relatively painless. Relatively," he emphasized.

Ruby bared her teeth in anger, and she could feel the dragons within her baring their own alongside her. "I'll show you what's relatively painless! **Fus! Ro!** " With the two words of the Shout uttered, a ball of concentrated force hit the gate of her cage, blowing it off its hinges and away. The man yelled and stumbled back, trying to charge a spell, only to be interrupted when Ruby sped out of the cage and kneed him directly in the face with a jump. Unprepared for the attack, his back smashed against a bookshelf and he fell to the ground with a groan. Ruby took in a few breaths to calm herself, then looked at the table, seeing several vials of what she was certain was poison, as well as a journal. Curiosity once again filling her, she turned it to a random page and began reading:

 _13th of Evening Star, 4E 200_

 _I haven't captured a soul for days, and the last victim died on impact. Of course I was still able to reclaim his soul, but without the thrill of killing, or any kind of torture, the process lacks that special something. The reclaimed souls I've summoned make decent targets, but taking a mortal's life is so much more...sweet._

Ruby snarled again. "You sick-"

The man, having silently recovered, screamed as he lunged for her, his hands aglow with a magic spell, but Lydia's shield slammed against his face, throwing him back against the round cage before running him through with her sword. He twitched and grasped at the sword, his eyes pleading for mercy that was not offered, and then fell still.

"Thanks Lydia," Ruby told her housecarl as she pulled the blade free and wiped it off on the dead mage's sleeve, "but I was hoping to arrest him and take him to prison somewhere."

"They would've either taken his head from his shoulders or hung him by his neck until death," she stated evenly and without an ounce of regret. Ruby silently closed her eyes and took a breath before nodding.

"I guess so. Just reading a little of his journal… He had it coming, sooner or later." Ruby began checking around all of the cages, seeing a dead person in a few of them, including an orc, a wood elf, a human, and a dog. Ruby moaned sadly at the sight of the dead Northern Shaggy Hound, but continued on, pausing at the table with the poison and alembics to see an odd gem in an open case, which she quickly took. Lydia had taken a key from their foe, likely unlocking the cages and the doors.

"Whatever spell he used might still be in effect for any ghosts left," Lydia warned as she took an iron dagger with a slight glow on it and handed it to Ruby. "Weak fear enchantment, but it'll do the trick. Do you want us to check and make sure we free them all?"

Ruby nodded. "Yeah. Let's free them."

* * *

"Well, I hope everyone learned something new today," Master Tolfdir said to his class as the lesson on magic armor ended. "Wait a moment," he called out as some students began to leave in a hurry. "There was something… Ah, yes! The dig at the ruins of Saarthal has recently excavated the site to the point it is now openly accessible and mostly safe. Safe enough that we've decided to invite some of you students along to join us in a few days. It will be a wonderful opportunity to study a piece of history up close, and gain a little experience in the field. If you're lucky, you may even find something no one has seen an example of in eons. Please see me, Madame Ervine, or Arniel Gane if you wish to join or gather more information. Thank you. You're all dismissed now."

The normal chatter at the end of a lecture was raised by several octaves after that announcement, and Weiss's group of what she was beginning to think of as her friends gathered together.

"Ooh, this is exciting!" Brelyna declared. "I don't think anyone's set foot in Saarthal since the Falmer sacked it during the Night of Tears."

"Wait, I'm a little lost on the history," Weiss admitted. "What exactly happened? Last I heard Falmer were frightening, but not exactly a powerful force to be reckoned with."

"Oh, I can help with that," Onmund said excitedly. "I studied the Falmer pretty in-depth a while ago. See, back in the Merethic Era, before people even had a dating system, so no one knows the exact years, Saarthal was the capital of Skyrim, established by Ysgramor, the ancestor of all Nordic kings, Harbinger of Us All. He wasn't just a warrior, though. Some say he developed the first Nordic writing system and was a skilled historian-" A quick cough from Weiss snapped Onmund out of his tangent, and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Back on topic, Falmer were once the Snow Elves, who populated all of Skyrim before the Atmorans came. At first, things weren't too bad. Certainly much better than it was for the people in Cyrodiil with the Ayleids. Then, one night, for a reason no one has been able to figure out, the Falmer just suddenly attacked Saarthal, sacked the city, and killed everyone there. Only Ysgramor and his two sons survived to make it back to Atmora.

"After that Ysgramor led the Five Hundred Companions against them in a war that nearly killed off the Falmer, but the fighting seemed to have died down after the death of the Snow Prince. The Falmer fled to their Dwemer cousins, but the Dwemer were probably even worse for them, as they enslaved them, and forced them to drink a poison that blinded them. It wasn't until thousands of years later that the Falmer of today started appearing. Kind of sad, really."

"Yes. Men decided to kill off a whole race, and when it did not work out, their mistake comes back to nip at their descendants' heels," J'zargo mocked.

"Well, it wasn't _that_ simple," Onmund defended. "Okay, maybe they went a little overboard, but that seemed to happen a lot back then. To them, it wasn't so much a war of extinction as it was just another war, like with the Ayleids and Cyrods."

"Even then, from what I read, the Ayleids had it coming. Based off what you said, you can't really say the same about the Falmer," Weiss argued. "The Ayleids oppressed the Nedes of Cyrodiil relentlessly for centuries, including torture and sacrifice. So when the Nedes finally rose up, they were suddenly able to release centuries of justifiable, built-up anger." Weiss paused as she let the implications of similar events back home sink in. "The Falmer attacked the Atmorans once, and in retaliation they get wiped out. Kind of disproportionate, if you ask me."

"Ah, now that much is true," J'zargo agreed.

"I- I mean-"

"No one's saying that Nords are evil or that Ysgramor was a bad guy," Weiss affirmed for her taller classmate. "Like you said, it's practically prehistoric. And we don't know all of the facts. It could have been that the Falmer wouldn't surrender even when they should have. Or maybe it was exaggerated and the Falmer were evacuating their noncombatants to the Dwemer the whole time. I can't imagine that they would have killed _every_ Falmer to the last and come out feeling like the good guys. Even the Cyrodiilics spared _some_ Ayleids that helped them against the majority. Though, the Alessian Order ended up chasing all of those away much later."

"Yes, there is a lot more nuance going on to every war, no matter how we paint them as good or bad," J'zargo added. "After all, did they not bury the Snow Prince in one of their Nordic tombs with honor?"

"Yeah, they did, actually," Onmund confirmed.

"You see. Wars are just terrible things all around. But, there are some things worth fighting for. It's all in how you fight."

"Oh, like how you always use the Token Mage deck whenever we play Legends? Because that's certainly fair," Weiss accused with her left hand on her hip and pointing at the Khajiit with the other.

"You could counter J'zargo if you tried," he teased back. "Instead you always go for the Swamp Leviathan or the Midrange Assassin deck."

"Well, perhaps if someone were willing to teach me, I'd be a little better."

"Oh, then maybe you should ask. J'zargo is certain that there is someone around here with skills in the game willing to teach a lovely young woman."

"Oh no," Onmund whispered as he and Brelyna slowly backed away. "It's… It's begun, hasn't it?"

"I knew this day would come," the Dunmer mage pouted, slightly scared. "But I still wasn't ready."


	19. Giant Steps

**Chapter 17! Be grateful I go through a forum with this thing. We had so many misspellings that the guy who catches 'em for us near 'bout filled up my screen with his post.**

 **Also, now on our SB thread we have a table of all the dragons RWBY have so far ran into, their statuses, and last known locations. It will be updated as we go, and can be found under the Informational thread tab.**

* * *

"So she never came?" Blake asked sadly as they rode back to Whiterun in the morning light.

"Not that I know of. Guards never said anything about a Khajiit lady, and I was kinda too busy worrying to death about you to ask," her partner explained with a half-hearted sideways glare.

"Sorry. I guess we should have come back first."

"But then she would not know her name," M'rissi pointed out. "If she did not know her name, what would you call her this whole time?"

"I think Fluffy would be good," Yang joked.

"What?! You are the fluffy one if you think that could ever be her fluffy name!" M'rissi spouted, only to receive a boisterous laugh from Yang.

"I feel like you were trying to insult me, but it was just too adorable!"

"Frrreow! Stop it! She is not adorable!"

Blake smiled lightly at the two's back and forth and shook her head. As they came by the stables, they all unhorsed, with M'rissa climbing off of the back of Blake's saddle, and began heading inside. At the gate, one guard looked ready to say something, but a glare from Commander Caius kept him from going through with it. Blake could only feel pride at how they were already improving things around here. After Mirmulnir's death, and their subsequent Thaning, the Jarl decreed that any Khajiit with them, or performing duties for them, were free to enter the city. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Once they entered the city walls, the three went into Breezehome, where Yang flopped into a chair, Blake began placing wood on the hearth, and M'rissi immediately dashed towards the kitchen. As the faunus started up the fire, M'rissi came back with a slight pout.

"There is no fish," she complained. "You said there would be fishies."

"Well, yeah. We haven't exactly had time to go by the river with a few rod'n'reels." Yang shifted in her seat a little, sinking in more comfortably. "We can stop by the market later and see if anybody's got some. Anor- Whatever his name is might have some later."

"But later we need to talk to Salthazar person, to figure out who she is," M'rissi argued.

"That's going to be a day or two, M'rissi," Blake explained. "Riften is far away. Remember how far the tower was from the town? Riften's even farther. And we'll need to be careful heading there. There are at least two dragons close to the city, and while we can get by one, I don't know what the other one is like."

"Dragons? She's seen…one of those. They're very scary!" Her ears perked up as her eyes widened. "She wasn't scared though, just…surprised! Yes, she was surprised something so big could fly. The people were scared though. Everyone thought that they were going to be eaten, but it just kept going. She thinks it was not interested in the river town."

"Wait, was it white and grey?" Yang asked, leaning slightly forward.

"Yes, it was. Are all dragons different colors? She remembers an elder yelling about a black dragon."

"They've been pretty varied from what we've seen." Blake stirred the burning wood so that the flames would die down to a manageable level. "I'll see if I can get us something either from the Mare or Carlotta. After we eat, we could all use a bath."

"A bath?" M'rissi's voice quivered. "Why does that word make her feel…uneasy?"

* * *

"Rarrrrrooorrr, make it stop!" M'rissi cried at as Blake scrubbed the soap onto the girl, a towel wrapped around herself while she was on the outside of the tub.

"You have weeks' worth of filth built up on you. We're not nearly-" She paused to catch M'rissi by the head and push her back in as she tried to slip away, the girl's claws scratching against her Aura protected forearms. "Now I understand what my mom went through," she muttered as she took the scrub brush against M'rissi's left arm, ignoring her pitiful, catlike mewling.

"Heh, now that I think about it, you never said much about your home life," Yang mentioned from the jacuzzi-like center tub, constantly filled by a stream coming from a nearby hot spring and draining out the old water to the other side. "So, at least I got confirmation you had a mom. Anything else? Brothers? Sisters?"

"Only child," Blake got out as she swapped arms. "It'd be great if you'd help me with this."

"I think it's best if you get used to handling her on your own. I'm not going to be there when you head to the Thieves' Guild, much as I'd hate to let you go on your own."

"I know, but we need you-"

"Here for Ruby," Yang interrupted. Before Blake could apologize yet again, Yang raised up her arms. "No, that's fine. I just wish I had a little more assurance to your well-being besides that of an amnesiac cat girl." M'rissi's struggling caused her to fall into the tub with a small yelp, tossing up buckets of suds and water that fell onto Blake. Yang chuckled at the sight. "Back to my question though, can I ask about your parents?"

"Ghira and Kali Belladonna," Blake got out as she pulled M'rissi to her, forcing the Khajiit back into the water, and pulled her hair back from her face. "You have to have some kind of experience from bathing Ruby before, right?"

"Nah, Ruby loved bath time. The hard part was getting her to come out of the tub. Let me tell you an embarrassing story so that you can dangle it over her head. When she was, like, six or seven, I was trying to get her out so that we could go to McRonalds for dinner, but she just kept staying in. I drained all the water, but she just decided to flop around the empty tub like a fish out of water." Yang smirked at that. "So, I told her, 'you know that gurgly sound when the water drains is a big monster drinking it all up. If you stay in too long, he might come up looking for a snack.' She shot out of there then, but then the problem was getting her to take a bath the next day." She stuck out her tongue in false exasperation. "Luckily Uncle Qrow was around, so he explained that any monster that tried to come up not doing his job would get beat up by either him or dad. After that, Ruby would 'remind' the monster not to try anything funny, because our dad was a Huntsman." She started chuckling at the end of her story, and M'rissi laughed too. Blake just smiled a little brighter.

"Hey, quit trying to beat around the bush!" Yang suddenly called out. "That's twice you distracted me! Now's your turn for backstory sharing."

"Well, I'm not sure what to tell you. I haven't seen my parents face to face in a long time, and the last time we spoke over scrolls was a month or two before I joined Beacon."

"Sheesh," Yang hissed from between her teeth. "Do you guys not get along?"

"Well, I said some things I regret looking back, but I don't know…how they feel. They used to be part of the White Fang too, but they left after Sienna Khan took charge."

"Who?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

Blake blinked at that. "Sienna Khan, high leader of the White Fang, keeps stationed somewhere near Mistral."

"I thought the White Fang was led by some guy named Taurus."

"No, that's just the Vale…" Blake trailed off as M'rissi finally got loose from her and crawled out of the tub. She shot over and grabbed a towel to wrap around the girl before she could do something embarrassing for herself and others. "Sorry. He just leads the Vale branch."

"You never really mentioned how the White Fang operated, now that I think about it. Tell me about these 'branches'."

"Each kingdom has its own cell, each with their own leader, all hand-picked by Sienna herself," Blake began to explain as she dried off M'rissi. "While Sienna sets the overall agenda, which has always been Faunus equality, each branch is free to operate however they so please, just so long as they promote the cause."

"How does robbing Dust stores and working with well-known criminals 'promote the cause'? I would think that would only make things worse. Hell, they did make things worse," Yang brought up, making Blake pause.

"That's what I can't figure out. Sure, the Vale branch has always been more violent than the others, but even then they never worked _with_ humans, especially after..." Blake trailed off, her eyes wandering to the hung Ebony Blade, before her eyes widened in sudden realization. She stood up, knocking M'rissi back, which the faunus didn't notice. "I think the Vale Cell might have been going rogue! That must have been why they were willing to work with humans! Sienna would have never allowed that! When she took over, she basically made all of the human members leave!" As Blake slapped her forehead at the obvious in hindsight answer to their strange behavior, Yang merely shrugged.

"I'd be more excited if I wasn't worried about whether or not I'd be growing claws in a day or two, or if a flying lizard came around to set the city on fire."

"Sorry, but I can't believe I'm realizing this _just_ now. We need to remember this for when we get home," Blake emphasized to her partner, who smiled.

"Locked it in my noggin'!" Yang affirmed with a snap of her fingers next to her head.

"Can she stop being wet now?" M'rissi spoke up. "She does not like being wet."

"Fine, we'll go dry up," Blake dryly acquiesced to the annoyed Khajiit.

"I still want some backstory!" Yang called out teasingly as Blake led M'rissi to go dry and get dressed.

* * *

"Wow! Just look at them!" Ruby exclaimed in awe as they rode close towards the Giants herding their pachyderm chattel. A few looked in the direction of the two humans, watching them warily, but otherwise did nothing. Ruby saw one Giant walking among them that was head and shoulders shorter than the rest, and rather than the full, bushy beard almost all of them sported, this one only had something wispy growing on his chin. "I think that one's a teenager." Ruby reached into her backpack and fished out the two amulets of Giantspeech, handing one over to Lydia before dismounting and putting hers on.

"Are you…sure you want to approach them, my Thane?" Lydia nervously asked as she followed along.

"Of course. I know they don't like people messing with their mammoths, but we-" Ruby's voice halted as an arrow zipped through the air and sunk into one Giant's shoulder. He yelled in pain and turned as the other Giants went on alert.

" _Attackers!_ " a deep voice called out.

" _They hit_ Nir!"

" _Mind the herd!_ " one wearing an outfit with dozens of dangling bones of all kinds, including three sabercat and two troll skulls warned them. " _Watch the herd!_ "

Avoiding the confrontation for now, Ruby and Lydia spied several people pop up from over a hill and unleash a small volley onto the Giants. Several hit, but they seemed to be only marginally worse than bee strings to the large folk. A few mammoths were hit as well, but their tough hide held out. Ruby looked through her scope towards the attackers, but then noticed several of the Giants running towards them, massive clubs at the ready.

"What are they doing?" Ruby wondered aloud. "There's way too many for them to take on, and they-"

She paused when she heard a higher pitched trumpeting, and turned to see that at the back of the herd, a mammoth calf had been separated and was being chased by several men and women of varying races, predominantly Nords, all hefting spears that were being jabbed at the young one's legs to make it run. Three mammoth cows moved to save the calf, but then a man and an Argonian pulled at some ropes, causing a veritable wall of wooden spikes to pop up from the ground, pointing at an angle towards the herd. The cows slowed down before they could impale themselves, but one trumpeted sadly as the baby was chased further away. Ruby immediately ran towards the group as she pulled forth Crescent Rose.

"Thane Ruby, wait!" Lydia called right before she began speeding up, rose petals trailing after her.

" **Wuld!** " Ruby Shouted, shooting her forward. Her scythe sliced out and cut several spears apart. The calf was still running, but now the people had to stop as Ruby placed herself between them and the mammoth, going into her ready stance with Crescent Rose held behind her.

"Damnit, take her down or we won't get our meal ticket!" an orc called out. Several charged her with their spears while others pulled forth an array of melee weapons. Ruby spun as she dodged the wall of stabs and then hit three with the back of her scythe. A Nord with a rusty battleaxe swung down at her, but missed entirely as she side-stepped and then landed a roundhouse kick upon his head. He went down, but then the Argonian came at her with a short spear, stabbing towards her rapidly, only for her to block each strike with the scythe's shaft while holding Crescent Rose in reverse. Twirling Crescent Rose, the speartip end of her weapon sliced up and cut away the blade of his cheaply made weapon several times before ending right above the Argonian's scaled hands. Holding what amounted to a stick for a moment, the Argonian looked at it dumbly before dropping it and baring his teeth with a hiss and curling his clawed fingers.

Before he could attack again, a stone attached to a tree trunk slammed up into him, launching him up into the air with a yelp where he began shrinking in the distance, flopping limply. Surprised, Ruby looked up as more Giants came in, smashing down with clubs, stomping with their feet, and sometimes just backhanding or slapping them away like nuisances. Some of the poachers managed to form up with their remaining long spears, but one Giant they tried to cow away simply grabbed one of the weapons and yanked up, tossing the wielder into the air before using the stick to swipe at the others. Any of them not dead began high-tailing it out of there as quickly as they could, but some of the Giants still chose to pick up large stones and throw at the retreaters. Ruby saw the calf round its way back to them, and the teenage Giant went up to meet it, petting and comforting the scared baby animal. Ruby couldn't help but smile at the sight, but then felt one Giant get close to her, its loud and heavy stomps shaking the ground slightly.

The Giant looking down directly at her was the one with many different bones tied to his clothes. Up this close Ruby could also see that he was fairly more wrinkled than the rest, with large stripes of grey mixed into his dark beard and hair. His club was also not a primitive construction like the others', but looked like it had a professionally carved shaft and an end made with wrought iron shaped like a Morningstar. If she had to take a guess, this was their chief.

"Uh, hello?" Ruby squeaked.

" _You_ ," he started. " _You fought the other small folk and saved our calf. Thank you_." He reached down and patted her head gently with two fingers. " _You and your elder are welcome friends. Come, graze with us. We could use a small one's help_."

Ruby blinked in amazement and looked back to Lydia as the old Giant stood back to his full height.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did, my Thane," Lydia affirmed, looking at the Giants with no small amount of wonder. "I don't think I ever heard of a Giant be so welcoming before." She shook her head and looked towards Ruby. "I noticed which way the poachers were retreating towards. All of them were turning north at one point or another. There's probably a cave up at the mountains they're hiding in."

"That's good to know. At least we caaaaaaaaaa…" Ruby was stopped from going further as she was lifted off the ground. She looked to her side to see the mammoth calf's head and gasped when she realized it had wrapped its trunk around her waist to pick her up and hold her tightly to its face. She squealed in joy as her legs dangled in the air.

"Lydia! It's hugging me!"

* * *

The Giants and their herd were slow going, often stopping wherevers the grass was sufficiently grown to let the mammoths graze. In these spots, Ruby tried conversing with the Giants, but few of them knew about many subjects to talk with her about. They were basically all simple ranchers, with the exception of one or two craftsmen who had been slowly weaving together hides as they went, but even they didn't have much to say. All Ruby had been able to talk about was mammoths, but at least there had been a range of topics from there, such as how to milk them, how to help them when they were ready to have their calves, how to watch out for their predators, and how they had to keep the bulls separate from each other most of the time in order to keep the bigger males from getting into fights.

Between afternoon and dusk they came up to the 'camp', though to Ruby it seemed more like a proto-village, with large mammoth hide tents and several large rocks pushed around to make an artificial, shallow cave. As the herders came in so did another group, this bunch totally beardless, slightly curvier, and with a number of others smaller than even the teenager. The whole group couldn't have been more than a hundred individuals, but it was more than Ruby had been expecting.

"Giant women?" Lydia asked incredulously.

"Well, where else would little Giants have come from?" Ruby noticed the ears on the little ones and then looked up to see that the adults' ears were all pointed as well. "Hey, are Giants some kind of elf?"

"I… To be fully honest, my Thane, all I know about Giants is that they're big."

One of the women set down a large basket big enough to fit several people in and started pulling out handfuls of leaves, passing them out to the men. Other women followed suit, until everyone had a big plate full of the leaves. A few men set some skeevers, wolves, or other animals on sticks to begin cooking them on the fire, but all of them began grabbing leaves and stuffing them into their mouths before chewing.

"Oh, they eat tree leaves! I should be writing this stuff down. Except I'd have to do it with… Ah, got it!" Ruby took out her scroll and made a note document while seeing that her Dust battery had about six months of charge left in it. As she entered in the words, the Giant she'd began thinking of as 'Chief' came over with a wrinkly, silver-haired Giant woman who walked with a staff the size of a small tree.

" _Small_ Ruby," Chief said, getting her attention. " _This is Grandmother_ Gern _. I told her how you helped us_."

" _You are kind, little friends_ ," Gern thanked them. " _We've lost several mammoths to the raiders in the past phases. We have had to send many men up the mountains looking for more food to feed us, and our kin cannot help for their own problems_." She nodded sadly at that. " _We are grateful, but I am afraid we must ask for more. We know where they come from. There is a cave upwards where they hide. The openings are small, and big folk cannot go after them without crawling in. But you are small too. You can stop them_."

" _We have many coins and pelts we can give you_ ," Chief added. " _We trade with caravans and cities, and use the coins to trade back for things. Get rid of the raiders, or capture them, and we will give you many coins and pelts for helping_."

Ruby looked over at Lydia with a smile. "Well, sounds like a regular, old bounty request. Think we can handle a few bandits?"

"I think it would be trivial for you, actually, seeing what you can do. So long as you don't get too cocksure." Lydia smiled back.

"Don't worry," Ruby reassured her housecarl before redirecting her gaze upwards. "Okay Chief, Granny Gern, we'll do it first thing in the morning. But for tonight, as I'm sure Weiss would kill me if I didn't do this, I wanted to ask you guys some things. First, do you know how the basics of forging works?"

* * *

"Wow! Just look at this place!" Onmund gasped with awe as the students came in for their field trip, disguised as an expedition. "The ancient Nords were truly inspired builders and carvers!"

"I assume it wasn't always all underground?" Weiss asked as she stepped down from the plank that led from the higher entrance.

"No, most likely only the tombs were. Even then, only mostly. Time has buried the ancient city under thousands of years' worth of dust and snow."

"I can feel some ancient magic in here, as well," Brelyna remarked. "I bet I could track us down some nifty artifacts."

"Oh, J'zargo has something as well," the Khajiit mentioned as he reached into his knapsack and pulled out a few scrolls. "He has been working on a new spell, a sort of flame cloak with a twist. It should be especially potent against the undead, burning them into a crisp in no time. You should… Eh, Weiss? What are you...?"

The three looked over to see Weiss hiding behind a pillar, her head peeking out and staring at the scroll with slight fear. "S-sorry, but… I really don't like fire. At all. I'd love to help you, but… Sorry."

"Here, I'll take one," Brelyna quickly stated as she took one of the offered scrolls, giving Weiss a quick, knowing, and sympathetic glance. "I'll be the least likely to be hurt if anything did go wrong with my Dunmer heritage and all."

"Eh, always good to have a backup," Onmund concluded as he also took a scroll. It wasn't until J'zargo put the rest way when Weiss pulled herself out from behind the pillar and nervously approached.

"It is all right to have fears," the Khajiit reassured her. "Here, so you will feel better, J'zargo has also been trying to make a more powerful potion by using special water. He has a fire resistance potion made with special spring water." He then pulled out a bottle and passed it over to the Huntress.

"Thank you. I'll let you know how well it works." Weiss smiled. "Any idea where we should go first?"

"Well, Arniel Gane is supposed to be one of the main researchers on the site," Onmund explained. "He could probably direct us somewhere we could be useful."

"Or we could find something ahead of time," J'zargo suggested. "Taking initiative will be eye-catching, and if we find something worthwhile…"

"I like the sound of that. Adventurous!" Weiss declared, now beaming.

"Let's just be careful," Brelyna warned as Weiss took the lead with J'zargo close behind. "There could be places that the masters and experts haven't cleared just yet."

Their minds made up, the student mages went ahead of the group currently being guided by Master Tolfdir. As they went, Weiss noticed something out of the corner of her eye and looked back a moment to see that Talia was looking towards her, almost pouting. Feeling slightly self-conscious thanks to the woman, Weiss accidentally walked to the side slightly, where she bumped into J'zargo's shoulder.

"Sorry."

"It is quite all right. You are not heavy at all, and did not so much as ruffle J'zargo."

"Or are you just that strong?"

"J'zargo is strong, this much is true. But your own strength cannot be denied, nor your graceful and agile feet."

"Gods, why...?" Brelyna and Onmund quietly groaned at the sight of J'zargo and Weiss flirting.

As the students went further into the ancient structure, they came by a place where several mages were looking over some artifacts, including rings, amulets, and weapons. Brelyna pointed out Arniel, but the four continued forwards anyways. Going through the winding hallways there didn't seem to be much until they stopped near a rusty iron bar gate. J'zargo looked closely at the gate and tapped it as Weiss and Brelyna looked for a lever of some sort, but Onmund's gaze was caught by an ivory amulet hanging on a carving in the wall. He set his torch on the wall and picked up the amulet, only to hear the sound of metal sliding against stone. The students immediately looked towards the sound then at him. Onmund smiled nervously, and a quick look around the corner showed them that the small area they were in had been closed off.

"Well done, my tall friend. You managed to activate a booby trap and get us all stuck. It will take at least an hour for even J'zargo to melt one of these bars sufficiently."

"Sorry!" the Nord apologized. "Here, I'll just…" Placing the amulet back into its space caused no changes. "All right, so that's not how it works."

"I think I heard it up here," an incoming voice said as Arniel, Tolfdir, and several students and assistants came within the trapped ones' line of sight. Arniel sighed while clutching his forehead while Tolfdir approached them.

"Are you lot all right?" he asked, concerned.

"We're a little stuck at the moment, but perfectly fine," Weiss explained.

"How in the world-"

"I grabbed an amulet off the wall," Onmund admitted quickly. "I'm sorry, master."

"Well, at least none of you are hurt, but you should try to keep in mind that you easily could have," Tolfdir admonished before cupping his chin in thought. "Well, perhaps that amulet has some importance? See if you can use it somehow."

With everyone's gazes directed towards him, Onmund looked at the necklace before placing it on his neck. When he let it go, the mages were all startled as a loud sound echoed out as a magical wisp reached out from the wall and towards Onmund's amulet.

"Well look at that!" Tolfdir exclaimed as he peered through at the phenomena. "It appears that there's some sort of resonance between the wearer of the amulet and that part of the wall!"

Brelyna looked at the wispy magic between her classmate and the carved wall while Weiss and J'zargo looked closer to the wall itself. "Wait, I have an idea. Onmund, try casting a spell at the wall."

"Like, any kind?" At her nodding, he looked back at the place he took the amulet from and gulped. "Well, it's worth a shot I suppose." He focused a spell in his right hand and let it fly towards the wall. Upon impact, the stone shattered backwards and the pieces started to disintegrate, causing his fellow students to jump back.

"What was that?!" Weiss shouted.

"It- I only cast a simple magelight spell! Honest!"

"If that is true, then it appears that the wall was made to fall apart like that," J'zargo commented. "Less a trap, more a test. How good a test is questionable when the only options are to pass, starve, or escape."

Tolfdir then walked in beside them as the iron bars receded, rubbing his chin as he observed the new opening.

"Well, this is highly unusual. And interesting. If you four feel up to it, mind coming with an old man to see where this goes? Arniel, watch the other students for me until we get back," the older mage called back.

The expert mage sighed. "Very well, Master Tolfdir. Do be careful down there."

The four students followed the master into the cave-like stone hallways as he threw up a candlelight over his shoulder. Past a couple of bends they began getting close to a doorway of some sort.

"Why in the world would this be sealed off?" the teacher wondered aloud.

"Perhaps there's something dangerous?" Onmund suggested. "Or maybe it's only supposed to be found by someone able to pass the test?"

"Well, Brelyna _is_ the one who came up with the idea to try your magic," Weiss pointed out.

"True, but-" Onmund stopped as something seemed to manifest around them. Tolfdir had frozen in place in mid-step, as had the movement of his candlelight, and even the flame on Onmund's torch, leaving the four students feeling as though they had fallen out of time itself. Weiss felt herself begin to panic a little as the world became tinted in lavender, and then motes of light seemed to coalesce before them into a humanoid shape. The other three prepped a spell in their hands while Weiss grasped the hilt of Myrtenaster and was prepared to reach onto her back for the Sanguine Rose as an Altmer in odd robes appeared. Before any of them could start asking questions, the Altmer raised his hand to placate them.

" _Hold mages_ ," he called out in an echoing tone, " _and listen well._ " Weiss eased up on reaching for her weapons, but kept a close hand to her sword and her other hand cast ready. The other students slowly lowered their hands as well, letting the magic they had been ready to call upon die down. " _Know that a chain of events has been set in motion that can no longer be stopped_ ," he warned. " _Judgement has not been passed, as you had no way of knowing. Judgement will be passed on your actions to come, and how you deal with the dangers ahead of you. This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you._ " He pointed directly at Weiss. " _But it is you, and you alone who holds the potential to prevent great disaster. Take great care, and know that the Order is watching._ "

With that, the Altmer seemed to burst into the motes of light he came from, and the lavender hue over the world vanished. The sound and sight of flames moving came from the torch again, and Tolfdir turned around as he stumbled a bit with his steps.

"What- I felt something very strange just now. What just happened?"

"There was… I think we were just visited by a monk of the Psijic Order!" Brelyna declared, her eyes wide in shock.

"It was strange," Onmund added. "It looked like he froze time on everything but us. I didn't even think there was a spell that powerful."

"He said something about danger ahead," J'zargo ruminated with a claw running through his whiskers. "Very peculiar that."

"The Psijic Order?" Tolfdir rolled back, cupping his chin. "That's very odd. The Psijics have no connection to these ruins. And no one's seen any of their order in a long time."

"But then why would they have gone through all of this just to speak to us?" Weiss asked as she looked to the amulet Onmund now wore.

"I have no idea, but it's so very fascinating. Assuming that that's what happened of course. The Isle of Artaeum disappeared over a hundred years ago, and no one has seen them since. And yet now, suddenly, they've chosen to contact you? Why, it's intriguing!" Tolfdir then began observing the coffins more closely as he spoke. "If nothing else, I'd take it as a compliment. The Psijics have only ever dealt with those they feel worthy."

"All right then," Weiss looked at her classmates before coming to a conclusion, "can I assume I'm not the only one who doesn't know what exactly the Psijic Order are?" Weiss asked her classmates.

"J'zargo knows little, unfortunately."

"To be honest, it's the first I ever heard of them," Onmund admitted. "Now I can't help but want to dig up some information on them."

"I know a bit. Not too much, but a bit," Brelyna admitted. "They started back in the early First Era, when Altmer were first settling the Summerset Isles. They don't often appear in history, but when they do it's almost always significant. Their last major action happened in the first century of the Third Era, when they conjured a storm to destroy a massive Maormer fleet coming in from Pyandonea. When their island disappeared a hundred years ago, everyone believed that they would be all right, as the island has disappeared before. Some say they just moved it on purpose to keep from being interfered with by the Thalmor, and avoid any sort of conflict with them."

"So an order of powerful mages, likely more powerful than anything here going by that time spell." Weiss began to wonder if perhaps _they_ could help her and her friends return home. After all, if they were aware of a wall in an ancient ruin being opened, then surely they had noticed a ship being transferred from one plane of existence to another, especially as that ship was carrying someone _very_ important on it.

Suddenly, two of the coffins burst open, draugr walking out of both and pulling forth ancient weapons. Tolfdir immediately unleashed a font of flames at the one closest to him while Onmund fired out a frost spell towards the other backed up by Weiss with a lightning bolt. One went down having gotten frozen and sparking while the other collapsed and broke into charcoaled bits.

"Be prepared to defend yourselves," the teacher reminded them as they headed inwards. Down another stone hallway was a gate with a lever directly next to it. Tolfdir opened the gate and went inside, where the five mages saw that they had entered a room filled with standing coffins and a bridge in the center over a metal grating. The coffins almost immediately started opening, letting near a dozen draugr enter the room. Seeing they were severely outnumbered, Onmund took the experimental scroll from his pack and shrugged.

"Might as well." He unfurled the scroll and the magic within it burned up the parchment, leaving a readied spell in his hand. He unleashed it as he went forward, and became cloaked in flames before running towards the incoming undead. A draugr was hit by the swirling flames and then suddenly exploded, the eruption harming all of the nearby draugr and Onmund. As the Nord was tossed onto his back he cried out in pain.

"Are they supposed to do that!?" he shouted at J'zargo, who began tossing firebolts and lightning at the stumbling draugr.

"He is sorry! No, they were not meant to-" He summoned up a ward, blocking an arrow from hitting his face. "They should not be doing that!"

"Onmund, stay clear until it wears off!" Tolfdir warned as he froze a draugr's feet to the ground before throwing an ice spike directly through its head. Weiss summoned a glyph beneath three draugr, throwing them into the air before changing its direction and throwing them into the side of the stone bridge. They fell onto the grate and both she and Brelyna began filling them with lightning magic, causing them to twitch until they sputtered out. The last one went down as J'zargo caught it by its chin and flipped over it, tossing the undead over his body while freezing the head in his grasp before ripping it off.

"So brittle while they are cold enough," he commented before tossing it away.

"I've never seen anything like this in Nordic ruins before!" Tolfdir exclaimed. "Why just look at all of these coffins!"

"I've only been in a couple but they've never been gathered up like this," Weiss responded. "This might have been done specifically as a security measure, rather than simply laying them to rest."

"Yes, usually the draugr rise up at random. These seem to have been set up. I'd like to stay a while and take a closer look at this. You four can handle yourselves well enough. Feel free to look ahead and see if you can find what your shared vision mentioned. If it's truly dangerous, though, be careful"

"Thank you, master," Onmund answered as he went over and tugged on a pull chain, J'zargo pulling the other. "And don't worry, we'll be careful."

As the four students went ahead, J'zargo looked over to Onmund with some concern. "You are not overly injured, yes?"

"No. The explosions surprised me more than anything. Maybe scorched my robes. I'll live."

"Still, they should not have exploded so violently. At least J'zargo is in the right direction. A little more work, and it should destroy them quickly nicely."

"It is rather impressive that you were able to make your own spell," Weiss commented.

"Thank you. Your unique spell is also eye-catching, and very pretty. It suits you. Perhaps you can teach it to J'zargo?"

"Well, as good as a student as you are, I'm not sure how well it can be taught."

"Only one way to find out. We shall just have to set aside some time for each other after we get back."

Onmund groaned and they came into a new area. Brelyna suddenly brought up her arm and stopped them, pointing ahead towards a red rune glowing on the ground.

"So the ancient Nords weren't just about cages and walking dead," J'zargo commented as he readied a lightning bolt and released it at the rune, which then exploded into a fiery pillar that could have seriously harmed any one of them. A draugr nearby the trap was set on fire as it walked from its resting place, only to end up with an ice spike through the eye courtesy of Weiss. Another one approached, only to be bombarded by the four apprentice mages. Most of the tombs went by like this, with a draugr or two coming out and getting quickly put down by their combined magical might, with one or two traps dodged out of the way. A combination door stood in their path, but was easily solved thanks to Weiss' experience and J'zargo's quick eye for detail noticing the solution hidden just behind each of the turning pillars.

A slightly tougher draugr stood in their way, but once they had spread out to keep its attention split it went down fairly quickly. Weiss sent her familiar forward, but then heard two electrical explosions followed by the return of her summon's essence.

"Lightning runes," J'zargo observed. "Good for trapping against mages. Saps the magicka from the spirit while hurting the body."

"Hope we don't run into any ourselves," Weiss replied as she summoned another ghostly fox and sent it forward. The four walked after it, coming up into a large hall where several carvings stood shaped like massive heads with open mouths, traditional animal inlays inside of their stone jaws. Just past the four carvings were found more combination pillars, but they also had miniature animal inlays above them, matching with the larger twins.

"All right, not too hard," Weiss confidently expressed as she turned one pillar, only for two others to turn on their own when she did. She looked back in surprise with a small jump and the others looked at the pillars with her.

"He is thinking this one is not as simple as the other," J'zargo confided. He went over to one of them that had turned itself and turned it back. It did so, but the one next to it turned as well. He looked over at the one across and then went to turn it. When it turned, each of the others turned as well, one after the other. "Ah, now it makes sense! Onmund, try that last one real quick."

Onmund turned the last pillar, but none of the others followed it. The Khajiit laughed and then turned the one he was at, followed by the one with Weiss, then the one he had tried, which just so happened to have turned the final pillar where it needed to be. While he and Weiss were confident, Onmund and Brelyna still hid behind one of the carvings when he pulled the lever, only for the gate to open rather than a booby trap being activated.

"Quick thinking, J'zargo," Weiss complimented.

"He does his best."

Just as they started heading down further into the tomb, the sound of footsteps coming quickly to them was heard, and they turned to see Tolfdir coming at a slight jog.

"I thought it about time I caught up to you. Well done so far, students. I saw the things you had to get past to get this far. Let's all see what awaits us ahead then."

With their teacher back to help them, they set downwards once again. Past a few more winding tunnels, they entered into a wide and open room, with a large, mystically glowing orb spinning at the far end.

"Well now…" Tolfdir began. "I never imagined we'd find anything like this."

"What is that?" Onmund asked.

"I…have no idea," the teacher admitted. "More importantly, why is it buried so far beneath Saarthal?"

Weiss went close to the edge of the landing they were on and looked down to see an ancient stone altar with a throne seated in front of it, a mummified corpse seated within the throne.

"We're going to go down there," she explained, her tone flat and dry, "and that draugr's going to come to life, and it will be tougher than any other draugr in this forsaken crypt."

"You've done this a few times, haven't you?" J'zargo stated.

"Yes, a few." She sighed. "Well, let's go get this over with. Probably a chest full of gems and ancient coins hidden somewhere in here."

Almost as if it sensed her saying that, the draugr rose to its feet, looking up at the mages before drawing its black, silver-inlaid axe. Rather than head straight for them , however, it went off to the side, where a tendril of magic reached out from the energy surrounding the orb. J'zargo and Weiss hopped off of the landing while the other three started throwing spells. Two firebolts and three ice spikes seemed to harmlessly splash and shatter around the shield that had formed around the draugr while Weiss summoned a bear familiar and J'zargo fired of dual-casted firebolts and lightning. The bear familiar charged in and roared as it bit down on the draugr's helmeted face, but the attack seemed to do nothing as the undead chopped its head clean off with a swing of its axe. Weiss closed it and went for a stab, but Myrtenaster simply bounced off, sending a lance of pain up Weiss' shoulder. She jumped out of the way as the draugr tried to freeze her solid with a cone of frostbite that she could feel chilling the immediate area around them both.

"Nothing seems to be working!" Tolfdir shouted as he headed down the stairs opposite of the draugr. "Keep it busy! I'll try to drain it of some of its power!"

"Busy! Right!" Brelyna responded as she cast a spell to summon a flame atronach, only for the creature to disappear almost immediately. "Damn it all!"

Before any retaliation could be unleashed upon the Dunmer, the draugr found itself in a sort of duel with Weiss, its black axe coming close to her face, where she saw how it held a razor edge as it passed her face by scant inches. She couldn't do any damage to it, but she was holding its attention fairly well. J'zargo came in and tried to scratch at it, but his claws simply slid off. He hissed and rubbed the fingers of one hand, then reached out and set loose flames onto the corpse. It went at him with a chop, but the Khajiit easily jumped out of the way. Weiss saw Tolfdir struggling with the magic field, when it suddenly came undone and the white glow that had surrounded their enemy dissipated.

"There! Now attack!" the teacher called out. Weiss stabbed forward with a shout, pinning its arm to its chest. She let go of her rapier and leapt back before unleashing a dual-casted array of sparks onto it, quickly followed by the other four. The draugr spasmed as electricity filled its body until it finally toppled over, smoke coming from out of its armor.

"Eh, not so tough when it's not invincible," J'zargo panted as he went back to rubbing his sore claws. Onmund came down, but his attention was taken by a staff sitting on the altar.

"Wow, look at this! I bet it-" He then noticed a piece of paper sitting under it. He picked up the staff, and then opened the note, seeing that the parchment had been oddly untouched by time.

"' _Be bound here, Jyrik, murderer, betrayer_

" _Condemned by your crimes against realm and lord_

" _May your names and deeds be forgotten forever_

" _And the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward'_.

"Wait a minute! Jyrik? I think this was Jyrik Gaulderson!"

The other three students looked at Onmund in confusion, their teacher currently too enraptured by the orb to notice.

"…Who?" Weiss finally asked.

"One of the three sons of the ancient Archmage Gaulder, who was said to have been the most powerful mage of his time. His sons grew jealous of him, and then found that much of his power came from his amulet. They killed him, split the amulet in three parts, then spread chaos across the face of Skyrim before the High King was finally able to put them down. Their names were stricken from every record, and even Gaulder was nearly forgotten, but a few texts outside of Skyrim survived to tell the tale. None of you ever heard of them?" he asked in a little surprise.

"Not local," Weiss offered as she pulled her rapier from the newly re-killed corpse, then looked on his neck and pulled off an amulet carved from ivory, similar to the one Onmund now wore, only this one had a jagged edge. "So this is supposed to be his third." Weiss took off the Necromancer's Amulet and placed Jyrik's Fragment on her neck and gasped. While her magicka pool shrank some with the removal of Mannimarco's trinket, it expanded once again, this time even further than what it had been doing. Not just that, but a quick test of magic showed her that she was expending less to cast with the fragment on.

"Amazing!" she went as she pocketed her jade amulet and continued observing her newfound power. "And this is just a third of it? No wonder this Gaulder had so much power."

"Just…promise not to go mad with it and destroy a swath of Skyrim?" Brelyna asked nervously.

"I promise not to go into a murderous power spree." Weiss chuckled, earning a smirk from Brelyna. Shaking her head, she looked over past the orb their teacher was still muttering to himself over and noticed a Word Wall, remembering what Yang and Ruby wrote to her in their last letter. She took out her scroll and went to the camera setting while Onmund walked over and picked up Jyrik's axe, holding it in one hand with the staff in the other, striking a pose that elicited a laugh from their Dunmer classmate.

* * *

Ruby had shown the Giants a lot before night had come in. It turned out that they were pretty quick learners, and it was easy for them to grab the necessary stones and chip them down when needed to make a charcoal oven, a basic smelter, and a forge. Granted, they were still absolutely primitive versions, but they got the job done well enough to make what may have been the first Giant made piece of iron armor. That piece of armor was also perhaps the shoddiest she'd ever laid eyes on, but the second one they had laid into a mold was already looking far better as a craftswoman hammered onto it atop the boulder chosen to be an anvil. One of the Giants now wore the armor proudly over his hide outfit, strapping it on with sabercat leather.

After a good night's sleep, Ruby, Lydia, and several Giants made their way up north, stopping at a hill nearby the poacher's hideout so that the big folk could point it out to them.

" _They hide in there_ ," Chief explained. " _Lookout watches for incoming people_."

Ruby looked through her scope and spotted said lookout, a Nord man wearing hide. She hummed and looked over to Riek, who held another thing she'd taught the Giants to make.

"Wanna test out your new bow?"

The Giant lifted up the proportionately simple bow that Ruby had painstakingly guided a crafter through carving while awaiting their new facilities' material to be gathered. He had several recovered spears in a sack and had several feathers attached to them. He pulled up one of the arrows and drew it back like he'd been instructed, aimed at the distant Nord, and loosed it. Ruby had expected his shot to go wide, as it was his first time firing at a target so far away. However, luck seemed to be against the lookout, who barely saw the projectile coming before it impaled him, going straight through and driving into the ground. The Giants cheered and a few made gentle punches on Riek's shoulders, congratulating him on a job well done. Ruby just sighed and prepared to head forward.

"Weren't expecting that?" Lydia asked as they headed to the cave.

"Well, I won't complain too much. We can get the drop on the other poachers now."

The cave was simple, with three main chambers and a few tunnels connecting them. There were about twenty bandits within, and Ruby and Lydia were able to beat them all down. Three more were killed in the scuffle, mostly due to their own stupidity than anything. The toughest one seemed to be their 'chief', who wore a full set of plate armor. However, Ruby ended up running circles around the armored orc while bashing him around from all directions until he collapsed unconscious. They then proceeded to drag the outlaws outside, where the Giants started to tie them together in bundles of five and then heft them over their shoulders to carry. A few poachers were regaining consciousness at that point, but refused to put up a fight. Instead, a few started crying that they were going to die or squawked about indignantly.

As they neared, Chief looked over the captured bandits and nodded.

" _Thank you, friend_ Ruby _. You've helped our tribe greatly with this. We will spread the word to the other clans. You and_ Lydia _and anyone you call friend may share our fire whenever you wish_."

"You're welcome, Chief." Ruby looked over to where the outlaw 'chief' was being taken away. "What are you going to do with all the poachers?"

" _Think_." The older Giant rubbed his chin as he thought it over. " _Small folk pay others to hunt bad folk, big or small. They should pay us big folk like they would other small folk_."

"True. Pretty sure I saw evidence of these guys attacking caravans."

" _It will happen when it happens. Come, friends. We will give you your coin reward, but we can never fully repay you your kindness_."

It turned out the Giants had something of a small treasury inside of a large chest they used to store their coins. Ruby picked through them, finding and taking four denars and ten septims. A few Giants wondered why she didn't take more, but then she explained that different coins had different values. Most of them hadn't known that, so there was a short lesson on coinage value, which made a few of them angry as they realized that some people had cheated them during short deals.

Afterwards, she and Lydia prepared to leave, Ruby waving back at the Giant clan goodbye. The teenaged Enurk waved back enthusiastically, and the mammoth calf mimicked him with its trunk. Ruby was immensely tickled by the sight and squeed to herself at the baby's adorableness. Lydia just smiled at her Thane's actions and shook her head before looking at their map.

They found the road just before crossing the bridge over the river, but left it for a more direct beaten path towards Morthal. At about mid-afternoon, Ruby pulled Chocolate Hooves to a sudden stop. Lydia slowed her own Summer Breeze and looked to see whatever had caught her Thane's attention to see a translucent figure standing a ways away from them. It turned and ran, and Ruby turned her horse towards him.

"Lydia, it's another ghost!" Ruby pointed out. "What if there's another guy like that Sild or whatever?"

"If you want to, we can go see what it's about," Lydia told her. "The last time we _did_ stop a murderer, and you found a Word Wall."

"Yeah, that's true. Okay, let's follow the ghost!"

The two began heading in the direction the spirit had gone. When they came upon him again, he went to the side, going behind a series of rocks and boulders. They followed, but past the bend was a large, ancient Nordic tomb. Four stonehenge arches sat before it, with an altar sitting a ways in front of the door. Ruby and Lydia unhorsed, and tied the animals with a pair of long tethers near the stream before heading in. The ghost was just inside, waving at them from in front of an iron gate before turning and walking through it. Ruby, squinting her eyes in thought, hummed at that.

"Looks like we got a friendly ghost this- Hey, look at this!" Just now noticing the altar in front of them, Ruby also took notice of a familiar item. "It's just like Lucan's Golden Claw, only it's red." She picked it up and began looking it over. "I think the claws are made out of-" A pressure plate the Claw was sitting on suddenly rose, opening the gate, but also awakening four draugr, which immediately began to stand and draw their weapons. "Whoops!"

Lydia took out her shield and drew her sword. "It was bound to happen eventually."

"Yeah, sorry about that, though." Ruby set the Ruby Claw down and dashed to one side of the room, swinging her scythe through one draugr before turning and decapitating the other with added momentum. Lydia had cut one down and bashed the other away before stabbing into its throat, returning the corpse to death.

"Okay, so…the Golden Claw turned out to be a key, same with the Sapphire Claw, so I'm betting that this Ruby Claw will be a key here as well." Ruby blinked as she picked the item back up and looked around. "You know, I half-expected Yang to make a joke about this. We need to make sure to take this thing back with us, if only because it'll look really pretty hanging up on a wall. Ooh, this probably means that they're more! I bet they'd make a nice collection!"

"Well, something tells me we'll see sooner or later."

After sufficiently looting the room, they headed through the open door, where they saw the ghost calmly walking by. Trying to follow him, Ruby went around the bend, dodging a trap's pressure stone, only to see he'd disappeared. They continued further on, pausing at what appeared to be a dead end, a mostly smooth, aside from some cracks, stone surface set into a doorway. Ruby looked around for a moment, and then noticed a pull chain. She tugged it, and the stone spun around, a gate opening up as it came into place, revealing more of the tomb ahead. As they walked in, they saw the ghost walking forward, disappearing into another door, causing Ruby to sigh.

"Well, while it's nice of him to try to guide us, I think it'd work a little better if he could open a door or two."

"He might be even more ethereal than normal. It could be that he simply can't interact with the world anymore."

"Huh, I guess that would get in the way of doing stuff like pulling levers."

A little ways in, the Dragonborn turned a corner only to cry out and jump aside as two globs of poison were spat at her. "Frostbite spiders!" she warned.

"We got them!" her housecarl reassured her as she took point, charging against one spider before bashing its face with her shield. She then struck out with her sword, but the spider managed to raise itself out of the way in time and attempted to bite back. Ruby went for the other, steeling her nerves before bringing her scythe down, stabbing through its head and pinning it to the ground. A second later, Lydia stabbed the other spider below the eyes and above the mouth, hitting its brain immediately. With both creatures dead, the girls continued forward, Ruby turning and seeing another pull chain.

"Oh, this must open that door." She pulled it, and suddenly all of the doors around them spun, some closing and others opening.

"My Thane!" she heard Lydia's muffled voice on the other side of the stone wall.

"Sorry! I'll just-" Ruby's word were cut off as a draugr ran at her, one arm outstretched and releasing a torrent of frost at her. To make matters worse, her candlelight chose to go out at that moment. Without her spell or Lydia's belt lantern, Ruby panicked a little, but was able to reel enough of herself in to concentrate her Thu'um and unleash it.

" **Yol!** " she Shouted, countering the frost magic and setting the draugr ablaze, giving her something to see by. Seeing as she was too close-quartered for Crescent Rose, she swung out with her elven sword as she drew it from the sheath. The light blade sliced across the draugr's chest, and then she stabbed forward into its chest cavity. The undead down, Ruby was forced to dodge an incoming arrow from an archer at the end of the tunnel. Ruby quickly shifted Crescent Rose into gun mode, took aim,and fired, the draugr's head bursting into countless pieces as the corpse fell to the ground. Sighing in relief, Ruby sheathed her sword and summoned up a new candlelight as she walked over to the pull chain and tugged it again, opening the door between her and a slightly cross and worried Lydia.

"What just happened?" the housecarl asked as she eyed the corpses.

"Didn't think it through. Sorry. I just figured this thing opened the door. I didn't think it completely turned the ruins around."

"We're just lucky I wasn't standing right in the doorway." Lydia looked back out, and then stepped back into the room. "Try it now, though. I think it does lead to the way forward."

Ruby pulled it once again and the two followed the newly set path. Another draugr began pulling himself from the way, but Lydia's sword quickly found his neck and sent the mummified head rolling along. A few more turns, and then Ruby hopped over a pressure stone while Lydia skirted around it, neither of them really caring to find out what the trap triggered. Past there was a large room with two grates on the floor. Before they could really take the room in, two large frostbite spiders fell down from the ceiling.

Feeling furious rather than frightened, Ruby set Crescent Rose to spear mode and charged at one spider in a flurry of rose petals, stabbing straight into it and slicing out, cutting the arachnid in half. The other one had gone for Lydia, but had barely engaged in battle when Ruby came spinning from behind, cutting open its abdomen and letting its green ichor and innards spill out. The creature struggled and thrashed around for a moment, but then Lydia struck it across the face, quelling its pain with death.

"I hate these stupid things!" Ruby fumed. "Why can't they just stay in their webs like regular spiders!?"

"My Thane, are you all right?"

"Yes!" Ruby took in a breath and released it slowly. "No, I wasn't. Sorry. It just gets frustrating sometimes when it feels like everything's trying to kill us, even though we could easily beat them." Ruby took in another calming breath. "Also, I hate spiders."

"Yes, I'm…aware."

"Not as much as Pyrrha, though," Ruby muttered. Seeing Lydia's confused look, Ruby moved to explain. "Friend from back home. Best fighter in our class, if not the entire student body. Absolutely terrified of spiders, and pretty much any kind of bug," Ruby smiled as a memory came to mind. "One time, she went to take a bath, only to find a small, harmless spider in the tub. Her shriek was so loud I heard it from across the hall. She ended up refusing to go in until Jaune, her team leader, got rid of it." Ruby's chuckles were joined by Lydia, who was easily able to see why that might be amusing.

"Something tells me her reaction would be a lot worse should she see a frostbite spider."

"Probably. I'd say I would love to see that, but that would be mean."

The two took a moment to scope out the room, but the only way forward seemed to be hidden by a pull chain. Making sure they were secure, Ruby activated it, which caused one of the grates to open.

"I guess we need to go…" Ruby looked down and saw that the bottom of the hole was filled with water. She sighed and sat at the edge. "I wish I knew some magic that could keep me from getting wet. Well, I could try to… But then you would… Hey Lydia, would jumping into that hurt?"

To test, Lydia took an ancient candlestick from an equally ancient table and dropped it into the hole. It plopped into the water and sank in deeply.

"Should be deep enough. My lantern's enchanted against water, so it should be fine. Well, here goes." Lydia jumped down and hit the water with a splash before swimming back up. Ruby released a breath she'd been holding then prepared to jump down as well. As she fell though, she concentrated her Semblance and pushed forward, dashing towards the opening she saw near the bottom, a few rose petals drifting down before disappearing. Lydia swam over and pulled herself up, sopping wet while Ruby was dry above the knees.

"Was there any way you could have pulled me with you?"

"Well, now that I think about it, I should probably practice that."

With Lydia shaking her head, the two traversed the watery hallway. As they came into a room with the floor coated in water, a large skeever tried to jump them, only to be bashed away by Lydia and have its head cracked against a pillar. Two draugr then awoke and charged them while a third busted out of its coffin. The first two were easily taken down, but the third managed to spray Lydia with a large cone of frost magic before Ruby came in and swiped it in half. The housecarl was nearly frozen, and Ruby had to help her get out of the water and down a healing potion along with a frost resistance one while she tried to melt the ice on her with the lantern.

"I'm surprised you came out of that as good as you did," Ruby commented as they got the ice from off of her face. "You're really made out of tough stuff."

"I'm a Nord, I have to be. And it's hard to freeze a Nord." Lydia looked over to her charge as she undid her right gauntlet to get the frozen water off of it. "What race are you and your sister, by the way? I never asked because you seemed Nord-like enough, but I noticed your sister actually does poorly against the cold and seems to be as resistant to fire as a Dunmer."

"Well, I'm not too sure. I'm certain my mom is from Vale, or at least from around Vale, somewhere in east Sanus. I know my dad's mom came from Vacuo, but his dad came from East Anima. Yang's mom came from Anima too, but going by Uncle Qrow they're North Animanese, which is pretty different from Eastern Animanese. They're actually a lot closer to the Central Animanese. I can't really explain it, but humans just stopped caring about the differences between ourselves a long time ago." She then groaned. "But a lot of jerks still care about how different faunus are."

"Well, while we're here, what exactly makes a faunus different?"

"Well… you know how Blake has cat ears but also human ears?" Lydia nodded. "Sometimes it's stuff like that, but pretty much every kind of animal. Bears, wolves, rabbits, mice… I was going to say dogs, but then I realized I never saw a dog faunus before. Now that I think about it, I never saw any sort of domesticated animal faunus. Okay, backing up, every kind of _wild_ animal. I guess that means Blake's a black panther then."

"Then they're people with animal ears?"

"No, not that simple either. It could be all kinds of different traits. Tails, horns, claws, even wings. But almost all of them have only one or the other. I think in one of my classes some kind of special gene matching was mentioned that can make a faunus born with more than one, but I tended to sleep through biology all the time so I can't remember. Too rare to worry about anyways."

"So then, a faunus is a human with some sort of animal feature?"

"Pretty much. Oh, they also have really good night vision. I remember that much. There was bit of a situation in one history class where some students got in an argument over it during the lesson on the Faunus Rights Revolution."

"They sound like they'd make good scouts, maybe on par with Khajiiti nightblades, or wood elf hunters." Lydia rolled her shoulders and then stood up. "I'm warmed up enough to continue if you are."

"Sure, but only if you're really positive. If you start getting chills, we'll park it and start a campfire, no arguments."

"None from me, my Thane," Lydia agreed as Ruby passed her back her lantern, which she clipped onto her belt. The two headed over to a pillar with a ramp circled around it and headed to the top. A gate stood in the way, but it was easily opened, but doing so triggered something and caused a dozen pendulums to begin swinging down, half of them going one way and half going the other.

"Oh boy, one of these," Ruby intoned with a sigh. She started bouncing lightly from foot to foot while shaking her arms. "One sec, Lyd. I got this." She went down into a sprinter's pose and focused herself. Right as the pendulums went past their downward arc, she Shouted, " **Wuld!** " and sped across. Lydia noticed a few grey petals in the air, but they were quickly scattered by the trap swinging through them.

"Ah, here we go!" Ruby uttered as she pulled a chain on her side that caused the pendulums to cease. Lydia waited a moment and then quickly came over. "Yeah, they usually have some way of stopping them once you get past them the first time."

"I see."

Just past the pendulum-filled catwalk and up another circling ramp was a door that opened to a hallway with a small altar at a corner and another door further down, only it was sealed away by some sort of magic, Ruby wondered if there was some sort of spell that could force the doors open, but decided to risk venturing down the connected hall first. Going down it they eventually came into another room, only the moment they passed its doorway the gate crashed down behind them and three others opened up, allowing draugr from other rooms to pour in.

"Lydia, watch my six!" Ruby called out as she charged the center of the room and went into a spin, slicing down two undead while Lydia shoulder checked another. Three more came in and Ruby smashed one with a downwards reverse swing before jabbing her spear end into the eye of another. Lydia cut down the last one and took a moment to catch her breath. Ruby took in their surroundings, and then quickly dashed into each of the places the draugr had emerged from to find that they were all dead ends. Though one did have chest that seemed to activate a dart trap she avoided. Luckily it didn't activate again and she was able to scoop out a handful of coins and an old helmet that she quickly tossed side.

"Well, nothing else in here. Gonna pull it." With that she pulled the chain and the gate they came from opened as well as the grate at the center, an old spiral staircase leading down. Traveling down the dizzying stairs, they came to a rather obvious secret entrance with a pull handle at the side. Lydia tugged the handle out, twisted it for good measure, and then pushed it back in. Once the action was complete, the stone door slowly receded.

Just past the door, the ghost was sitting down on a rectangular piece of rubble, a long-rotted corpse nearly skeletal lying next to his feet with something clutched in its arms. He looked at them expectantly, then back down at the body. Ruby walked over and bent next to it.

"Is this you?"

" _It is,"_ the ghost finally spoke. _"And my final work in my hands. Take it."_

Ruby took the item from the clutches of the dead body and felt that it was something bound in leather. She gently opened it to see that it was a small book that lay inside. The ghost suddenly disappeared, causing Ruby to jump a little. Figuring it may have been what he wanted all along, Ruby resolved to get the book to someone who could share it with the world, and placed it into her sack.

The two began to backtrack, figuring that they'd done all that they could do for the ghost for now. But as they came back to the space with the magically sealed door, they saw the ghost yet again. He looked right at them then turned towards the door, holding his hand as if casting a spell. The magic hit the sealed doors and opened them, and then the ghostly writer drew his sword while running in. Ruby decided to follow him with Lydia close behind, but soon they came upon a familiar door where the ghost disappeared.

"Just like in Bleak Falls and Shroud Hearth," Ruby uttered as she saw the strange lock. She pulled the Ruby Claw from her backpack and began pushing the combination to match the pattern in its palm: wolf, hawk, wolf. She placed the Claw into the slot, pushed it in, and wiggled it like she recalled Blake doing. The rings then spun themselves, arranging so that the three dragon carvings aligned, and then the door sank down into the ground. The pair went through and traveled through the hallway, emerging into a giant room, where the ghost stood at the center of a shallow pool of water, sword held at the ready for battle.

" _Olaf, it is time!"_ the ghost called out, past the altar and up a long set of stairs to a coffin sitting as the centerpiece of it all. The ruins rumbled, and Ruby noticed that there were over a dozen throne-like chairs seated around the pool in two layers, each with a corpse seated within them like some kind of theater for the dead nobility. Three woke up, one going straight for the ghost, but his intangibility played to his strength as the draugr missed and his ghostly blade sliced through the more corporeal undead. Ruby ended up facing one with a battleaxe, while Lydia squared against another sword wielder.

As each was felled, another would stand to take its place, and so the battle went on like this for a while, with draugr rising up to challenge the trio only to be felled by one or another, some using magic, some using heavy weapons, and some using simpler one-handed ones. When no more stood and nearly all the chairs were empty, the ghost looked back at the coffin.

" _Arise, Olaf! My vengeance is at hand!"_

The tomb rattled again, and then the four at the second level's chairs stood. Ruby wasn't totally sure, but she had a feeling that their placement meant that they might be a cut above the rest.

The ghost squared off against two while the others went for Ruby and Lydia. Ruby blocked a heavy, overhead axe swing with a clang of their weapons, then twisted Crescent Rose around while spinning and slicing upwards, cutting the draugr in half vertically. She went over to help the ghost, taking one of his opponents away in almost comical fashion when she hooked her scythe around its waist and dragged it away from him. Thinking about whether or not it could work, Ruby held her scythe in place against the undead and then turned.

" **Wuld!** " she Shouted, cleaving the undead in half as well, although now she was further away from the battle. She turned back and aimed before Shouting again. " **Wuld!** " This time she stabbed through the ghost's other opponent, Lydia already having finished off her own. The ghost nodded to her in thanks, and then went up the stairs to the very top. Ruby began to feel the pull of power as she followed, and noticed a Word Wall at the back of the massive chamber. She steeled herself, however, and readied herself to fight whatever came next.

" _Olaf!"_ the ghost called out his enemy once again. The top of the coffin was suddenly kicked off as the tomb shook again.

" **Insolent bard!** " the draugr lord growled out as he pulled himself from his resting place. " **Die!** " He pulled forth a gleaming, black axe with a magical glow about it, and Ruby suddenly knew that it was enchanted, and therefore could hurt the ghost. Aside from that, Olaf had taken in a deep breath, and she was feeling something else from him. " **Fo!** "

"He Shouts!" she warned as she put herself between the undead and Lydia.

" **Krah! Diin!** "

" **Yol!** "

The two opposing elements clashed, causing a spray of steam where they met, but Olaf's experience and three-worded Shout was easily forcing Ruby's single-worded one back. However, it gave an opportunity for the ghost to strike his foe, cutting him deeply and distracting him so that the tail end of Ruby's Fire Breath could hit him.

" **Damn you to Oblivion, Svaknir!** " Olaf yelled as he chopped at the spirit, hitting his block and forcing him back. Ruby came in with a slash from behind, but Olaf ducked beneath it and turned while chopping upwards, hitting the wide-eyed and surprised Dragonborn and knocking her up and back. Ruby felt her breath get knocked out of her as her Aura crackled from the exertion of defending against such a blow.

' _Just how strong is he?'_ Ruby wondered as she tried to pick herself up. Olaf seemed to be ready to come at her, but Svaknir stabbed forward and hi ghostly blade ignored the draugr's armor in favor of piercing flesh. Olaf yelled in the dusty tone of his kind and then pulled himself off the blade while turning on the ghost. As Olaf and Svaknir went into a deadlock, Ruby reached out and stopped Lydia from jumping in.

"Wait! Just…a moment."

The ghost gritted his ethereal teeth, then suddenly he spun out of the way, leaving Olaf to tumble forward before he could redirect his force. Svaknir then sliced cleanly through the draugr's neck, his momentum making the cut all the easier. The draugr's corpse fell while the head bounced down the stairs, falling out of its helmet and then bouncing one last time off of the altar before rolling into the pool at the very bottom.

The distraction out of the way, Ruby turned towards the Word Wall and absorbed its meaning into her as she read it.

" **Nonvul bron dahmaan dar rok do fin Fodiiz Bormah, Oblivion loost nid** **nah** **med spaan vahdin beyn.** " Before she could contemplate it, she began to sputter into laughter.

"What is it?" Lydia asked. "What's so funny?"

"Well, the dragon word for Oblivion is Oblivion, for one, and the Wall just says that Oblivion has no fury like a 'shield-maiden' scorned." She cupped her chin and hummed. "Fury. Nah. I need to think on that one a little more." She turned and looked to see the ghost of Svaknir walking once again, only this time to an ancient black door before disappearing. Lydia reached down and took a key from the belt of Olaf's once-again dead body, and Ruby picked up his axe, recognizing the materiel as ebony, and finding the enchantment after a moment's observation to be some sort of energy siphon. Tucking the axe away, Ruby followed after Lydia as she opened the doors and headed up into the adjoined room. Inside was a large chest with a battleaxe laying before it that held tons of old, Merethic and First Era coins, as well several gems, a necklace, and an enchanted staff.

Ruby took out the staff as Lydia began bagging their other loot and tried to remember how they worked. Pushing magicka through them was how people cast spells with the staff as a focus, but the effectiveness varied depended on the user and the kind of staff. The one in her hand was corundum coated, with three bladed prongs evenly surrounding a crystal focus, likely either an enchanted gemstone or modified Soul Gem. Ruby then remember how Weiss said they were used, and so focused on manipulating the energy of the staff itself, pushing what was gathered within it towards the focus. A spell formed and she released it, a ghostly wolf forming from the ball of magic.

"Oh cool! It's a Familiar Staff!" She looked at the wolf with some trepidation. "Sit," she commanded, and it obeyed. "Roll over." Once again it followed direction without hesitance. "Play dead." The familiar yelped and then keeled over, its tongue hanging loosely from its mouth. "Oh, wow, that was actually really convincing."

"I think it's just a magical construct, not an actual being."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ruby pulled at the magical bonds of the familiar, and then it dissipated. "Still, cool thing to have, and I can always give it to Weiss if I don't use it much."

"True enough."

Lydia pulled at the lever next to another obvious secret door and the two walked out of the treasury and through a hallway that exited into a familiar room.

"Does every Nordic tomb have shortcuts like this?"

Lydia just shrugged, and the two walked back out of the ancient structure.

* * *

The night was bright, the moons illuminating all in their pale light. Creatures could see nearly as well as they could in the day, but the shadows still offered places for predators to lurks and prey to hide, but none could hide here as the wolves, foxes, and cats of all kind ran through, picking up on the scent of fear and running down their prey.

Deer were felled, rabbits were ripped apart, even bears were surrounded and brought down. Some bears began hunting as well, tearing asunder their chosen quarry with claw and teeth. All ran forward in a seemingly never ending chase. There was always prey, and the hunters would never tire.

Arrows sang through, striking down creatures of all kinds. Predators were now prey as well as bowman joined the fray. Men with spears joined in, using their weapons to take down the beasts arrows alone could not defeat.

Then they came. They ran through the ranks, looking for those worthy as prey, or unworthy as hunters. Something guided them to what they could fell, and they followed. She felt her claws dig into the ground as she sped forward. There were unworthy hunters, and she would teach them respect while taking joy in the sport. Her jaws opened up for a roar and closed onto a man's neck. The others fought back, but her claws sliced through flesh easily, her teeth sank in and she tasted hot blood and meat with every snap.

As she went for the last, the hunter propped her spear just right, running her through. The last and her looked face to face, and she saw herself, her own face on the hunter, her golden blond hair atop her head, and her violet eyes staring up at her own.

She fell, and when she looked up, the hunter-that-was-her was gone, and in her place stood a being larger than the biggest giant she had ever seen, werebeasts sitting at his heels like loyal pets awaiting their master's command. His face was unseen, covered by an antlered deer skull he wore upon his head.

"The Hunt is coming," His voice boomed. "Soon, we shall hunt together, little one."

She dug her hands into the soil beneath her and looked down to see her arms covered in yellow fur, retractable claws tipping her fingers.

She went to scream, but only roared.

* * *

Yang woke up screaming. She started gasping and noticed something off. Looking up to her hand, she saw four furrows dug into the wood, ending where her fingers were. She pulled them loose and started picking the wood out from underneath her nails, only to notice something else. Her fingernails weren't nearly as long last night.

"Oh god," she gulped. "I…need to see Kodlak."

* * *

Unfortunately for Yang, Kodlak's experience and knowledge with werebeasts began and ended with werewolves. Luckily, he knew Farengar had the facilities needed to check some things for them at his study in Dragonsreach. Despite it being the crack of dawn when they approached, the guards let the Harbinger and Thane through without so much as a cross word. Farengar didn't enjoy being woken up so early, but his complaints were shelved when the situation was explained to him.

"This is a grave difficulty," he admitted while looking at Yang's hands. "You say you were inoculated for werebear bites and then inoculated less than a month later for this werelion?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Though-"

"I'll need a blood sample to look over if you don't mind," he interrupted as he turned and began going through several items, collecting a few on the table before him. He then passed over a dagger and a vial to Yang. "At least half full, please. I will need to run several tests to check it thoroughly."

"Sheesh," Yang murmured as she pricked a finger and let it bleed into the container. It filled fairly quickly, and then Yang stuck the wound in her mouth and focused her Aura on healing it as she handed the sample to the Court Wizard. Farengar dipped a little onto a piece of glass then pressed another on top of it before placing the sample into a device that he gazed into.

"So you have a microscope?" Yang asked in interest.

"That what you call small-lenses in your land? Interesting name." He turned a few knobs on the device and hummed at what he saw beneath the glass. He picked up the remainder of the vial and poured it into a solvent before taking a sort of powder and sprinkling it into the mix. He stirred the substances together and they all watched as it changed from translucent red to opaque black. Farengar hissed in at that and looked over at Yang with a sympathetic glance.

"I'm sorry, girl. Not only is it in deep, but I'm afraid any sort of preventative at this stage won't do anything. Maybe I could make something to hold it back, but there's no guarantee."

"You mean…? But what about the medicine I took! Did it not work? What happened?"

"Well, I'm not an expert on lycanthropy, but I did discuss much of it with a few colleges a time ago. Unlike other afflictions, such as common diseases, or even vampirism, lycanthropy itself doesn't work like a disease. Gives you a sort of weakness to silver, yes, but that's hardly more than an allergy compared to how undead react to contact with the purifying element. Lycanthropy works _with_ the afflicted's body rather than against it, so the way to rid ourselves of it is to poison ourselves. The main ingredient in nearly all lycanthropy treatment is monkshood, or wolfsbane, a very poisonous plant. The other things just make it ingestible, while silver is usually sprinkled in to help combat the lycanthropic infection. However, you've developed a resistance to monkshood. Your body's safeguarding itself is allowing the lycanthropy to take hold."

Yang felt like her very world was darkening and sat down in a chair as she hugged her arms around herself.

' _No! Damn it, no! I wanted choice! I wanted to choose, god damn it!'_

"There's nothing you can do, then?" Kodlak asked the mage.

"To stop it, no. I'm afraid it's outside my area of expertise. Even if I knew someone who might be able to help you, most lycanthropy experts I know of I haven't been in contact with for a very long time. And the absolute best I knew has been missing for months ever since he went to Solstheim." Farengar looked over at Yang and sighed. "Well, there's something one person I know can do, but you'll have to see if he's willing to help."

Kodlak nodded, catching on to what he was saying immediately. "In a case like this, I doubt he'd hesitate." The old Nord went over and patted Yang on her shoulder, catching her attention. He smiled down sadly at her and shook his head. "Let's go home, child. We have a lot to think about."


	20. Celebrations and Ruminations

**I already know what's coming. I embrace the madness to be!**

* * *

Once Blake had found the time, she outfitted M'rissi with some light, leather armor, got her a sword, and a bow with a quiver of steel arrows. She wasn't totally comfortable with letting the girl fight, but there were times where they might not have a choice, so she gave her the best she could without weighing her down.

"She likes this," M'rissi had said as she brushed her fingers over some of the armor. "It's comfortable and light, and doesn't make much noise when she moves."

"Eorlund might make the best steel, but Ulfberth knows his way around leather," Blake agreed. A young Pahmar came up and sniffed at them, but M'rissi hissed at him, causing him to stop in mid-step and let them walk ahead. They had joined up with a caravan coming down from Windhelm and heading towards Riften a little before noon on their second day of traveling, just south of the bridge near Mixwater. It was a separate caravan from the one team RWBY had traveled with, but word about them had spread and so they welcomed Blake with open arms, not at all minding her traveling companion.

"She has a question, Blake?"

"What is it?"

"Why did you not want to tell Yang or M'rissi about your parents? Do you not like them?"

"No, I… I love them very much, but when I was younger, I did something really stupid."

"Well, you do stupid things sometimes, like getting her all wet, but how bad was it?" Blake sighed at the question and moved to avoid answering, but one look at M'rissi's innocent eyes made her reconsider.

"Really, really bad. We… Me and my friends come from another land, a different continent. There my…clan, I suppose, is often mistreated by humans. So, they made an organization to demand equality," M'rissi was quickly enraptured by Blake's story, and some quick side-glances showed that a few others in the caravan were listening intently as well. "My father led them at first. Things started out peacefully, and they usually stepped in to prevent violence, but when my father stepped down, our new leader took a more…violent approach. It wasn't always bloody, but under Sienna, places that refused us service were attacked, racist po- guards were targeted, beaten, their home locations shared, and one particular company that had become infamous for using us as little more than slave labor was often targeted, shipments stolen and mines destroyed. We became something that they feared. My father hated it. I hate it. But back then, I thought it really was the way to go."

"Too much," a masculine voice said, and they turned to see a Cathay with white stripes running through his mahogany fur.

"Too much violence, you mean?" Blake asked for clarification.

"Too much for both of you. Ja'takal heard of your words. Your father was too peaceful, your Sienna is too violent. Too much, either way, that is what he hears."

Blake sighed. "Well, how would you have done it? How could anyone have stopped all of the racism and hate?"

"Everyone must die." At that, Blake paused in her steps, but the elder looked back to her and shook his head. "Not all at once, now. Walk as you speak. We've too much cold road for stalling at surprising words."

Blake walked quickly to catch up while M'rissi looked to Ja'takal with interest. "What do you mean, everyone must die?"

"Exactly that. We grow old, we die. We get stabbed, we die. Our heads get smashed open, we die. Even gods will sometimes use up their spark and perish. But it is not the end, for we will always return, reborn, just as the world shall too when it is time, but that is not his point. For an idea to die, everyone with it must die. Look at the Nords, who are full of hate for the elves and their Thalmor. This hate did not exist years ago, and it will not exist in a hundred years if the fools keep their hate. But hate can be shared, and is often passed down like bad blood. The children will never hate as much as the parents, though. Another hundred years, and the hate will be simmered down. They will not like the elves, but few will know why. After that, some will question their hate, and why they waste it on something they do not know. They will either rekindle it with foolish ideas, or it will die away. A hundred years, and only handfuls will hate, but their hate will mean nothing to the many who feel no hate. He feels sorry for the elves, who may hate much longer if things go badly."

"So you're saying there's nothing we can do but wait for generations to just pass us by."

"You are as stupid as the young one accuses you of being." M'rissi chuckled at that while Blake's ears dropped. "You asked how to stop _all_ of the hate, and Ja'takal told you. What you can do is mitigate, make it smaller. When there can be peace, make peace, but when there must be fighting, then fight and fight hard. Give cheap shots and bite the fingers holding weapons. And the moment your enemies start to fight back, run and leave them confused."

Blake scoffed. "Make peace, fight, and run away. Yeah, that sounds like a stable motto."

"Gzalzi vaberzarita maaszi," the Khajiit suddenly said. M'rissi's ears perked up, but Blake just stared in confusion. "'Absurdity has become necessity.' The Men of your land, they outnumber you?"

"By around eight times," Blake admitted.

"Then tell him, how does the Alfiq bring down the great Senche-raht?"

Blake figured it to be a riddle, but one she didn't really have any background to work with. Alfiq were small, housecat sized Khajiit while the Senche-raht could grow to the size of a mammoth, and that was all she really knew about them.

"I have no idea."

"Think then, think. Look at the Alfiq, see how quickly he moves, how light his steps can be. The Senche-raht is mighty, but he is loud and slow to turn. He must strain to walk quietly upon the sands, while the Alfiq does so with the ease of breath. When the Alfiq jumps upon his back and bites, he can run before the Senche-raht can even move to topple him off. And by the time the great Senche-raht turns, the Alfiq has already run to hide in the bushes. And when he turns away, the Alfiq can strike once again. It may take ten thousand bites, but so long as the Alfiq uses what he has above the Senche-raht, even he too can topple the mighty."

"We're not trying to topple them, though. We're just trying to be treated as equals."

"So did we. And it is working, even when the Dominion hold our land rather than the Empire," the Cathay then chuckled. "This one knows now, you have never read the words of Renrijra Krin. A travesty that must be fixed." The elder ran up to one of the carts and began fiddling around in a sack before pulling out a small book and then handing it over to a surprised Blake. "Read it, and know better. The one who wrote this book was both wiser and more foolish to Ja'takal. It will be perfect for you."

Blake sighed and put the book with her others. "I'll take a look at it. Thank you, for trying to help me."

"Don't thank him unless he has helped. Prove that he had."

* * *

As night closed in the caravan came close to Darkwater River and set up camp just within sight of the bridge. As they prepared meals, tents, and tried to set their watch, M'rissi noticed many of the kittens were gathering at a place where several wolf and bear rugs were placed, an older female Suthay sitting in a chair.

"Huh, looks like story time," Blake guessed, at which M'rissi shot forward and sat behind the children, crossing her legs. The faunus sighed and decided that maybe listening to one story would be a good break for her and M'rissi after walking most of the day, done to give Patches some time to walk without much of a burden.

"Kaasani tells you story now," the elder Khajiit woman announced as she moved down to the rugs and grabbed a nearby basket. "Some of you may have heard the story, but some of you may have not. Can you all keep a secret?" The kittens all began nodding, M'rissi joining in, even the adults watching over their little ones nodded. Kaasani's eyes went to Blake and she nodded as well, deciding to play along.

"Good. Secrets are very important, especially for our story tonight. She tells you the story…about Lorkhaj, of the gods and creation." She set down two large stones, one painted red and black, the other painted white and blue.

"In the beginning there were two littermates, Ahnurr and Fadomai. After many phases, Fadomai said to Ahnurr, "Let us wed and make children to share our happiness.""

Kaasani then took several items out from her basket and set them on the rug before her, a sabercat fang, a piece of cloth, a marble, a necklace, and a strip of leather.

"And they gave birth to Alkosh, the First Cat.

"And they gave birth to Khenarthi, the Winds.

"And they gave birth to Magrus, the Cat's Eye.

"And they gave birth to Mara, the Mother Cat.

"And they gave birth to S'rendarr, the Runt.

"And many phases passed and Ahnurr and Fadomai were happy.

"And Ahnurr said, "We should have more children to share our happiness." And Fadomai agreed." She reached in and took out several cents and began placing them down as she said each name. "And she gave birth to Hermorah. And she gave birth to Hircine. And she gave birth to Merrunz and Mafala and Sangiin and Sheggorath and many others.

"And Ahnurr said, "Two litters is enough, for too many children will steal our happiness."

"But Khenarthi went to Fadomai," she went on as she pulled the piece of cloth close to the black and red rock, "and said, "Fadomai-mother, Khenarthi grows lonely so high above the world where not even my brother Alkosh can fly." Fadomai took pity on her and tricked Ahnurr to make her pregnant again.

"And Fadomai gave birth to the Moons and their Motions," at this Kaasani looked up into the sky, where the two moons were beginning to peak out from the horizon. "And she gave birth to Nirni, the majestic sands and lush forests," she continued as she touched the ground. "And she gave birth to Azurah, the dusk and the dawn.

"And from the beginning, Nirni and Azurah fought for their mother's favor.

"But Ahnurr caught Fadomai while she was still birthing, and he was angry. Ahnurr struck Fadomai and she fled to birth the last of her litter far away in the Great Darkness. Fadomai's children heard what had happened, and they all came to be with her and protect her from Ahnurr's anger.

"And Fadomai gave birth to Lorkhaj, the last of her litter, in the Great Darkness. And the Heart of Lorkhaj was filled with the Great Darkness."

Blake felt her ears twitch and she looked to the side, where a Khajiit in yellow priest robes had come in and was now leaning against a tree, seemingly listening intently to the story. She watched him for a long moment, but couldn't see anything especially different or wrong with him. Deciding it wasn't important and that she was just being skittish, Blake turned back to the storyteller.

"After many phases, Nirni came to Lorkhaj and said, "Lorkhaj, Fadomai told me to give birth to many children, but there is no place for them."

"And Lorkhaj said, "Lorkhaj makes a place for children and Lorkhaj puts you there so you can give birth." But the Heart of Lorkhaj was filled with the Great Darkness, and Lorkhaj tricked his siblings so that they were forced into this new place with Nirni. And many of Fadomai's children escaped and became the stars. And many of Fadomai's children died to make Nirni's path stable. And the survivors stayed and punished Lorkhaj.

"The children of Fadomai tore out the Heart of Lorkhaj and hid it deep within Nirni. And they said, "We curse you, noisy Lorkhaj, to walk Nirni for many phases."

"But Nirni soon forgave Lorkhaj for Nirni could make children. And she filled herself with children."

Blake heard a small sigh of contentment from the odd Khajiit priest.

"He always loves this part," she heard him mutter. Blake thought to question him on what he meant, but when the story was over a moment later and all the adults were getting on their feet, she looked back to see that the odd priest was gone.

"Who was...?" Blake muttered to herself, before feeling a slight tug on her sleeve. Looking down, she M'rissi looking up at her.

"What are you looking at?"

"I... Nothing. Let's go to bed, M'rissi. With any luck, we should get to Riften tomorrow."

* * *

If Whiterun and Solitude were cities, and Riverwood straddled the line between village and town, then Morthal was definitely just a town. It was way too small to be a city, but a good bit larger and more developed than Riverwood. Still, for Ruby it was just a place to spend the night, exchange her old coins, and sell the bundle of pelts the Giants had gifted her. There was definitely some kind of drama brewing between the tavern girl Alva and some woman when she felt like she smiled at her husband too long, but that just seemed to be Alva's em-oh, flirting with patrons in the hope for bigger tips. Such was the life of a waitress, she supposed. Regardless, Ruby and Lydia set off for Ustengrav the morning after they arrived, but only after Lydia got some last minute supplies while Ruby performed other, and in her opinion just as important, activities.

"Thane Ruby," Lydia asked, eyebrow cocked towards an unrepentant Ruby, who herself stood triumphant next to a mound of small bodies, "why are all the children collapsed in an exhausted heap?"

"I play tag for keeps, Lydia."

* * *

Ustengrav turned out to be a series of ups and downs. First Ruby had to worry about the necromancers up front. She was able to take the two down non-lethally without much difficulty, but ended up having to chop apart all of the recently dead bandits they were using as thralls to dig out parts of the ancient tomb. Then came getting through the tomb itself, which turned out to be somewhat fun at first, but quickly became a chore. And of course, there had to be frostbite spiders. They weren't as much fun, except to Lydia, who still found amusement that her charge was scared of the large spiders.

The biggest disappointment though, was when she finally reached the altar that was supposed to hold the Horn, where all she found was a note telling her that someone else had taken it and to meet them in Riverwood. Ruby had let out a long sigh, and then followed it up with another when she realized whoever it was had taken a shortcut to get there.

Still, she'd gone through the tomb and knew where to look, and now she'd learned even more dragon words, despite the fact that many of them were exactly the same as the last Word Wall, but most importantly, she learned _fade_.

Like the other Word Walls, she learned that particular word quickly and was able to use it in a Shout. She freaked out for a moment when she realized she'd taken up a ghostly continence, but then started to have fun with it, something she had been doing for the past half hour and made all the other disappointments worth it.

"Look, Lydia!" she called out before running up to the top of a cliff and then falling off of it. Before she hit the bottom, she Shouted, " **Feim!** " and touched the ground without so much as disturbing a blade of grass or mote of dust. She turned back into tangibility, beaming, while Lydia came up to her Thane with a sigh.

"I do wish you wouldn't do that. You could mistime it, and end up hurting yourself, or worse."

"Don't worry, Lyd. Besides, I think I'm done playing around for right now." Ruby hopped onto Chocolate Hooves and began heading forwards, with Lydia jumping onto her Summer Breeze to follow. "Think of it this way, it's good that I get used to using that Shout, because something as useful as becoming totally intangible could really save my skin one day."

"That…is true, I suppose," Lydia reluctantly agreed, eyeing her charge wearily.

"Besides, I've fallen off of way higher cliffs before and turned up okay without being able to go ghostly." She pulled up her map and looked to where they were headed. "So, next stop is Solitude. We'll get directions there for the Kilkreath Temple, and figure out just what Meridia wants done. Oh, the caravan should be at Solitude! You ever met them?! They're such nice people!"

"Once or twice. Never really…had much to say to them."

"Well, you'll like them! Weiss really loved the kittens. There was this one that kept trying to climb onto Blake's head. It was adorable!"

"I'm sure it was." Lydia imagined the scene and agreed.

* * *

Traveling up to Solitude took most of the day, with them reaching the city later in the afternoon. Ruby decided that the best place to go first would be the Bards' College, as if there was one place that could figure out what to do with the book she found, it was a college. Finding it was fairly simple, as there were several decorations around the place, but for some reason the people there didn't appear to be in high spirits at all. Most actually seemed disappointed about something.

Ruby walked into the building mostly unhindered. A tired looking high elf with an oddly tied beard took notice of her though, and came her way.

"Welcome to the Bards' College of Solitude, home of the arts here in Skyrim. I'm Headmaster Viarmo. If you came for the festival, I'm afraid it's…been put on hold."

"Oh geez, was there another holiday? Lydia, you gotta remember to remind me of this stuff." She smiled back at the mer. "Sorry, I just haven't kept track well while on the road. There are monks on a mountain who keep up with the dates better than me."

"Ah, so what brings you to our College?" Viarmo asked, tiredness turning into curiosity.

"Actually, I was bringing something by here because I figured it was the best place for it." She reached into her sack and pulled out the old book carefully. "See, we came by a ghost, who led us to his body and his book, and then we fought his enemy, who was a draugr, to help him get revenge. Here's the book he wrote way back when he was alive."

The high elf had his eyebrow raised as Ruby recounted the story, but took the item into his hands either way. "Thank you. That's actually a very interesting… Wait, this… This is King Olaf's Verse! The missing part of the Poetic Edda! This… This is exactly what I needed to convince Jarl Elisif to let the Burning of King Olaf Festival to commence!"

"Huh," Ruby got out as she thought the situation over. "That's really…coincindental. Weird. Wait, wasn't Olaf what Svaknir's ghost called the draugr?" she asked her housecarl.

"I believe so, my Thane."

"Thane?"

"Yeah, I'm a Thane of Whiterun." Viarmo's eyes squinted at Ruby's declaration, before suddenly widening in realization.

"Red cloak and… You're the Red Dragonslayer?! My day has truly been turned around!" Joyous, he opened up the book and began reading. "I can't wait…to… Oh no. It's… It's damaged. It's aged to the point that parts of it are completely unreadable. And that parts that are readable… Well, bardic verse has come a long way since ancient times."

"Oh…" Ruby mumbled sadly. "From the way you were talking, there's no real way to fill the spaces, huh?"

"No. In fact, this may be the very last copy of King Olaf's Verse. And it's half gone." The high elf hung his head in shame, causing Ruby's heart to swell.

"Well, what if…" Ruby felt something tingling in the back of her mind. "What if we filled in the blanks with bits we make up?"

"Make up?" Viarmo looked up at her in surprise. "That doesn't seem appropriate…"

"Maybe not, but the Jarl wants to cancel a whole holiday. That doesn't seem appropriate to me either. And if it really is the last one, then you might never get it back anyways. I can do some pretty neat stuff, but going back in time is not one of them." Ruby frowned. "Besides, I saw how sad some people were coming in. A whole city shouldn't be depressed when they're supposed to be celebrating." Viarmo stroked his beard in thought before nodding.

"Yes, you're right. Well, I suppose I could fill in the blanks by copying his style based on what's here, but I have no idea what happened between these verses."

"Well, maybe I can help. Literature class was one of my best after combat and smithing."

"I…tremble to imagine what school you learned at." He looked back into the book and began carefully reading the old, worn words. "'O, Olaf, our subjugator, the one-eye betrayer, death-dealing demon and dragon-killing King. Your legend is lies, lurid and false; your cunning capture of Numinex, a con for the ages.' King Olaf was Olaf One-Eye?"

"The guy who trapped Numinex in Dragonsreach?" Ruby wondered aloud. "Well, the draugr did Shout, but going by this, he…didn't capture him, or he didn't do it the way people said? Lydia, how do people usually tell it?"

"They say he fought the dragon for days and then brought it back in chains, but knowing now what we do about dragons…"

"I can't see anyone catching a dragon unless they had a really big trap or snuck up on it in its sleep." She snapped her fingers. "Hey, that sounds about right. Nords found the whole sneaky thing to be dishonorable, especially back then, right?"

"Ah, yes, that does make sense! Paints him in a bad light for traditionalists. Let's see, next part I can read. 'Olaf grabbed power, by promise and threat; From Falkreath to Winterhold, they fell to their knees; But Solitude stood strong, Skyrim's truest protectors. Olaf's vengeance was instant, inspired, and wicked.' Strange, according to history, Solitude attacked Winterhold, but here it's saying that Olaf reacted."

"Well, we're already saying he's a liar and the sneaky sort. Maybe he…? Ooh, maybe he ordered his men to attack Solitude disguised as Winterhold soldiers, but there was a mix up!"

"Ha ha! And then they got the orders reversed! Oh, the Court will love that. Okay, just give me a minute to write it down, and then we can head up to The Blue Palace. This is certain to convince the Jarl to let the celebrations go on!"

* * *

While Viarmo went to make his case, Ruby and Lydia took the time to clean up from the road. When they came back out from the Winking Skeever's baths, streamers had been quickly set up, and vendors had prepared themselves with food and gifts to give and sell. Ruby's eyes locked onto a table practically decorated with different kinds of candies and pastries.

"Is that taffy?" she drooled, hovering over the stand.

"My own recipe!" the man proudly boasted. "Would you like to try it?"

"Would I?" Ruby picked up a piece of the sweet and started chewing, the sticky candy forcing her jaw to go slowly. "Oh wow," she got out around the taffy. "It's pretty strong! Is it apple flavored?"

"Yep, some of the strongest taffy you'll ever find. Heard more than one story about a child getting his tooth pulled out by it." The candy maker laughed at that, but Ruby felt a little bit of dread. Seeing as her charge was a bit frightened, Lydia gestured to where she saw Viarmo standing.

"Why don't we see if the headmaster has anything to say?"

"Oh, good idea, Lyd," Ruby said around her treat before swallowing. "Hope Saktir doesn't mind the editing in the afterlife."

"Svaknir," she idle-mindedly corrected, at this point used to her charge's frequent mispronunciations. The two passed by several beaming children, including an array of Khajiit kittens following their elders, all of whom were enjoying little festival games and treats to their hearts' content. Apparently a lot of vendors were giving snacks to the little ones for free or as prizes. They came up to the Altmer, who smiled brightly while holding up a torch.

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done," he greeted Ruby. "King Olaf's Verse was just what we needed to open the Jarl's eyes. Took away all of the false parallels she thought up and put together the real contrast. I didn't ask before, but now I have to, is there any way at all that thee Bard's College can repay you?"

"Well…" Ruby hesitated as she thought it over. "I guess I've always wanted to learn how to play the harp…, and the violin…, and maybe the lute?"

"So a little training, heh?" the headmaster laughed. "We can do all of that and more my dear, but for now, let's go set a king's effigy on fire."

"Free candy, games, and we get to set stuff on fire? This is the best!" Ruby eyes wandered over at what looked like green bottles with a label and several filled cups. Curious, she picked up one of the pewter cups and took a sip, finding the drink to be a sort of wine with some interesting, seasonal tones. "Ooh, nice!"

* * *

Yang rubbed her wrists as she looked at her hands. Her nails had grown a little more over the course of the day, and she could almost swear her canines were growing longer and sharper. Wearing a set of old clothes she got for cheap from Belethor's, she walked down the tunnel into the Underforge. There, the five Companions of the Circle waited, Aela in the form of a werewolf. Kodlak and Vilkas held a grim look, while Skjor seemed have a sad smile. Fakas' expression was mostly neutral, but from his eyes Yang could see a bit of worry. The only light came from a single lantern in Kodlak's hands and the holes in the back, which allowed the moonlight to flow in, focused on an old bowl set upon several stones leaning against each other like a pedestal. Kodlak walked forward and nodded.

"Tonight, we welcome you, Sister Yang, into the ranks few ever reach. We have considered for a long time to allow you join the Circle, and while we would have preferred to wait a little longer yet, your circumstances had pushed you forward yet again. You are deserving of this title. Aela has offered to be your forebear in this." Kodlak beckoned towards Aela, who nodded with a grunt.

Skjor then pulled out a dagger while Aela outstretched her clawed hand over the bowl. He took careful hold of her wrist, and then cut open her palm, allowing blood to flow out and fill it quickly. As the last drop fell, Skjor released her wrist and they both backed away. The Companions' expectant gazes directed at her, Yang walked forward and looked down into the bloody fountain, seeing her reflection in the liquid. She nearly gasped when she saw how her pupils had changed shape, closer now to that of a cat. She gulped as her mind sped up, thinking over everything.

She would either change tonight or tomorrow night. It usually took three days for any lycanthropy strain to take hold, and she was dangerously close to that timeframe. If she changed into a werelion, she could be just as out of control as the one she fought, or even like the werebear. In the event she did keep control, it would be a constant battle with a part of her that didn't want to be in the cold, would want to join a pride, and possibly even feel subservient towards a male werelion if she ever ran across one. The idea sickened her, and all of the uncontrollable feelings would constantly clash with what she wanted in life and what she needed to do.

On the other hand, she could choose to become a werewolf like the Circle. Kodlak told her that, at this stage of the infection, the werelion strain could be overridden by a more potent werewolf strain, like that of the Circle. Although reluctant, he quickly extended an offer. The alternative, he said, was much worse, which Yang could only agree with. She'd still have bestial emotions cropping up, but she'd also have people to fall back on and seek advice from. The beast part of her would have a pack, and be as settled as any other member of the Circle. Even if it was the better choice, it wasn't something she wanted to do lightly, and now that choice was forced onto her. She sighed and looked back up at them one last time before she reached into the bloody fountain, scooped up a handful of the sticky, red liquid, put her palm up to her lips, and then tilted back as she drank it down. She had to force herself to hold back any retching she might have done, but that feeling quickly passed as a new sensation emerged.

Clutching her stomach, she felt something flow through her, spreading out from her throat and her gut, working its way in every direction outwards to reach every extremity, muscle, vein, and nerve in her body. She felt like her jaw was being pulled forward by some sadistic dentist. Her muscles seemed to stretch themselves taut and then stretched even more. Her bones seemed to twist within her as they lengthened. Her vision started going in and out as she tried to back up, only to find she couldn't stand on her own feet. She stumbled forward and tried to scream, but all that came forth was a howl.

* * *

She walked forward, sniffing the air. She wasn't in a safe place. There could be enemies here. Prey, but enemies too. She started to lick her paw, cleaning it before she went forward, around the structure and then down the stairs on the hill. Something was coming by. She couldn't hide, it was too late. The yellow thing was holding fire as it came, and it froze in fear when it saw her. She snarled and readied to pounce upon her prey. It began reaching for a weapon and shouted out, but she was already in the air and about the land on it. Her paws caught against its arms and pinned it to the ground. She was about to gorge herself when something in her mind stopped her.

' _Stop! Stop!'_

Why would she stop? She had captured prey right in front of her. Prey was caught, killed, and then eaten, in that order. It was time for the second step, quickly followed by the third.

' _Not prey! He's not prey!_

She looked at the small, whimpering, yellow thing, the hard piece on its head having come off when she pounced it. If it was not prey, then what could such a squabbling little thing possibly be?

' _Friend.'_

The idea of a friend wasn't quite there. She knew there were siblings, pack mates, and actual mates. This thing wasn't worthy of being a mate, and she couldn't- No, there was a time when she hunted with this. They hunted something big together, with several other yellow things. She remembered…what friends were, what allies were. He…was an ally.

She looked back down and licked the guards face before taking off, heading to where she remembered the exit to the place was. Here wasn't safe for some reason, so she would go where it was safe. There also wasn't anything to hunt, so she would go where there was prey.

She leapt over the gate, going past surprised guards before hopping down and then speeding towards the trees she saw in the distance. Her golden fur shined in the moonlight as she howled. Her pack mates howled back and she felt joy. Soon, she was joined by her darker-furred pack and they were all running together. Lithe-Female-Hunter Aela. Strong-Male-One-eye Skjor. Bigger-Male-Twin Farkas. Quicker-Male-Twin Vilkas. Leader-Male-Elder Kodlak.

As she remembered their names her own name came to the forefront of her mind. Yang. She was Yang, and she was going out hunting with her Shield-Siblings-Pack. She nearly killed a guard but didn't. Instead she lick-kissed him as an apology.

' _Wait, no! That wasn't a kiss! That was a totally platonic doggy li- Oh god that sounds just as- Is that deer?'_

The moment she picked up the scent of nearby prey, Kodlak howled deeply, and then Aela took up the front, sniffing up into the air. Soon they were all following the scent and going through the trees quickly and quietly. Suddenly they shot up, and the pack took down a pair of bucks and a doe. The twins ripped theirs in half and began feasting while Skjor and Aela tore one apart and gorged on it. Yang pulled at hers clumsily, new to this way of eating, before Kodlak started biting the animal apart, leaving chunks for her to easily eat up. A little calmer, but not fully sated, Yang looked towards her companions and let out a small whimper.

" _We're going for more soon, pup,"_ Skjor _said_ to her. _"Take a moment. Who are you?"_

" _I'm Yang,"_ she answered clearly. _"Wait, how are we talking right now?"_

" _Technically, we're not,"_ Kodlak explained. _"We're speaking through the actual voices of werewolves. Like this, we could even speak to the wolves of the forest, though they'd sound rudimentary to us. I'm glad to see you got a hold of yourself quickly. We were worried when you went out the front."_

" _Should have shown her the back way before we started,"_ Vilkas complained as he cleaned his palms.

" _Glad you got your head on straight,"_ Farkas told her with a nod. _"Nice fur. Matches your hair."_

Yang took a closer look at herself and noticed that, indeed, her fur color matched with her human hair. Her claws also looked a bit thicker than the other werewolves, but she figured it to be just something about herself. She went to sniffing around the bloody spot where they had just taken down their prey, her mouth salivating at the thought of bringing down another kill.

" _Up for another hunt, sister?"_ Aela asked.

" _Hah! I could go all night!"_

* * *

Unlike Whiterun, Riften did allow the Khajiiti caravaneers to come into the city, though they limited how many came in at a time. Blake had no trouble going in, as the guards seemed afraid of her this time, and M'rissi stuck close to her as they headed to the Bee and Barb.

"Do you think we could go to the lake, and you could catch her many fishies?" M'rissi asked innocently.

"Maybe. We could fish right off the docks if you really want, I suppose. We'd have to get a fishing rod, though."

"She loves the sound of that!" M'rissi's ears suddenly perked up and she looked up to the palace sitting at the back of the city. She seemed to shrug it off though, and followed her traveling companion into the inn. "Can we have a fish for dinner?"

"Sure. Keerava makes some good grilled fish. And I tried out the Lakeside Menagerie last time I was here. You'll love it."

"Ooh, does it have lots of fishies?"

"Yep. Every kind."

"Mreow! She wants it!" M'rissi declared with sparkling eyes.

* * *

When the young Khajiit girl was finally tucked asleep that night, Blake managed to sneak out of their room and head towards the Riften Cemetery. Just outside of the fence, Brynjolf leaned next to the gate, flipping a coin idly. Blake came up to him and cleared her throat, catching his attention.

"Well, well, looks like you came back, lass. Was afraid I was never going to see you again after seeing that note you left. You just ran and disappeared. Then we started catching rumors about a black-haired beauty slaying the entirety of the Dark Brotherhood, and a couple about a Khajiit killing the Brotherhood's leader. We could barely believe it. Then a missing off-and-on client returns and lets anyone associated with him know about a favor owed to a 'black-haired, cat-eared Ohmes Khajiit' and I knew it was you. Let me tell ya, Maven was in quite a fit when that particular rival returned to the fore. But, that just means more business for us."

"I guess I've done you a little favor then," she acquiesced with a nod. "I'm in need of a favor myself. I'll cut to it; I want to make sure the Dark Brotherhood's gone, completely. I can't risk them ever coming back up for revenge, not even a little. So, if you think I can help you and your outfit, I will, but I want information with my pay."

"Hm, I think we could work something out," Brynjolf nodded, rubbing his chin. "Still, can't just take you on all willy-nilly. Gotta prove you can do the job right, see. Butchering a dozen and a half assassins is impressive, but that doesn't tell me if you can take a ring from a pocket. We aren't in the business of killing, lass. It's bad for our kind of business, in fact."

"Well, maybe I could just pay the entrance fee."

Brynjolf laughed and slapped one knee. "A fee? Call me curious, but I'd have to know what you think would be the 'fee' for entering?"

"How about all of the coin I swiped from you?"

The thief went quiet for a moment then started patting his pockets and looked around his person for something. As he did, Blake held up a small sack and jangled it, catching his attention. As he eyed his stolen coin purse, the Nord's face went from shocked to smiling deviously.

"All right then, color me impressed. I'd say you passed."

* * *

After a night of celebration Ruby woke up to the morning light and headed out. Lydia would making sure they were ready for the trip to the Kilkreath Temple while Ruby searched for the Argonian who had given them the mission that started essentially everything for them, five amulets in her satchel, and a few questions in her mind.

"A horn on his nose?" Vittoria Vici wondered as she drummed her fingers on the top of her counter. "Ah, yes. He works with the fishermen. In fact, he should be swimming up in just a moment. One of their best catchers, though that's only to be expected."

"He's a fisherman?" Ruby asked, wondering how someone with that sort of career could hope to pay 'in gold'.

"Well, Argonians can breathe underwater and see through it as clearly as we see through the air, so he has an advantage."

"Oh," she muttered as she looked to where men with nets and several smaller boats were gathered. "Thank you Miss Vici."

She walked over to the working men, trying to find one a little more relaxed to keep from getting in their way. She caught on to one Redguard wrapping a rope around his hand and elbow. The Huntress approached him and cleared her throat, catching the boatman's attention.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for an Argonian. Blueish with a dark grey neck. Two horns on his head, one on his nose. Think he had fins on the sides."

"Horn on his nose? Sounds like Chakus. Who's asking?"

"I did a favor for him. Just trying to find him to finish it up."

"Wait… Oh, I see! So it wasn't just the gossip. Well, he should be coming up in a moment. In fact, I think I see him swimming up right now."

The Reguard pointed over towards the open water, and Ruby followed to see a figure swimming under the surface similar to a crocodile, an even larger object being dragged in behind it. The shape came up to the docks and a scaly hand shot up and grabbed on before pulling up the Argonian they'd met on their first day in Skyrim. He handed off a net to one of his fellows, who began pulling it up with other fishermen assisting as more and more net was drawn up. Soon a large net full of fish was up on this part of the docks and the men were sorting through them, throwing them all into barrels with similar kinds. Even a few crabs were taken out and stuck into a crate. The Argonian himself went to take a seat and catch his breath. Ruby approached and he saw her, at first surprised, but then a genuine smile covered his face.

"You're back," he said happily when she came close. "I was worried for a time, but after a mercenary I sent after you came back to tell me the cave was emptied and-"

"Did you know about the vampire?" Ruby cut him off, recalling everything her partner and friend had been through because of that cave. Chakus' smile went away, replaced by something close to sorrow.

"…I did. But believe me, it wasn't my intention to-" He was cut off again, this time by Ruby's hand slapping against the side of his face. A few people looked their way, but the Argonian waved them away while rubbing the side of his face.

"I deserve that," he admitted with a sigh. "I know now I shouldn't have lied, but will you at least hear me out?"

"What? What could you possibly say that could make this right?" Ruby angrily growled, and Chakus sighed in resignation.

"The vampire, his name was Aargin. He wasn't a regular vampire, though I don't know the specifics about him." Chakus scooped up a fish that flopped over to them and tossed it back to the others. "My brother was a vampire hunter. A professional vampire hunter." Ruby felt herself loosened up a bit at that, fearing that she knew right where this was going. "Argonians like us are resistant to nearly all forms of disease. It would take an exceptionally careless one to become infected and turn into a vampire. Most people won't hunt a vampire unless they're confident in themselves and their ability. Even some of the strongest will avoid fighting them out of fear of being infected even if they should win. He studied nearly every strain of vampirism and had every kind of deterrent and weakness you could imagine to combat them. My brother...he was one of the best. Killed dozens of vampires over the years," Chakus sighed and put his hands to his hips. "Aargin was a particularly troublesome mark. He tracked him through Cyrodiil, Valenwood, back up and through Argonia, and then all the way to here. He was…different. My brother thought he had some special ability. He seemed to be consuming other vampires from different clans to gain in power.

"When they last confronted each other, my brother managed to gravely wound him with blessed silver arrows, a garlic infused stake, and a sunlight enchanted dagger. He lost much of his stolen power, but he ended up killing my brother. I couldn't save him, but I managed to track down the vampire, hiding in that cave. I'm no fighter though, so I tried to pay mercenaries to oust him. Almost no one would go though, and then he started feeding on others in the surrounding area. So…I made up a tale about the bandits. But then everyone I was sending was being killed as well. I was…beginning to lose hope. It felt like I was feeding my brother's killer rather than getting my revenge. I tried to make things better, only hiring the most sordid mercenaries, putting in a request in with the Companions. Nothing…was working."

Chakus looked downwards in shame. "When I saw you all, I was desperate. The four of you looked young, but also like you could handle yourselves in a fight just from the way you all held yourselves. I put on that whole show, figuring you all came from Roscrea, Falskaar, or one of the islands in the Northern Padomaic Ocean and would be short of coin. It was more than I could have hoped, but when I didn't hear back from you, I thought I had sent four girls to their deaths. But when the next man I sent came back complaining that the cave was emptied, only dead frostbite spiders and a dead vampire corpse, I… I was so happy. I was still a little worried about you four, but then the tales started spreading about the Four Dragonslayers, clothed in red, white, black, and yellow. It was…unbelievable."

Ruby took in the Argonian's story, a part of her still greatly upset about what had happened thanks to the misinformation they were working off of, but the deeper part of her feeling a stinging sort of sympathy for him and his situation.

"How long ago was it? How long ago did he kill your brother?"

"It was…the Twenty-second of Sun's Dawn."

"You did this for almost half a year, trying to get someone to kill the vampire that killed him and was killing others." Ruby took in a deep breath, hearing a part of her that wanted to set him aflame or strangle his throat. She released her breath and slumped. "A friend of mine was hurt, but we're all still alive. I'm mad at you, but…I can't stay mad forever."

Chakus nodded in understanding, a little less depressed looking, but still saddened by his own actions.

"It's more than I deserve. I may not ever be able to repay you, but I did promise to pay you and your friends for your efforts. If you're willing to wait a moment, I'll let my supervisor know and we can go up and transfer the sum at the bank."

"I… All right." Ruby reached into her satchel and pulled up the five amulets they had held onto that whole time. "I suppose none of these are yours then."

He managed a small mile and shook his head. "No. You keep them."

* * *

When Blake woke up, she was first annoyed by the shredded pillow and pile of feathers, but then shot up when she realized M'rissi wasn't present at all. She quickly got dressed and shot out of the inn looking for her wayward charge. She tried to question a few guards, but of the few that would give her their time (and that mostly from fear of her spreading reputation) hadn't seen her. Finally though, an Argonian running one of the market stalls waved her over when he overheard her questioning yet another guard that hadn't seen anything.

"Looking for your friend?" he asked. "I saw her headed up to the palace, but I think she went down towards the prisons."

"What? Why would she go there?"

"Who knows? Maybe she was interested in seeing someone? You know her better than me, I assume."

Blake huffed, but then noticed the Argonian's wares. On his counter were several rings, bracelets, necklaces, piercings, and other jeweled accessories.

"So, you're a jeweler, right?"

"Yes, I am. Sadly, I fear I'm one of the few traditional Saxhleel jewelers remaining."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What's…a Saxhleel jeweler exactly?"

He laughed, though his face didn't change much aside from his eyes. "Forgive me. It's a term I haven't used in some time. While most in Tamriel call my kind Argonians, we prefer the term Saxhleel."

"Oh, wow, I wasn't aware of that. I just figured…that was all you were called."

"It's understandable. Since the Thrassian Plague wiped out the Kothringi and the Lilmothiit, only the Saxhleel have ever truly populated the Black Marsh, which the first men to find it called Argonia. Even before then, my kind were to only ones to leave and be known to the outside world. The term simply stuck, and it's been that way since the First Era."

"That's actually pretty interesting," Blake mused. "Unfortunately, I can't stick around to talk. My friend has a ring though. Maybe you could take a look at it and figure out some things about it?"

"No promises, but I'll do what I can. Stay safe, land-strider."

Blake headed up to the stairs and then to the side, where the entrance to the prison was. As she went down to where the cells were, a guard sitting just in front of a door stood in her way.

"What business have you in the Riften Jails?" he asked, seemingly tired and annoyed.

"A friend of mine came through here. Young Khajiit?"

"You'll have to be more specific than… Know what, I don't care anymore. Go ahead and get your friend." He opened the door and Blake walked on through, wondering what he meant by her needing to be more specific. As she passed by the table in the next room, though, she couldn't help but notice a folded piece of paper with 'Crazy Khajiit' written on it in big letters. Wondering if it was what she feared, she opened the paper and read it.

 _Important!_

 _The crazy Khajiit in Cell One is not to be disturbed. He paid us good money for that cage so don't go bothering him._

Immediately Blake knew it wasn't talking about her friend, but at the same time she felt curious about just what this note was talking about, so she continued to read.

 _If he's still there in a month I think we should try to enforce a little rent increase. I doubt we'll get the chance though. You've all seen the way he looks. Won't be surprised if he tries to end his own life soon. If you see him in a particularly suicidal mood get in there and stop him. He's been using the key we gave him, so if you need to get in there in a hurry use the spare in the broken strongbox on top of the fireplace. A dead man can't pay rent!_

 _Warden Norton._

Blake sneered in disgust at the warden's attitude towards the apparently suicidal Khajiit and then went over to the fireplace she saw off to the side. With no one there to see her she opened up the iron strongbox atop the fireplace and plucked the key out and headed in to see M'rissi standing right in front of the first cell, watching whatever was within curiously. Blake walked up, ready to scold her, but was distracted when she saw a Khajiit man with seemingly blue fur and two sets of clawed scars on his snout sitting in nothing but his underwear looking intently at a dragonfly in a jar.

"You like it in there, Mr. Dragonfly, don't you. I hope you have enough air," he said to the insect.

"Blake, do people often speak with bugs?" M'rissi asked her. "He has had a few conversations with Mr. Dragonfly, but only one with M'rissi. And it was short."

"No, it's not normal, but…"

"You there," the Khajiit called out to Blake. "You…are the one. The Black Dragonslayer? The Brotherhood's Bane? Shadowkiller? Blake Belladonna?"

"Wait, how do you…know my name?" the faunus asked, slightly frightened and intrigued by the madman.

"It was Ralof who told me about you, and the other three. You all went through Helgen after the dragon destroyed it," the Khajiit answered. "Tell me…did you see someone there? A Nord man, with hair as black as yours, and amber eyes?"

Blake shook her head. "No, the place was completely abandoned. Only burnt houses and charred corpses."

"I see. Then it is true. He is gone. I'll never get the chance to…" The Khajiit sighed. "What can I do now, Mr. Dragonfly? It seems that all of that time waiting was wasted."

M'rissi made a whimpering noise. "He is so sad, Blake." Sympathy rising in her, Blake sighed and moved closer to the bars, grasping one with her hand.

"Hey, what exactly are you doing here?" Blake asked. "And why did Ralof visit you?"

"He…did it for my friend. Or at least, the one who thought me his so-called friend. I tried to kill him some time ago, but I failed. He was coming to find me, but first Imperials found him, then a dragon. As though the world sentenced him to doom. He had time to pass a letter to Ralof, one meant for me, and the Stormcloak honorably passed it to me just after I came here. He… My friend said he was not overly angry. That I would need to repay him, but then he made it sound like getting clean and stopping my skooma habits were a way to repay him. How can a person so kind-hearted be so hounded by the very turning of the world?" The Khajiit placed his face into his hands and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry, I was getting emotional. I know your names, but you do not know mine. I am Inigo. Please, can you do me a favor and end my misery?"

" _He admitted freely to trying to murder his friend."_

"Why did you try to kill him? And how did you know you failed?"

"We were doing a job together. A Lord Dupan hired us to kill his brothers. He…believed Dupan when he said they were evil. Kind, heroic, and resourceful he was. But, not so smart. I was in it for the coin. With the brothers dead, Dupan would inherit a great fortune and promised much gold in return. Before we left, Dupan told me that if only one of us returned from our mission, that one would get the other's reward also." The Khajiit looked a little ashamed as he continued on. "I…was hooked on skooma at the time, and I had a bit of a debt problem so…"

"You tried to kill him for his reward," M'rissi guessed.

"I tried. That is what matters. It was not an easy choice. I only knew him for a short time, but I had come to like and respect him for who he was. We got on well and fought bravely side by side. I threw that all away for gold and skooma."

"And did you get it?" Blake asked, feeling like they were getting to the part where Inigo was duped as well.

"No. Dupan was murdered by his sister before I made it back to the keep," he explained, surprising Blake with the twist. "Our deal died with him. Money is an evil like no other, my friends."

"You _were_ hooked on skooma?" Blake had heard of the drug. It sounded almost like Flower Dust or Angel Dust back on Remnant, only in a liquid form.

"I am done with the stuff," he declared. "I want to die with my senses intact. Please, if you're going to kill me, do it now. I am ready."

" _He is ready."_

Blake took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, pushing the words of the Blade away from her mind. Looking at herself, she sorted through her own thoughts and feelings and locked onto them tightly.

"No," she finalized. "You wanna make up for what you did?"

"How… How could I ever make it right?"

"Your friend was willing to try again, and so should you," Blake declared. "Besides, one of my friends, the Red Dragonslayer, she's something special. She's our leader, and she decided that we're going to kill that dragon that burned Helgen. The same one that killed your friend. Get revenge for your friend, and help us take down the one that stole him from you."

The blue-furred Khajiit looked down at his hands as he curled them up tightly. He suddenly sprung up to his feet nodding.

"I am ready! Damned dragon thinks he can kill my friend before he has the chance to kill me?! I'll show him!" He made for the cell door, but then paused. "First, I will clothe. Second, revenge." He went over to the trunk sitting in the side of his cell and opened it before taking out some clothes and pieces of armor.

"Just so we're clear," Blake told M'rissi, "this is all your fault."

The Khajiit girl leaned her head to the side. "How is this her fault? You were the one doing the talking. M'rissi only wanted to help."

"Well, we helped," Blake pointed out as Inigo literally jumped into a pair of pants. "Well done."


	21. From Dusk until Dawnbreaker

**All righty then folkses! Here's Chapter 19!**

* * *

Weiss watched with anticipation as she carefully filled the vial with a simple healing potion. She held her breath and slowly began to smile, and then the repaired cracks shattered out, letting the potion leak all over the table. She sighed in frustration and opened her scroll to type into her notepad document.

 _Enchanted ice: failed. I'm beginning to think there may be no way for me to repair the White Phial._

"Having some trouble, Apprentice Weiss?"

The mage student turned to see Archmage Savos standing behind her, looking over her most recent failure. He held his chin as he looked over the cracked container with interest.

"Yes sir. I can't for the life of me get anything to work with repairing this old thing. I've tried several different kinds of glass, with different kinds of enchantments each time. I tried ice just to see if it was feasible. I even tried to stoppering the cracks with clay. Every time, the material breaks apart, usually in a near violent manner."

"Well, what was the original material?"

"Going by the legend I was told, snow."

He raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh, what legend?"

"An alchemist in Windhelm named Nurelion told me it's called the White Phial. By his telling, an alchemist from antiquity made it from the first snows to fall on the Throat of the World."

"The very peak then? Well, I can't help you there, I'm afraid. Only the Greybeards ever go to the Throat."

Weiss groaned. "Just as well then. I'll just have to deliver it back to Nurelion as it is and hope he understands. If you don't mind me asking, Archmage, what are you doing in the labs? Did you need something for study? I'd be happy to help, of course."

"Actually, I was hoping you could join me in the library. I have a request to make of you and the others."

"Oh, of course, sir. Let me just clean up this mess real…"

Weiss watched with fascination as Savos waved his hands over the spilled potion and the pieces of ice, gathering the two things in the air with an invisible grip, and then deposited them into an empty bottle and a bowl, respectively.

"Oh, wow," Weiss muttered. "You have such good control. My telekinesis attempts always end up being either struggles to make something move slowly, or launching them at the speed of sound."

"As you gain in experience, you'll learn to be more precise and fluid in your control. Come now, grab your artifact and follow me."

Weiss packed away the White Phial and followed the headmaster equivalent to the Arcanaeum, better known simply as the library. Within the massive room of knowledge, Weiss saw her three friends standing to attention before Urag gro-Shub, the Orsimer librarian. While librarian was probably the last occupation anyone would've expected for an orc, this one took his job very seriously and did well at it on top of that. Weiss once saw him come after a student who had kept a book over the time limit and nearly scare the poor man into a sobbing mess. They all looked to the two as they came in and joined the group's circle.

"Well, as you all know, we've been doing our best to research the giant orb that you all discovered under Saarthal, and we may be on to something, finally. However, we've come across a small problem," the Archmage explained.

"It's a bit more than that," Urag growled. "Three of the books we need to hopefully tell us enough information about what the object is were stolen. Just before you joined, in fact," he said while pointing at Weiss. "Some students decided they didn't like being in a school setting, almost like they expected it to be nothing but free room and board while they used up our resources for whatever research they felt like, so they left. That's not a problem. Idiots leave all the time. The problem was they stole several things on their way out, including those books." At this Urag huffed out through his nose, a low, angry sound resonating from him.

"J'zargo sees," the Khajiit student mused as he twirled a few of his whiskers around a finger. "You wish for us to retrieve these books, yes?"

"Essentially, that's what we're asking," Savos confessed. "However, this could be dangerous, as they've gone to Fellglow Keep. Not much is known about this location, other than that a group of rogue mages have had it taken over for a time now. The former students likely thought to join up with them. Now the books are in their possession. I understand if you don't wish to take on this task, but we aren't having you do this for nothing. All of you are in the top ranks of your classes, with the exception of Onmund's skill in Destruction and Weiss' in the healing branch of Restoration, and we've been thinking of having you all take the test of being raised up to journeyman level. However, should you succeed in retrieving the lost books, we'll raise you all."

The four students looked to each other, Weiss and J'zargo immediately smiling, with Brelyna adding in her own smirk a moment later and Onmund giving a slight grin.

"I accept," Weiss declared.

* * *

Nishgala struggled against her binds, but it was no use. Her prepubescent muscles simply did not contain the strength needed to break free from the leather holding her in place on the bloody altar. Surrounding her were several of the bloody-faced cultists, looking at her in anticipation as their leader sharpened her flaying knives. She knew what was coming. Just like they had done to her brothers, they were going to eat her. She saw as they skinned the two orc warriors alive, slowly, and then started cutting them apart and eating the pieces as they did, her brothers not dying until halfway through the cannibals' meals. Now they were preparing for her, and she was beyond frightened to death about what was to come.

She was no stranger to pain. Every orc child had tussled a little too hard with their siblings at least a handful of times as they grew. But the idea of the sort of pain these revulsion loving cultists could visit upon her filled her with dread that had been growing since they dragged her and her elder brothers here, to this camp littered with mortal bones and tapestries made from their skins. Still, a part of her yelled at the rest -mostly in the voice of her father- that she needed to stay strong. Malacath wouldn't take in an orc who cowed at their death, but even a helpless one that stared death right in the eye without batting a lash would be welcomed. She was determined to face it bravely, at the very least.

Then the yelling started, and the sound that she'd grown to learn was the tearing of flesh and breaking of bones began resounding out from the edge of the Namiran camp. The ones that had been readying themselves for dinner began standing up, looking in the direction that the screams came from. Then a howl echoed out and a man stumbled through the large tent's door flap.

"Werewolf!" he screamed. "Were-" Then a flash of golden yellow tore in and smashed him to the ground, where a pair of jaws crushed his neck. The beast stood and Nishgala felt her eyes widen at the sight of the golden werewolf. Most of the cultists tried to fight in desperation, but they may as well have been rabbit for all the damage they did to the creature, which sliced through them with thick, sharp claws and bit down with a powerful, bloody maw. She witnessed it rip a few hearts out from the chests of some of its victims, swallowing them almost absentmindedly as it moved to its next prey.

The young orc girl could only feel thankful when the werewolf was done with her tormentors and turned its attention to her. She had been ready to die in slow agony, but now it was looking like it would be a quick death instead. She watched as the creature walked over to her and sniffed at the altar, her heart pounding in her chest. Its eyes looked down at her, and Nishgala noticed how they were a striking violet. Gulping, she forced herself to stare the creature in the eye, defiant and brave.

Just as she thought it was over, the werewolf outstretching a claw towards her, but instead of it striking her, she felt the binds at her wrists slacken. Surprised, Nishgala looked up to see that the werewolf's claw had cut through them with gentle care. It then did the same with the binds at her ankles. Now free, the orc girl sat up in surprise and pulled the gag from her mouth, and the werewolf _smiled_.

"Wha- Why?" she wondered aloud, not even sure if the lycanthrope could understand her. The golden werewolf looked over to the ripped apart opening in the man-mer skin tent and then leaned towards her.

"Go. Home," it enunciated in a clear, feminine voice. Nishgala was only surprised for a moment, then swallowed all of the surprise within her and ran from the horrendous place to the east, feeling that the memories of her salvation from death through the claws of a werebeast would stay with her always.

* * *

Yang brushed her teeth thoroughly for the third time in the last ten minutes, trying to get the last of the coppery taste from her tongue. Aela checked her bow and armor and then looked over to her.

"Was letting the girl go wise?" she asked. Yang spat in the river and then glared at her fellow Circle member.

"What's she going to do, spread rumors of a couple of werewolves killing a secret Namira cannibal cult?"

"Rumors of one with golden-yellow fur will certainly draw attention," Aela countered. "Honestly, I've heard of blonde werewolves, but it's always the sort of blond color you could expect a wolf to have. You look practically gilded. And then there are your claws, which are way larger than normal."

"Well, I'm not exactly normal, myself."

"No. You were recently scratched and bitten by two other lycanthropes. I think some things may have carried over."

Yang thought about it as she scrubbed her tongue one more time. Her claws did bear a little resemblance to bear claws (heh), and her fur wasn't really normal. She had figured it just matched the person's hair, but she supposed that her case was rather different. She _was_ on her way to changing, so maybe a bit got left behind.

"Guess I'm just a mutt," she stated offhandedly, which got a bit of a sputter from Aela. Yang smirked and then stretched up. "Anyways, let's pack it up now. I need some z's, and you need to turn in a head or two."

"Very well, but…what do you mean you need 'z's'?"

Yang affably sighed. "Sleep."

* * *

' _How did I get myself rolled into this?'_ Ruby thought miserably as she attempted to walk down the road to the Blue Palace in a brand new red and black dress, wolf fur coat, wide-high-heeled boots, and enough makeup to last Weiss for a few days. She certainly felt pretty, and the third man to run into a wall or street lantern post confirmed for her that, indeed, she was, but she couldn't help but feel like she was in the wrong place the whole time.

' _This is the last time I agree to help someone before I know what they need help with. Stupid lady stilts...'_ Oh, it started out innocent enough. Endarie, an Altmer stylist for Radiant Raiment, had noticed her regular clothes when they bumped into each other out in the marketplace and asked about it in greater detail than Ruby could answer. Eventually, she straight up offered to buy it in order to copy its design and perhaps start up a new line. She was actually surprised to find that it was essentially light armor (slightly better than average leather, but armor all the same), and now the Altmer woman was brewing up ideas for a new line of 'beautiful battle dresses' with her sister Taarie. Then Ruby got roped into agreeing to wear a new dress to the Solitude Court, hoping to catch the eye of Jarl Elisif and perhaps a few other noblewomen. All Ruby knew when she agreed to it was that Endarie and Taarie needed some help when she agreed to assist them. Apparently, after learning who she was, they were riding on the coattails of her growing fame as the Red Dragonslayer and the newest member of the Bard's College to get more attention and make more sales.

At least she would be getting a lifelong discount out of this.

After close to an hour of being dressed up like a doll, Lydia barely able to hold back her laughs and failing to hold back a smile, Ruby was finally released to the street to make an impression, with her housecarl finally figuring out her scroll's camera function and snapping a few photos before she left. They weren't that great, to be honest, but Lydia was proud of them all the same. Now, she was entering the palace, the guards seemingly believing she was supposed to be there. As she struggled up the stairs, Lydia extending a helpful hand, she heard the Court currently in progress.

"I swear to you, unnatural magics are coming from that cave," she heard a man saying. As she topped the stairway, she saw what looked like an everyday citizen standing before the well-dressed nobles, making his case to them. "There are strange noises and lights! We need someone to investigate!"

"Then we will immediately send out a legion to scour the cave and secure the region," the Jarl in her throne responded, which to Ruby's ears seemed to be an overreaction, since, as far as she knew, a legion consisted of thousands of soldiers, whereas caves could likely be cleared by a squad or even a single, well trained individual. "Haafingar's people will always be safe under my rule."

"Your eminence," a woman in robes jumped in after gazing at a crystal ball for a moment, "my scrying has suggested nothing in the area. Dragon Bridge is under Imperial control. This is likely superstitious nonsense."

"Perhaps a more…tempered reaction…might be called for?" a well-dressed man just to the left of the Jarl suggested.

"Oh, yes, of course you're right. Falk, tell Captain Aldis I said to have a few extra soldiers assigned to Dragon Bridge." Ruby raised an eyebrow at how quickly she changed her idea around. She'd heard Elisif was new to the role of Jarl, but what Ruby was seeing wasn't much of a leader, as much as she hated to think it.

"Thank you, Jarl Elisif," the commoner expressed. "But, about the cave…"

"I'll do it," Ruby spoke up as she entered and curtsied before the court, most of her focused on keeping her balance as she did. "I can go check out whatever cave it is and clear up any threat there."

Several in the Court seemed either shocked or sneering, while a few began to chuckle while covering their mouths.

"I'm…sorry?" the Jarl began.

"Look, young lady," a man in a blue silk jacket over an embroidered cotton shirt began, "I don't know what you think this is, but this is no place for a young girl to be talking about going off on some half-brained cave dive. Please, let the adults handle this business."

"Hey! I've gone in plenty of caves! And tombs! All of them filled with undead, bandits, undead bandits, necromancers, Falmer, and frostbite spiders. Not to mention the dragons outside of the caves."

"Erikur," Falk said, catching the man's attention, "you do realize that she _is_ the Red Dragonslayer? Or did you miss her joining the Bard's College yesterday?"

Anyone who had been laughing or sneering suddenly straightened up, and the commoner man seemed overjoyed at the prospect of his worries being completely taken care of.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you," the man frantically tried to apologize.

"It's fine. This is a whole new look for me, anyways." Quickly, her mind knit together a plan to go ahead and get the awkward 'sales pitch' out of the way. "The ladies at the Radiant Raiment helped me to pick out a more suitable outfit to approach the Court with."

"They did a splendid job, Ruby Dragonslayer," Elisif commended. "And I must thank you for offering to help us with this situation. I'm certain it puts everyone's mind to ease as to what may be going on in that cave."

"Of course. Um, which cave was it?"

"Wolfskull Cave," the commoner answered. "It's on the Kilkreath Mountains, north of the old, ruined Kilkreath Temple."

"Oh, I was headed that way anyways. So, it all works out in the end. I'll go there right as I'm performing my other tasks."

"Thank you so much, my lady."

"Err, I would like to apologize," Erikur began, seemingly nervous. "As you said, it was hard to recognize you, Dragonslayer."

"Oh don't worry about it…Erikur, right? Gisli's brother?"

Now several members of the Court had to keep themselves from laughing aloud, although two failed while one didn't even try to hide his mirth. Even Jarl Elisif went rosy cheeked as she tried to cover a smile. The man in question just looked as downcast as could be. Ruby smiled inside, thankful that those introductory Talking Lessons seemed to be effective.

* * *

Blake wasn't sure if these people were supposed to be a test or some sort of defectors from the Thieves' Guild, but in the end they were able to take them down quite easily. After taking anything of value from them, they tied them all up before throwing them out of the door to the Ratway. Blake herself was currently focused on a pair of strange gloves one of them had, finding that they were enchanted to be able to raise the skill of unarmed based combat. She still didn't understand how magic like that worked, but then again it could heal wounds, make people invisible, and create fire out of nothing. Magic was weird. At the very least Yang would like this, and so would Weiss, who would be able to get more use out of it than she could.

Putting the gloves in her pocket, the three catlike beings then entered the area where several people were seated at one side, a bar setup on the other side of a reservoir. As they walked over, Inigo looked over to the other two.

"So, what did you do to show you were thieving enough?"

"M'rissi stole a sword and belt from a guard. He did not notice. Brynjolf actually just wanted the dagger on the belt, but that was there, so M'rissi passed."

"Oh? That was dangerous to do. The guard you stole from may have not been feeling particularly merciful. All I had to do was steal a ring from Madesi and then plant it on Brand-shei."

Blake paused, causing the other two to stop behind her as she turned to glare at Inigo.

"Seriously? You framed a man for stealing something you stole?"

"It was a part of the test."

"And he's in prison now?"

"For a few days. Madesi was not overly angry. Apparently they have a sort of history, which is odd. Then again, Brand-shei is an Argonian name, which is very odd for a Dunmer. Such an odd place, Riften. I love it."

Blake rubbed her forehead, sighed, and turned to continue back towards the gathering of thieves.

"So, these your new protégés?" they heard a woman say as they came to where Brynjolf was waiting. "Well done. You got three cats."

M'rissi hissed, but Blake just crossed her arms while Inigo walked forward, looking around.

"Sorry, I thought I heard a rat squeaking around. Must have been my imagination."

"Why you-"

"Glad you sports could make it," Brynjolf interrupted. Blake noticed that he was now wearing black, leather armor with several pouches and a bandolier, which seemed to be a sort of uniform going by what several others wore. "Hope you didn't have trouble finding the place."

"No more than I usually have trying to find anything in Skyrim," Blake admitted.

"Oh, I'm certain you've had worse. Well, now that I know you all can do a decent job, how about you help me take care of some deadbeats?"

"What is a deadbeat?" M'rissi asked.

"It is someone who does not pay the money that they owe," Inigo explained. "Like a person in debt who does not pay back, or a particularly lazy father who contributes nothing but grudges and alcoholism."

"Oh, she understands now."

"We'll handle that," Blake told the thief, silently praying that M'rissi was more familiar with the former and not the latter.

"Good. It's Keerava, Bersi Honey-Hand, and Haelga. Now, the money isn't the important thing here. What matters is the message. We can't have people thinking we can just be short-handed like this."

"No worries. We'll get it done," she affirmed. "But about my special pay…"

"That'll be with a bigger job I have in mind for the future. It's a rather hefty piece we're giving you, so we need something equally hefty taken care of. Now, I'm sure you all work well as a team of fighters, but this is the Thieves' Guild, so let's make it clear. We're in the business of thieving, not killing. This ain't no Dark Brotherhood or Morag Tong. Killing's bad for business when it comes to us. Rough someone up if you must, but keep the bloodshed to a minimum."

"Sounds fair." Blake looked back to M'rissi then to Brynjolf. "So, we were hoping to find Salthasar while we're here. He should have some info for my friend."

"Ah, one of our trinket specialists. The old reptile's over there." Brynjolf thumbed over to a table where a rather pale green Argonian sat, tracing lines in a book with one hand and munching on some meat pie with the other. "Just…be warned, he's a little… Well, some people lose the bit of them that keeps them from saying stupid things in their old age. Don't take anything personally."

Dreading what exactly he meant by that, Blake walked towards the Argonian, her companions following along.

"Yess? Iss there ssomething you need?"

"Salthasar, right?"

"That I am. How can I be of sservicce, fair lady?"

' _Wait, what?'_ Part of Blake's mind questioned. _'Why would he- Whatever.'_

"We need a ring looked at. We were told you could help."

"A ring you ssay? I haven't found a trinket yet that I couldn't appraise."

"We aren't going to sell it or anything, so the value isn't what we're after. M'rissi?" The Khajiit handed over the ring, and then Blake showed it to the Argonian. "We want to know its history, any hidden inscriptions, or any enchantments it might have that we're missing."

"Well," he began, looking it over. "You should know my knowledge of magic is rudimentary. I can tell if there iss an enchantment, but if you want specifics, you should seek out a mage. Curious, little trinket." He then reached into a pack sitting next to him and pulled out a leather binding folder before opening it up and going through several pieces of parchment held within. "I have the information on it," he concluded.

"All right," Blake went as M'rissi began to beam. "What do you have?"

"Not sso fast," he stopped. "I have done you a sservicce, and you must pay me for it."

"Oh, um, that's fair, I suppose. What do you want for it?"

His eyes looked over to M'rissi and Blake could see the feathers under his hood raise up. "Your companion there iss quite beautiful, yes. I would not mind spending some time with her."

Before Blake could object, she heard a vaguely tiger-like growl rise up from her other side, and looked back to see Inigo baring his teeth at the now frightened Argonian.

"You know, I have been in the market for a new pair of boots," the blue Khajiit hissed, not bothering to hide his anger. "I think I might have found a good waterproof material."

"All right, all right, no need for violence!" He looked back at her. "But you certainly can't blame me for trying."

"I can, actually," Blake muttered.

"Let's say… Three hundred gold, and I'll give you all the information on it that I have."

Blake sighed. "You're lucky I don't demand it in exchange for you keeping your hide." She reached into her pouch and began counting out malks along with one denar.

"Such unkind youths," he lamented as she handed over the coins to him. A quick count and then he passed her a few pages. The words were a little difficult to read at first due to the distinctive Argonian handwriting, but eventually Blake was able to perceive them easily enough.

… _a clan ring that once belonged to the chieftan of the Mirrsha, Ri'vir._

"Does the Mirrsha clan mean anything to either of you?"

"Sounds familiar," M'rissi admitted.

"Sorry, I am not well versed in Khajiit clans."

"Right. Well, we're at least getting somewhere," Blake admitted before going back to her reading.

 _When the Thalmor 'brought' back the moons, many of the Khajiit were quick to take the Thalmor side and give up their own pride, bowing their heads before their new masters. But not all. One of the Khajiit clans didn't bend the knee. Ri'vir, their chieftain, considered the situation too beneficial to the Thalmor and suspected the clans had been deceived. The chieftain decided to not take their new master's side._

 _The Thalmor declared this a full-scale riot. In order to prevent such an attitude from spreading, troops were committed. Ri'vir managed to smash the forward units that had been sent to put down the rebels, but soon the major reinforcements came. Nevertheless, Mirrsha clan's land was well fortified and suitable for defense, so the Khajiit managed to withstand the siege._

 _But then a sudden split shattered all their dreams of freedom. Ra'sadir, Ri'vir's younger brother, refused to obey his elder's command and took sides with the Thalmor, taking part of the clan with him. There was a bloody assault and, although many of the 'long-eared ones' lives were taken by brave Khajiit, the defenders had been sabotaged by the brother's betrayal._

 _Ri'vir and a handful of his companions were taken alive. The Thalmor ordered Ra'sadir to take his brother's life himself. Ra'sadir did so willingly._

 _That clan ring eventually became a symbol of the riot. The gem in the ring was special, a rare stone called a beacon, and when the moons were not seen in the sky, it illuminated the future of clan. Alas, one day it suddenly disappeared._

Blake ruminated over what she had read after she passed the papers over to M'rissi, who began to read over them as well. She looked over to Salthasar, who peered up when her gaze fell upon him.

"It feels like something's missing. Where'd you get this information from?"

"Well, that sshould be confidential, my dear. I do admit I got it from a book, but that book has long been ssold for a little more than what I bought it for, after I wrote down any pertinent information of course."

"So you can't tell me where you got it from?" As her eyes narrowed in anger, Blake's left ear suddenly twitched, a motion the Argonian noticed.

"Anonymity creates opportunity. In this line of work, those that reveal secrets do not live long."

"Look at this girl," Blake pointed out to him. "Right now, that ring is the only link she has to her past. Can you say that you'll sleep well knowing that you've deprived her of her memories and family?"

"You truly are a heartless fiend to play on a tired, old lizard's heartstringss," Salthasar bemoaned before forking up another bite of meat pie. "Very well. The one who sold it to me broke the ruless to get it. So it may be that I go unpunished for letting it slip that he goes by Creep." Salthasar then looked over to the side, where a man in ragged, threadbare clothing sat on a barrel a fair distance from everybody else, a few empty bottles around his feet and another in his hand. "You can find him ssomewhere in here."

"Thanks for the information. Don't spend it all in one place."

"So, now we're going to talk to a Creep," Inigo guessed. "Or at least, another one."

"So, is she of the clan Mirrsha?" M'rissi asked as she looked up from the notes.

"I think so. Let's see where this Creep got that book from. If we can trace it, we might find someone who knows more. Come on."

Now the three walked over to the haggard drunkard, who looked at them all with bloodshot eyes. While they were in a pretty dark spot, to them it was still as clear a though a torch was lit.

"Yeah? Wha' d' you want?"

"We have recently acquired the information that you hold information pertaining to information that we are in need of, my friend," Inigo explained.

"Wha'? Wha'd he say?"

"You sold a book to Salthasar," Blake elaborated. "Tell us where you got it from."

"And jus' why would I do tha'? You're in my turf, friends, and these are my people." He spread his arms out wide. "You can n't intim'date me 'ere."

"You think they're fast enough to save you?" Blake asked, getting annoyed by people's attitudes in this place. "You think they care enough about you to get in our way?" She reached up, pretending to go for the hilt of Gambol Shroud.

"N- Now, le's not be hasty. Jus- Jus' the mead talkin', right." He groaned. "But please, don't be so loud. I was out searchin' for a mark when I happ'd by what loo'ed like an abandoned shack. Bein' the curious type I am, I wen' inside to look around, but 'stead of dust I found an ol' Khajiit. I- I drew mah knife and told 'im that I wouldn't hurt him if he stayed still, an' he said I could have anythin' I wan'ed as long as I didn' take that book. So, uh ahha, I assumed the book was extremely valuable. I took it, and he tried to stop me so I… I struck 'im."

"With your knife?"

"I-i-it- It's not my fault!" he stuttered out in defense. "I didn't mean to kill 'im, just woun' him a little. If he'd jus' stayed where I told him… And to top it all off the book was worthless. If the leaders found out-"

Blake heard more growling, interrupting the drunkard, but this time it was a higher pitch, more akin to a housecat getting riled up by something. She didn't need to glance back to know it was M'rissi.

"I have a feeling they should only be your second biggest worry, right now."

"Please, no! I- I'll show you where I found it! Look! Er, uh, map. Map!"

Blake pulled her own map out and Creep quickly pointed out a place near Ivarstead. "Here! There! It's right there! Now please, I can… I can go now, right?"

Blake marked the spot with a high-lighter and then folded up her map before placing in back into her pack. "I won't hurt you." She then backed up away from the drunken thief. "But I'm not who you have to convince."

The man's fearful gaze went over to M'rissi,

"Wha'?"

"How **dare** you hurt her kin!" the Khajiit girl yelled as she brandished her knife with a hiss. Blake didn't even have time to intervene before M'rissi pounced. The man screamed as she came at him with a slash, and then stabbed upwards into his rib cage. He fell down with a gurgle and M'rissi silently sheathed her blade. "She would like to leave this place," she muttered darkly.

Blake felt a twinge of apprehension. She had been hoping for M'rissi to be a little less murderous in her reaction, but it seemed the idea of her kin being harmed was a lot more unforgivable than she'd originally assumed. Inigo looked over the corpse and then nodded approvingly.

"Between the fourth and the fifth rib. That's where I'd usually go. You should pull a twist next time, just to be extra sure."

* * *

As Blake, Inigo, and M'rissi silently left the Ragged Flaggon behind, the rest of the Thieves Guild silently watched. Some out of the corners of their eyes, others throwing away subtlety entirely. Once the three closed the door behind them, the room exploded in commotion.

"Brynjolf, are you out of your gods damned mind?!"

"You do realize they could easily kills us or, worse yet, turn us into the Penitus Oculatus?!"

"Why are they even here!?"

"Calm down, lads. Calm down," Brynjolf yelled out over the cacophony of voices. As the silence grew, Brynjolf began to speak once again. "Now, I know that you all don't trust her-"

"You damned right I don't trust her," a Nord man grunted.

"You got something to say, Delvin?" Brynjolf asked, eyebrow raised.

"In case you've forgotten, she _slaughtered_ the Dark Brotherhood," Delvin dryly explained. "Every single one of them, including Astrid. And now she's here to finish the job. Who's to say that she won't turn her sights on us next? We've worked with them a few times in the past, after all." At Delvin's declaration, the commotion started up again, only for a Nord woman to slam her mug on the table, shutting them up.

"Ignoring her past, slightly, Delvin brings up a good point. All of us, including you, are here for two things: gold, or the thrill. She's not here for that. She's here to get information on surviving Dark Brotherhood members and _nothing more_. And to top it off, she apparently has, uggh, 'morals'. Half the jobs we'd have her do for her 'payment' I doubt she'd do!"

"Vex is right!" a thief yelled out, causing the group to erupt in shouting once more.

"Alright, that's enough!" Brynjolf shouted, shutting the noise down. "Now, to a certain extent, I agree with your concerns. Yes, she did kill the Dark Brotherhood to the last man. Yes, she is working with the Penitus Oculatus to hunt the rest of them down. Yes, she does fancy herself to be a moralist. But, before you all decide to kick her out, let me ask you this: Do you really want to make her an enemy?" Brynjolf's question was met only with silence.

"That's what I thought," Brynjolf huffed. "We are survivors, and unlike the Dark Brotherhood, we are not going to make the mistake of making her or the rest of the Four Dragonslayers our enemies. So, we have entered into a business arrangement with her. We help her, she helps us. Everyone's happy and, more importantly, alive and not behind bars. Now, off you lads go. Each of you have jobs to do, I expect you to do them." At Brynjolf's command, the group began to disperse with a few grumbles while Delvin and Vex stayed behind, glaring at him.

"This is a mistake, Brynjolf," Vex declared, crossing her arms.

"Maybe," Brynjolf nodded. "But trust me. I've got a good feeling about her."

* * *

The first step in the four apprentices' upcoming travel was actually learning a new spell. Or at least, it was new for everyone but J'zargo. Called Longstride, it was an Alteration spell that simply made the caster walk and run faster. It started at about a quarter increase, and then picked up until one was going three times as fast as they usually would. The Khajiit mage taught it to the rest of the four over the course of a few hours, and then they packed their essentials once they all got the hang of it.

After setting off, the four headed toward the Shrine to Azura, as both J'zargo and Brelyna considered her as one of their patron gods, and Onmund had no problem with her as a 'good' Daedra. Weiss, on the other hand, was a little apprehensive after the last few communications she had with beings like her. Sanguine ended up okay, though his message made clear he was annoyed, but Meridia had scorched her just for touching an artifact, and likely could have done far worse. She wasn't sure what might or might not tick off this Daedric Prince.

As they released the Longstride spell and began heading up the stairs, the four mages couldn't help but be in awe at the great structure. They walked up and across a catwalk, nearing the altar at the foot of the shrine, where a priestess held up in her arms in veneration. She suddenly turned towards them, her eyes landing directly upon Weiss.

"Azura has seen your coming, traveler. It was not curiosity, but fate, that has led you here."

Everyone looked to their white-haired companion, the vampire herself trying to figure out how to respond to such a statement.

"…What do you mean you've 'seen my coming'?"

"It is as I said," the Dunmer priestess explained. "Azura has given me the gift of foresight. I had a vision of you walking up these steps long before you were born, young heiress."

Weiss felt her blood run cold at that, and gulped. Brelyna stepped forward and bowed her head while pressing her hands together.

"My lady, may I ask, what does this mean? What has Azura foreseen about my friend?"

"She has been chosen to be Azura's champion. Do not worry, child, for it will all unfold as she has predicted."

"What-" Weiss swallowed and cleared her throat. "What do- What does Azura need?"

"You must go to a fortress, endangered by water, yet untouched by it. Inside, you will find an elven mage who can turn the brightest star as black as night." As Weiss' eyebrows began to rise up, the priestess shook her head gently. "It is cryptic, I know, but Azura's signs are never wrong. I believe the fortress may refer to Winterhold. Perhaps someone there knows of this elven enchanter."

"Winterhold has been in danger of falling into the sea for a long time now," J'zargo reflected, "yet it is still high above the water."

"Um, not that I don't want us to suddenly embark on a quest within our quest," Onmund jumped in, "but we'd have to backtrack all the way to Winterhold."

"It will be no huge delay. J'zargo has seen that you are fairly skilled at your new spell. We are expected to be gone for days. We have the time."

"And, well, I'd rather not be on a goddess's bad side," Weiss stated. "We'll look into this, don't worry. But… I must ask, is there anything else Azura has shown you about me?"

"I've seen a serpent, but I don't know what it means just yet. Perhaps Azura will grant more once your task is complete. Trust me, she will not leave you unrewarded."

* * *

Ruby jumped off a boulder and swung Crescent Rose around and up, smacking the blunt end against Gaafsulir's chin, knocking the small, brown dragon's face up. She then hooked Crescent Rose against his neck and pointed herself in the opposite direction.

" **Wuld! Nah!** "

She sped through the air, dragging the dragon along with her, slicing deep into his neck so that his roar of pain turned into a loud, sickening gurgle. Ruby turned, and this time pressed against the trigger of her weapon as she Shouted the two words of Whirlwind Sprint again. This time she sliced all the way through, sending his head on one way while his body went straight down. As the severed head hit dirt, his flesh began to combust, tendrils of his soul reaching out towards Ruby. The Dragonborn took in a deep breath and focused on rounding up the wild energies as they flowed into her, funneling into that place within her soul. Soon, a brown dragon joined the other two in circling around the pillar, letting loose a roar as he did. Ruby could see what he had once seen, and could recall what were once his memories, but they were held back from pushing into her mind by her efforts. She took another breath, and then looked over into the nearby woods.

"It's all clear now!" she called out. After a few moments, Lydia came out, leading a couple of scared farmers, who seemed both horrified and relieved to see the smoldering dragon skeleton.

"Thank goodness it's gone," the husband said with a sigh of relief. "Don't know how it ended up like that, but thank you so much. That damned thing burned down our home, and then was going after us. We were lucky to make it this far, and then you showed up."

"How can we ever repay you?" his wife asked.

"Don't worry about it. In fact," she reached into her pocket and passed a malk over to them, startling the two with her generosity.

"This… We couldn't-"

"Look, it's not a hand-out, just a leg up. Go up to Solitude, get some food and rest, and see if there's some way for you to start back up. I think they're always looking for more fishermen."

"Thank you! Thank you so much! Divines bless your kind heart!" the woman praised.

"May the ground quake at your passing," the man added before they began heading uphill towards the capital of Haafingar. Ruby watched them go, and then followed the traces she heard at the edge of her senses, the familiar tug of a Word Wall nearby. She followed the draw until she came to one exposed on the mountainside and began reading it.

" **Het nok Fjoldmod Bein-** **Su** **wo pook ol pogaas nau gol ol ok kopraan dreh nu ko golt**. Hehe, **pook**."

"What's so funny?" Lydia asked, eyebrow raised.

" **Pook** means stink. Kinda mean to put up how bad they smelled for someone's grave epitaph, though. Need to meditate on these words later. **Gol** sounds important, but so does **su**." She looked over to the side and saw the statue of an angelic woman holding up her arms. "I think that's Meridia's temple. Let's see if we can finally drop off her beacon."

"Right."

The two heading downhill towards the old temple, and then the voice of Meridia echoed out about them. _"Look at my temple, lying in ruins. So much for the constancy of mortals, their crafts, and their hearts. If they love me not, how can my love reach them?"_

"It is kinda sad that it's been left like this."

"Not too many people want to be seen openly worshipping a Daedric Prince."

As Lydia held on to their horses' reins, Ruby took the beacon from her pack and headed towards the statue, where a pedestal lay before it.

" _Restore to me my beacon, that I might guide your destiny."_

She set the beacon into the pedestal, figuring that it was where it went, and in response, the beacon began to glow brightly and floated upwards with a line of light beneath it. Ruby then felt a sensation of weightlessness, and suddenly she was in the air. She yelped a little as she began flailing her arms, but then her eyes were caught by the vast distance of land before her. Verdant forests pockmarked by orange and red trees stretched out in all directions, mountains and snowy valleys everywhere. Far to the east was more snow that she'd ever seen in her lifetime, and to the west the rocky landscape seemed to go on forever. But before her, an orb of pure light shone, like a magical candlelight spell big enough to engulf her, bright enough to cancel any darkness, yet gentle enough not to blind her.

 _"It is time for my splendor to return to Skyrim,"_ the light she knew was Meridia spoke. _"But the token of my truth lies buried in the ruins of my once great temple, now tainted by a profane darkness skittering within."_

The light seemed to come closer to where Ruby was standing.

 _"The Necromancer Malkoran defiles my shrine with vile corruptions, trapping lost souls left in the wake of this war to do his bidding. Worse still, he uses the power stored within my own token to fuel his foul deeds. I have brought you here, mortal, to be my champion against him. You will enter my temple, retrieve my artifact, and destroy the defiler. Guide my light through the temple to open the inner sanctum and destroy the defiler."_

"Well, that sounds pretty bad," Ruby answered nervously as she looked down to the temple far beneath her. "Okay, can I ask what the artifact is though?"

" _Mortals call it Dawnbreaker, for it was forged from the shards of a great paladin's blade in a holy light that breaks upon my foes, burning away corruption and false life, like those that he destroyed in his time. You will enter my shrine, destroy Malkoran, and retrieve this mighty blade."_

"So a really good knight guy's sword. Or the reforged sword? Eh, whatever! Sounds pretty cool either way! And the necromancer's gotta be stopped! I'll do it."

 _"Of course you will. I have commanded it!"_ Ruby rolled her eyes at that, but the goddess didn't seemed bothered by the action. _"Go now, the artifact must be reclaimed and Malkoran destroyed."_

"Kill evil necromancer, reclaim sacred artifact. Got it."

 _"Malkoran has forced the doors shut. But this is my temple, and it responds to my decree. I will send down a ray of light. Guide this light through my temple and its doors will open."_

Suddenly Ruby felt herself being given back to the forces of gravity. "Whoa, whoa whoa whoa! Gently, gently!"

And then her feet were on the ground.

"My thane?!" Lydia shouted as she ran over and began checking over her charge. "Are you all right, Ruby?"

"I think I saw Whiterun from up there. Also, we gotta get this necromancer guy. He's apparently taking the souls from fallen soldiers in the war. That's bad for too many reasons."

"Absolutely it is. Are you certain you're fine though?"

"I'm okay. Meridia just seems to be theatrical and bossy. Like, really bossy. Worse than Weiss ever was. Okay, so we need to guide the light through the temple for it to lead the way, somehow." Ruby looked over to where a beam of light poured straight down from the beacon and into the pedestal. "So, where's the door?"

"Over here, I believe. I noticed it when I started looking around for you."

"Okay. So, let's get started then."

Inside, Ruby immediately tensed up. There was a dark miasma, visible from the moment she entered, floating through the air and along the ground, pushed by hollow winds that seemed to grind against her very soul. She heard steel clinking and looked to see that Lydia was tensed up as well. Only a few steps in, and Ruby saw a body, nearly hidden in the darkness. She stooped over it, and saw that it was unnaturally desiccated, the flesh on it shrunken until the bones warped, all inside of an Imperial soldier's uniform.

"Wait," she muttered as she looked to the face, and then pulled something from its eye. "A malk?" She plucked up another. "Why are there malks in his eyes?" she wondered aloud. She almost jumped when she backed up and hit another corpse with her feet. She turned and saw another corpse, only this one in a Stormcloak uniform. She looked at his face and found a few malks in his empty eyeholes as well. She plucked up four of them and looked at the moonstone coins in her hands.

"He's putting malks in their eyes."

"It might be a part of whatever foul ritual he's using," Lydia commented as she checked around them, her sword at the ready. "It might disrupt whatever he's doing if you take them. And, it wouldn't hurt if we put them to good use later."

"True." Ruby pocketed the money and then the two continued forward. A little ways in they found another body, this time with five malks, three of them set in his mouth between gaps in his teeth. After Ruby reluctantly pulled them, they went on again, this time coming across an old, locked door, and an iron gate with an open hall across from it and a chest behind it. Ruby looked over to the door and tried fiddling with the lock for a moment before giving up.

"Do you know anything about lockpicking?" she asked her housecarl.

"A little bit, but not enough to get into anything serious."

Ruby groaned and then looked at the stubborn door. It was wooden, but rather well-preserved given the environment. Sighing, she gave up all pretense of subtlety.

" **Fus! Ro!** " Her Shout smashed against the door and broke loose its hinges. It spun and fell forward, and Ruby stepped out of the way and looked forward expectedly to see that she had just uncovered a small, broom-closet sized room with a steel lever as its only feature.

"Well, at least it's not nothing." She went in and pulled the lever to hear something move and then looked back to see the iron gate had lifted itself. "Yay!" She went into the opposite room and found a rather sharp, ancient sword as well as some old gold coins and a moonstone dagger.

Going past the bend the two emerged into a large chamber, where some of the stone work had collapsed due to lack of maintenance, and in the very center sat a strange pedestal where a beam of light was focused on. Lydia began looking over it while Ruby made a quick search of the room, finding a few more desecrated bodies with malks embedded in them and some broken furniture. There was a door before her, but there seemed to be no direct way to open it, and Shouting did not so much as budge it. Crossing her arms, she walked back over to where Lydia was observing the pedestal and the noisy light.

"She said something about guiding her light so that the light would guide me." Ruby looked up and saw the light emanating from an orb similar to the beacon, then in the direction of the door where another one rested above it. Wondering how she was supposed to make the light shine there, she placed a hand on the platform, and then another orb began rising up from it, redirecting the light towards the one above the door. Ruby moved out of the way, and the light shone upon the orb and the stubborn doors opened.

"Oh, okay," the Dragonborn mused.

Lydia shrugged and the two pressed on again, only this time at the bottom of the stairs they came across enemies. The beings looked like blackened skeletons with a darkness wafting off of their bones, but the things had no legs beneath them and seemed to simply float in place. Two turned towards them and one drew a common Imperial sword while the other drew a warhammer. Ruby realized that the dark shapes mimicking armor around them matched the commonly worn armors of Imperial Legionnaires and Stormcloak Rebels respectively, and that these must be the things the necromancer was creating from the dead. Feeling anger welling inside her, Ruby drew forth Crescent Rose and met the hammer wielding undead while Lydia crossed swords with the other. They weren't particularly fast, but they had some strength to them. In the end, Ruby was able to beat down her foe easily with Lydia ending hers soon after, and then a ball of fire was Shouted at one that had been drawing a bow and aiming for them across the rooms.

"He's making corrupted shades," Lydia stated as she observed the puddle-like remains with bone shards sticking out of it. "This kind of necromancy… I can't even put into words how foul this is."

"We've got to stop him then. Things are bad enough without an evil necromancer killing people to make… You know, I have no idea why Malkoran's doing this."

"Likely as both an insult to Meridia and a way to build his own power. "

"That's petty and dumb. Well, let's go get him."

Ruby activated the next pedestal, and then the two left the temple-like room to the right after finding the forward way to be blocked. After activating another and destroying a couple more corrupted shades, Ruby hopped over a gap that Lydia simply went around, and then the two went through a doorway that led outside, where the light began hopping from one orb to the next.

"Oh, so there's two sections," Ruby realized. "Well, definitely better than being underground all day." She stretched herself in the sunlight as they continued on, pausing at a chest that Ruby tried to open in vain. Lydia attempted to pick the lock for a moment, but gave up when it turned out to be beyond her skill. They left it behind, Ruby trying to memorize the spot where it was at in case she ever had someone with the skills to open up something like that by her side.

Inside the upper section of the ruins, they walked into a large chamber where a more complex setup was made. Several of the corrupted shades were quickly dispatched, and Ruby activated three more of the orb holding pedestals to reveal the way forward, finding an old book called _The Battle at Red Mountain_. At first she was only half interested in it, but then recalled that it was the Battle of Red Mountain where Jurgen and others had been defeated, and where the Master of the Voice had apparently met a defeat so soundly it turned him into a monk. At the very least, she figured it might give her a little more insight into her own odd ability.

Another pedestal later, and the two walked down into a chamber where dozens of desecrated corpses were strewn about, and eight corrupted shades stood guard around one man who seemed to be focusing a magic onto something. He turned and waved his hand at them, and then the shades attacked. Ruby watched for the incoming enemies and dodged away from their first attacks before going on the offensive, swinging her scythe around her body and then slicing through three of them. She rammed one with the spear-tip end of her weapon's shaft, and then ducked under a swing and spun around, slicing upwards and through a fifth. Her path cleared, Ruby jumped forward and knocked Malkoran onto his back with a shoulder check, then pressed down on him with the blunt side of Crescent Rose's blade just as Lydia finished off the last of the shades.

"It's over," Ruby declared to the necromancer. "Give up now and-"

Before she could finish, Malkoran grasped her weapon and sent arcs of electricity up its metal body. Ruby yelped and stumbled back, but before the evil mage could send the icy looking spell in his hands at her, Lydia jumped forward and plunged her blade into his chest. Ruby caught her breath and looked at her dying foe disappointingly, but she got a bad feeling when she saw his face curling into a smile.

Lydia jumped back as dark energy exploded from the necromancer then congealed into a skeletal form, floating above the newly desiccated Malkoran. The shade summoned up a fireball and launched it at the housecarl, who tried to block it, but was flung far back. The abomination turned its attention towards Ruby, but the Dragonborn was already on the move, swinging her scythe at the undead. Malkoran managed to mostly dodge, but still lost an arm to Ruby's blade before she stepped in and used her momentum to, once again, bowl into him. Another spin and the shade's lower torso was removed before it found itself pinned, only this time directly next to the object where Meridia's light shined.

"You should have quit while you were ahead," Ruby said before shoving the shade over and into the beam. The undead screeched as its black skull was burned away, then the remainder of it became engulfed in a burning light, scouring it all away until nothing was left. Ruby sighed and looked back to where Lydia was getting to her feet. Her shield was scorched, but she was otherwise unharmed.

"You all right?"

"I'm fine, my Thane. Just a bit rattled."

Ruby nodded, but then the voice of the one who sent her here rang out.

" _It is done,"_ Meridia announced. _"The defiler is defeated. Take Dawnbreaker from its pedestal."_

Ruby walked up to the pedestal in question, and saw the hilt of a sword sticking out from the top of it. Carefully reaching around the beam of light fed into it, Ruby grasped the hilt and pulled the sword free. Ruby looked it over in wonder as she felt its power. The hilt was seemingly standard, but felt natural in her hands. The guard was composed of two ovals, a smaller one inside of the larger, with a fiery light shining in the center. The blade itself was sharp, yet for some reason seemed familiar to her somehow. Before she could ruminate on it any further, Ruby felt herself being drawn up and into a light.

The young girl felt shocked as she ended up outside, in the air far above everything like she had a while earlier. Looking down, she saw the top of the temple, yet again. This time she looked and tried to spot whatever she could in the distance, but then Meridia's ball of light caught her attention.

 _"Malkoran is vanquished,"_ she stated. _"Skyrim's dead shall remain at rest. This is as it should be. This is because of you. A new day is dawning. And you shall be its herald. Take the mighty Dawnbreaker and with it purge corruption from the dark corners of the world."_

"As long as you don't try to make me hurt my friends, we're cool." Ruby glared at the light, who didn't seem to care.

" _Your vampire follower is of little consequence, and may yet prove to be useful to my greater efforts even with her unnatural form. But know this; though you shall be the bearer of the mighty Dawnbreaker, it shall return to its line someday. You will know its rightful master on sight, and you will gift him this blade to wield in my name. So it is foreseen."_

"Um, okay…" Ruby stared in confusion. "…How will I know who he is?"

" _You will know, and that is all you need know now. Until that day, carry Dawnbreaker with you, so that my light may touch the world. And may the light guide you to your destiny."_

Ruby felt herself drop, and then she was on the ground in front of Meridia's statue. The beacon lowered itself into its pedestal, and the beam and its noise faded away. Ruby looked up at the angelic carving and then looked at the sword in her hands. Touching the blade, she felt a comforting warmth to it, but part of her was still concerned with how it was familiar. Deciding that it was likely because the blade's shape itself wasn't anything unique, Ruby lowered the sword and looked outwards at the stretch of land that could be seen from her position on the mountainside, glad that there was at least one less credible threat to the people of this world.

After observing Skyrim's beauty for a long moment, Ruby suddenly started. "Oh crud! Lydia's still in the temple!" Ruby turned and rushed to get back to her housecarl.


	22. And the Blood of Wolves

Weiss' classmates were both surprised and impressed when they stopped at Windhelm for the night only to find that their fellow apprentice owned a mansion, along with being a Thane of the Hold. Onmund, who came from a simpler life, was marveling at the house from the inside while the others sat at the hearth.

"So you managed to not only discover, but slay the necromancer as well?" J'zargo asked. "Impressive. You certainly earned your position. He hopes to someday have adventures half as exciting as your own."

"I certainly feel safer knowing someone like that is gone," Brelyna stated as she drank her warm drink, something she had procured from the New Gnisis Cornerclub. "I heard rumors at one time, and I started to fear for some of the people I know who live around here."

Calder came in and placed some wood off to the side before saluting his Thane. "Rooms are warmed up whenever you're all ready."

"Thank you, Calder. Feel free to use the rest of the evening for yourself."

"By your will, Thane Weiss. I'll be over at Candlehearth getting a drink or two if you need me." The housecarl left the room, and after a moment, the sound of the door closing hit their ears. Onmund walked back into the den and sighed.

"I didn't think rich people's houses were this big. You could fit my whole family and our neighbors in this place." His smile disappeared and he scratched behind his ear. "So, I should ask, what are we planning to do about…that star thing?"

"Return it to Lady Aranea, I'd imagine," Brelyna answered quickly. "Right Weiss?"

"Well, of course. Not only do I not want to get on any other Daedra's bad side –Meridia hating me is enough–, but Azura sounds like she might have the answer to a very important question me and my friends have."

"Oh, well… Wait, why would Meridia hate you? Didn't you kill a necromancer?"

Weiss began to twiddle her thumbs, realizing she just let out a little more than she'd intended.

"Have you not noticed?" J'zargo asked the other man. "This one thought for sure everyone had figured it out, save the thick-skulled Ancano, of course."

"Noticed what?" All eyes turned to Weiss, who closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before opening them. Omnumd gasped as the icy blue of her eyes changed to a fiery gold.

"That I'm a vampire," Weiss answered. For a moment no one said anything, the three just watching Onmund for his reaction, which appeared to be stunned, motionless silence.

"…What?" he quietly asked.

"Is it really so surprising?" Brelyna asked. "We've had others. Remember Jerezma? She was a vampire. Went to the College for six years, but you never heard of anyone dying of blood loss."

"Jerezma was a vampire? Then…where did she go? What happened?"

"Went to join the Duskfall Kindred, somewhere in The Pale Hold," J'zargo answered. "It is where most of the vampires go after leaving the College, with a few exceptions. Most everyone knows about it, but it is not spoken of too much, to keep loose words from slipping into the wrong cracks. Secrets are very important, after all."

"Wait, but… Aren't…vampires…"

"You do realize I was a regular mortal human for seventeen years _before_ I was turned. I'm no different than I was then. Well, mostly no different."

"Wait, you're only seventeen?" Brelyna asked in surprise. "But that can't be… Oh, sorry. I forgot for a second how fast you humans age. No, seventeen seems a bit right."

"Wait, how old did you think I had to be?" Weiss cocked her eyebrow.

"About…twenty-five, at least. Though, I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd said you were thirty years old, like me."

"You're thirty? Geez!" Weiss shook her head. "I knew elves aged slower, but I thought it was only a few years extra until you reached adulthood. That's nearly twice as slow as humans."

"It does make things a little more difficult across the lines. It makes you wonder how the ancestors of the Bretons got along like they did," Brelyna pointed out with a shrug.

"Khajiit aging normally varies, but most forms age just a little quicker than humans," J'zargo added. "This one thinks he read somewhere than orcs age quickly for mer."

"Oh, yes! Orcs normally reach full-growth by the time they're eighteen," Brelyna confirmed. "It's remarkably fast for any mer, and even a year or two quicker than some humans." The three mages began to talk animatedly, only for a cough to interrupt them.

"Um, everyone," Onmund interrupted. "How did we go from talking about the fact that Weiss is a vampire to how different races age?"

Everyone looked at him and shrugged. "We are college students," J'zargo pointed out. "These sorts of tangents are common for us. It is best to just accept it and move on."

The Nord sighed and took a chair in defeat. "Maybe, but you can at least not blame me for feeling…nervous?"

"Well, I certainly won't. Just don't try to set me on fire, and we'll be fine."

"All right. So long as you don't turn me into a thrall."

"I don't know how to do that," Weiss admitted before a thought popped up. "And if I did, you wouldn't be able to set me on fire then. Maybe I should figure it out?"

The others laughed at her little joke, Onmund's chuckles fairly more nervous than the rest.

* * *

"Look, it's just not a good idea. Maybe they aren't what they used to be, but they still have Riften's influence. I'm just telling you because I care, not because I want it this way."

Keerava sighed. "You do have a good point, I suppose. All right, I'll make sure to set enough aside for next time. Thanks again for covering us for this quarter. I'll get you some fried betties and toast, on the house, as thanks."

"It's no problem. You take care, now."

Blake walked away from the bar and sat at the table where her two friends were already seated.

"You didn't like this one too much?" Inigo asked knowingly.

"It just feels wrong to extort people like that. I know that I should've expected it, what with the Theives' Guild being a criminal organization and all, but when you hear the name 'Thieves' Guild' you expect robbing mansions, stealing incriminating letters, and pulling off daring heists. Like the Grey Fox and Silent Watcher did back in the Oblivion Crisis. Not shaking down honest business owners."

"She was expecting more excitement too," M'rissi agreed. "After beating up the baddies and taking their coins and nice things, she was thinking that we would rob the bank, or maybe break into the fishery."

"Banks are way too well-guarded," Blake explained. "They have some magic setup that the tellers can activate and then they'll blast you apart. Not to mention the guards. Most of them are retired soldiers or expert mercs. You'd have to be a master thief to rob a bank."

"We'll get better," M'rissi argued.

"Perhaps we could, but we'd need a number of people with an array of skills," Inigo pondered. "Lockpicker, stealthy ones, silver-tongued devils… Phew, the list I just thought of would need eleven people! Oh, wait, what if some of them were good at two things? That could cut down on it."

"Let's not get too carried away," Blake reprimanded with a smile as Talen-jei came with a platter. The Argonian set the three plates down and M'rissi stared at her food with undisguised glee. After he laid down the last and checked their mugs for needed refills with a glance, he put the tray to his side and nodded.

"I must thank you for helping us. I just wish the others realized as much as you do that you can't bleed a stone no matter how much you squeeze."

"It's no trouble at all, Talen-Jei." Blake smiled.

"Still, you have my gratitude," the Argonian smiled and turned to walk away, only to pause after a step. "There's something else, though, and I feel I could trust you with it."

"What's wrong?" M'rissi asked, concerned.

"Oh nothing is, technically. It's just that… Well…" He looked over at the bar and then back to Blake, lowering his voice. "Ever since I met Keerava a few years ago, I've been utterly smitten with her, and I've put some serious thought into asking her to marry me."

"Then go for it, my scaly friend," Inigo replied joyously. "A fine fellow like you will sweep her right off her claws."

"It's not just that. I plan to follow in Argonian tradition. In Black Marsh, tradition dictates we present a potential mate a unique wedding ring to represent our future bond. I already have the gold band, but all I need are three flawless amethysts to complete the setting."

"Flawless amethysts?" Blake asked. She was no authority on jewelry, but she knew the term 'flawless' added quite a bit of value to anything. "Why those?"

"Every Argonian wedding proposal band is supposed to have three flawless amethysts as part of their design. Two of the gems, the ones on the outside, represent the couple to be married... one for the husband, one for the wife. The amethyst in the center represents The Hist, the entity that all Argonians consider a sacred part of our lives."

"Oh, that is lovely," M'rissi admired. "She does not know what a Hist is, but it sounds very spiritual and important."

"I guess I can keep an eye out," Blake answere with a nod. "I've ended up in a few places where gems and such seem to be left behind. Have you tried Madesi, though? I'm sure he'd be willing to help."

"Oh, he is. He's actually helping me with the ring, but unfortunately, no one's sold him any amethysts in a long time. With the roads like they are, lately the safest one has been, ironically, the one the dragon thief has claimed. You might get robbed there, but he keeps it clear of anything else, and people say it's like he smells the gold on you. Never goes after those with none. Odd times for us. If it helps, you might be able to ask Madesi for places to look. At the very least, he could point out someplace likely."

"I'll check with him. If I ever find any, you'll be the first to get them."

"Thank you for your kindness friend. Let me know if you need anything else."

Blake nodded to him and looked to her other friends. "Well, after supper we'll head down and let Brynjolf know the job's done. Let me do all the talking. I already know how to spin it. After that, I guess we'll call it a day."

"I called it a day at dawn. By the time you call it day, it will be night."

Blake playfully nudged Inigo, who laughed at her response. M'rissi's ears swiveled a bit before popping up as she thought.

"Oh, you were making fun of her way of phrasing it. Silly Inigo. That is not what she meant."

* * *

Wolfskull Cave was not far from Meridia's temple, but after a short hike Ruby got her first taste of Dawnbreaker's power. In front of the entrance, acting as a sort of guard, there were a pair of skeletons holding ancient weapons. Upon seeing the two travelers, they immediately shambled towards them, almost as if on autopilot. Ruby already had Dawnbreaker out, due to not having a sheath for it yet and not wanting to risk being hit by the Daedric blade, so by the time the skeletons made their way to her she was already swinging. She only hit one, but when she did it exploded in blue and white energy, the wave of the holy power hitting the other and destroying it as well. Ruby and Lydia were both frightened by it, but both came out unharmed.

"Wow, it really works! Wish I'd had this for those other crypts. Though…I don't know if it would hurt Weiss or not. Eh, better not to risk it when we team back up." Ruby nodded as she admired the blade before walking towards the cave entrance. "I'll go on in while you get Choco and Sum tied up."

"Please don't go too far," Lydia begged her Thane, not wanting to be separated from her charge yet again.

"No promises~," Ruby sing-songed before she headed inside. The first cavern she came across was mostly empty, with an empty cart, whitened deer skull, some of those odd bone chimes, and rusty chains hanging from the ceiling was all that was there aside from a dimming torch. Diving deeper, Ruby came across a discarded, old pickaxe next to a fading lantern, but then saw a draugr just ahead. The undead charged her with its axe, but Ruby easily side-stepped it while slicing its body with Dawnbreaker. The undead was suddenly enveloped by flames, and then it exploded, ancient flesh turned to ash and dust while blackened bone pieces were flung everywhere but at Ruby, all in an eruption of blue energy.

"Yeah, don't want to use this around Weiss," Ruby muttered as she looked over the damage. "Well, Weiss isn't here, but some draugr are. At least now I know that guy wasn't exaggerating too much."

"My Thane," she heard from behind her as Lydia came in. "I heard-" At the sight of the blackened spot and smoldering body parts, Lydia knew what had happened. "Oh." She crossed her arms.

"Welp, let's carry on." Ruby bashfully ignored her housecarl's stare as she led the away forward. Lydia could only sigh before following.

The next room that they came into was short, but wide, and off to one side a pair of mages was near a campfire. Noticing the two adventurers as they walked in, both immediately began throwing ice spikes, but Lydia's shield easily deflected them while Ruby dodged around and closed the distance. Using the flat of Dawnbreaker's blade, she smacked one mage across the forehead to knock her to the ground, then went towards the other intending to hamstring him. The mage let loose a cone of frost that caused icy spikes to erupt from the ground between them, forcing Ruby to back up and try to find another way around. As she was distracted, the man then held his arms out and telekinetically yanked many of the spikes up, aiming them for Ruby.

They launched, and Ruby Shouted " **Feim!** " turning her intangible for just a moment. The wall of spikes passed through her incorporeal form, but then she heard a scream and looked back to see the man's fellow had been impaled in three places, now clutching a spike driven into her gut. Ruby gritted her teeth, but then Lydia's sword chopped into the standing mage's neck, causing him to gurgle as he fell to the ground, where she then stabbed into his heart.

"More necromancers," Lydia snarled. "I'm not sure if they had anything to do with Malkoran though."

"Lydia, why did you-" Before they could further discuss the matter, a door opened and a high elf mage appeared. He saw the state of his two comrades and immediately threw a ball of ice and fled. The ball exploded at the two's feet, sending a wave of biting cold over both.

"What the-!" Ruby shivered from the cold, while the housecarl remained unaffected.

"He's going to get backup!" Lydia shouted before chasing after him. Ruby went as well, but Lydia was already tackling the mage to the floor when she turned the corner. The housecarl then suddenly pulled up, holding the elf's neck in a chokehold and pressing her palm against his head. A quick motion later, and she had both hands on him, one at the top and one below his jaw. She gave a quick, rough twist, and his neck snapped, leaving the mage limp. Ruby gasped while her housecarl caught her breath.

"Ly- Lydia?"

"Sorry, I- We don't know how many of them are in here. We need to be careful moving for- DUCK!"

Ruby had to suddenly duck under an ice spike, and the two looked forward to see a draugr with a blade in one hand and ice spell in the other. Ruby dashed forward, leaving a trail of rose petals, and impaled the undead on her sword, where it then exploded. With the danger passed, Ruby sighed and turned towards her housecarl with a disapproving glare.

"Why did you kill them?" Ruby asked. Lydia, rather than looking remorseful, stared back.

"Forgive me if I don't see the value in leaving necromancer's alive to hurt us or others, my Thane. Especially after what we just went through to get that artifact, and our experiences before." Lydia pointed towards the glowing sword, which seemed to glow brighter at the attention directed towards it. At Lydia's answer, Ruby sighed.

"I know, they probably deserve it. It's just... I don't like doing it when there are other options, you know?"

"...I know," Lydia sighed and smiled. "You have a noble heart, Thane Ruby. Your conviction to keeping people alive is admirable. But," Lydia raised her finger in emphasis, "if I have to choose between your life and a bandit, or a necromancer, or a cultist, or any enemy we come across, I will not hesitate to choose yours. But, I will try to hold back as much as possible." At this, Ruby smiled in appreciation and moved on. Looking around, Ruby couldn't see any other entrance except a hole in the ground. Seeing as she could easily see the bottom, Ruby hopped down and saw another tunnel leading deeper into the cave.

"My Thane?" Lydia nervously called down.

"I think this is the way. Hop on down."

"That's…a bit far for me."

Ruby looked up and down the length of the hole and shrugged.

"Good a time as any to try it out." She jumped back up, bouncing off the wall once and then coming up from the mouth of the hole. "Here, take my hand."

Slowly and with a heavy amount of trepidation, Lydia put her hand in Ruby's and then the young Dragonborn focused on her Semblance. The two suddenly sped down into the hole, Lydia gasping in amazement as they stopped, twin trails of red and dull yellow rose petals left behind them, slowly dissipating.

"That was… Wow!"

"Yep. I've been practicing taking larger and larger stuff with me when I go. Looks like I can take people along too, now."

"Will certainly be a help," Lydia nodded as the two began to move deeper into the cave.

"You know," Ruby pointed out as she ducked underneath a low hanging ceiling, "I've been wondering something. Why are the necromancer's even here?"

"I honestly don't know," Lydia shrugged. "If I had to guess, this cave has a large amount of draugr to control."

"Yeah, but then why would-?" Ruby was cut off as they entered a massive cavern, the largest Ruby had ever seen yet. A distance away was an old tower, seemingly built inside of the cave for some reason. Their attention, however, was focused on a much more alarming sight. At the top of the tower, magical light was shining out and seemed to be drawing some sort of energy towards it. Ruby had to squint, but she could almost make out what appeared to be a person inside of the orb. The two walked out onto a ledge where a brazier sat, trying to get a better look at the area, when a voice resonated from the tower and throughout the cavern.

"Wolf Queen! Hear our call and awaken. We summon Potema!"

"We summon Potema!" a group chorused after her while Lydia gasped in fright.

"No, they can't- Those maniacs! We have to stop them!"

"What? What's going on?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"They're trying to revive Potema the Wolf Queen!"

"Who?"

"She was a member of the Septim family from the early Third Era, but she threw the Empire into chaos when she continuously tried to take over, going so far as to summon daedra and undead to fight for her! If they bring her back, they'll be plunging Tamriel into more disarray than we could imagine! We have to stop them!" Lydia answered with a wide, frantic look in her eyes. Ruby looked back at the tower and felt Dawnbreaker seem to heat up in her hands. It was only a gut feeling, but something told her that Meridia agreed with Lydia's assessment of the situation. She nodded and began looking for a way to the building.

"Okay, let's stop some necromancers!" As Ruby grabbed Lydia's hand and began hopping them down a steep rock face with short bursts of her Semblance, the chant began another verse.

"Long have you slept the dreamless sleep of death, Potema. No longer. Hear us Wolf Queen! We Summon you!"

"We summon Potema!"

At the ground level, Ruby began heading for a set of ancient stairs, cutting down a draugr and leaving it to explode behind her, killing another draugr that had run out from a room to the side. Charging up the stairs and turning inside of a room, she heard another voice boom out.

" _Yes! Yes! Return me to this realm!"_

"Oh gods!" Lydia cursed as she tried to keep up with her Thane. A necromancer tried to get in their way, but Ruby stabbed her sword into the ground and spun atop it, kicking him into a wall with the spinning momentum before hopping back forward and continuing on. The necromancer began to push himself up, but Lydia, however, sliced open his throat before leaving him there, never once ceasing her pursuit.

"As our voices summon you, the blood of the innocent binds you, Wolf Queen," the one leading the ritual announced.

"Summoned with words. Bound by blood."

" _What?! What are you doing? You fools! You cannot bind me to your wills!"_

"Summoned with words. Bound by blood," the chorus repeated as Ruby decapitated another draugr before charging yet another necromancer with two draugr next to her.

" _You ants don't have the power to bind me!"_

Ruby went for the undead first, cutting one open so that it stumbled while on fire, and then slicing into the second. Both exploded, and the necromancer woman screamed while falling backwards. Suddenly an arrow zipped through and pierced her neck, and Ruby looked back to see Lydia with her bow drawn, picking off two more of the mages on a portuculis.

"Lydia!"

"We have to hurry!" her housecarl shouted over to her. "I know you don't like to kill people, but if we don't stop them, they _will_ bring death and destruction to all of Skyrim and beyond. They'll either die here or at the block, but we don't have the time for that."

Ruby gritted her teeth and looked back up at the tower's top. Squeezing the hilt of Dawnbreaker in her hand, she charged forward, slicing down three more draugr on her way to the door that led inside.

"Something is wrong. There is an intruder," she heard from above. As she ran to the spiral staircase, another necromancer tried to get in her way, but then Ruby sliced upwards, carving through the attempted ward like butter, and then through flesh. She felt bile trying to rise when the smell of burning flesh hit her nose, but held it back and turned in her swing to swipe clean through the burning mage. The man's screaming ceased, but another one charged her with one hand aflame and the other covered in lightning. An electrical arc barely missed her as she dodged to the side, and then she chopped down, removing his other arm in a single swing, the razor sharp edge of Dawnbreaker going clean through. He screamed as Meridia's flames engulfed him, but was put out of his misery when Lydia cut him down.

"Stop the intruder!" someone yelled as the two emerged onto the tower's roof to see three necromancers standing in a half circle around a raised, metal platform with an intricate carving upon it. As they tried to stop the two warriors, Ruby grasped Dawnbreaker with both hands and sped at the elderly looking woman at the head. The woman was impaled on the godly blade and was immediately immersed in flames. She screamed and flailed as Ruby pulled the sword loose from her and went for the man nearby, his face painted like a skull. He tried to swarm her with frost, but Ruby dashed away in a flurry of rose petals and sliced through his abdomen, setting him ablaze while gutting him. The last found herself shield-slammed into the tower's crenellations before Lydia chopped down, splitting her upper body nearly in half. With the death of the last necromancer, the magic sphere suddenly and soundlessly imploded, and the energy being drawn into it dispersed through a hole in the cave ceiling. Ruby felt her stomach twisting itself into knots at the smell of death, but looked over to the platform and then her housecarl.

"We did it?"

"Yes, we did." Lydia sheathed her blade and patted her charge's shoulder while bringing her close. "...I'm sorry," Lydia comforted Ruby as she began to cry.

* * *

Weiss exited the White Phial, feeling broken hearted by the encounter with Nurelion. He tried to hide it behind his hardened exterior, but she could see it in his eyes. The pure grief he was holding back was enough to break most men. She couldn't blame him. He spent centuries looking for that Phial, most of his long elven life, only for it to come back to him broken like it was, unable to even hold a liquid to prove itself. As she was leaving, she had looked back to see him just sitting there and holding the Phial, staring at it, a tear crawling from his eye. The sadness she felt for him was crushing. His apprentice tried to give her some septims for her trouble, but she refused.

"You ready to go?" Brelyna asked, snapping the girl out her thoughts.

"Yes. Let's go."

A few hours of using Longstride to speed up their travels, interspersed by a few points of rest to recharge, and the four students finally came upon Fellglow Keep. After destroying a pair of flame atronachs standing guard, J'zargo tried the door at the front of the keep, only to find it locked and barred.

"It would seem we must find another way in. Or maybe we could cause the door to explode. The second one would certainly entertain J'zargo."

"Maybe, but it could be magically guarded as well, so we'd end up wasting our time."

"It is," Brelyna confirmed with a quick observation. "It's certainly not indestructible, but unless one of us can blast down a whole building in one blow, we aren't getting through that way."

"There's another door," Onmund pointed out as he came back with a jar full of fire salts, freshly extracted from the atronachs. "Over here in the old, mostly buried tower. Probably used to be a ceiling entrance. I tested it. It's unlocked."

"Oh, that's handy." Weiss nodded. "Good job, Onmund."

The students entered into the keep from the secondary entrance and began walking in, only to find that this level had become flooded after a few feet. As they gently began walking through, Brelyna using a simple waterwalking spell, someone noticed them from a level above, staring down at them with a smirk.

"Ah, test subjects! Go my pets! Attack!"

Several frostbite spiders suddenly began to appear and crawl down the walls towards the four. J'zargo and Brelyna began unleashing Destruction upon them, while Onmund readied Jyrik's staff and axe, spraying out a line of sparking magic, making sure to keep it clear of the water they were in. Weiss quickly used the Sanguine Rose, which then brought up a creature she knew to be a Winged Twilight.

"Kill my enemies," she commanded before stowing away the staff and then drawing her sword. The Twilight winged up, slashing out a spider's eyes with her tail before aiming at the mage. The man screamed and threw a fireball at her, but missed and gave her the opening to dive at him. Ignoring the wet squelches and screams, Weiss froze one spider's legs to the ground then jabbed into its face before aiming at another one and sending a spike of ice through it. Soon, all of the spiders were dead, and the Winged Twilight popped up and perched onto the rails with bloodied claws.

Up the stairs and past a hallway, the four found an area that split confusingly, but mostly led to dead ends, all with a dart trap's pressure plate set obviously out in the middle. After making sure of their path, they carefully headed down the hall where they saw a set of jail cells. Inside three of the four cells were three gaunt and thin women, who all watched them with glowing, yellow eyes.

"Vampires?" Brelyna asked in a whisper. "Why do they have imprisoned vampires?"

"My best guess is nothing good," Weiss answered as she slowly snuck into the room. The women said nothing, but did sniff as she came closer. One pointed, and Weiss saw a Breton mage napping at a table.

"What are you doing here?" Weiss asked.

"They captured us for experiments," the nearest one growled out. "They've already taken two of our sisters and our master. We don't know what's happened to them." The Nordic vampire sniffed again. "You're not of the living. Free us, and we'll help you kill these damned blood sacks."

Weiss looked at the other two, a Cyrodiliic and a Bosmer, to see them nod in agreement, then back at the one speaking for them.

"On one condition. You need to swear that after we get out of here, you'll never bite or kill an innocent person unless absolutely necessary."

The imprisoned vampires looked between each other. The other two nodded, less enthusiastically, and their leader sighed before making an x sign over her heart.

"I swear."

"I swear," the other two repeated.

"Well, let's get them loose then," Brelyna said as she placed her hand upon the lock, a spell activating in her palm. The lock clicked and then the door swung open. She repeated the spell with the others and soon the three vampire women were freed. They joined hands for a moment, happy to be back together, and then looked towards the sleeping mage before pouncing upon her. The sleeping Breton didn't get but half a yell out before one of them covered her mouth as they all drained her. Once finished, the three removed themselves from her looking more filled out and healthier than before. Onmund began retching, and ran over to a corner to release his breakfast.

"Much better," the Nordic one appraised as she twirled her wrist.

"He supposes that that one did not count as innocent," J'zargo stated while looking over the shriveled up corpse. The vampires began looking around for weapons, one deciding to use a mace from a shelf while the leader took the dagger from their latest meal's side. The Bosmer groaned as she picked up an old, discarded axe from a corner.

"Okay, are we ready to move forward?" Weiss ask the nearly doubled group.

"Yeah," Onmund moaned as he walked back over to them. "I'm okay."

The group went into the next room, where a mage was looking over the body of a man carved open. The vampire women suddenly screamed and went straight for him, ignoring the woman from across the room aiming a fireball spell at them. Weiss reached out with Backlash, and the spell exploded in the woman's face. Brelyna sent another fireball at her to add to the interrupted one, and the woman was sent backwards and into some rubble, of which a few pieces fell onto her. The third mage was easily sent to the ground by a combination of J'zargo and Onmund's efforts, leaving little more than a blackened corpse. Everyone turned to see the mage that had been dissecting the man completely mutilated, and now the three vampires were looking over his experiment with sorrow.

"They killed my love," the Nord quietly cried. "They killed our master." She looked back with a feral snarl. "We're going to kill them all."

Weiss gulped at what she was seeing. The other two readied themselves as well, and suddenly the mages had to keep up with the vampires.

"Maybe releasing them wasn't the best idea," Onmund observed. "For themselves more than anything else at this point."

A few wolves were heard howling from below and the students came into a room to find a man bleeding out in the center and the vampires looking at a man stuck behind cage bars. One of them was readying an ice spike, but Weiss came between them.

"Hold on a moment. Those are college robes." Weiss looked at the man, who let loose a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you saved me! Please, could you pull the release? It's the middle one."

"Wait, this one remembers you," J'zargo noted as he came close. "Orthorn. You disappeared a short time after those imbeciles who thought dripping acids onto people's skin was a decent form of study. Were you trying to join this riff-raff?"

"What? No, I mean, not really. Look, I didn't realize it was _that_ group that came here. I thought it was the other one, with Svedi and Qoalazhon."

"Oh, so you went after the _lazy_ group and instead found the _murderously lazy_ group."

"Look, it's not like that, okay. I just got tired of being held to other people's standards and always put on some sort of schedule. I left home to get away from that kind of thing, not be put on one with five dozen other people to compare me to."

"Look, I don't care why you left, where are the books you stole?" Weiss asked, annoyed at the elf's excuses.

"Books? Well, you see… The Caller will have them, most likely. She was most interested in one of the volumes."

"The Caller?"

"Person in charge. Don't know her name. I don't even think she was a student like most of these rogues."

"Then she's the one responsible for everything here?" the Bosmer vampire hissed.

"Yes! Yes, it was all her and her minions, of which I am an enemy of! Just a big misunderstanding on my part!"

"We're going to tear her asunder!" the Cyrodiilic promised, causing the imprisoned Altmer to recoil slightly. As the vampires began to huddle among themselves, the four students all turned to look at each other.

"So, should we set him free, or leave him here?" Brelyna asked.

"What, you can't just leave me!" Orthorn objected.

"He's a lazy and cowardly thief, but he hasn't earned anything harsher than a few days behind bars and expulsion. Which he's gotten, it seems." Weiss waved her hand. "Besides, he could make a useful meat shield."

"I- I'm a fairly good conjurer. No need for me, specifically, to be the shield, right?"

"Wow, you really are cowardly," Onmund stated before pulling the center lever, releasing the former student.

"What about the wolves?" Brelyna asked.

"I have an idea for them. Let's get anything of value from here first though."

After scouring the room, finding several coins, enchanted items, and books on different spells and rituals, the group shuffled themselves through the door to the next area, with Weiss holding up the rear. As she closed the door, she reached out and telekinetically pulled the other two levers, releasing the wolves as she did. They immediately went for the corpse of their former master and began hungrily tearing into it as Weiss shut the door closed.

"Nice touch," the Nord nodded in approval while Weiss nodded back slightly. Past another set of bent hallways and down a set of stairs, they came down to another area.

"And begin," a man commanded two other mages, who then summoned fireballs and sent them down a range. Someone screamed in pain from one of them and the three vampires charged. Orthorn called up a flame atronach and mentally commanded it to attack the mage in command, while the four students focused on the closest one. The unfortunate one to have three skilled student mages focused upon him was practically ripped to shreds as sever spikes of ice, a firebolt, and two streams of lightning bombarded him. The other found himself set upon by three angry vampires who splattered him across a wall, but the last one was able to stand a bit longer, having smashed the atronach with a Hailstone spell and then impaled it to the floor with an ice lance. He started firing lightning at Orthorn, but then Onmund came to the rescue and used Raise Wall just beneath his foes' feet. Normally a defensive Alteration spell, Raise Wall could still launch a person into the air, only this time there was a ceiling in the way, causing the man be smashed between the altered floor and the stone above him. Frowning in disgust at the scene, Weiss looked down the firing range to see that there was another vampire hanging in a gibbet at the far end. The other three were already seeing to her as Brelyna hopped over the shelf in the way and calmly approached, ready to open up the gibbet's lock for them.

"At this rate we may leave here with a small caravan," J'zargo noted.

"Well, we are trying to help those in need. You aren't really objecting though, are you?"

"Not at all. If we were in a place imprisoning Khajiit for experimentation, he is certain you would free them with just as much enthusiasm, if not more."

With the fourth vampire freed, a Dunmer this time, they headed out of the room and up another set of stairs, into a place Orthorn warned them was 'the Undercroft'. Seeing them enter, one necromancer cast a spell upon a skeleton, bringing it to unlife, while draugr rose from their caskets. Weiss immediately bathed one of the draugr in electricity before stabbing another. Onmund sent a Bone Spirit towards the skeleton then focused his efforts on the caster, seemingly going into an invisible struggle with him. Everyone else kept beating down draugr with magic or metal as they appeared, until there seemed to be no more. The necromancer Onmund had been battling suddenly keeled over before upchucking blood, then collapsing, and the last necromancer turned and fled with a scream. Onmund himself fell to his knees while gasping. As his classmates came to his side, the four vampires chased down the runaway, who was then heard screaming from down the hall.

"Are you all right?" Brelyna asked in concern.

"Yeah," Onmund got out. "Just…tried countering his mind reading while trying to cast my own to distract him. Ending up fighting in our heads. Or one of ours. Took me a second to realize I could imagine whatever I wanted there, so I imagined the Hero of Kvatch appearing and then using Finger of Death on him. I think it worked."

"He's currently bleeding from places no one should ever bleed from," J'zargo pointed out. "Something worked. Remind J'zargo to never get in a psychic duel with you, seeing as you cheat."

"Yeah, haha, laugh it up." The Nordic man stood back to his feet and the group started again, Orthorn trailing behind them, seemingly a little more wary of who he'd figured as their weakest link. The vampires had finished off yet another meal from the runaway, and now the group traveled upstairs and through several conjoined rooms where a number of enemies laid in wait. Each time they attempted to stop them, they only ended up paying for their efforts with their lives. Weiss was beginning to be disturbed by their willingness to keep fighting them at this point, but then figured that they likely weren't realizing just how outmatched they truly were, or believed that they'd be the ones to land the lucky strikes, somehow.

"The library is just through here," Orthorn pointed out as they walked up a dais. "We're getting close now."

"You seem to know the layout of this place," Brelyna indicated. "Despite being a prisoner."

"Well, I was free for a time. About ten minutes."

After quickly checking through, they found that the library didn't hold any of the three tomes they had been sent after, but of interest was the books _Lost Legends_ and _The Legend of Red Eagle_. Weiss packed them both away in the hopes of further future study, and then headed with the rest into the hallway that led to the next chamber, another mage having been taken down by the combined efforts of vampires and mages, and Onmund now extracting a little more fire salt from another atronach corpse. She pushed into the next room, where an Altmer woman stood before a podium.

"So, you're the ones who've barged into _my_ home and laid waste to my projects?" she accused. "How _nice_ to meet you."

"Oh, you're going to start that?" Weiss started. "If _your_ followers had been a little more willing to talk things out rather than immediately trying to feed us to spiders or burn us alive, perhaps there would be something left of your projects. As it is, return the books to us at once or-"

"No," the vampire Nord behind her said before shoving past. "She killed our master! She will pay!"

"Oh look, you made friends with the test subjects." The mage then sighed in disgust. "Whatever." She threw a massive fireball at them, which the vampires all dodged out of the way of while Brelyna brought up a ward to block it. Onmund began firing with his staff while Orthorn summoned up a flame atronach. Weiss got to her feet quickly and charged the Altmer blocking Onmund's spell with Myrtenaster aimed at her heart, only for the woman to flick her wrist, disappear, and reappear from another point in the room. She quickly summoned a pair of flame atronachs, both of whom turned towards Weiss. J'zargo then came in, letting loose a blast of frost onto one of them while Brelyna threw an ice spike at the other. The Caller growled, but then was blindsided by one of the vampire women. She tried to use a Flaming Hand, but the Dunmer vampire was no more affected by the fire than she was. She managed to stab the vampire in the ribs with her dagger and shove her off, but that then opened her up to be attacked by the Nordic one, who slammed her own dagger into the mage's neck. The woman screamed, but the noise was cut short when the vampire stabbed again, this time going for her throat. The two summons then disappeared, and the room went quiet. The mages all looked at the vampires, startled at their brutality, while Onmund's attention was focused towards a nearby desk. Walking towards it, he dusted it off to reveal a familiar title.

"Found one," Onmund announced as he picked up one of the books they were after.

"Well, let's see where the other two are at and then get out of here." Weiss looked over to the four vampire women, who now seemed at a loss as to what to do. She recalled her conversation with the Archmage when she first joined, and then the discussion she and her classmates had the other night. Hoping that she was doing this right, she approached the group.

"If you want, I can give you all a hand," she began, getting their attention. "I know someone that might be able to help you out."

* * *

"So, it can override vampirism?" Yang asked as she and Aela walked along.

"Effectively, yes, but I have heard tales of it not working. It would take a strong strain to not be overpowered by the Beastblood. A vampire won't get infected by wild variants, but they can still be changed with purpose. The opposite's true, but only for the stronger sorts."

"So just a regular old vampire can become a werewolf like us?" Yang prodded, to which Aela knowingly nodded towards her companion.

"You're asking for your friend, aren't you?" Aela rightly guessed. At Yang's expression, she laughed. "I smelled it the first time I met you all. Since no one up and died of blood loss and Farengar vetted her, we let it be. I'm guessing you want to give her the gift and get her out of Molag Bal's grasp."

"Yeah. Out of all the reasons, that's definitely the top. Being stuck hunting forever sounds infinitely better than…that place."

"I doubt there's anyone who wouldn't agree with you. Well, maybe one or two degenerates. I think we should do it. Freeing any innocent person from Molag Bal is worth nearly anything, and giving a poor girl like her the gift is hardly the worst." The two stopped by the boulder they were supposed to meet Skjor at, only to find his discarded armor and clothing. Aela looked down and saw massive paw prints in the snow and dirt, leading away from the boulder and towards their target, Gallows Rock. She sighed. "That ice for brains went ahead of us."

"Should we catch up? He's probably…" Yang squinted, seeing that a man was standing atop the keep's tower, keeping watch. "Okay, either he's stealthier than you let on, or something's up."

Aela saw the man and cursed. "Damn it all, Skjor!" She took out her bow and sent an arrow at the lookout, hitting him right in the skull, killing him silently. The two charged in and began taking down Silver Hands before they could respond. They went straight into the fort, careful to watch each other's backs as they dove in, taking down the murderous werewolf hunters as they went. They stopped at some cages where a pair of werewolves were locked up, both of which were emaciated and bloodied. Yang sniffed at them and shook her head at their unfamiliar scent.

"Not Skjor. They don't even look all that feral, though."

"The bars have a silver coat. They push against them, it starts to sting. A regular, iron cage couldn't hold them otherwise." Yang looked closely and saw what she meant. Humming in thought, Yang went over and checked the best dressed of the now dead Silver Hands before pulling a key from his side.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Aela asked, alarmed.

"Freeing them," Yang said simply as she inserted the key.

"Look, I get you want to be noble here, but these…" Aela went silent as the cage swung open and the werewolf walked out of it. It looked up at Yang then whimpered before lowering itself. Yang smiled and began rubbing its head.

"Yeah, you know who's in charge here. Let's see if your buddy knows it too."

Yang freed the other one, who acted in a similar fashion, but seemed to almost refuse to whimper, instead trying to growl, which it quickly ceased when Yang locked eyes with it. The blonde smiled and then patted its head too.

"I'm seeing it, but I don't believe it," Aela muttered.

"Like I said, they know who's in charge here. Now, let's try to figure out where they've got Skjor holed up."

The four headed deeper in, with Yang at the lead. By herself, Yang was able to take down most of the Silver Hands, but the two werewolves made short work of anyone unfortunate enough to be what they laid eyes on, as well any food left in the open. One man did get a lucky hit on one of them with his silver axe, but couldn't pull it loose before the other pounced on him and ripped his head off. Yang quickly went and pulled it out before treating the wound with healing magic, only to find she had almost no skill in the spell at all.

"Huh, now I know what Weiss meant about sucking at this." The werewolf whimpered and looked over to its attacker before ripping into his chest, eating everything from within the rib cage. Yang saw the wound close a little, and figured it had something to do with the weird magic that made werebeasts possible in the first place.

The charge continued until they came into an open room, the place where their target awaited. Yang saw Krev 'the Skinner' look up from where he'd been hunched over a werewolf corpse, and then a familiar scent wafted up to her. Aela growled and Yang saw her eyes open wide. Four other Silver Hands aimed bows at them, but they mattered little to Yang, who charged Krev with a shout and punched forwards. The Redguard ducked under her swing and sliced at her with his sword, only for it to clang off her gauntlet as she blocked. Surprisingly though, she saw the paint from Ember Celica chip a little from the blow, even as her next punch hit his banded shield, denting it. She ducked under his next swing, but something felt off about the blade he was using. It was enchanted, obviously, but with what she couldn't tell.

"Die, you dog!" he shouted as he swung from the opposite side. Yang back stepped and felt the blade's tip go across her collar bone. Unfettered, she was about to go at him when she was distracted by something warm and wet running down the right side of her chest. She stepped back and felt at it to feel something sticky, then looked down to see her hand covered in red. Fear enveloped her for what felt like a long moment, but in reality was only a second. In that second, Krev had prepared for another strike, but before he could, one of the werewolves jumped at him, pinning him to the wall, where it then bit down on his arm and pulled, ripping it from its socket. Yang tried to shake herself out of it, but fell backwards dizzily. Her Aura was already starting to slowly heal her wound, but rather than reassure Yang, it only increased the fear she felt.

' _It went right through it... Like it wasn't even_ there _..._ ' Yang thought as she stared at Krev's fallen sword. Her thoughts were halted, however, by the sight of Aela rushing towards her, a frantic look on her face.

"Yang!" she heard Aela yell as the woman came to her side and held her up. She pulled a vial from her side and tore the cork out with her teeth before pouring the substance into Yang's mouth. The girl swallowed and then shook her head, feeling herself coming back together.

"Wha- What happened?"

"You got nicked pretty badly on one of the arteries in your neck. Gods damn it, Yang, I thought I was going to lose you! I thought-" Aela looked over to the dead werewolf Krev had been preparing to skin. Yang followed her gaze and saw how one of the werewolf's eyes had an old injury and was whited over.

"Skjor," the younger girl recognized. Krev suddenly moved and Aela snarled before whipping out an arrow from her quiver and loosing it into the bleeding man's chest. He cried out, and then looked at them both with fury as the life slipped from him. The older woman went over to her friend's body while Yang stood up. Almost every Silver Hand in the room had gone down with an arrow in them, save the one that had been torn in half. Both the werewolves looked at Yang expectedly, who then led them out of the room.

"I'm just... I'm going home," Yang quietly called back to Aela before she left.

After walking towards Whiterun for a couple of hours, the two werewolves had changed back to their human forms. Luckily, Yang had grabbed a few sets of clothes lying around the old keep and so handed them off to the men before they went off their own way, thanking her for saving their lives and promising to go out somewhere where it would be safe for them and others. Yang, however, walked alone back to Whiterun, ruminating in her thoughts and observing Krev's sword. Aela had stayed behind, tending to Skjor's fallen body, and Yang could only hope she didn't do anything rash.

* * *

Close to the Valtheim Towers, Yang picked up a familiar scent, and ran forward to find a group of eight people. Most of them she didn't know, but one head full of snow white hair she recognized immediately.

"Weiss?"

"Yang?" the heiress asked in surprise, looking up from the campfire where a Nord man was cooking. "Are you out on a- Where did all of that blood come from?!"

Yang looked down at her blood-soaked shirt and gave her a sheepish grin while she reached for Krev's sword stashed against the small of her back.

"Well, we were getting a bounty, wanted dead by the way, and he had this sword." She pulled it up and handed it over to her. "Steel. Enchanted, but I can't tell what exactly the enchantment is." Yang's voice quickly dropped to a fearful whisper, "Whatever it is, it completely ignored my Aura."

Weiss looked over the sword in confusion for a moment before looking back at her. "If I'm not mistaken, this sword's just enchanted with Soul Trap."

"But why would it-" Yang stopped as it suddenly made sense. Soul Trap was a spell made specifically to affect the soul, whereas Aura came directly from the soul. Weiss seemed to make the same realization at the same time she did, judging by the panicked look on her face, but their silent ponderings were put on hold when a woman cleared her throat for their attention.

"Going to introduce us, Weiss?" a Dunmer woman asked.

"Oh!" Weiss exclaimed, recomposing herself. "Yang, these are my classmates, Brelyna Maryon, Onmund Farlson, and J'zargo. Those four are some prisoners were rescued from rogue mages."

"Oh, neat. Anyways, will you guys be heading to Whiterun? There's something, like, really important that could help you with your…condition."

"They all know I'm a vampire, Yang," Weiss pointed out. "What's up? Did you find something?"

"Uh, yeah, actually." Yang looked over the group, and then decided to ask about the whys and hows later. "So, basically, what if I told you, you could trade your vampirism for lycanthropy?"

Weiss rose an eyebrow at her teammate's hypothetical, while the others all looked upon the two Huntresses with great interest.


	23. Omakes: The Tales from SB

**Omakes! People on SpaceBattles like to write too, and sometimes people like to write little stuff to compliment the story they're enjoying as a form of showing appreciation. Some are** _ **very**_ **special, and will be featured in something equally as special. These are some of the other ones, which are still good, but you'll see what the difference is soon.**

* * *

 **Flametusk** Bug on the Ice

"Can I help you?" Jorleif asked Weiss.

"It's about-" Weiss started, only for the steward to interrupt her.

"Can I help you?" He asked again, in the exact same tone of voice.

"There's-" Weiss tried again.

"Can I help you?" Came the interruption again.

"You know what? I'm just going to go investigate anyways," Weiss said as she left the palace.

* * *

When she reached the crime scene, it was exactly as it had been, only... with no evidence. Well, there was a great deal of very obvious evidence, but for some reason she couldn't comprehend any of it, her senses completely ignoring the great amounts of spilled blood on the ice. She knew there was evidence, and she knew that she should be able to easily followit, since she could very easily see it, but she just couldn't put the pieces together.

* * *

After fruitlessly spending the night trying to investigate the crime scene, a courier ran up to the sleep-deprived vampire.

"I've got a delivery for you. Your hands only," the courier said before handing Weiss a letter.

When Weiss opened the letter, she saw it was from someone named "UnclE Sheo's Packaging", with the contents just being the word "say" followed by a bunch of random letters and numbers.

Dubious, but for willing to give anything a try at this point, she said the random numbers and letters. Immediately after, all the evidence finally made sense, and Weiss knew what she needed to do next.

* * *

 **Ars Poetica** No!

"DOVAHKIIN! I AM-"

"NO!"

"...I AM-!"

 _"NOOOO! NO! NO! BAD! NOOO!"_

"...IF YOU WOULD LET ME FINISH-"

 _"SHUT UP! GO AWAY! NO! NONE OF THIS! NOT RIGHT NOW! GO. AWAY."_

"..."

"..."

The dragon flew away, and Ruby calmly turned to stare at the rock embedded into a mountainside. "So you were saying something about a secret chest, Weiss?"

"...Uh..."

"Oh, wait, I think I found it! Aaaand that's a _lot_ of stuff. Like... wow, that's a lot. Hey, uh, Yang, can you _carry_ all of this?"

Yang did not answer because she was a bear.

"That's not a no!"

* * *

 **Flametusk** Peacefully Chaotic

 _Somewhere, in one of the planes of Oblivion..._

"Oh, how I wish I could have seen the look on your face when your champion stole your key," Boethiah said to Nocturnal.

"Frey is no longer any champion of mine." Came the response.

"My blade's current holder could reclaim it for you," Mephala spoke up.

"And have the guild be betrayed once that mortal has what she wants?"

"Ladies, ladies, stop fighting. You're ruining the mood! One of Skyrim's major criminal organizations is already out of a job. We don't need the other one out as well. How about a compromise instead? Take some of the lesser Daedra from here and send them to Mercer," Sanguine said.

"His idea holds merit. Let the one who betrayed you be ripped to shreds for his treachery," Said the Lord of Destruction.

"Oh! Did I miss the plans to slaughter mortals? I almost feel betrayed! But I was visiting some old friends and causing some chaos of my own, so I forgive you," Sheogorath said as he entered the room. "I also saved some kids from this other guy on the way here. The guy was almost crazier than I am, so I just took him to the Isles. He'll fit in well. Oh! And I may have sent some of the weak, pathetic, insanely destructivedaedra from this place to deal with your skeleton problem, Meridia."

* * *

 _Back in Skyrim..._

Ruby reached the door to the final room of Meridia's temple, before the goddess spoke to her once more.

" _Do not open that door if you value your life. The necromancer is dealt with. Unless you wish to face a horde of bloodthirsty daedra whose only purpose is destruction, I would suggest you keep this door closed, girl. Unless you think yourself strong enough to take them, in which case I made the wrong choice for my champion._ "

Ruby peeked through the keyhole, but didn't see any daedra. What she saw instead shocked her.

The room was filled with the disintegrating corpses of Beowolves, a familiar corgi in the center of it all.

Throwing open the door, Ruby put away Crescent Rose just in time for Zwei to leap into her arms.

* * *

 **Z. R. Stein** In another, very different timeline...

Ruby's eyes snapped open.

The last thing that she remembered before she had ended up in this cart was...going to sleep at Beacon? How had she ended up here in the first place?

Ruby looked over to see her sister and her two teammates laid out beside her, all of them still asleep. Had they been captured? Oh, no, what if they were taking them away to do horrible things to them, like...like...wait-was it just her, or did the trees look...really...familiar...

"Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there."

"Damn you Stormcloaks... Skyrim was fine until you came along! Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you I'd have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell. You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

Ruby blinked rapidly. Border...thief...trees. She knew these lines. She knew them by _heart_.

"Oh... _my_... _ **god**_... _ **GUYS WAKE UP!**_ _"_

The three other members of Team RWBY jolted awake. Meanwhile, Ralof continued talking, unperturbed.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."

Gaining her bearings, Yang looked around wildly, taking in the cart, the trees, and the three men that weren't paying the slightest bit of attention to them anymore.

"Ruby...are we...in Skyrim?"

"Shut up back there."

* * *

"Ok, I don't know how we got here, or what the hell is going on, but are you sure about this plan of yours?"

Ruby looked at her sister, affronted.

"Sis, you're talking to the girl who set the Any% speedrun record for both the main questline and the Miraak questline. Trust me. We'll be back in Beacon within the hour."

Why are we stopping?"

"Why do you think? End of the line."

Yang gave her sister a look before she smiled widely.

"Alright...alright, I'm up for it. Just don't make the game crash, I don't want to consider what happens if you do."

Weiss groaned as she dismounted the cart.

"Why can't we just play the game the normal way? All this talk about crashing the game world is making me really, really nervous."

Yang waved her manacled hands at Weiss.

"Relax, Ice Queen. Ruby knows Skyrim back to front. I've played through the main questline myself. It'll be a breeze. You really want to be stuck in a video game for any longer than we need to be?"

"It's not like you know that completing the game will set us free? Why risk it?"

Ruby shushed Weiss and Yang as the character customization was about to begin.

"Who, are you?"

Ruby grinned.

"Ruby Rose, at your service! Let's get this party started!"

* * *

 _Less than an Hour Later..._

Miraak flipped through the tome in his hand before he placed it back on the shelf that he had gotten it from. Apocrypha was an endless realm of knowledge, but that didn't mean all that much when one was searching for one specific thing. Ah well. He could find that torture spell later. For now, he had a guest to prepare for.

The Last Dragonborn. Yes, indeed, fate was coming to his doorstep soon. The Last Dragonborn would face the first; their duel would be legendary, and in their final clash, he would cast down his fellow Child of Akatosh into the tugent sea of-

"Hey Miraak!"

A succession of five searing fireballs hit the First Dragonborn in the face, instantly snuffing the life out of him.

Ruby Rose stood at the foot of the stairs, a face splitting grin on her face. Behind her, Weiss was wheezing.

"...what...the hell...how did you...even use...a bucket...like that?"

"Oh Weiss, that's a textbook wall-clipping move."

"I don't...play...video games."

Beside Weiss, Yang walked up, holding a large chest with both arms.

"I wonder if we get to take all this stuff home? I could use a pile of gold coins and gemstones."

Ruby looked back at Yang and shrugged, then turned her eyes to Blake.

"Uh, Blake. Any reason you have...that?"

Blake looked down at the Black Book in her arms and shrugged as well.

"It looks cool."

"...fair enough."

Ruby turned back to Miraak's corpse and approached it, picking up his mask.

"Well...if we're all grabbing something. Guess I'll take this. Hey Weiss, you want a tentacle sword?"

"Why would I want a tentacle sword?"

"Why _wouldn't_ you want a tentacle sword?"

"...I think I'll just take the robes."

* * *

 **Ars Poetica** 's Werefantasy

"Alright, let's see... You were bitten by a werebear, so that's gotta factor in."

"It was more like _clawed_ \- and I got inoculated. So I should be good!"

"Yeah, no."

 _"Seriously?"_

"And you were bitten by a werelion?"

Yang sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, that happened."

" _And_ you drank the blood of the Companions?"

"I needed a solution."

"...And what's this about bathing in the blood of a weredragon?"

"That's a _thing?"_

"Alright, you know what? Screw it. You get everything."

"...Everything?"

 _"Everything."_

-x-

"You know, things have gotten a lot easier since Yang's, uh... moment." Ruby said aloud, overlooking a castle of zombies on fire.

Weiss observed the destruction with a constipated look. "It's just... _why_. How? What do you even _call_ her?"

"A flying, scaled, weremammal. On fire."

"...Huh. That actually works pretty well."

 _ **"FEAR ME MORTALS! I AM YOUR DOOM!"**_ Yang took a moment to bathe half the already burning castle full of Draugr in another wave of fire. _**"HEY! YOU GUYS WANT IN ON THIS?!"**_

"We're good!" Blake shouted back. "...Did she hear me?"

Weiss sighed and cradled her face in her hands, "What even is this anymore? I just... I _can't_."

"Just let it happen," Ruby breathed as she took out her Scroll and started taking a video, "Just let it happen."

* * *

 **Z. R. Stein** Old Friends

" _Bahlaan fahdonne_ , I thank you for coming. It has been many years since I have had the pleasure of _tinvaak_ with you. Come, sit, stay, and talk. It has been too long."

Ozpin saluted the elderly dragon with his coffee mug, a small smile on his face.

"It has been too long, indeed. I should visit Nirn more often. The view from the Throat of the World is always lovely this time of year."

Paarthurnax shifted his position, dislodging a small dusting of snow that had begun collecting on the crown of his head. Overhead, the lights of Aetherius twinkled, green, blue, and pink waves of energy swirling endlessly in the night sky.

"You are always welcome to my _strunmah_ , _fahdonne_. Why though, have you come here today? Are you not busy with your work in the _leinkren_?"

"Yes, well...I can spare a moment or two to chat with an old friend. Glynda will run things while I'm gone for the day. I'm sure she'll do a splendid job, she always does. I think that you would find her quite an endearing mortal. I know I do."

Paarthunax turned one eye towards Ozpin, a rumble of laughter echoing from his throat

" _Pruzah_...could it be? _Los rok kron naalaan vahdiin_? She must be a great beauty to grab the attention of your ancient eyes, _fahdonne_."

Ozpin looked at Paarthurnax over the lip of his coffee mug, unimpressed.

"You know very well that I did not mean that. Romantic entanglements are not something that I engage in. I have much more important matters to devote my time to."

" _Geh_. As always, your mind is on your enemy. _Rinik kul_. It is wise to keep your guard up, especially around her."

Ozpin gently placed his mug on a rock beside him and leaned on his cane.

"The Fall Maiden was attacked...and for the first time in five thousand years, part of her power was stolen. I shudder to think of what Salem could do with the power of even one of the Maidens." Ozpin adjusted the glasses on his nose. "I still have hope though. My students this years have been...particularly promising. That is actually why I came here today, though the view and the company did sway my choice somewhat."

"Ah? _F'un zuruz, fahdonne_. Why have your students brought you to _Vus_ , to Nirn?"

"It seems that four of my students may have ended up in this era. Whether by accident or by design, Team RWBY has made it to Nirn. Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. I was curious if you had heard anything about them, old friend."

Paarthurnax looked up at the sky.

"I have indeed heard of this team. _Hir goraan vahdiin_. The one in red was on this very mountain not long ago. She spent time with Arngeir below."

Ozpin paused.

"Ah. She was called to the Greybeards."

" _Geh_."

"I see."

Ozpin and Paarthurnax stood in silence for a time. Ozpin sat down on an available rock to think.

"I had hoped that she would join the fight on Remnant...but if Akatosh needs her here, there is little that I can do."

"Indeed. _Bormahu_ is not unkind though; if she survives the trials ahead, I have no doubt that he will allow her to return home."

Ozpin laughed softly.

"True. I suppose we can only hope for the best...at the very least, she should have a better chance of surviving than many others that Akatosh could have selected."

"Ah? Tell me of the _Dovahkiin_ , _fahdonne_. I would know the one that I am to teach better."

Ozpin twisted his cane into the snow.

"Well then...Ruby Rose...born of Summer Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long, trained by her uncle, Qrow Branwen in the art of scythe combat from a young age. I met her one night after she attempted to stop a dust robbery by herself, at the age of 15..."

* * *

 **And this final one for this filler chapter of non-canonicity, a collaboration between me and Pokeman1280, who also has a fic with RWBY and dragons, but very** differently **.**

A Dragon Rose's Scales

"At least after this the others now know to take a picture," Ruby thought aloud as they passed through the forested area. "Well, probably good for me to visit Falkreath, just in case. I should probably get familiar with all of the Holds at some point."

"It would be a good idea," Lydia agreed. "You may even need to extend your reach beyond Skyrim. We can't assume that dragons would only remain in a single Hold, and knowing the land while having amicable relationships with the locals can only help."

"Yeah, that's true. Hm, wonder what kind of epitaph would be etched inside of a place assassins would hide inside of."

Before Lydia could offer her opinion, the two heard a roar and looked up to see a dragon in the distance, seemingly coming towards them. Ruby groaned, but prepared herself for combat either way. Lydia immediately took the horses somewhere out of the way, while the young Dragonborn got herself in position. A little part of her was excited, but that part was likely the dragon souls sharing headspace with her. Another part was hoping that this dragon might actually be a friendly one for a change, or at least not murderous, like that one she heard about in the Rift that was just running his own kind of toll scam.

She probably did need to check in on that at some point though.

Having secured the horses, Lydia came to her side, and they stood at the ready as the dragon, now seen to be red, honed in on their location.

* * *

Ruby craned her neck to look past her dragon's head. Two figures stood on the ground directly where Cerise was flying. The HUD on her helmet marked them, and the weapon one of them had drawn. _We got trouble?_ she thought to her dragon.

 _'I... don't know,'_ Cerise said. ' _This shouldn't be possible.'_

 _'I don't think word's spread that we're here. They probably think we're Morzan and his beast.'_

 _'Maybe...'_ Cerise hummed in confusion.

 _'Cerise, we've flown over how many other people? What's so special about these two?'_ Ruby stretched her mind toward the two people on the ground. One of the women was expecting a fight, and was almost focused enough on that to shield her mind from attack. The other girl felt... familiar, though Ruby knew she never touched the girl's mind before. A relative of someone she had met? Did feeling minds even work like that? She'd have to ask Oromis about that when she returned to Ellesméra. There was something else strange about her mind too, but Ruby didn't want to dig any further than the surface. ' _Cerise, come on. Let's find a lake or something and get back to the desert. We need to get to the mountain'_

 _'I know but I can't shake this feeling. One of them looks like...'_ Cerise' ears shot up and her wings jarred for a second. She snapped her head toward Ruby, then at those on the ground. ' _What magic is this?'_

 _'Cerise, what's going on?'_ Ruby reached for Máni Bláto, expecting a fight.

 _'Gem, use my eyes.'_ Cerise sounded surprised, not angry like she would be during combat.

 _'O... kay.'_ Ruby settled back in the saddle and let herself be pulled into her dragon's head. Some colors faded while others popped. Their gaze was directed solely on the shorter girl. She had a curious look on her round face... silver eyes stared back at them.

Ruby jerked herself back into her own head. "What?!" she yelled in her helmet. She leaned her head off her dragon and stared at the one who got Cerise' attention. Her bionic eye zoomed in on the girl. She couldn't see it through her dragon's eyes, but the girl's hair grew red toward the tips. What looked like a folded up Crescent Rose and various ammo mags rested in open pockets. Ruby's jaw dropped. "What?"

 _'You took the words right out of my head.'_ Cerise adjusted her angle and dove for the grass a few dozen feet in front of those on the ground. Her ears stayed raised and she cocked her head. She sniffed the air, then faced her Rider. ' _She even smells right.'_

 _'Okay. This is way too weird.'_ Ruby freed her legs and hopped off Cerise' back, into the strangers' line of sight. Both women faced her. Both of their jaws dropped, surprised at seeing someone riding a dragon, but the older woman recovered quickly and returned her gaze to the dragon. The woman's eyes rested on Cerise' front legs, while the girl remained unmoving.

"My Thane," the woman flicked her eyes to the girl, "what do we do?"

The girl just stared at Ruby and slowly raised an index finger. "That helmet can't be made here... Who are you?"

Ruby and Cerise exchanged a glance. ' _Even her voice is right,'_ Cerise said. There was no more doubt in their minds as to who this girl was.

 _'Should I show her?'_ Ruby asked. ' _I'm pretty sure that's a big no-no in Professor Who... then again, I don't remember anything like this.'_

 _'It's up to you, Ruby.'_ Cerise turned back to the strangers and cocked her head the other way.

Ruby faced the girl and brought her hands to her helmet. She pulled it off, careful not to catch her pointed ears. Both strangers jaws hit the ground as Ruby locked eyes with the girl. "I... I think I'm you."

* * *

One thing Ruby wasn't expecting was a four-legged dragon. Another was a dragon wearing something on its back. And she was most certainly not expecting anything a dragon wore on it to be a saddle with someone seated in it.

"It looks... pretty," Ruby awed at the sleek red dragon.

"It has front legs and wings. That means it can claw us _and_ bite us at the same time," Lydia pointedly observed, her body tensed. Soon enough, the red, streamlined dragon banked down and landed a ways in front of them, saying nothing, but looking at her curiously. Then its rider hopped off and seemed to look at them.

"My Thane," Lydia asked in calmly held back fear as she seemed focused on the very dangerous forelegs of the dragon, "what do we do?"

Ruby looked over the rider, a woman going by the figure, and noticed a lot of odd things about her. Something about this person just screamed at her that she certainly wasn't from around here, but the helmet looked way out of place for this world stuck centuries behind Remnant.

She pointed up to the person's head. "That helmet can't be made here…" she realized. "Who are you?"

The woman seemed to silently contemplate this for a moment before she reached up and took off her helmet. "I… I think I'm you."

Ruby stared at the taller, pointy-eared version of herself in utter confusion, Lydia apparently frozen as a statue at the sight. The housecarl looked back at the _four-legged_ dragon and then to the other her before going limp.

"Lydia, why is there a grown-up elf me riding dragons?" Ruby quietly asked in a great deal of confusion.

"Wait, I'm not an elf," the other Ruby objected.

"But you're all lithe and pointy-eared, like elves usually are, but you're not yellow or grey or brown either. Hey, Lydia, are some elves human colored?" Ruby looked to her housecarl and then waved her hand in front of her still frozen eyes. "Lydia?"

"Look, you- me- you." The other her winced. "I'm just elf- _like_. It's part of being a Rider."

"Wait, riding dragons turns you into an elf?"

"No…" the older Ruby sighed. "Cerise, help."

 _'All right, I'll try to explain as best as I can… You go by Ruby, yes?'_

"Ohmygods! That dragon does telepathy!" Ruby gasped in quickly. "And it's a she! Lydia! We've run into the first girl dragon we've ever met! And she knows telepathy!"

 _'…I had forgotten how excitable you were at that age.'_

* * *

"Let me get this straight," the younger Ruby started, "dragons choose their Rider, you're bonded for life, and since your bond is stronger with the elves human Riders will slowly change to look like them."

 _'The bare basics, yes.'_ Cerise nodded. ' _There are a few more nuances, but that knowledge is saved for our Riders.'_

The girl gestured at the Rider. "I _am_ a Rider. I'm standing right there!"

Ruby smiled and shook her head. "It's not that simple, Ruby." ' _Now I know how Weiss felt.'_

 _'I'm sure she still feels that way at times.'_ Cerise winked at her Rider.

"You know Cerise, you're really pretty." The younger Ruby reached a hand for Cerise' snout. The Rider took in a sharp breath and reached a hand out to stop herself, only for Cerise to move her head closer to the girls outstretched hand. The girl touched Cerise' snout and faced the older her. "Something wrong, me?"

Ruby stared at the hand on her dragon's snout, then sighed. "I didn't know what would happen if another me touched Cerise. I don't think anyone's had this problem before."

"Has no one else pet Cerise before?" The younger Ruby ran her hand across Cerise' snout.

"The whole team has, but mainly when she was still a hatching." Ruby relaxed. "You're still RWBAY, er, RWBY, right?"

"Yeah... Was that an 'A' in the first one?"

"Yeah. Shortly after Cerise hatched, we met a guy named Aaron. He's a Rider too. I think he said something about Ozpin pulling some strings to get him into Beacon. Anyway, he ended up joining our team and now he's my second in command of the Riders. It's an old and new guard sort of thing. Then again, that's not saying much. There aren't exactly a lot of us around now."

The younger Ruby cocked her head. "How many of you are there?"

"Combat capable, four, total, six. That's... another long story." Ruby shook her head, clearing it of her depressing thoughts. "What about you? What have you been up to?"

The younger Ruby's smile disappeared and she took a few steps away from Cerise. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, uh, in present company, that's a little... complicated."

* * *

Ruby stared at her younger counterpart in disbelief and trepidation, the smaller Ruby twiddling her thumbs as she awaited her elder's response.

"You killed… _three_ dragons? And… absorbed their souls?"

"I didn't mean to!" the younger defended. "It just sorta happens! I don't even know why, besides the whole 'soul of a dragon' thing. It's not like I'm the only one who can kill them or anything."

 _'It… certainly explains the strange defense about her mind,'_ Cerise told her Rider. ' _If there are three dragon souls tied to her being…'_

 _'Can you tell how they are? What are they saying now?'_ Ruby asked Cerise, who took a moment to concentrate.

 _'...They appear to be interconnected through her soul. Each one is still its own being, but they've been drawn along the same line of thought, the little one being the dominant mind.'_ Cerise then huffed through her nose. _She has been meditating and practicing to keep her draconic side from taking over. These dragons, they're...different than the ones we know.'_

' _What do you mean? Different, how?'_

' _Just... different. More... violent and focused on strength. One of these dragons was a cruel bully, one of them akin to a brutal slaver of Dras-Leona, and the better one simply saw humans like a hunter would see particularly interesting forest creatures.'_ Ruby hummed to herself, grasping her chin in her hand.

"Well, you said it was only in defense right?" At the younger girl's nod, Ruby could only sigh. "Then I... guess it's understandable. Unfortunately, while I would love nothing more than to stay and help, we have our own duties to take care of. And you don't know where this Alduin dragon might be?"

"Not a clue. I think the Greybeards were planning to help me figure out how to track him down after some more training, but I need to go back to Riverwood to get the horn of Herkin-"

"Jurgen," small Ruby's 'housecarl' corrected as though by reflex.

"-and bring that back to them."

"Well, okay, let me see if I can call up the rest of the team –my team–, and we'll try to figure out what to do about this. Alagaësia is my main focus, but if this Alduin's really controlling dragons and forcing them to attack, then he's just as big, if not, worse of a problem." She then looked over to her dragon with a little smirk replacing her serious look. "Hey Cerise, think you can carry a smaller me and an extra woman for a little while."

The little Ruby gasped so quickly and deeply the older one thought she felt the air pressure in their vicinity drop. "We're going to ride a dragon!" she squeed.

* * *

"This is so awesome!" Ruby threw her arms to the side and her head back. She tried to stand in the saddle but Lydia kept her firmly in place. "How fast can you fly?"

 _'We've never really measured our speed while we just use our wings.'_ Cerise turned her head back. ' _But I can say I can keep pace with a Bullhead for a short distance.'_

Ruby's eyes and smile widened. "Can you show us?"

 _'Not with two people on my back.'_ Cerise flicked her eyes to look behind Ruby. ' _I don't think your housecarl would appreciate it either.'_

"Humans are not meant to fly on dragons!" Lydia yelled over the wind.

Cerise laughed and faced forward again. ' _Another of our Riders was scared of heights at first too. My mate cured her of that quickly.'_

"I am not scared of heights! I'm just used to have something solid beneath me!" Lydia's attempt at deflection amused Ruby greatly as she began to giggle.

"Keep telling yourself that, Lyd." Ruby paused. "Wait, your mate? Do you have any eggs?"

Cerise hummed happily. _'Three. I cannot wait to meet the hatchlings inside.'_

Ruby bare;y contained another squee. "I bet they'll be adorable."

 _'Of course they will be. They're my offspring.'_ Cerise curved her neck back toward Ruby. _'You really are my Rider, but younger.'_ The dragon jerked her head to the right and toward the ground. _'It appears our flight is at an end. My Ruby is calling me.'_ She angled her body in the direction her head faced and dove for the ground, towards where it looked like there was a small clearing in the trees ahead.

The dragon touched down and settled on her belly, while Older Ruby knelt at the water's edge with her left hand over the water. Younger Ruby jumped off Cerise back and skipped over to the other her, happy and excited, while Lydia shakily got to the ground. "That was awesome! You get to do that all the time?" She stopped by the older woman's side. The Rider's eyes were focused solely on the water and she chanted in some unfamiliar language. Seconds later, the water swirled and turned black and purple at the same time. Ruby stepped away from the water. "Whoa. You can use magic too?"

"To answer your questions," the Rider stood up and faced her counterpart. "Yes, I get to fly Cerise all the time, and yes, I can use magic."

Ruby squealed. "Can you show me anything?"

The other her sighed and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she looked... tired, but not in a sleepy kind of way. "Ruby, I would love to stay and talk. I would love to geek out about all kinds of weapons here. I'd help you fight Alduin if I could. But we need to go back. I'm supposed to help plan an attack for what for me is tomorrow. I cast a transport spell that I thought would work and I ended up here. In Alagaësia, the Riders are expected to take point, and since I'm the head by default, I need to be the first in. We can't stay here."

Ruby slumped her shoulders. "So you're going back to Althegeesea?"

"Alagaësia, and yes, we need to go." Older Ruby stepped forward and hugged the Dragonborn. "Fair skies, Ruby. Do what you need to do."

Ruby returned the hug right away. "Good luck. Take care of Yang for me."

"I will." The Rider ruffled Ruby's hair as she backed away. Ruby swatted the hand away and older her giggled. "Sorry. Had to know how Yang feels."

Cerise hummed and stepped toward Ruby. ' _May the wind be at your back, Ruby. Don't lose track of your goal.'_ She nuzzled her snout against Ruby's left cheek.

"I won't." Ruby hugged the dragon's snout. "I hope I can meet another dragon like you someday."

 _'As do I.'_ Cerise pulled her head away as her Rider mounted up. ' _Until we meet again, Gem.'_ Ruby's mouth formed and 'O' as the dragon jumped into the swirling water. A second after Cerise' tail disappeared, the water returned to normal.

Lydia walked up to Ruby's side. "That was an... interesting encounter."

"Yeah it was." Ruby's excitement from earlier boiled up to the surface. "Ohmygosh! I got to ride a dragon!" She jumped in the air and pumped a fist. "The others will never believe me." Her smile disappeared as she realized something. She clamped her hands on the sides of her head. "I didn't take any pictures!"

* * *

 **And to close this off, I suggest any and all of you go take a look at** Pokeman's **fic A Rose's Scales, which is a RWBY and Inheritance (the Eragon books) crossover. Trust me, it's good. You may notice that it has two sequels, one of which is still currently in the works. Anyways, a new chapter should be out in a week or so. Until then…**


	24. Failure is Another Kind of Success

**So, if you haven't noticed, I made another 'story' with some very special content that I mentioned back in the omake piece. Check it out on my story list. You'll be delighted, I swear**

 **In other news, we now have chapter 21!**

* * *

 _Nicaea Vesta blocked Agronak's sword swing, but could barely feel any effort put behind the blow. She ducked under a sluggish slash and backed away a few steps, holding her shield and spear limply, looking at the half-orc sadly._

" _Please, just end it," he begged her. "I am nothing but the vile spawn of evil!" He continued his pitiful swings as the roaring crowd slowly quieted, many having noticed something was wrong with the two fighters. "I can't take-"_

 _Nicaea dropped her shield after his sword bumped off of it. The Grand Champion looked towards her discarded buffer and seemed to be about to demand she pick it up, or to further beg his death by her hand, when her now free hand swung out and smacked against the side of his face. No stranger to pain, it was not the sting that stunned Agronak, but the action in and of itself. He looked up, and saw the champion's face covered with tears._

" _Don't…" she croaked out. "Don't you dare say another word like that!" She sniffed and wiped her hand across her face. "I've fought…in this place, worked all the way from the bottom to here, without taking a single life. And I refuse for the first one to be that of someone I call a friend."_

 _She suddenly shot forward, and to everyone's confusion, wrapped her arms around Agronak. Some spectators expected a sudden takedown, others thought she was going for a disarm. Instead, the two stood still, the half-orc embraced by the young woman._

" _You. Are more. Than your father's son," she enunciated. "You aren't the Gray Prince because of some centuries old man in a castle._ _ **You**_ _are the reason you are noble. You've earned this title by your own hands. Your own sweat and blood. He didn't make you who you are." Slowly Nicaea separated from the embrace and took a few steps back, leaving a stunned Agronak gro-Malog to ruminate on his stance a while longer. He looked to the sword and shield in his hands and then at the crowd encircled about the Arena. His grips tightened and then he looked back to his student and opponent._

" _You… You're right," he swallowed. "I… I've just wanted to know who I came from for so long, I had forgotten…who I really was." He raised his weapon and gave out a battlecry, causing the people in the stands to begin a raucous cheer. "Forget Lovidicus! Forget the past! Come on and pick up your shield, whelp! You want to become Grand Champion? You'll have to get through me!"_

 _Nicaea smiled and hopped over to scoop up her shield, then held herself in a ready position. "I'd have it no other way."_

The boat rocked, and Blake looked up to see they'd pulled up to the Goldenglow Estate's docks. Inigo, in his brand new Thieves' Guild Armor, tied the mooring with a bit of skill, while M'rissi tentatively stepped out of the rocking boat and onto the more stable dock. Blake put away her book and stepped off as well while wondering if it really _was_ possible for vampires to have children and whether or not Weiss' research had revealed such. As they docked, several rough-looking guardsmen eyed them suspiciously, more than a few holding the hilts of their weapons. Undeterred, Blake walked towards one, making sure her hands could be clearly seen to her sides.

"I need to speak to Aringoth. It's a matter of business."

"Yeah? Well he ain't said anything about expecting visitors," the one that looked in charge of the rabble growled. Blake sighed.

"He's not. It's a sort of sudden, limited time offer. Look, you guys are just supposed to defend him, right? I'll leave all my weapons here, just take me up to speak with him. If you don't, he'll miss an opportunity, and I'll be sure to add your descriptions to the reasons in my next letter to him."

The mercs looked a little uncomfortable with that. Some shifted in place while others looked hesitantly at one another. Finally, the main man caved and huffed at her.

"All right, but leave everything here. Medd will pat you down to be double sure."

Luckily, Medd turned out to be a woman. A large, mountain of a woman who could break half the present men's necks, but female all the same, so it was slightly less awkward for Blake to get checked by her before being escorted to the premises. As Blake passed through the richly decorated halls where a hunting trophy hung on every other wall, she thought back to her short meeting with Mercer Frey, the Guildmaster. He was gruff and to the point, but something about him made Blake wonder. She didn't know why, but he just felt different than everyone else. Her train of thought was halted, though, when she came into a room that could have supported a small family, all dedicated to one person. The person sitting at the desk turned out to be a Bosmer, with a more golden-brown look to him, who then looked at her with disdain.

"Is there a reason you lot dragged this cat up here?" he asked the guards, who then shifted about nervously.

"Look, Aringoth, I was sent by the Guild and I-"

"Yes, I'm sure you were. We've already chased off one of those thieves. You have a lot of gall to come up here like this though, so I suppose I'll hear you out. Maybe you'll say something interesting?"

Blake sighed. "Okay, look, I don't like Maven, at all, and I really could not care less about her business ventures, but part of my deal with the Thieves' Guild is that I do things for them. Now, rather than breaking and entering, I decided I would talk this out with you and-"

"And what? That I would just _give_ you everything you wanted? Look, little kitty, my business with Maven is over, as well as anything to do with any of her pets. Now run along, and go chase mice in the Ratways. See her out."

Before she could even protest, the guards grabbed her by her arms and proceeded to practically drag her out of the house. They threw her from the front door, but she still managed to catch herself and walk away despite their manhandling. Silently enraged, Blake went over to where her weapons lay on a barrel and began buckling and clicking them back on.

"I am assuming that the meeting with the big beekeeper did not go as planned?" Inigo asked her.

"No," Blake spat out before getting a look in her eye. "Well, I tried to be reasonable, but you know what, I failed. And now it's time to try something else." She turned and walked back to the guards, who went rigid or got into a defensive stance. "Look guys, I know you're just doing your jobs," she called out as she continued approaching, cracking her knuckles and limbering up her shoulders, "and that's why I'm not going to kill any of you."

The leader took out his sword while two archers fired, but Blake disappeared where they were going and dashed forward, shoulder checking one man in the gut before ducking under a mace from another and then elbowing up into his face. Her foot whipped around and clocked one's face, sending him spinning to the ground, and then she flipped back and caught Medd's head between her knees. She pulled up, spun around, and then leaned hard towards Medd's back, pulling the massive woman with her and then throwing her over as Blake came back to her feet, tossing the woman away.

"Watch the boat. I'll be back in a minute," she told M'rissi and Inigo, who stared wide-eyed at her display. Every guard she came against she took down in a similar way to the first few, going for knockouts each time, all the way back Aringoth's room, where she dragged his door guards in before dropping both before the shaking wood elf, both moaning in pain. He tried to put on a brave face and hold a sword at the ready, but Blake could immediately tell he wasn't experienced or confident.

"I could have snuck through your house and just stole what I needed, but I came to you instead. I could have slaughtered every single one of these guys in my way with no trouble, but they're all alive, if bruised. Now, I'm getting a little tired of holding myself back for _your_ sake, so let's not test my patience any further."

The mer gulped and slowly lowered his sword. "It's all true then? You're Shadowkiller? That armor isn't some knock off?"

"It was originally the Dark Brotherhood's. I removed the symbols," Blake answered, continuing to glare at the shivering Bosmer.

"Y'ffre save me," he muttered. "You… Look, I'll give you the key and tell my men to let you through, but… Look, you can't get angry at me!"

"Get angry about what?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Blake exited the building. Some of the guards were slowly recovering, and Inigo and M'rissi both looked nervous, holding their bows and looking in the direction of the apiary.

"Well, good news and bad news," Blake started before noticing their looks. "Okay, what's going on?"

"First, you should know it's your fault," M'rissi began. "She did not know it does that."

"What does that?"

"That the bow you got her set things on fire." Blake's ears went straight up and she looked over to where the bee hives were, one of them currently halfway on fire, sending up smoke into the air. "So, it is your fault for not telling her. M'rissi and Inigo were only harmlessly practicing their aim."

Blake put her face to her hands and screamed, the sound only mostly muffled.

* * *

Weiss looked at the Soul Trap enchanted dagger with no small amount of fear. It was weak, but it still managed to get through her Aura almost like it wasn't there. Another one with a much stronger enchantment had cut far worse, but even this one she made with nothing but a Petty sized gem got through.

"Well, I can tell you the Soul Trap isn't taking effect," Farengar explained.

"No effect?!" Yang screamed. "It's cutting through her Aura! Our most important defense!"

"Yes, but you're not being Soul Trapped. It seems your Aura ability absorbs it completely. On the one hand, your invisible armor isn't blocking the weapon, but on the other, you won't have your soul taken. Assuming they don't fully break it first. How does it work again? A certain amount of time and/or damage?"

"If you take enough damage, your Aura breaks, and it takes time for it to come back," Yang answered through gritted teeth.

"Ah, thank you for the clarification. Regardless, the fact that this 'Aura' is soul-based means that Soul Trap's effectiveness makes logical sense."

"The strength seems to matter as well," Weiss explained as she slowly healed the cut on her arm. "The Grand Soul Gem made one cut far deeper. I think that they can only cut through so much Aura at a time."

"Ah, that makes sense," Farengar concluded as he wiped the dagger clean. "'The stronger the soul, the more effective the enchantment' has been an unalienable rule of Enchanting since time immemorial. I imagine different materials would also have varying amounts of effectiveness as well. Daedric blades would probably be the best, due to their interaction with soul related abilities."

"Wait, are you telling us _how_ to make a weapon better at killing us?" Yang asked in shock.

"Or people like you, only…differently aligned, shall we say. Surely not everyone with your powers are all upstanding citizens."

"No, there are bad ones too," Weiss admitted. "Gods, if we brought this back to Remnant, people on people violence would change forever. Just a single gun enchanted with Soul Trap…"

Yang shook her head at the thought of such an easy slaughter. "If there's one magic we never share, it's going to be that," Yang declared before sitting down. "At least now we know Aura wouldn't go totally unchallenged if the use somehow spread."

"We're _not_ doing that," Weiss reiterated. "We don't even know if we _can_."

"Actually, I've taken a look into your Aura powers," Farengar started, taking out a book. "It seems to be a strange reflection of how daedra work. They are spirits, but they have a form within them, which then is created as the body around them. You can beat down the body, but the spirit can retreat and reform its body elsewhere, though they often use special items to speed up the process. Soul Trap is actually the one of the few ways to stop a single daedra long-term, but they always manage to get free. Another is the use of their protonymic and neonymic, but that's another category altogether."

"Gods, we had a test on the correct usage of those before we left the college. I swear, sometimes they act like the Dragon Barrier is going to break at any moment and we need to know how every daedra ever seen needs to be handled." Weiss grumbled as the memories came flooding back in.

"Weiss, focus," Yang reminded her.

"Sorry. Well, I can't say I know what we can do about this, besides wearing armor for added protection, or in my case using the armor spells far more often than what I do. Steelflesh is a tad too draining, so I guess I'll stick with Ironflesh for now. Didn't you have a set of armor from joining the Companions?"

"Eorlund fitted it for me earlier. I've already tried it on, but it's going to take some getting used to," Yang admitted before smiling. "Well, maybe you can get a set later?"

"Oh, yes, they're going to handle your vampirism for you?" Farengar asked, picking up on Yang's meaning. "Hm, not very usual. They don't exactly hand out their 'gift' to just anyone, but I guess your closeness to one of their Circle has given you an in."

"Wait, you know about them?" Weiss raised her eyebrow as she looked at the court mage.

"A few people in the higher circles do. Obviously the Jarl knows, as does the guard captain. It's something of a 'well-known secret' to us. Most of the populous is, of course, ignorant to the fact, or those that know are tolerant enough to accept them as they are." Farengar began to wave his hand around in emphasis. "I theorize that in another two centuries, it will become so common a fact that werewolves at large won't be hated, so much as put under the management of the government through the Companions for safety reasons, similar to how orcs were treated a long time ago, before finally being accepted by the Empire as people, or how goblins and ogres were before the Oblivion Crisis, not to mention the Minotaurs."

"Aren't goblins supposed to be the best miners and builders, though?" Yang asked, generally curious.

"Yes, but before the Lightning Guardian uplifted them, they were viewed as vermin, while ogres were thought of like trolls with clubs. Minotaurs were only seen as beasts. We've come a long way since then. Well, the Empire has. Not many goblin-ken north of Bruma after the Second Era. Unless you count the Rieklings of Solstheim. Heard the renewed Pigmole University was looking into communicating with them, but they haven't the funding."

"Pigmole?" Weiss scoffed at the horrendous name, while Yang briefly thought the name sounded familiar before throwing the thought away.

"It's the center of goblin-ken civilized society," Farengar began to explain. "After the Guardian uplifted the Minotaurs, they started trying to bring over the goblins and ogres. It was hard, and the process took months, but ultimately she was able to bring them around. The University was established afterwards, and eventually, the town of Pigmole formed up around it."

"Sounds like what happened with Atlas," Weiss mused before looking at a map of Tamriel. "Where exactly is Pigmole, by any chance?"

"It's right here," he pointed to a location a little ways south of Chorrol. "Was actually built in the ruins of Hackdirt, a cult settlement that got destroyed by the Guardian when she was rescuing a merchant's daughter."

"She destroyed an entire settlement?" Yang raised her eyebrow.

"Don't mind this one. The people of Hackdirt were terrible people. Human sacrifice and everything," Farengar shrugged them off. "Besides, once the goblins and ogres moved into the ruins above and tunnels below, the area actually began to thrive. Until the Thalmor arrived, it was one of the safest areas in Cyrodiil. Even then, that was only a temporary setback."

"What did the Thalmor do?"

"Burned the place to the ground in an attempt to wipe out the accomplishments of the Five Heroes. Their existence ran counter to their whole 'It was us who stopped the Oblivion Crisis' propaganda, so during the war they attempted to burn and destroy as much evidence of them as possible. They attacked Pigmole, thinking that the goblins and ogres would be like animals and thus easy to slaughter. Unfortunately for them, they were not so easy to kill. The loss of so many Aldmeri forces during that battle eventually helped lead to their expulsion from the Imperial City. But, they did manage to burn the university down, but no knowledge was actually lost and it was back up in a year. They even put up a new statue of the Guardian in its courtyard out of spite." Farengar chuckled.

"…Huh, neat." Yang checked her scroll and then pocketed it. "Okay, it's about time. Thanks for helping us figure out this stuff, Farengar."

"No trouble. Oh, next time your sister comes around, let her know I've found a few texts in dragonscript, and I would love if she were to translate them for me."

"I'll be sure to," Yang answered as she and Weiss exited the laboratory and then Dragonsreach. Almost as soon as they were outside in the night air, Yang pulled Weiss close, practically squeezing her.

"Erk, Yang! Stop with this hugging nonsense!" Weiss commanded as she pushed herself out of her grip.

"Hehe, sorry. It's just…I think of you as family, and so _that_ part of me thinks 'family', but really excited like, and I can't help it." She rubbed Weiss' head, but the heiress smacked her hand away, only to receive a laugh. "Sorry, but you're like another little sister to me at this point. And we're about to _really_ share blood soon so…" She shrugged. "It'll be great, you'll see."

"Yes, I suppose so. How exactly does this work, anyways?"

"Well, in a minute, Aela will walk you through the steps. Just go let her know you're ready. I'll be waiting." Yang spilt from Weiss and headed around Jorrvaskr while Weiss entered from the front. J'zargo was playing a match of Legends against Onmund, and from the looks on their meters, Onmund was getting smashed. He had only one card left in one lane while J'zargo had a guard set against it as well as an imp type in the other. One move later, and the imp attacked him directly while throwing a fireball, knocking the last of his hit points away and ending the game. The illusion then proceeded to show him 'dying' on the board, and it was over.

"Wizard games," someone complained, despite looking like she'd been watching intently.

"All right, you're ready to go?" Aela asked from the other side of the table, getting up to her feet. The other three students got up as well, ready to follow them.

"Yes, let's do this," Weiss answered, ready to finally be rid of her curse, even if she was only trading it out for another, less horrible one.

"Then follow me." Aela led them out the back door and towards the Skyforge's platform, she looked to the group and cleared her throat. "The rest of you stay out here. If a large, white werewolf should pop out the front, don't try to confront her. She might still be confused and not recognize friend from foe. I'd suggest heading back inside."

"This one would rather be close, in the case that something goes wrong," J'zargo explained.

"Your choice, but I'd have you all look away while we entered." The mages nodded and turned their backs, Onmund even covering his eyes. Aela nodded at Weiss then pushed against a spot on the platform, which sunk in from a seamless face then rose up. Weiss went through, with Aela just behind her. Deep inside the Underforge, Weiss came upon a creature that looked like a young Beowolf, no spikes or bone plates upon it anywhere, and familiar golden fur rather than a consuming black void. Its eyes were human-like, and a striking violet.

"So that's really you, Yang?"

"Yep," the werewolf said, startling the vampire. Yang laughed. "I can…still talk…ya know."

"Barely."

"Better when…you're one too."

"It's been tradition that only those we deem deserving of the Gift should receive it," Aela began, "but here, while most of us do not know you, our Shield-Sister Yang vouches for your character, and we can see your need. While you may not be a Companion, know that the door will always be open for you after tonight. Yang has chosen to be your forebear in this." Yang then handed over a claw to Aela, who took it and held it over a bowl on a stone pedestal before cutting her palm open and letting the blood flow freely into it. When the wound healed, Aela let her go and stepped back from the bowl. Yang smelled the blood on the air, but the pungent scent was far different than all the times before. There seemed to be no real…attraction to it.

' _Likely because it came from a werewolf,'_ she reasoned as she stepped forward, knowing what was to be expected of her. Glad that she was wearing some old clothes, she scooped up a handful of the blood and drank it down. The taste was gamey, for lack of a better term, but also seemed unsatisfying for some reason.

She suddenly felt something lurch through her from her stomach. Her body convulsed and she felt the blood within her flowing back. She tried to stop herself, but the force of it was too great and overpowering as her lips parted and the blood she'd drunk spewed out. Her body shook again and she vomited out more blood, far more than the handful she'd taken. She shivered and reached out towards the blood, but it was tainted. She was so dry and needed to quench her thirst.

"Weiss!" a voice called out.

Useless! She could not feed from these creatures. She needed something else. Mortal and untainted and fresh! She smelled a mortal nearby, then recalled that there were three just outside. She rushed to the entrance, scrabbling to pry the door open.

"Weiss, what's going- Weiss?"

Human. Young. Perfect! She leaped for the mortal full of blood, hands ready to hold him down and fangs bared to sink in, but before she could reach him, something grabbed the back of her shirt and tossed her down. She went to scrabble up to her feet, but something large and heavy slammed down on her and held her to the dirt. The undrinkable creature had her pinned to the ground with one of its massive claws. She clawed and scratched, trying to get herself free so that she could reach the beings full of blood. She needed it! She had to have it! She was so empty and it hurt!

"Weiss!" another called out.

"It failed!" an older one explained as something metal slid out. "Her body rejected the Beastblood!"

"What in Oblivion are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what she is, but I didn't think it would be that powerful or embedded into her. Her vampirism is far more rooted than I could've possibly imagined, and now she's gone blood crazed. She's a danger to every person here."

"Wait! Put that thing away right now!"

"Aela! Put…away!" the beast shouted. "She's thirsty! Needs…blood!"

Blood? Yes, blood!

"This one will do it," an accented voice said as one of the mortals came close, a glowing dagger appearing in his hand from nowhere. She pushed herself as high as she could, trying to get closer to the body full of blood so near to her. The ghostly dagger slid against skin, and then blood began to drip and pour from the wound and into her mouth. She eagerly lapped it up, messy at first, then careful to get as much of it down her throat as possible. The euphoria that flowed through her being as the blood revitalized her sent her to shaking a bit, until the blood stopped coming and she fell back, feeling sated with her eyes rolled back into her head.

Weiss slowly pieced herself together, her ecstasy slowly being replaced by horror and shame. Yang looked down at her and whimpered as she saw the sadness taking over her eyes. Her claw lifted up and Weiss covered her mouth as she began to sob, unable to stop herself once again.

* * *

"So," Ruby started as they neared the Blue Palace, "what do we tell the court?"

"We tell them the truth. No holding back anything," Lydia immediately responded. It had taken them half a day of riding to get back to Solitude, but they luckily managed to get back before sundown. The two pushed their horses to the brink in their rush to get back and inform the court, an action that they normally wouldn't consider. The horses were exhausted, and a little irritated, but after a few apples all was forgiven. Such simple, noble creatures, Ruby ruminated to herself, but as she opened the palace doors those thoughts went away.

"I've returned," she lightly announced as she walked in, giving a slight bow. The people of the court looked to her, many smiling at her appearance.

"So you have," Falk started. "I trust you were able to find out what was going on in that cave for us."

"I did, but…we should probably have everyone who's, um, not courtly important or…something… It's kinda a big deal."

The Jarl looked around and then waved a hand over to one of the guards, who nodded.

"All right, everyone not a part of the Court, let's get downstairs immediately. Private matters are being discussed." A minute later, and the few common folk in the area were escorted out of the room, with the Jarl, her steward, Court Mage, and Thanes all looking to Ruby expectantly, who suddenly felt like she was in the spotlight.

"So, what did you find that was so…important?" Elisif asked her.

"Well," Ruby gulped, a few beads of sweat appearing, "we went to Wolfskull, and quickly discovered that the villager was right to worry. A group of necromancers had taken over the cave and a fort located inside. They had raised a small army of draugr to serve as guards while they tried to bring Queen Podma back to life."

"Potema," Lydia corrected, making sure to keep her tone serious. "The necromancers had nearly brought back Potema the Wolf Queen."

Many of the Court gasped, and Elisif's arms went slack. Falk stared at this, trying to maintain a sense of calm but his eyes betrayed his panic.

"Potema herself?! Please, tell me you stopped them!" he pleaded

"We interrupted the ritual, and then all of the bright, magic…stuff stopped," Ruby explained. "Whatever they were doing, it's stopped."

"By the Gods, you've done a larger service to the realm than you could possibly know," Elisif commented. "If Potema returned…"

"I shudder at the thought," Falk finished.

"We'll see to it that you're properly rewarded for this. Sybile, you'll need to work on your scrying if this slipped past you."

"I…" the mage thought to defend herself as she waved a hand over a glass orb. "…No, wait, I see it now. There was a spell blocking me from looking within before. How could I have missed… Bodies. Yes, that was definitely a necromancer's hideout, at the very least, and… Julianos' beard! This symbol!" The mage looked back up to the others. "I don't know who they were trying to bring back, but if what I saw was any indication, they could've brought back nearly anyone with that ritual so long as they had a piece of the deceased."

"Then it's true," one of the Thanes said. "She stopped them from summoning Potema."

"Erikur, have your housecarl go and retrieve twelve hundred septims," the Jarl commanded. "As for all of us, let's be sure to keep this news to ourselves. We don't want to cause a panic among the populace. The dragons are enough as it is." With one final wave of her hand, the court disbanded as everyone went to fulfill their assigned duties. Sybile returned to her quarters to continue her scrying in peace, Erikur's housecarl went to gather Ruby's reward, with Falk marching out to the guard captain. It wasn't hard to guess what those orders were. Ruby and Lydia bowed to Elisif and turned to leave, only to stop as Elisif's voice softly called out. "Ruby Dragonslayer, please. If I might have your ears a moment."

"Uh, sure, ma'am, my lady," Ruby corrected herself as she walked over to the Jarl's side. Elisif stood from her throne and nervously wringed her hands, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the court, who were now beginning to talk amongst themselves about the disaster that had just been narrowly avoided.

"Thank you for speaking with me, and thank you once again for stopping those madmen. Gods know what would have happened if Potema returned."

"Yeah, I never knew about her before, but she sounds like the worst. Did you want to ask me about something?"

"Yes, there's something…personal…I was hoping you could do for me. Will you be going near Whiterun in the near future?"

"Actually, I think that might be my next stop heading down."

"Then this won't be too…out of the way." Elisif nodded before walking towards her quarters, beckoning Ruby and Lydia to follow. Closing the door behind them, Elisif released a sigh. "I'm only doing this because I trust you. As you may know, Talos worship was outlawed in the Empire. When we buried my husband, we made offerings to all the gods, except Talos. I would like you to take an item of his, a war horn handed down from his father, and place it at a shrine of Talos."

"Oh, uh, I'd be honored to help, of course," Ruby answered.

"Thank you. It would mean a lot to me." The Jarl went over to a shelf and took a war horn from it before turning and handing it over to Ruby, who looked over the old horn before looking back at Elisif. "There should be a shrine in the foothills west of Whiterun. I've heard rumors about it, and it should be safer in a hidden place than out in the open."

"Of course, ma'am. Don't worry. I'll get it there."

"Thank you, Ruby. May your venturesbe safe."

* * *

Blake groaned as she climbed down the ladder to the cistern. Goldenglow had not gone as planned. At all. Stewing in her frustration, she entered the cistern and quickly noticed a smiling Brynjolf waiting for her.

"Ah, saw the smoke all the way from here! Good work, lass!" he earnestly congratulated her. The others gave her a few nods, but most still looked at her in suspicion. Vex in particular seemed peeved, likely due to jealousy.

"M'rissi was the one to set the bees on fire!" the young Khajiit immediately claimed as she climbed down after Blake. "She also stole a neat statue!" she proudly added as she showed off a statuette of a bee on a honeycomb.

"Oh, now you claim responsibility," the faunus growled up at her before shaking her head. "Yeah, but there's some bad news as well."

"Bad news?" He asked as Blake hand over the bill of sale to him, his eyes widening upon reading it. "He _sold_ Goldenglow?! What's that idiot thinking?! And not even a name? Just a symbol. Don't suppose you know what it means?"

"Not a clue."

"Blast," Brynjolf spat to the side. "Well, I'll check my sources and speak to Mercer. For now, you're off to speak to Maven Black-Briar. She asked for you by name."

Blake's ears popped up, catching Brynjolf's attention. "Wait, me? By name?"

"If anyone's heard of you, it's her," Brynjolf replied.

"Any reason why?"

"If I was a betting man, which I am, I would wager it's a power play. You killing the Brotherhood hurt her, and has made you the talk of the town. You peacefully convincing everyone to pay up is proof of that. She likely wants to 'educate you' on who's in charge here. Now, I get you might not like her, but play nice. She's half the reason there's even a Guild left."

"Any idea what she'd want?" Blake scoffed. She didn't care who Maven was. If she asked her to do something she didn't want to do, she can shove it.

"That's between you and Maven, and I prefer to keep it that way." He shook his head and put his fists to his waist. "Don't worry about it. Maven's business dealings usually end up getting her people a lot of gold, and, as far as we're concerned, you're one of those people."

"Oh, well that's just great," she remarked.

"Well, it could be worse," Inigo added. "She could send a… No, wait, you already killed all of those. Hm, maybe she is a bit angry."

"Whatever it is, let's just meet up with her and get it over with. First though, my pay…"

* * *

Blake approached the older woman pretending to look through several wares she likely wasn't planning to buy at all. She saw Maul out the corner of her eye, and noted his disdainful grimace when he spotted her. A quick glare back and he flinched, causing Blake to smirk in satisfaction before steeling herself.

"Maven Black-Briar?"

"Yes, who…" The woman took in her appearance and hummed to herself. "So, you're the one. You've caused me a bit of trouble, severing a whole organization like you did."

"Sorry if I inconvenienced you. I was just making sure to kill off a threat to me and my friends. Happens all the time," Blake replied, never breaking eye contact. Maven merely scoffed, not as easily intimidated.

"I'm sure. Well, hopefully you can be of use _to_ me this time." Maven waved her hand. "Head to the Bannered Mare in Whiterun and speak to Mallus Maccius. He'll fill you in on all the details."

"Well, if I'm going to be heading out of the Hold, could I at least get a few here for now?"

"That I really want this job done should be more than enough."

Blake resisted the urge to roll her eyes and metaphorically bit her tongue. "Yeah, all right. Been wanting to go see some friends anyways. I'll be back whenever then."

"Yes, I'm sure you will. Try not to disappoint me with this. I'm getting tired of…disappointments." Maven's perpetual frown seemed to actually deepen before she turned and left, Maul quickly following after her. Blake glared at her back before turning away as well. As she walked away, M'rissi and Inigo came out from a nearby alley to walk alongside her.

"I never thought I'd see a soulless creature before, but it seems the world has many wonders left to surprise me with," the blue Khajiit commented.

"Blake, why do you let the mean, old lady talk to you like that?" M'rissi asked.

"Because, she's wealthy, influential, and I've already killed one old lady in this town. No need to increase that number to two."

"Meh, you could always make it look like an accident."

"I already did." At that, Inigo laughed. "Anyways, it's as good an excuse as any to head out of here for a few days, and I'd rather forward my information from Whiterun than here."

"Ah, yes, what did they give you this time?"

"A list of names," Blake explained as they walked out of the gates, waiting until they were out of earshot from the guards before continuing. "Names of guardsmen who actually worked alongside the Dark Brotherhood. Most weren't assassins, or retired from the assassin work. Delvin used to be a contact for them, and eventually he got the name of every last guard who worked with the Brotherhood. They'd keep an eye out for people performing the Black Sacrament, or for people who had become targets. Once Commander Maro gets this information, there's going to be a lot of job openings all across Skyrim."

"Here you go," Shadr said as he handed over the reins to Patches. Blake looked over at Inigo and realized he didn't have a mount of his own.

"Um, I guess we…"

"Oh, can Patches not ride three Khajiit?" M'rissi asked. "We walked before…"

"Yeah, looks like we're mostly just gonna walk. If you get tired though, feel free to hop on. In the meantime though, let's just let him walk after us. Maybe if we're lucky and come across a big treasure trove, he can carry it for us."

"Oaky!"

"Hello Patches," Inigo greeted the horse as the three began to hit the road. "It is nice to meet you. I am sure that once we have another horse or two, you can give rides to Blake again." He went silent for a moment, and then laughed. "Oh, I am sure she _was_ thinking about you getting to rest your hooves. She does not make it obvious, but she is usually a very sweet girl. Mr. Dragonfly thinks she is all right, but Miss Bee thinks she is like a poisonous flower. I think Miss Bee is confusing looks with names though, as Blake does not look flowery at all. More like if a Nord had Khajiit ears. Miss Bee does like how M'rissi smells though, which I find odd."

"Blake, he is talking to the animals again," the girl whispered over to her friend.

"Yeah, I know. Just let it happen."

* * *

Brelyna nursed a cup of mead in her hands while everyone sat silently. Weiss was the most shaken up by the events of the previous night, even more than Onmund, but they had all had a long moment of fright when it happened. As J'zargo feared, whatever strain Weiss had was too strong for the Companions' lycanthropy to override, and the cost to find that out nearly took Onmund's life. After finally getting everything settled down and taking Weiss back up to Breezehome, the mages were able to get some rest while taking turns looking in on their friend.

Morning came, and then the front door was thrown open by a blond haired beauty who then marched over to their washroom without a word. Onmund was surprised to see her go by without so much as noticing them, and the sound of her stomping through woke up Brelyna and J'zargo, pulling them from their lethargic state.

"It failed," he got out, moving the wood around with a poker. "So, how's Weiss?"

"Last he saw of her, she was sleeping soundly," J'zargo answered. "She… It is not just J'zargo that was scared for her?"

"We were all scared," Brelyna said, trying to comfort them all before taking a sip of her drink. "I thought we had lost her. I don't know much about vampires, but when we saw her come out like that, I thought she had… That she was lost. I thought she was gone forever and there was only a husk left that we'd be forced to put down. If Yang hadn't stopped her and held her down…there was almost nothing we could do."

A long stretch of silence settled between them, only interrupted by the throwing open of another door, this time the one from the washroom. As steam poured out, Yang walked out of the room with only a towel wrapped around her body. Onmund turned beet red as his breathing stopped. Brelyna blushed deeply, and J'zargo smacked his hand over his eyes and cleared his throat. Yang looked over, and then her eyes went wide with fear.

"Oh my god!" she screamed while wrapping her arms around herself protectively and then rushing upstairs. "I'm so sorry!"

"Did she… Did she not notice we were here?" Brelyna asked no one in particular.

"I...don't think she did," J'zargo slowly replied.

"Is it... Is it bad that I didn't really mind that time...?" Onmund meekly asked, still beet red. The blank looks he received from his friends was answer enough.

* * *

Yang groaned as she rubbed her face, now fully dressed, thankfully. She wasn't sure how she'd completely overlooked their guests, but blamed it on her night long hunting session to try and calm down her beastly side. Once she was sure Weiss would be okay, part of her wanted to snuggle up to the poor girl, but another part wanted to rip something apart for what had happened, so she headed out through the Underforge with the intent of killing a few animals and coming back. Instead she seemed to hunt down every creature for miles, and even ran down some unlucky highwayman who smelled like he'd killed at least five people recently. When she finally got the beast under control, she felt her form change back and headed back to Whiterun, taking the worst looking shirt from some farmer's laundry line and leaving a septim nicked from the dead thief.

She came in and went straight for a bath, not thinking about anything else until she was already out of the washroom. She was just glad that life at Beacon had already beaten a habit of tying a towel around afterwards, otherwise that poor guy downstairs would have seen far more than he already had.

Yang looked over from her chest-of-drawers to where Weiss was currently sleeping fitfully. Sighing, Yang went over and shook the girl awake. As Weiss looked up at her with bleary, yellow eyes, Yang scooped her up and held her closely in a tight hug.

"Yang?" she sleepily questioned. Her hands came up slowly and held her teammate to her, burying her face into her shoulders. "Yang, it didn't work."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I really thought we had it." They pulled away from each other and Weiss shook her head.

"You couldn't have known what would have happened. The research pointed to it all towards one result. Even Farengar and Kodlak said it should've worked. We're just…unlucky. I'll just have to find another cure somewhere else."

"Yeah. But I am kinda sad that I won't get to go hunting with a snowy white werewolf." Yang rubbed her head, causing the heiress to huff. "We'd have been the talk of the country."

"Yes. It's too bad I won't be eating deer carcasses whole throughout the night with you," Weiss sarcastically agreed, but still managed to put on a light smile. "Well, I'll just have to soldier on, I suppose. Everything's no different from before, we've just narrowed down the list. How're the others taking it?"

"Okay, I think. I kinda…didn't realize they were there, so when I came out of the bath…"

"Oh gods! Yang!"

"Eh, they didn't see _too_ much, but we should probably check on your Nord buddy and make sure he didn't magically turn into a tomato."

* * *

Closer to noon, the College students checked for their traveling preparations in the den of Breezehome, when suddenly Yang came in, fully packed and decked in a suit of steel armor with a wolf motif decorating the collar and waist of it, wolf furs lining the inside and a leather armored skirt draped around her thighs. Rather than gauntlets, she continued to sport her Ember Cilica, alongside a long sleeved shirt that really covered her arms.

"Ready when you guys are," she said as she set her packs down and softly sat in one of the chairs.

"Ready?" Weiss asked.

"You're going down to Lake Ilinalta to stop some evil wizard from using a Daedric Artifact to make himself immortal and then return it, right?" As Weiss looked at her questioningly, Yang pointed a thumb towards her classmates. "Bree and Mundy told me."

"She was…very convincing," Brelyna defended.

"Mundy?" Onmund asked under his breath.

"Yang, I'm touched that you want to help-"

"Aht! Stop right there! Last time I let one of us go down there, Blake and her little buddy nearly got eaten by a werelion, and Thalmor were searching up and down Falkreath for any sign of her. There's no telling what kind of crazy is going on down there with a bunch of evil magic stuff. I'm headed down there with you, and there's nothing you can do to stop me. And if you try to shake me, I'll sniff you down, so don't even bother."

Weiss sighed at that. "Right. Well, what about Ruby?"

"Meh, it'll be fine. We'll only be gone for a day or two at most, and I'll have a note left for her to find if she happens to come in at that time."

"Well, all right. I won't argue. Just do keep in mind, the man we're going to face is a former teacher from the College of Winterhold. He's likely a master mage, likely in Conjuration given what his research led to. His followers may include necromancers at this point as well."

"Hey, I eat necromancers for breakfast," Yang joked, but then her smile faded. "Wait, no, that was more of a midnight snack."

"This one feels like he should be more unnerved, but finds himself only curious: does necromancer taste rotten?"

"Oh gods, J'zargo!"

* * *

Looking at her map, Blake led the two Khajiits and their horse to the place Creep had pointed out to them before his demise. She saw a shack just within eyeshot and stowed the map away before heading straight for it.

' _I'm just glad the whole "We don't kill" rule got M'rissi a pass when we explained the whole thing. Apparently that wasn't the first time two people in the Guild had a confrontation due to friends or family being hurt or killed by other members.'_ As they closed in, Blake could see that the shack was in disarray, but not the sort where someone hasn't been there so much as the kind where no one cleaned it up after causing a mess. A few books lie in the floor from the bookshelf they were meant to be on, and there were a few dried up flowers and other plants next to a set of dusty alembics and vials. Most striking though was the long decayed corpse, now little more than bleached bones covered in scraps of cloth. From the skull it could easily be seen that it had belonged to a Khajiit.

Suddenly, before their very eyes, blue and indigo energies seemed to gather like mist in the waning sunlight. The energies connected and took form as the three readied themselves, only for them to see the ghost of a Cathay Khajiit appear before them.

" _Thank the gods!"_ he sighed when he saw them. _"This one is bored to death. Being a ghost leaves much to be desired. In fact, this one was talking to butterflies not long ago."_

Blake then noticed a yellow butterfly in a jar similar to the other two insect pets Inigo kept, a fresh flower planted within giving it a place to rest on and feed from.

"Okay, so it's not just him. Great," she muttered.

" _Speaking of, there's a beautiful specimen here, one very fond of ectoplasm. But this one hasn't seen it for some time and he starts to worry."_ He grimaced. _"It seems more and more alchemists are robbing butterflies of their wings for their potions. Are you an alchemist?"_

"No. Never really got into Alchemy."

" _That is good. The butterfly has every right to live as you and… You, anyways, yes? But look at you all, so full of life, unfulfilled wishes and dreams. What can this old Khajiit help you with?"_

"Well, my friend here-"

" _This one recognizes her aura,"_ he interrupted as he looked towards M'rissi with interest. _"Come here, kitten."_ Nervously, M'rissi looked at Blake before taking a few steps towards the ghost, who then looked to her hand, where the clan ring rested on one of her fingers. _"This ring! Where did you get it?"_

"Something of a long story," Blake bemoaned with a sigh. "She doesn't have any memory of her past, but it was with her belongings. We found some information, but not much. It led us here."

" _This is the ring of Ri'Virr! It was lost during the clan uprisings!"_

"Yes, the jeweler creep and the Creep creep gave us that much knowledge," Inigo stated. "About the war with Thalmor, and Mirrsha's fight for their right. It was very interesting, actually. I'd like to know more someday, you see."

"What was that about her 'aura', though?" Blake asked, curious if he meant it like how she suspected or not.

" _This one used to be her clan's memory keeper, one who passes knowledge from one generation to the next. But the chain was broken when this one died."_

"And how is she connected to the ring? Why did it go missing and turn up with her?"

" _Yes, the ring is here now! There is still yet hope! As for why she has it, her aura is that of M'rissi, the daughter of Ra'sadir!"_

"Wait, Ra'sadir the traitor?"

" _He was no traitor! He loved his brother very much, and gave much to ensure the clan's survival. It seems that no one has paid enough attention to the story. Did you know that the group he helped to escape was women and children?"_

Blake thought back to what she had read, and even thought to reach for the notes again before deciding against it. The pieces just seemed to fall together before her very eyes.

"He… He knew there was no way they could hold out against the Thalmor in its entirety."

" _Yes. The Thalmor forces were overwhelming. He did what was necessary to ensure that the clan survived."_ The ghost seemed to look down in sadness. _"When he surrendered the rest, a handful were killed, and the Thalmor had him kill his own brother as a show of good faith. They searched for the ring, but to no avail. It was thought to have been lost for good, but now it has come again!"_

"Then, how did you end up in Skyrim of all places, elder one?" Inigo questioned curiously.

" _This one came with the women and children, but he got separated. He exiled himself to this tiny shack in shame, and lived out his miserable life."_

"So you have no idea where the women and children are?" Blake asked in despair.

" _This one does not know. But he is curious, how did you come of Ra'sadir's daughter?"_

"I saw a group of Thalmor leading an elder lady Khajiit away as a prisoner. I tried to question them, and when they attacked, I fought back, and then she told me where to find her. I haven't seen the woman since then, though. When I got down there, more Thalmor were looking for her, as well as mercenaries searching for her bounty by them. I heard that it's being coordinated by someone called Isael.

" _If Isael had her, then I fear the others are dead,"_ the lore keeper mourned. _"That woman is a daedra wearing elven skin. Even the most hardened warriors tremble at her name."_

"Do you mean that literally?" Inigo wondered.

" _She was the one responsible for the clan's demise,"_ he continued. _"This one cannot do much now, but he can seek them out, if they have perished. If you truly wish to restore her memory, perhaps the mages in the town of Winterhold can be of some use."_

With that, the ghost of the lorekeeper vanished, either because he meant to leave or because he couldn't hold his form any longer, Blake wasn't sure of. She walked over to where the skeleton was and kneeled down next to it, looking over the bones for a moment before nodding.

"Well, we're getting somewhere, at least. And I do have an in with the College through my friend."

"And now she knows more. Her father…was used by the Thalmor." M'rissi frowned and tightened her fists. "She hates them. The Thalmor have done nothing good, and only make her life and everyone else's worse. And this Isael has hurt many of her kin. M'rissi will make her pay for it all!"

"And I will be there to help," Inigo interjected. "Never had a reason to like them in the first place, and now we have all the reasons to hate their guts, as well as all of the bits connected to those. I am more than happy to help you get your revenge of them and this lady daedra."

"And I'll help," Blake swore. "I said I'd help you before, and I'm not going back on that promise now. These people want you, they're going to have to go through me. And you can bet my friends are going to be more than willing to help." Blake looked over to theback yard of the shack and grabbed a shovel. "But first, let's give this guy a proper burial."

* * *

As Inigo took his turn at digging the hole, Blake's ears swiveled as she heard something flying through the air. Her eyes widened in recognition of the sound and she quickly put up her Aura, less than a second before an arrow bounced off of her now protected head. With only a small scratch on her head, she stumbled a moment and took Gambol Shroud out. "We're being attacked!"

A moment later, two men came running down the hill at them, a mage woman and a Bosmer with a bow right behind them. Blake met the one with a heavy battleaxe while Inigo pulled out his sword and slashed at the mace wielding Nord facing him. M'rissi took a second more to prepare, but the moment she did she loosed an arrow that hit the mage right in her abdomen. The area around the penetration point burned a moment, but the woman put out the flames while nursing her wound.

Blake's foe was strong, but very slow, especially to her. She dodged around three of his attempted strikes before she lashed out, cutting across his throat and stomach at the same time. He dropped his weapon and clutched at both mortal wounds as he fell over, dying almost as soon as he hit the ground. Inigo had successfully chopped his enemy' mace in half, then followed it up with a full spin backswing that lopped the man's head off. M'rissi fired another arrow at the Bosmer, who dodged aside and laughed, only for a black arrow to then strike him dead center, going all the way through his chest, courtesy of Inigo. Seeing her companions all dead, the mage turned tail and ran while still nursing her burned arrow wound. Inigo was about to take another shot, but Blake held her hand up, signaling him to stop.

"Don't worry about her. I want to know why these guys attacked us out of nowhere like that." She bent next to the corpse of her opponent and searched him, coming up with a few septims, and then a note. She unfolded the piece of paper and read it aloud.

" _WANTED: strange-looking female Khajiit. Face closely resembles a human's. Black hair, blond-brown fur. Travels with a dangerous stranger._

" _1000 septims for the Wanted if brought alive. No interest in the stranger._ " Blake sighed as she stood up. "Well, they know at least a little about me, but something's telling me that don't know _exactly_ who I am. And now they're offering double for you."

"I did not know you were still on the run. Traveling with the two of you is going to be far more exciting than I originally imagined. And I was thinking there would be lots of dragon slaying and a full-on war with some ancient powers along the way, so that is saying much."

"If they want her so badly, then they can come and be shot and stabbed. And while she is at the College, she will learn some magic so they will be shot and stabbed and burned."

"I just hope we can figure this out on the way. I'll try to see if I can get something from Maro when I forward my list to him. He might have some suggestions, or maybe he can offer you some kind of protection. I don't know how much sway this group has with theThlamor as a whole, or how much the Thalmor can get away with, but we'll work this out." Blake stuffed the note into her pocket. "Like I said, if they want you, they'll have to go through me."

* * *

"Lydia, we all set?" Ruby called out to the housecarl, exiting Bits and Pieces.

"All set, my Thane," Lydia replied. "We should have enough supplies to get to Whiterun."

"That's good," she nodded. "Guess then we'll..." Ruby trailed off as a Imperial soldier, a Nord woman by the looks of it, marched up to her. Seeing this, Lydia calmly walked over to her Thane, her hand resting on her sword. When the solider approached, she respectfully saluted the two, causing them to be more at ease.

"Ruby Dragonslayer," the soldier declared, "General Tulius has requested your presence in Castle Dour. I am to be your escort."

"Oh, uh," Ruby looked at Lydia for guidance, who shrugged. "Sure, we'd be honored to." At this, the soldier saluted once again before marching back up to the castle. After a moment, Ruby and Lydia followed. As the three walked through the castle courtyard, Ruby marveled at the wide array of soldiers training. It was a cornucopia of different races. Most were Nords, which wasn't too surprising, but there were a fair number of Redguards, Orsimer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Bretons, even a few Altmer. The occasional Khajiit or Argonian also made their appearance, but there weren't that many. Several sported fancier armor, likely denoting their higher rank. Again, mostly Nords and Imperials, but the other races made up a significant chunk. The sight calmed Ruby's nerves somewhat, but even then, as they passed through a door guarded by two soldiers, she couldn't help but gulp.

Inside they walked into a war room, where a map with different colored pins dotting it rested on a table. A quick glance told Ruby it showed the Nine Holds of Skyrim and who controlled each area. Red were likely under Imperial control, while Blue was likely Stormcloak territory. A webseries from back home briefly came to mind, but she quickly stashed those thoughts as she approached the table. Two people were currently looking over it, an older, Cyrodiilic man and a Nord woman maybe a decade or two Lydia's senior. The two looked over as Ruby and Lydia entered and held themselves up in a way Ruby knew soldiers often did.

"Could barely believe it when I first heard it," the man started. "Welcome, Miss Ruby Rose. Or do you prefer Dragonborn?"

"Ah, well, Ruby, er," Ruby stammered, her and Lydia's eyes wide in shock. "You can just call me Ruby, General Tulius…sir. Um, how did you…?"

"Scouts, spies, agents of all kinds. Everything was just put together. Some people saw you headed up to High Hrothgar right after those Greybeards used that magical Shouting, but none of the other "Four Dragonslayers" went with you." He crossed his arms and nodded. "Word is you've also taken care of that sneaky bastard of a dragon that's been going around torching farms and small villages in Haafingar. And you recently did a great favor for Jarl Elisif. I imagine putting Potema down must have been quite a struggle. I thank you for your service to Skyrim and the Empire, and hope for continued cooperation from here out."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Ruby blinked her eyes, surprised at just how much he knew. Then again, it made sense. Shaking her head, Ruby crossed her arms behind her back and stood at attention, trying to be respectful. "Protecting people is what I'm all about. I have to ask though, why'd you ask for me? Is there another dragon being a problem?"

"There's dragons making plenty of problems, but they're all normally random, isolated events. We've tried figuring out a pattern, but there doesn't seem to be one." The general frowned. "The one you killed was one of the few we had what could be considered extensive information pertaining to, and it's more due to his hit-and-run tactic he employed, compared to others that seem to finish whatever they were after in one swoop. If there are any we can narrow down, we'll be sure to inform you. However, right now, we have something different to talk to you about. Legate Rikke?"

"Thank you, sir. Ruby Rose, on behalf of the Empire and the Legion, I would like to invite you to join our ranks and serve the Empire in her army," Rikke announced, an expectant look on her face.

"Oh," Ruby slowly went as the reason sank in. "Sorry, no. With all due respect, I must decline."

Rikke seemed to be struck by that. "No?"

"Well, first off, me and my friends aren't _from_ the Empire. We got lost at sea and landed in Solitude, somehow. We're from the Kingdom of Vale, which is on the eastern part of the continent Sanus. We never even heard of Tamriel before we got here," Ruby began to explain, thankful for Weiss' help in figuring out how to best explain their origin while not disclosing too much. "Not only that, but we're Huntresses. We're not supposed to serve in a military role. We're meant to keep the peace by protecting people from criminals that local authorities can't handle and monsters. I'm not even sure if us fighting the monsters or doing bounty work here is legal by Vale's standards. Also, I'm not even an adult yet." Ruby grumbled at that last part.

"That's certainly a lot to take in," Rikke reflected. "But, perhaps…"

"Look, it's nothing against you guys, but we can't just pick a side in this war. At the very least, I can't pick a side without talking it over with my team beforehand. I really do think the Empire should stay in one piece, but I can't ignore all the problems either. The biggest thing is, though, that I need to focus on the main problem; dragons. You know that since I'm the Dragonborn I'm kinda in a spot with them."

"Yes, every Nord worth his salt knows the old tale one way or another," Rikke agreed. "At the very least, I can understand you have another duty to attend to. A higher calling some would say."

"Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed," the general bemoaned. "It would've been good to have you fight with us. Maybe put a quicker end to this war. Still, it's your decision. Not like I could make you fight for us even if I wanted to."

"Again, I'm sorry there's nothing more I can do. I promise though I'll do my absolute best to put an end to the dragon problem. I'm starting to think it all leads back up to Alduin in the end."

"Gods be with you, then. Give them hell, Ruby."

"I will, sir." Ruby saluted from her forehead before remembering that people Tamriel did it differently. She put an arm across her chest and nodded before leaving.

"Damn," Tulius muttered. "Thought that would go differently. They weren't from Yneslea or Cathnoquey like some people thought they might have been. I never even _heard_ of a continent called Sanus."

"Nor have I," the legate divulged. "We've missed a major opportunity too. Her power would have been more than a counter to Ulfric's Voice."

"Maybe, but seeing her I was scared that's all she could be, a weapon instead of a soldier. Nothing more than a slip of a girl, and those swords on her waist looked more like decoration than the lute on her back. How in the hell is a girl like that slaying dragons? And what's with those rumors about her wielding a scythe?"

"She may have left it behind. Still, I understand what you mean. I think she could have been trained with time, but right now, that's a little girl with a heroic, godly power."

"Let's just hope that little girl is enough. I don't want to save this land from itself just for dragons to come and burn it all down. Last thing we need is a Dragonborn mad with power," Tulius declared before looking at the map once again. "Any word from our scouts in Solstheim?"

"Not much. Something has been affecting the residents, with many being put into a trance-like state, constructing some sort of 'pillars' for days on end. Some kind of cult is ordering them around. Frankly, sir, we don't know what is going on. Should we send in a legion?"

"Until we know for certain, we can't do a thing. Solstheim is under House Redoran control, and they and the other Houses wouldn't appreciate our presence. Morrowind isn't part of the Empire anymore. Besides, any forces we send over there makes our position here that much weaker, and if I know Ulfric, he wouldn't hesitate to exploit that." Tulius sighed. "For now, tell our spies to continue their surveillance. Any change, and I want to know about it."


	25. Off-Center Reunion

**And another chapter. I finally fell like we're making some progress here, and you'll all see why. I've also noticed that the cast is getting quite large :P. Oh well, that's the price of writing something as a Living World. People gathering to travel in groups don't care that someone beyond the fourth Wall has to keep up with all of them.**

 **Enjoy, everyone**!

* * *

After a few days of travel, Ruby and Lydia arrived in Whiterun only to find Yang not there. The only evidence of their presence was a note they found on the kitchen table telling them where she and Weiss went. Ruby crashed down onto the bed and released a heavy sigh before looking at the note again. With a groan, she set it aside again while Lydia walked into the room, still wearing her ever present armor. Now that Ruby thought about it, the armor was starting to look a little dinged up. They might have to get Eorlund or Adrianne to look at it soon, but right now they had bigger concerns.

"Yang and Weiss went on an adventure without me," she whined, sprawled on the bed. Lydia raised an eyebrow and sat on the chair nearby, a bottle of Honningbrew Mead in her hand.

"Does it say where?"

"Someplace called Ilinalta's Deep." Ruby shrugged, not knowing where that was.

"It is on the top of Lake Ilinalta, west of the middle." Startled at the sudden voice, both Ruby and Lydia quickly looked over to see a young Ohmes Khajiit girl looking at the map pinned to the wall of the room. She smiled brightly at them both, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth. "Hello."

"How did you get in here?!" Lydia demanded as she grasped the hilt of her sword and got to her feet, Ruby following in her footsteps.

"She came in the front door. Blake let her in."

"Blake?" Ruby heard some footsteps coming closer and saw her teammate come in.

"Hey, M'rissi, we don't have any fish, but Inigo went to Anoriath to see if he has any… Oh, hey Ruby, Lydia. When did you guys get here?"

"Like five minutes ago! When did you get here?" Ruby shot back curiously.

"Maybe an hour ago. I went to talk to Ulfberth and Adrianne while M'rissi stayed at the house. Inigo's shopping, but he should be back soon."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Ruby asked the Khajiit, who smirked.

"She wanted to make sure you were not home invaders, but you became so at home she knew you lived here, so she knew you were Blake's friends. You are the little Ruby, yes?"

"Uh, yeah? Hey, I'm not that little!"

M'rissi then reached over and placed a hand on Ruby's head. For a moment the two stayed still, then Ruby looked up, forced to meet the eyes of the girl, who she realized was a few inches taller than her. She reached up to remove the hand, only for M'rissi to dodge her grasp and then place it back. Ruby tried a few more times rapidly, before yelling and full tackling M'rissi, who laughed as she spun them around and nearly pinned Ruby, who then slipped away and tried to grapple her from behind.

"M'rissi, no wrestling in the house," Blake commanded before giving an exasperated sigh. "I swear, it's like she's a child sometimes."

"Ah, yes. That feeling," Lydia reflected, her and Blake giving each other sympathetic looks. "So another friend of yours is getting some fish?"

"The friend has the fish!" a masculine voice called from downstairs. M'rissi suddenly shot away from her tussle with Ruby and then downstairs. Ruby blazed after her, and Lydia realized just how fast the girl had gone when Ruby was only a bit faster than what she'd pulled. The older two followed after them at a more moderate pace to see M'rissi staring with joy at a basket in a blue-furred Khajiit's hands while holding Ruby in a headlock.

"It would appear that we are not the only ones here. Greetings, friends. I am Inigo," the Khajiit introduced himself with a slight bow. Lydia looked over his armor and then grimaced hard. The blue Khajiit's ears went up, but Blake was already stepping between them, taking the basket from Inigo and heading into the kitchen with it.

"Ack, Lydia! Help! I can't get loose!"

* * *

M'rissi dug into her salmon steak with gusto that outdid Blake's. Everyone else ate normally, but Lydia kept throwing glances at Inigo, who seemed more than perplexed about her aggressive staring. Ruby noticed it as well, and it was becoming a concern for her rather quickly.

"So, how're things, Blake?"

"Good, all things considered." Blake chewed her fish, savoring the flavor. She would have to thank Lydia, that woman knew how to cook. Likely a housecarl thing. "Got a list of names, already sent it to Maro. Just might start seeing the results pretty soon."

"What do you mean?" Ruby already suspected the answer had something to do with the destruction of the Dark Brotherhood. Even if they hadn't told her, she would have figured it out by now. Several people they had ran into on the road and in town had been jumping for joy at that piece of particular news, and with word that their destroyer was an ebony-haired Khajiit, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"There were a handful of guardsmen in every Hold affiliated with the Dark Brotherhood," Blake confirmed, causing Ruby to slightly sigh in understanding. "Some were little more than contacts, but a couple could have been assassins as well at some point."

"Guardsmen?" Lydia asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. "Where'd you get such information?"

"From the Thieves' Guild," M'rissi admitted happily before raking in the last bite of her meal and then looking towards everyone else's plates.

"So, you _are_ a part of the Thieves' Guild," she said towards Inigo, glaring. "I knew I recognized that armor from somewhere."

"Last I checked it is not illegal to wear a certain armor." Inigo glared right back, unflinching. "Besides, this armor is comfy, and has plenty of pockets."

"Oh geez," Ruby mumbled, seeing the upcoming argument. _'I knew I was forgetting something...'_

"Oh boy, this isn't going to help the image problem at all, is it?" Blake wondered aloud before taking a deep breath. M'rissi tried to sneak her fork towards her plate, but Blake stabbed hers down hard next to the girl's hand, making her squeal slightly and pull away. "Okay, so… You know how I killed off most of the Dark Brotherhood."

"Half the Empire knows it by now," Lydia acquiesced. "How's that connected to the Thieves' Guild of all things?"

"I knew there had to be something after getting a 'warning' from some henchman belonging to Maven Black-Briar. There's nothing solid between them, but they are offering me information in exchange for work."

"You're working _for_ the Thieves' Guild?!" Lydia shouted in rage, slamming her fist onto the table with her face warped in a snarl.

"Lydia, calm down," Ruby commanded. The housecarl looked like she wanted to press further, but obeyed her Thane's wishes. "Blake's not there because she wants to be a thief. She's basically like an undercover agent trying to find a bunch of murderers. It's not like she has to do anything _really_ bad."

"Worst thing I did was pry some information from a rich bee farmer. Tried to be nice, but he wanted to be stubborn about it."

"M'rissi stole a belt!" the girl yelled out while holding up her fork as if in victory.

"Not now, M'rissi!" Blake hissed, making the Khajiit girl shrink into herself.

Lydia looked between the Faunus and her charge a few times. She sighed and then pointed her fork towards Blake.

"Fine. I won't say or do anything about it _for now,_ " Lydia acquiesced. Blake moved to talk, but was interrupted as Lydia raised her fork at her again. "But if I see you -any of you- doing something illegal, I will arrest you."

"That's fair, I suppose." Blake shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "I'll do my best not to do anything illegal around you."

"Blake…" Ruby groaned. "Phrasing…"

"Anyways," Inigo started up, hoping to change the subject, "how long will your other friends be? The Weiss one will be going back to the College, yes? We are planning to go up that way before returning to Riften."

"Oh, we're going after them," Ruby announced, pulling herself out of the slight funk she'd nearly fallen in.

"Ruby, they'll be there and done by the time we reach them."

"We're taking a shortcut!" Ruby pulled out her map and pointed at two little pictures of stairs on either side of the mountain directly next to Bleak Falls. "Just southwest of the Western Watchtower there's a cave that goes almost straight through the mountain, and it exits a little east of Ilinalta's Deep, which used to be Keep Ilinalta before it slid down into the lake or something. Must've been some bad architecture."

"Where did you learn about that?" Blake asked, her eyes tracing the path Ruby laid out.

"Elrindir told me about it. But it was more like he was warning me about it than telling me to head there. Should be fine though. He said something about a necromancer, but Lydia and I have taken care of…a lot…of those." Ruby seemed to go glassy-eyed for a moment, before putting a smile on her face again. "Besides, I've got Dawnbreaker, so any undead will be cut down like that," she explained with a snap of her fingers.

"Dawnbreaker?"

Ruby answered by reaching back, grabbing one of her swords and then pulling it partly from its sheath, showing the bright guard and glowing blade to them.

"Ooh, shiny," both Khajiits remarked at the same time.

"Where did you get that?" Blake asked as she looked the sword over.

"Remember Meridia's beacon? Well, I returned it, went into her temple, and stopped a necromancer. Huh, now that I think about it, he never said anything. Didn't even shout in pain. I think he was mute. Eh, whatever. He's dead now. Twice."

"What?"

"Oh, well Lydia stabbed him when he went to attack me, but then some kind of shade popped out of his corpse and started throwing magic around, so I killed that thing. Then Meridia gave me a sword, floated me into the sky, and told me to carry it until I ran into its rightful owner. She wouldn't tell me who it was though, just kept saying that I 'would know'. How am I supposed to know who to give a magical sword to if I've never met them before?" Ruby rambled while Blake stared worryingly at the glowing sword, her mind fighting back invasive whispers almost by instinct at this point.

"Ruby, that thing doesn't…try to make you do things, does it?" Blake asked with trepidation in her voice, something Lydia picked up on but said nothing about.

"No. Not really." Ruby shook her head. "It gets warmer and does a little shake whenever we get close to undead stuff, but it's more like it's getting excited. Or maybe it's getting angry? Angry that they're there, but excited to destroy them. Oh, it makes undead explode when I kill them with it, by the way. Don't be scared though, the explosion's totally harmless to living things." The lone exception to their group went unsaid, but still understood.

"Okay, so no voices in your head telling you to go out of your way to kill things?" Blake pointedly asked, her eyes never leaving the sword.

"No, Blake. That's silly. Meridia's about as subtle as a flashlight in your face. Think of how bossy Weiss was in the beginning. Meridia's worse than that. If she wants me to do something, she'll just yell at me." Ruby scrunched up her face in thought. "Now that I think about it, I don't think Weiss and Meridia would ever get along. Their personalities are too similar."

"That's…good, I guess." Blake seemed relieved at that.

"Anyways, it shouldn't be too long. A couple hours walk at most to get there, an hour to go through, and we'll practically be there. Meanwhile, Yang and Weiss are taking the long way."

* * *

"Well, that spell is really useful," Yang commented as the green, magical aura fell away from her. "I might not have as big a magicka pool as you guys, but it sure beats running the whole way, or slowly walking. Surprised more travelers don't use it."

"It loses effectiveness when you are traveling in a larger group, I'd imagine," Weiss guessed as she overlooked the keep ruins half submerged. "Threatened by water, yet untouched by it…" Cupping her chin, she walked out along a bridge made to connect the ground to one of the old towers. Seeing a trapdoor, she bent down and opened it before going in and climbing down. J'zargo was immediately behind her, but opted to leap down, landing on his feet on the water filled floor. As he looked around, he reached back to help her down. The others began to file in while the two observed their surroundings.

"I don't think they wanted us here," J'zargo remarked when they all got an eyeful of the long-rotted skeleton hanging from a pillar.

"Well, too bad for them. We're here." Weiss glared as she pulled out Myrtenaster. The others, once they saw the skeleton, readied themselves as well, the mages making themselves cast ready and Yang unfolding Ember Celica. As the group slowly passed by the column, Yang paused and smirked.

"Kinda amazing, right?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Um, what?" Onmund asked, clearly confused. The other mages were as well, while Weiss let out a preemptive sigh.

"Despite being surrounded by water, this guy's _bone dry_." Yang quipped with a smirk. Onmund let out a small laugh, but everyone else just groaned internally. Shaking her head, Yang led the way forward. They walked through another flooding room and then headed down a set of stairs, where things were surprisingly dry, though puddles still dotted the floors.

"We must be deep under the lake at this point," Brelyna pointed out. "How is it this place hasn't been completely filled with water?"

"I have no idea," Weiss answered, "but I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few enchantments in place keeping most of the water out, or perhaps a system pushing it out as it comes in."

Weiss's contemplations halted as they emerged into the next room. Inside they found a woman preparing to eat a meal, with a skeleton standing guard. The set of reanimated bones went to draw an axe, but Yang burst forward and smashed through it while Brelyna sent a lightning bolt at the necromancer, who was hastily readying a green spell. Two more necromancers entered from the next room, one firing ice spikes from either hand while the other seemed focused on some other magic. Onmund quickly raised a ward that the ice spells shattered against while J'zargo tossed a fireball between them, sending both flying from the explosion. As they came down, Yang socked one across the face, sending her in a mid-air spin before she landed in a puddle, and Weiss grasped the other one and sent lightning coursing through her before tossing her away. A skeleton came running at them, but Yang casually tossed a Firebolt at it.

"Well, that was easy. Not that I was expecting it to be hard, but I'm used to punching more than twice before bringing everybody down." She looked into the next room to see the table set with a few plates of food and drinks. "Guess we interrupted their dinner."

The team of five went through the keep, fighting off the necromancers who never numbered more than two in any one place. The strongest one among them was a Dunmer male who had been in a room with a drawbridge, standing over some sort of altar he was using for experimentation. Yang leapt across the watery gap separating them while the mages did away with the skeletons and raised bodies. She landed gracefully despite her heavy armor then thumbed her nose as she squared up with the necromancer.

"What's up?" she asked with a smirk.

The mage's response was to throw twin blasts of frozen air directly onto her, far stronger than any Frostbite spell she had ever encountered.

"AH! Cold! Why is it always cold!?"

Yang blocked the streams from hitting her face with one arm while aiming blindly with the other. She let loose her own stream of flames at the Dunmer, who cried out in surprise, but didn't seem all that affected other than his clothes being heavily scorched. An ice spike shot out from across the way and pierced one of his arms, earning another cry before Yang slammed a fist into his chin. The mer groaned and fell, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, while Yang stood for a moment with her teeth chattering.

"Yang, could you pull that chain and let the bridge down?"

"S-sure thing, Bree. One of-f-f-f-f you mind heating me up a bit when you get ov-v-v-ver here?"

As the bridge lowered and the mages crossed, Brelyna summoned a flame in one hand and a healing spell in the other, and began hovering the flame close to Yang while letting the healing spell flow into her.

"Never saw a Nord get cold so quickly," she commented, letting the magic work its way onto Yang's body.

"Not a Nord, unfortunately. I just happen to look like one." Yang rubbed her hands together, her teeth still chattering.

"Oh? Well, that sounds like it'd be interesting to know more about. All I've been able to get from Weiss is that she came from a rich family. I was thinking a Breton merchant family."

"Close, but not quite. We'll tell you more when there's less chance of us being exploded or turned into meat puppets."

After looting a few spellbooks and a glass dagger, they went on up a flight of stairs and then unbarred the door before them. They then found themselves in the same room where they started, just up on the balcony they had seen water pouring from upon entering.

"Did we miss a door?" Weiss wondered aloud. "There were a few bedrooms back there. Maybe one connects to another hall?" While the mages began looking around, Yang hummed to herself while standing in place. She stuck a finger into her mouth and let it out, feeling a slight pull in the air. She followed it, and came upon another door.

"This way guys," she called out, getting the attention of the college students. Weiss blushed a little at missing something that had been so close, but J'zargo's hand patted her shoulder.

"We all did not see it. Do not be down. Your idea was sound and logical, very well thought out, more than the rest of us."

"Thank you, J'zargo. But you were the one who began looking for any secret switches or pressure stones. I've no doubt you would have likely been the first of us to find the right way."

Yang covered her mouth to keep her chuckling from being heard, while Onmund and Brelyna just quietly groaned.

"How long?" she whispered to the other two.

"Two weeks now," Brelyna complained. "I was starting to have hope when I didn't hear them at it on the way from Whiterun."

"They were just quieter about it," Onmund bemoaned. "Now they've gotten comfortable with Yang around."

"You guys complaining? Hah, this is hilarious! I'm gonna have to give Weiss some pointers though."

"No," Brelyna gasped.

"How could you?" Onmumd's eyes widened. Their reactions only caused Yang to laugh, looking forward to the endless amount of material she was getting. As the group continued forward, they soon slowed as they heard voices up ahead.

"More souls are needed for the Star," they heard someone say. "The last one died before he could be harvested."

"We can't take another villager from the surface so soon," a woman answered him quickly. "I thought I told you to prepare everything properly!"

"We can just sacrifice another disciple," the other mage coldly suggested, causing Yang to growl. "Apprentice Arryn will be no great waste."

"Yes… He'll do." Onmund snarled at this and moved past the others, who were already moving towards the entrance.

"Too bad, you two are about to be some waste," Onmund said as he came out with spells ready, trying to emulate the Hero of Kvatch, only for his eyes to widen as she realized his mistake. "Wait! That came out wrong!"

"How in Oblivion?" the man shouted as he went to stand, only to be blindsided by a spectral bear. The woman jumped up ready to bathe Onmund in flames, but then found herself caught in a chokehold where her fire did nothing to save her. As she started to grow weakened, two hands caught her chin and spun her head, creating a resounding wet snap of bone.

"Gods, Yang!" Weiss decried as Onmund wretched at the gruesome scene, beginning to feel sick.

"Hey, your guy was mauled bear-style. At least this chick didn't feel anything. I-" Yang's rebuttal stopped as she noticed something off about the woman, mainly that her eyes were frantically moving. "Oh… Oh god, she's still looking around!"

"That's because you paralyzed her. Breaking people's necks doesn't necessarily kill them," Brelyna ruefully explained as she prepared an ice spike. It didn't matter if she was her enemy, no one deserved their last moments to be like this. "They do die after you've done it, but it takes a while, depending on whether their lungs keep working or not." She fired it through the woman's head, ending her life.

"That's not how it went in Xan Wick at all," Yang sighed, letting her arms droop.

"Real life isn't like a movie, Yang," Weiss admonished. "Like the smell. They never have the smell in the movies. Let's get out of here before it gets real bad."

"Oh yeah, that smell's the worst. You could throw a skunk on top of that and it'd be an improvement. Not as bad outside, but an enclosed place like this? Bleh!" Yang shuddered and gagged, already feeling the stench enter her nostrils.

"Tell me about it," Weiss sighed. Yang quickly patted her teammate's shoulder in sympathy. Their enhanced senses certainly had some drawbacks of their own, it seemed.

"This one is confused. What were these movies you both mentioned?" J'zargo raised his eyebrow, the other mages echoing his expression.

"Imagine a picture, but it moves and makes sound. Usually to tell a story," Weiss described. "I'll try reinventing it if I ever find myself stuck in my main research. After I solve our communication problem."

"Wait, communication problem?" Yang looked at Weiss, confused.

"I'm trying to find out a way for us to use magic to communicate quickly over long distances. It's early, but I think I can modify the accounting enchantment banks use to allow for instantaneous communication over long distances. I've yet to figure out exactly _what_ goes into that enchantment, but with luck I'll-"

"So you're trying to make a magic phone?" Yang's quick summarization caused Weiss to stop and glare.

"...Yes, I'm trying to make a magic phone," Weiss continued to glare at Yang, who only smiled and continued onward.

"What's a phone?" Onmund whispered to Brelyna, who only shrugged. She hadn't the foggiest clue, and a quick look at J'zargo confirmed the same for him. Deciding to shelve the question for later, the three mages quickly followed Weiss and Yang.

The next room was a prison with a single guard, easily taken care of when Onmund turned the skeleton behind him against him, causing the undead to stab a rusty dagger into his back before it fell apart. Beyond there was a room far more flooded, with a man scraping meat off of human bones and into the fetid looking pool. Careful to remain out of the water, Weiss sent a lightning bolt through him, which caused his entire body to pulsate for a moment before he fell over and sank, smoldering as he did. The group then went up the stairs, half expecting another encounter, but instead finding a room devoid of life, bones scattered everywhere, and a corpse set in front of a dry skeleton upon which rested a star-shaped object. Weiss walked forward and picked up the item, the main piece of which was as large as her whole hand.

"So this is Azura's Star," she breathed as she looked it over. "It…looks damaged."

"Likely thanks to these corpse humpers profaning such a holy object while trying to twist it to their own desires," J'zargo said as he came up to observe the skeleton. "So this was Malyn. He left long before any of us entered, but it seems he died long before then as well. Good riddance." He spat upon the bones before turning towards a book set nearby. He picked it up and opened it before flipping around a few pages, then snarled. "What a fool! He's only damned himself, not discovered immortality!"

"Immortality is not all it's cracked up to be, and I've only been immortal for a couple months," Weiss sighed before looking around. "Well, let's get out of this place…as soon as I've scoured this for anything of value." The heiress went over to a large chest and opened it before scraping out a few handfuls of coins into a bag and then picking through some items of interest.

"Has she always been like that?" Onmund asked, quietly observing Weiss rummage through some boxes.

"From the first time we delved into a crypt together, yes."

* * *

"See guys, it's not so bad," Ruby pointed out after she plucked the gem from a Soul Gem trap. Two skeletons rushed at her, but she easily drew out Dawnbreaker and sliced through them, causing both to explode in blue, holy fire. M'rissi and Blake jumped, but Inigo seemed to be interested in it.

"That blade is a thing of beauty! And pretty colors!" he gushed, his eyes wide and starry.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool. But I still prefer my sweetheart." Ruby quickly sheathed the sword and took out Crescent Rose, the unfolding weapon surprising the two Khajiits even further.

"How in the world…?"

"Blake, your friend has a scythe bigger than she is," M'rissi whimpered from behind Blake's back. "Why is the cute one so scary?"

"She's not scary. …Outside of combat." Blake quickly added that last part when Ruby's attention was elsewhere.

"Or playing children's games," Lydia added as they started heading forward. Blake eyed the housecarl, knowing that there was a story behind that, but decided to shelve the question for later. Upon reaching the top of the stares, Ruby began to move forward, only to stop then put her hand out and a finger to her lip.

"Hear that?" she whispered. The group all remained quiet and stretched their hearing to the limit. Somewhere, mixed with the wind, they could hear someone singing.

"~ Singing "oh willow waly" by the tree that weeps with me. Singing "oh willow waly" 'til my lover return to me. ~"

"Someone's singing?" Blake whispered.

"Yeah. Be quiet going forward. Might not be the necromancer in charge of the place."

"~ We lay my love and I beneath the weeping willow. A broken heart have I. Oh willow I die, oh willow I die. ~"

"Are you done?" a masculine voice piped up at the end of the verse, just as the group topped the stairway and could look into a room where two cages sat, a man in black robes walking over towards the cells with two skeletons to either side of him. "I could do without your constant noise disturbing my work!"

"Aw! And here I thought you were enjoying my singing. Was the song too slow, perhaps?"

"I've got him," Inigo whispered as he took out his ebony bow and aimed.

"Wait, you might hit-"

The black arrow went flying through the air and pierced the necromancer's throat, throwing him a few feet to the side and pinning him to the wall of the cavern.

"Oh. Wow. Okay." Ruby came out from hiding as the skeletons crumbled into piles of bones, the source of their animation now dead and gone. The woman in the cage seemed to just shrug her captor's sudden demise off and leaned against the back of her cage while crossing her arms.

"Do you mind keeping that closed," the woman said as Ruby looked at the padlock.

"Closed? You mean the cage?" Ruby squinted at the woman in confusion.

"Why yes, it's quite comfortable in here, but when it's open there's a bit of a draft."

Ruby blinked and looked at the cage from side to side, then up and down while the others all came in.

"But it's full of holes and stuff."

As the woman laughed, Blake came to Ruby's side.

"She was being jokingly flippant, Ruby."

"Like acrobatics?"

"No. Just… Anyways, are you all right?"

"Oh, just peachy."

"All right. Give me a minute and we'll get you out." Blake took out her lockpick and pressure wrench and got to work on the padlock.

"So, I'm Ruby," the young girl introduced herself. "And this is my friend Blake. What's your name?"

"Zora Fair-Child, but it was never meant to be ironic. I was once very much a child, and very much fair. So fair, in fact, the Divines saw fit to punish me with this marred and unenviable face."

Ruby took a closer look at her and realized that what she had thought was odd, red facepaint was actually an extensive, hand-shaped scar. While Ruby involuntarily flinched at the sight, the woman just smiled.

"It is always easier to blame the gods for such things, isn't it?" Zora laughed.

"Oh, um…"

"It looks like you kissed a troll and it slapped you." Ruby looked over at M'rissi with abhorred shock. A distinct lack of lockpicking noises told Ruby that Blake was doing the same thing. "What?"

"Kiss a troll?" Zora asked in interest. "Did I think he would turn into a lord? Or do you think my interests are just that queer?"

"You were the one preferring your cage to stay closed."

"Hm, I suppose I do seem a bit odd, but certainly not that sort of odd."

"Did- did that necromancer do that to you?" Ruby tepidly asked the woman, shaking herself from her stupor.

"Oh no, necromancers tend to disapprove having their specimens damaged." She giggled at that. "I should know. This is the eleventh necromancer to have enslaved me, and all eleven have been as delicate as a lord is with his finest furs. It makes me sad to disappoint them so. I think this last one was quite excited until he brushed back my hair." She let out a long, heavy sigh. "I've seen that look on more than enough men to recognize it." Blake's ears flicked and she looked up at the prisoner before shaking her head.

"Eleven? You can't be serious. Once or twice I get, but eleven?" Blake wondered aloud as she continued to work the lock.

"Oh, I am very serious. I quite enjoy it. There's never a shortage of wizards who like to use this pass as their lair. Nor a shortage of heroes who travel through it."

"So you've been captured and rescued here eleven times?" Inigo asked as he started rifling through the pockets of the necromancer. "You should probably break such a bad habit. It does not sound healthy, for all manner of reasons. The next necromancer may not be so picky about his findings."

"I'll think about it," Zora drew out. Blake suddenly finished with the lock and took it off before slowly opening the cage door. As the woman stepped out, she reached over and picked up a large greatsword propped against the wall and sitting in its sheath before strapping it to her back.

"So where were you headed?" Ruby asked.

"I _was_ headed north to the icy tundra. It is quite vast, quite icy, and extremely dull, which is precisely why I visit it." She closed her eyes and a genuine smile stretched across her face. "Some people see a blank portrait and see only emptiness. I see an opportunity to paint."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Imagine a vast field of pure white, soft as a pillow wrapped in a cloud. From a distance, you might think it snow. Yet when you come to the lip of its feathery shore, and run your fingers through crowns of ivory, you'll know you have arrived in Whiterun. Home of Tamriel's most beautiful, and profitable, tundra cotton field. Zora's field, as it is known to the locals."

Ruby's eyes had actually brightened up at the description of what she saw as someone's dream, but Blake could only raise an eyebrow in skepticism.

"You sure you can sustain something like that out in the tundra?"

"I certainly hope so. It's called 'tundra cotton'. Otherwise they should change the name."

"Yeah, Blake. Even I knew that," the younger girl added.

"I meant-"

"She doesn't know much about planting, but even she knew that tundra cotton grows in the tundra," M'rissi interrupted.

"That's-"

"Perhaps you _should_ get some lessons in alchemy," Inigo threw in, "if only so that you know the basics of herbology."

"Forget it. I give up."

"I've only known your friends for a little over a day, and even I knew you shouldn't have tried," Lydia said to her.

"Well, we're actually headed south, but we are going to circle back up to Whiterun afterwards. It'll be safer if you stick with us for now," Ruby offered.

The woman hummed and tapped her chin. "Well, you are an interesting lot. Very human-like Khajiits, a blue one, and a young girl hefting a scythe around. And the most boring one is very quiet, so there are no worries there."

"I think she meant you," M'rissi whispered in Lydia's direction. A quick glare from the housecarl shut the Khajiit up quickly, who moved to place Blake in-between herself and Lydia.

"All right. Who knows what interesting things I might see on the way?"

"Right! Then let's head out of here!" Ruby exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. The expanded group soon began traveling through the remainder of Brittleshin Pass, safely deactivating the few magical rune traps in their way before exiting within sight of the lake.

"So Ilinalta's Deep should be a little to the west," Ruby stated before folding Crescent Rose and heading off.

"That's east," a feminine voice exasperatedly called out.

"I knew that, Wei- Weiss!" Ruby jumped over to where her partner had just come up from and wrapped her in a hug. The heiress nervously stiffened up a moment before hugging her back.

"Good to see you too, Ruby."

"Weiss, things have been so crazy!" The younger girl began excitedly. "It seems like everywhere I go there's some necromancer or group of necromancers up to no good and worse. We had to stop a bunch of them from bringing back someone called Pokemar."

"Potema," Lydia absentmindedly corrected.

"Yeah, that. And way before that was the guy torturing people and pulling out their souls to make ghosts. Then there was Malkoran..." Ruby's eyes widened with realization. "Oh, by the way, Meridia doesn't care enough about you to do anything, but don't touch this sword," Ruby whispered, showing her the scabbard holding Dawnbreaker. "It's specifically anti-undead, but can also set normal people on fire too. Might be worse for necromancers than non-necromancers, but I haven't really used it on enough people to tell the difference. But I don't know what'd happen if you touched it."

"Thanks for the warning." Weiss nervously eyed the Daedric artifact, taking a few steps back. "But don't tell me you've been doing nothing but fighting dark mages all this time."

"Oh no! I also saved a festival after helping out a ghost. And the Bard's College gave me a few lessons and an honorary membership."

"Wait, lessons in what?"

"I only had enough time for the lute, but luckily it's similar enough to guitar I figured it out pretty quick. I actually surprised them when I showed them hammer-ons and pull-offs." She pulled the lute from her back, which Weiss hadn't yet noticed, and began playing a short melody. As Ruby continued to play, Weiss was pleasantly surprised to hear it was actually quite decent.

"Whoa, you getting back into music, sis?" a bundle of yellow hair asked as she came out of the woods.

"Hey Yang! Yeah, I've been playing a bit in my downtime. No homework to distract me now! Or is this my homework?" Ruby shrugged and set the lute back behind her before going over to hug her sister, who suddenly snatched her up and buried her face into the side of her head. "Yang! No nuzzling! Why the nuzzling?!"

"Hehe, sorry," the elder sister apologized as she set her down. Three more people came out from where they appeared.

"It's about time it's happening to someone who's not me," Weiss stated with a grin, which made Ruby look over at her.

"Hey, did you replace me while I was gone?" Ruby accused, crossing her arms and cocking her hips to the side.

"Nah, Weiss could never replace you. She is my other little sister now though, so she's officially your competition."

Ruby gasped and then wrapped Weiss into another hug. "That means you're my sister too! Yay for adoption!"

"That's not how adoption works, Ruby!" Weiss gasped out.

"And how're you, Blake?" Yang asked her partner. "Stole anything cool yet?"

"Myself, not really. But I do need to do something up at the Honningbrew Meadery. Shouldn't take long. Mostly just sabotaging the other guy's sabotaging efforts."

"Weren't we supposed to help the saboteur?" Inigo asked.

"We were, but I hate Maven, her face, and everything about her, so we're making sure he screws up, and then he gets all of the blame."

"Oh, right. I think I like this route as well."

"Yeah, me too," Yang agreed. "Honningbrew is my favorite, and I wouldn't appreciate anything bad happening to that company."

"M'rissi can still steal things, yes?"

"Yeah, just don't overdo it." Blake sniffed and then shook her head. "Yang, you smell like a wet dog. You seriously need a bath."

The blonde laughed and rubbed her neck. "Yeah, about that… Eh, I'll explain at a better time. Right now we've got guests." The group turned to see a female Dunmer, male Nord, and male Khajiit mage walk up to them.

"Oh, who are they?" Ruby asked. "Friends of yours, Weiss?"

"Ruby, Blake, meet Brelyna, Onmund, and J'zargo. They're classmates of mine from the College." Weiss gestured towards the three mages, who nodded their heads.

"Hello there."

"Greetings."

"So, you must be the famous Ruby Rose. Weiss has spoken much about you."

"Really?!" Ruby squealed in excitement at J'zargo, while Weiss' eyes widened.

"Mostly about how much of a pain you were to deal with, sometimes."

"Wha- Weiss!" Ruby glared at her partner with a look of betrayal on her face. Weiss merely glared back before smiling. The two then began to chuckle, only to stop as Brelyna coughed.

"So, where are we going next?" the Dunmer mage asked.

"Gotta go by Riverwood," Ruby answered, regaining her composure. Her eyes suddenly burned intensely as though she was trying to stare holes into a nearby tree. "Somebody stole something of mine." Something in her seemed to click and then she took a deep breath before smiling again. "But I'm sure whoever it was has a reasonable explanation for everything."

* * *

"So, Yang," Blake asked her partner as they traveled down the road to Riverwood. The two hung back from the others, who continued to chat among themselves. This meant the two had privacy, something Yang apparently wanted. "What were you going to tell me before?"

"Oh yeah, that..." Yang grew quiet before taking a deep breath. She made a signal towards Onmund, who then grabbed Zora's attention, pointing to something across the river from them, stalling the two Nords. When she was certain the odd one out was out of earshot, she began. "Blake, do you remember that werelion that attacked you and the kid?"

"Vividly. It's kind of hard to..." Blake trailed off before her eyes widened in realization. "No... But, you..."

"It didn't take a second time," Yang sighed. "The lycanthropy cure, it... it works by poisoning the body to remove the lycanthropy strain. It worked on the werebear, but my Aura... My Aura made me resistant to it. So when I got infected a second time, the cure didn't work."

"You're a werelion?" a quiet voice caused the two to look ahead to see Ruby sadly staring at Yang, tears welling in her eyes. The others had all stopped as well, having heard the entire conversation, judging by their faces.

"No, I'm a werewolf, actually," Yang confessed. Seeing Blake's confused look, the Companion faintly smiled. "When I found out I was infected, Blake, I didn't have many options. My choices were to either become a werelion and risk losing my mind, or replace it with another, stronger, more controllable strain."

"Where in the world did you find that?" Blake asked, causing Yang to close her eyes and smile.

"Blake, I'm only telling you this because I trust you with every fiber of my being. The others already know or are likely to find out from you anyway. Regardless, _none_ of this leaves this group, understand?" The others quickly nodded in agreement, causing Yang to smile and nod her head. "Blake, the Companions are werewolves. Or rather, their leadership are."

"Wait, they are?" Blake's eye's widened. "Even...?"

"Even Kodlak, yes. He's the alpha of the group, really. I was already debating whether or not to willingly become one before it happened, but when it did they immediately gave me the Gift. I've been a werewolf ever since, but more importantly, I've still been _me_ ever since."

"I... I see." Blake stared at her partner before enveloping her in a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay." Yang hugged her partner back before pulling away. "I don't regret it. Not really, anyway. Sure, I can live without the whole 'eat other people sometimes' thing, but that's not really _me_ that's doing it. It's the beast. The others were all very quick to highlight that." A silence descended over the group as they contemplated Yang's words.

"While we are on the subject, this one must know," J'zargo asked. "What is it like? Having a separate beast inside you?"

"To be honest, it's kinda weird. I mean, it's like having a separate personality within you, only this one is more like a large dog that views your friends and family as its pack to love and protect. And devour your enemies apparently."

"So THAT's why you've been so affectionate since we met back up!" Weiss shouted out with an accusing point, causing Yang and the others to laugh. Blake laughed as well before she stopped, her attention directed towards her own other personality. With a gulp, she sat down on a fallen log, causing the others to stop as well.

"Blake, what's wrong?" Ruby asked in concern. With the others all looking at her, Blake took a deep breath and pulled out the Ebony Blade. She had to get this off of her chest, to let them know, and now was as good a time as any.

"Guys, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now. Yang's...not the only one who's had to deal with another voice in their head."

* * *

Orgnar stared at the large gathering that had just entered his inn, led by the group of girls he'd once assumed were just normal, if strangely dressed, young women traveling around. Now one wore the armor of a Companion, another matched the description of the famous Shadowkiller, the white-haired one was in Winterhold student robes, and the last had her own bodyguard. He'd seen a couple of them a few more times, and didn't realize just who they were, but now he knew that the girls that had just dragged in a half dozen of their friends into this place were the Four Dragonslayers.

Normally he didn't drink on the job, but this time, he figured he was going to need that help from one bottle of good ol' Nord mead.

* * *

"Why you didn't get rid of that thing is beyond me, but if you threaten Ruby or anyone else with it..." Lydia let the threat hang in the air.

"Trust me, if it comes to that I'll use it on myself." At Blake's answer, Lydia nodded and sat down at the table, keeping a careful eye on her Thane. Despite her initial misgivings, Blake had to admire the housecarl. She was utterly devoted to protecting her charge, no matter who or what they were. She kept this in mind as Ruby walked up to Delphine.

"Hey, Delphine," Ruby said as she approached the owner. "Sorry about the big crowd, but…" She looked back at the note in her hand. "I need to rent the…'attic room'?"

"Attic room, eh? Well, we don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left. Make yourself at home."

Confused, Ruby just nodded before handing a diem over to the woman. She looked back at Lydia, who just shrugged and gestured to the room Delphine had indicated. Ruby made her way over and opened the room up, but saw nothing different or spectacular about it. With Lydia at the door, Ruby went in and looked around before frowning and placing her hands on her hips.

' _There was something about the way she said it,'_ the girl wondered to herself. _'She couldn't have… But could she have been the one to take it?'_

Ruby heard someone walk in and turned to see Delphine standing at the door, her arms crossed and eyes transfixed on her.

"So you're the Dragonborn I've been hearing so much about," the older woman started as she reached behind her back. Ruby tensed, and Lydia was already starting to draw her sword, but both were immediately relieved when she took a horn from the satchel she wore. "I think you're looking for this." With a sigh of relief, Ruby took the Horn of Jurgen and put it into her pack, Lydia carefully sheathing her sword.

"We need to talk. Follow me." Without even giving Ruby a chance to respond, Delphine began to walk away, leaving Ruby behind.

"Uh, right." Ruby followed after the woman, Lydia standing guard over her the whole time. Yang, Weiss, and Blake took notice of her following the inn proprietor and began making moves themselves, Weiss and Blake asking or telling their friends something. Ruby saw Onmund beginning to cast a spell, while Blake formed one of her own in her hands. Delphine led her across the inn and into a more spacious and decorated room, likely hers, closed the door, and then walked over to the wardrobe, which she opened. After pushing her clothes aside, the woman reached into the back and wiggled something that made the entire back panel slide aside. As she walked down a set of stairs behind the secret entrance, she looked back to Ruby for a moment.

"Now, we can talk." Delphine walked into a room with a table with a map atop it in the center, a training dummy and hay bales in one corner, a shelf stocked with all sorts of potions, an alchemy table next to it, a wall of weapons, and an enchanting table. As she stood on one side of the table, her eyes met with Ruby's.

"The Greybeards seem to think you're the Dragonborn. I hope they're right." Delphine stated as she leaned against the wall, her arms still crossed.

"So you took the horn?" Ruby crossed her arms as well, trying to match the apparent innkeeper's tone. She attempted to lean against the wall, only to flail as she almost fell before Lydia stretched out a hand to stop her. With an embarrassed laugh, Ruby resumed her serious posture, sans leaning. All of this Delphine watched with disapproving eyes.

"Surprised? I guess I'm getting pretty good at my harmless innkeeper act."

"Why the act though? What's with all the secrecy?"

"You can't be too careful. Thalmor spies are everywhere. At the very least I know your Khajiit friends aren't with them, since they're after one and have butted heads with another. I'm assuming the other follows the trend."

"You know about that too?" Ruby whispered, more to herself than Delphine. "Why do you know so much about us? And why'd you take the horn? What did you want from me?"

"I didn't go through all this trouble on just a whim. I needed to make sure there was no Thalmor trap. We're not enemies here, alright. I'm actually trying to help you. Just hear me out."

Ruby sighed. "Okay. Go on."

"Like I said in my note, I heard that you might be Dragonborn. I'm part of a group that's been looking for you… Well, looking for someone like you, for a very long time. If you really are Dragonborn, that is. Before I tell you any more, I need to make sure I can trust you."

"Well, how should I trust you?"

"If you don't trust me, then you were a fool to walk in here in the first place. A single bodyguard might work for most, but an experienced assassin could easily bypass them or just kill you both."

"Yeah, but that wouldn't happen," a voice said before there was a bump on the table and Yang appeared as though from thin air, to the left of Delphine. The woman looked like she'd nearly jumped out of her skin, but Yang just smiled and held up her hands. "Hey, not here to pick a fight. Just watching out for my little sister."

"You… But you…"

There was a small bump on the wall to her right, and then Weiss appeared. "A friend of ours is really skilled with Illusions. She figured out how to cast a near perfect Chameleon spell onto others mostly on her own after one lesson."

"I also made a bunch of dumb bandits kill each other on the way from Riften," Blake said before appearing, leaning against the potion shelf. "It was a little sad to see, but funny in hindsight. In a morbid kind of way."

"Yeah, so trust wasn't really the issue there," Ruby continued along, catching Delphine's attention back to her. "A little after the assassin incident I told Blake and Yang about plan "Primarily Invisible". Yang probably filled Weiss in on it recently. Just us, guys?"

"Just us," Yang assured her.

"So, I might be a little sketchy about you, but I'm at least willing to hear you out. And don't worry about my team. I'd have ended up telling them everything anyways."

The woman sighed and shook her head. "Damn! If this had been an actual slipup… All right. I at least trust you're not going to kill me or sell me to the Thalmor."

"Glad about that. So, why exactly are you looking for a Dragonborn?"

"We remember what most don't – that the Dragonborn is the ultimate dragonslayer. You're the only one that can kill a dragon permanently by devouring its soul."

The four girls flinched, but Ruby especially did as she clutched her shirt's collar.

"You can do it, right? Can you devour a dragon's soul?"

"I don't like to," Ruby muttered, "but yeah. That's how we figured it out. We thought I had just been…enchanted or something, but then I killed Mirmulnir –the dragon that attacked Whiterun– and I…absorbed his soul."

"You don't like it?" the woman asked in suspicion.

"It's… I'm taking the entirety of another being into me, everything that they ever were is being stuffed into my own soul. I was having nightmares from the point-of-view of the dragon until the Greybeards helped straighten me out. And that's not to mention all of the…urges I get."

"I see. Well then…"

"Um, if I may," Weiss butted in. "You said you're worried about Thalmor after you."

"Yes, we're very old enemies. And if my suspicions are correct, they might have something to do with the dragons returning." Ruby suspected the woman had some preconceived notions, but said nothing. "But that isn't important right now. What is important is that Ruby here might be Dragonborn."

"I _am_ Dragonborn," Ruby declared, staring straight at Delphine. To her credit, the woman stared back without a flinch.

"I feel like there's something you haven't told us," Blake remarked, catching everyone's attention.

"Dragons aren't just coming back; they're coming back to life." This surprised the girls due to its many implications. "They weren't gone somewhere for all these years. They were dead, killed off centuries ago by my predecessors. Now something's happening to bring them back to life, and I need you to help me stop it."

"Wait, what makes you think they're coming back to life?" Ruby asked, certain memories or lack thereof within the different dragons' souls suddenly making a lot more sense.

"I know they are. I visited their ancient burial mounds and found them empty, and I figured out where the next one will come back to life. We're going to go there, and you're going to kill that dragon. If we succeed, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Ruby shared a look with her teammates. Yang seemed unsure, but Blake and Weiss both looked curious, Weiss more towards disbelieving.

"You realize how crazy that all sounds, right?" Yang asked her.

"Heh, a few years ago I said the same thing to a colleague of mine. Well, it turns out that he was right and I was wrong."

"Okay, so…where do we need to go?"

"Kynesgrove," she explained, pointing it out on the map. "There's an ancient dragon burial near there. If we can get there before it happens, maybe we'll learn how to stop it."

Ruby took in a deep breath and then released it. "Okay, but if we're going there you need to promise that you won't suddenly go gung-ho or kill indiscriminately. And if a dragon talks, let me do the talking."

"Talking. Right." Delphine rolled her eyes. "And yet, your sister was thinking I was crazy."

"Weiss and Blake needed to go up in that direction anyways, so I guess we'll all go together. Strength and safety in numbers. Zora's breaking off at Whiterun and Yang…?"

"I'll go with you guys. I've got nothing too critical at the moment to worry about."

"All right, so we'll all head to Kynesgrove and see if this thing happens. Deal?"

"Fine enough. Just hope the numbers don't slow us down."

"Eh, we'll be fine," the blonde waved off. "Between the horses and magic speed ups we'll make good time."

"Oh gods, not the Longstride spell. I can't use it. Turns my stomach too much."

"Horse for you it is, then."

* * *

Ruby watched the sunrise's light glancing off the fields of Whiterun Hold. Everyone else was gearing up for the trip, but she was already pretty much set. She heard footsteps approach and turned to see the scarred woman she'd run into just the other day.

"Oh, hey Zora."

"Hello, little Ruby," the woman greeted her back as she sidled up next to her, lazily holding her hands behind her head.

"Everything going okay with your plans to get your cotton field started?"

"Mm, could be worse. Could be better. Apparently some Giants have started making iron armor towards the east, and a lot of people are thinking that the price of tundra land is going to fall. That is good, but armored Giants could be a problem."

Ruby twiddled her thumbs as she thought over what she might have caused, but ended up shrugging it off.

"You could always just talk to them. I'm sure the Giants won't mind. Maybe even trade your cotton with them."

"I suppose that could be a profitable venture. Hm, Giants wearing cotton shirts and breeches… Sounds like a strange dream."

Ruby nodded and the two stood in companionable silence for a long moment. The younger girl looked over, but found her eyes drawn to the scar etched across Zora's face, a sort of morbid curiosity taking hold of her.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking…about your scars…?"

"Ah, the scars came mostly from adventuring. Most of them are barely visible, thanks to the one." Zora's fingers brushed the handprint scar as Ruby watched. "From a distance, it may appear to be a dash of paint. A girl's attempt to look menacing. Upon closer inspection, you'll see it is the mark of a burn.

"Y-yeah, that one. How did it happen?"

Zora looked up at the sky slowly turning from violet to blue. "When I was a flowering young maiden –about your age or a little younger, I would think– I once had many suitors. Men would travel great distances to see the Diamond of Riverwood." She frowned as she pulled up the old memories. "My sister, on the other hand, had no suitors to speak of. She became very taciturn, sitting in her corner as the men showered me with praise. She was far more talented than I, a mage worthy of studying at the College of Winterhold. What she was not, unfortunately, was pretty."

"Did it…get in-between you two?"

"Oh, quite. We'd fight often, about the smallest of things. Although the arguments were never about who was supposed to wash the clothes or sweep the floor. It was always about her envy," she set her hand fully against the scar and let it slide off, "and my lack of compassion." She stared at her hand a moment as her thumb rubbed across her fingers. "Eventually, one argument got rough. The hand she struck me with was cloaked in fire."

Ruby gasped at that before holding her arms to her chest, trying to picture how something like that could have happened and hating herself for envisioning it. "I know sisters can fight. Even me and Yang fight sometimes, but…"

"No, I- I deserved it. Not the flames, but the slap," she corrected with a sigh. "Make no mistake, I was a real bitch. Beauty tends to make monsters of us all. She didn't intend to burn me, of course," Zora defended. "All of that anger… That rage just manifested itself into fire."

Ruby nodded in consideration. "You're kinda…understanding about the whole thing."

"Now, but not then. Oh no, I was sufficiently devastated. My beauty was all that I had. It defined me. But it was the ugliness that hurt the most. The way people, not just men, looked at me." Ruby saw her gritting her teeth and her fists clenched. "Always with that cringe! They all do it." She let her hands go and turned away from Ruby. "Even the polite ones can't help themselves, no matter how much they try to disguise it." She walked a few steps away and then looked out across the plains that stretched alongside the White River, which seemed to flow from around the distant base of Hrothgar Mountain. She watched as the sunlight slowly bathed the stones, grasses, and waters in its warm embrace. "When you're beautiful, every word is met with a smile. When it's gone, the whole world is shrouded in darkness." She turned back to Ruby. "I could never loathe my sister for what she did. Not now that I know her pain."

The wind swept across them, as though trying to comfort the two women in this moment.

* * *

"What exactly are we doing?" Delphine asked as she, Ruby, and Lydia rode away from the others for a moment.

"I promised to do something for Jarl Elisif," Ruby explained as she pulled the horn from her pack, making sure it was the newer one and not the ancient antique she had to take to the Greybeards. "Because of the Talos ban she couldn't offer a tribute to him after King Torque died."

"Torygg."

"Yeah. So she asked me if I'd drop his horn off at this shrine. Let's see… Ah!" Just past a bend, Ruby found the hidden shrine in the alcove some ways above the White River Gorge. She approached the statue, and placed the horn just before it. Not sure if there were any religious customs to follow, she looked towards Lydia, who just seemed to observe the other items placed around the shrine, including a few coins, an old mace, a dented up steel battleaxe, and a bowl of ashes, likely burned incense.

"Well, here's to King Torn- Torygg. May you find peace in, um, Sovngarde."

Just when it looked like Delphine was about to say something, she suddenly ducked as a fireball exploded near the three. Ruby and Lydia quickly took out their weapons while the older woman drew a katana, and faced against their attackers, three Thalmor agents, two of them suited in elven armor, and another in the distinct purple robes.

"No… No!" Delphine shouted as she charged one of them. Lydia went towards another while Ruby dashed towards the wizard. He began conjuring another fireball, but the blunt side of Crescent Rose smacked up into his chin, causing the elf to fall back while clutching his jaw. Delphine went in surprisingly quick, blocking a strike from the justicar before ducking down and then coming up with a quick slash that found a chink in his armor and sliced his belly open. Lydia's battle was more brutal in appearance, with her shield bashing her enemy in the face and then her sword chopping down, breaking apart the armor and cutting through her collar and into her chest. Ruby smacked the Thalmor agent across the head, but he fired a stream of sparks at her, which she narrowly dodged. As they squared up, a flash of silver went by his neck before blood spurt out in nearly all directions around him. As he hacked, Delphine impaled him on her blade and then kicked him off of it. Ruby looked at the dying man and then collapsed Crescent Rose before placing the scythe to the small of her back.

"I was planning to question him, you know."

"He wouldn't have told you anything, and we don't have the time for advanced interrogation." Delphine patted him down and riffled through his pockets before coming up with an official looking letter. Her eyes scanned the words before she released a sigh. "Thank the Divines, they weren't after us." She passed the note over to Ruby, who read it as well.

 _Agent Lorcalin,_

 _In recent weeks, two prisoners have confessed to worshipping at a Talos shrine in the hills above White River Gorge. This cult must not be allowed to grow any further. Find the shrine. Hunt down any heretics you find there. Take no prisoners._

 _Elenwen_

"Elenwen?"

"Woman in charge of the Thalmor in Skyrim. Very high up, and very influential." Delphine flicked her blade to clear it of blood, and then wiped the rest off on the dead elf's robes. "Thought they were after me, but it was just a regular Talos worshipper trap. Damned elves."

Ruby looked at the corpses and wondered about giving them a proper burial, but then realized how long it would actually take to dig a hole for each of them. She sighed and took the note over to the shrine.

"Well, there's not much we can do." She set the note down and placed the ash-filled bowl on top of it as a paper weight. "Let's just hope when people come by this they'll be more careful, and less people get hurt."

"Hey!" she heard Yang call as she got closer to them. "Are you guys all right? We heard an explosion."

"We're fine, Yang! Just an ambush!" Ruby called back.

"What? By who?"

"Just the Thalmor!" Ruby's reply caused Delphine to gape.

"Just the- Never mind…" Delphine shook her head and walked away, heading back towards the group. Seeing this, Ruby narrowed her eyes at the woman and turned to Lydia, also eyeing her.

"Let's get back to the others," Ruby told her housecarl before heading back down the hill. "We've got a long way to go."


	26. We All Fall Down

**Here we are with chapter 23. Our heroes head to Kynesgrove. What awaits them there?**

 **Oh, by the way, if you haven't checked it out already go over and read Dragon Rose Chibi. It's both adorable and hilarious, and several writers contributed to the stories within it**.

* * *

While the others had left with Ruby to deliver Torygg's Horn to the Talos Shrine, Blake, M'rissi, and Inigo had to take care of Guild business. Lydia normally would have attempted to stop it, but given how Blake was going to make Mallus fail she let it pass. It took about an hour, but in the end the mission was a success, at least for her. Maven would think otherwise, but the Faunus honestly couldn't care less what she thinks. Regardless, Blake watched with an amused smirk as Mallus was led away in chains, desperately trying to prove his innocence to the owner and Guard Captain. As they slowly disappeared into the distance, Blake and her Khajiit companions turned to make their way back to their friends. It wasn't long until she found them waiting for her on the road. Ruby was currently getting magic lessons from Weiss and the other mages, Lydia and Delphine were working on their weapons and armor, and Yang was currently tending a fire, cooking some sort of venison stew by the smell of it.

"Have fun?" Yang asked as they approached, stirring the contents of the pot.

"Well, the tasting's been put on hold, but now Mallus Maccius has all the blame."

"And M'rissi has a fancy decanter now!"

"Don't show it off here," Blake chided with a small smile before sitting down and grabbing a pewter bowl, M'rissi and Inigo echoing her. Yang quickly scooped up some soup and poured it into their waiting hands.

"The others and I have already eaten," Yang answered the unasked question. "Was just keeping it warm for you three. Dig in." M'rissi complied immediately, eating her soup with gusto. Inigo was more subdued, allowing the flavor to seep onto his tongue, but even still he quickly ate his food. Blake, on the other hand, slowly ate hers, deep in thought.

"There was something else." Blake took a bite and swallowed. "I think the person who bought Goldenglow is the same one who helped finance Sabjorn. It's…really suspicious."

"What makes you say that?" Yang dumped the excess soup and began putting the cooking supplies away. M'rissi and Inigo had already finished eating and handed their bowls to Yang, while Blake stood up and continued to eat.

"In both Honningbrew and Goldenglow, there were letters from the same person. I know this because both had the same handwriting and the same signature," Blake declared as she finished eating her soup. "A stylized dagger."

"Huh, so what does that mean?" her partner asked as they walked over to where the others were preparing themselves in an almost caravan like fashion.

"I'm not sure, but both of these actions do two things; they piss off Maven, and they loosen up her monopolies on one of the biggest economies in Skyrim. I think someone might be targeting her, but I don't know who."

"Do you know why?"

"You might as well ask why someone would kill a Grimm. Maven has to have made plenty of enemies, weak and strong."

"Sir Butterfly thinks that it may be a small step in a bigger plan," Inigo put in. "In fact, I would not be surprised if Maven was not the ultimate goal of this mystery person."

* * *

Ruby strummed her lute as the group rested at the Valtheim Towers. After a full day of travel either on foot or horseback, the twelve people were just starting to find their stride. With darkness closing, it would be better to have the shelter provided by the massive constructs than not, so a few of them began gathering wood for a fire while others prepared a space to sleep. The first thing Delphine wanted to do was set up a watch, which she discussed mostly with Lydia and Ruby. Now, everyone was relaxing before finally turning in for the night.

"~ This is the time that we let it go. These are the words that'll take us home. Singing the song that's inside us all. If we just open our eyes… This is the time that we let it go. And this is the pain we are forced to know. Singing the song that's inside, inside us all. Inside us all… ~" As she played out the last few chords and notes, Ruby looked up and smiled over at Weiss and her classmates, M'rissi sitting near them, having tried to learn some magic earlier.

"I must admit, I hadn't thought you were such a skilled musician," Weiss admitted with a smile and nod. "Or a singer. Your voice just…doesn't scream 'skilled at music'."

"No, it normally screams fire, or pure concussive force," the younger girl joked with a laugh. Weiss rolled her eyes and shook her head, but her smile didn't leave.

"Well, I suppose we should turn it in then," Onmund said as he stretched before heading into the tower. "Good night everyone."

"'Night, Mundy," Yang called after him.

"I was more surprised by the song," Blake brought up from her corner of the fire. "I didn't think you were a fan of Never More. Always struck me as more of a sugar pop type."

"Ew, pbbt!" Ruby rejected with a raspberry. "Okay, maybe I like a few of the funnier ones, but overall? No way!"

"Yeah, Rubes has been a little head banger since she could push the radio buttons. Never the really dark and gross stuff, but she did like bands like Squareknot, Kernal, Metalla, Seven Times Vengeance, but then she likes White Hot Ghost Peppers, or even Beringalz and Azure Steel." Yang smiled, while Ruby grumbled.

"Just share all my information why don't you?" Ruby groaned.

"Heh, I already told Blake about the tub monster debacle."

As Ruby gasped, Blake couldn't help but chuckle. At the same time, M'rissi yawned, exposing her mouth full of sharp teeth and long canines.

"Guess you're ready for bed," Blake decided and stood up.

"Wait! Whatever she told you it wasn't true!" M'rissi flailed about weakly, trying and failing to deny her tiredness.

"Yeah, I'm sure," the Faunus brushed off as she helped her friend go find her place to sleep.

"Well, I'm interested. What exactly was this 'tub monster debacle'?" Brelyna asked. Yang smiled and was ready to answer, but then Ruby flung herself over at her sister and tackled her right off of her log seat. As the two tussled, J'zargo stood and nodded towards Weiss, who also stood and went into the building. Brelyna sighed and cracked her neck before looking towards Lydia, who was sitting as quietly as ever, her new steel plate armor set aside for comfort.

"Does this happen often?"

"Things like it tend to."

* * *

"Look, all I'm saying is that if it's a real university, it shouldn't be limited to one kind of people," Yang argued with Weiss. Just as the heiress seemed to be formulating a response from her position on foot, everyone slowed to a halt.

"What's going… Oh." Weiss looked forward to see right at the river's bend, two groups of Giants were facing off against each other. The group across the river seemed, in general, to be less muscular and slightly more tanned, while those on their side tended to have bodybuilder like frames and paler skin. The one at the head of the tanner ones wore an array of pelts and seemed to be holding a staff with antlers at its top, gripping a Grand Soul Gem. In contrast, the leader of the more muscular ones was wearing a thick iron armor piece and, rather than a primitive club, had a discernibly squared-headed hammer. Both were saying something back and forth, of which none of the group understood, until Ruby took out one of her Giantspeech talismans and placed it on her neck.

" _Go take your cattle and goats back to your mountains!_ " a younger Giant from the tanner group yelled at the other.

" _They need to graze, but we cannot take them to the west! Our southern fields are already too low! They will overgraze!_ "

" _We need to use your southern fields, for a short time,_ " the armored Giant requested. " _The gatherers are tending our fields now, but the cattle are starving. Your mammoth fields will be more than enough until they finish in five days._ "

" _They may be more than enough for your cattle, but what of our mammoths?_ " the staff holder countered.

"Oh, it's a… Uh, Weiss. What do you call it when ranchers argue over whose herds graze in places?"

"A grazing dispute?" the vampire guessed, her face twisting in confusion. "Wait, is that what they're arguing over? Grazing privileges?"

"Yeah. Hey, give me a hand with them." Ruby passed over her other Giantspeech talisman to Weiss, who only had enough time to look at it for a moment before she was dragged forward by her partner.

"What is she doing?" Delphine demanded as she dismounted. Lydia held her arm up to stop her before she ran after the Dragonborn.

"It's fine. She's done this sort of thing before."

"Talked to Giants or stepped into a situation that's not really her business?"

"Both." Delphine incredulously looked between Lydia and Ruby, the housecarl merely shrugging. To the housecarl, the sooner Delphine got used to the intricacies of her charge the better. That's what she had to do.

"Hello," Ruby called out to the two groups as she approached. All of the Giant men turned towards her, a few snarling at her presence. One of the tanner Giants shook his club at her, only to get whacked across the head by his leader. Weiss tried to put on her talisman, only to wince, take off her amulet, and place it on again.

"Stupid enchantment dissonance," she muttered.

" _Who are you?_ " the muscled leader asked. " _Do you want something from us?_ "

"I just wanted to help. I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"Ruby _?_ " he repeated in interest as he began to stroke his peppered beard. " _We heard of a small one called_ Ruby _who helped the Talking Stones with a poacher problem, and taught them to make the hard pieces from special stone. The Sleeping Trees have learned from them, and they gave me this._ " He beat on the painted armor piece with a fist. " _You are a friend of the_ Jo'Tunn."

"Jo'Tunn?" Weiss whispered.

"It's what Giants call themselves," Ruby whispered back.

" _That tiny speck is important to you rock-biters,_ " a Giant across the river taunted, only for his own leader to turn on him and shoot a quick flash of magic from his staff. The Giant blinked and then rubbed his throat while trying to mouth words.

" _Be quiet or be silenced! Friends of_ Jo'Tunn _have been rare since the Dark Years. If she is friend, let her speak."_

"Thank you, sir. What exactly seems to be the problem here?"

" _We of the Guldun tribe must feed our herds,_ " the armored Giant began to explain. " _We have no mammoths, but instead cattle and goats, because we live on the Guldun mountain's feet. But many of our fields caught fire, and burned. There's not enough to feed them, though our gatherers work hard to heal them. Many of our cattle will starve before they can finish it. Cattle that we trade often,_ " he finished as he looked over to the other tribe.

" _They're asking to use Cradlecrush_ _fields, but mammoths eat much more than simple cattle. We might still have a lot for cattle when they're done, but our mammoths will suffer. I wish to help, but there is much risk in this."_

"And you can't go west because of the farms." Ruby nodded in understanding. "What do you think, Weiss?"

"Well…" The heiress scratched the back of her head a moment before looking over at the Gulduns. "What exactly are your…gatherers doing to heal the fields?"

* * *

"I can't believe you just settled a grazing rights dispute betweens Giant clans," Delphine groaned.

"I can't believe Giants know magic," Weiss muttered. "And magic that can apparently be applied to farming. Did you know this?" she directed towards her fellows. "Do other people know this?"

"News to me," Brelyna admitted. "Though it does sound like the magic House Telvanni uses to create giant mushroom houses, if applied differently."

"So you mean there's a possible way to get free housing and a cheap, constant food source," Blake asked with raised eyebrows, "and the methods rest in the hands of a Dunmer noble house and some Giants?"

"You might be able to convince the Giants to show you how theirs works, but good luck on a Telvanni teaching you anything without oaths to fill a few volumes, proceeded by a multitude of tests to see if you are worthy of even being a guest in their house," Brelyna explained with a shrug.

"At least M'rissi knows a bit of magic." The Khajiit girl then demonstrated her newfound ability by shooting a plume of flames into the air, startling her horse.

"Easy, Patches," Inigo calmed the beast of burden. "You have four people to think of, and I seriously doubt Miss Bee enjoys being shaken around."

"She thinks Mr. Dragonfly does though."

"Oh yes. Mr. Dragonfly likes a good bit of excitement like fast riding."

Weiss looked back towards J'zargo, who simply shrugged in equal confusion to his fellows' actions and words.

* * *

 _Denor faced off against the Argonian, who looked at her with something akin to disappointment, though all that the young woman could feel towards him was unbridled rage._

" _A shame. You all would have made worthy heirs to my business. Now, you're only impediments to our plans." He drew his ebony greatsword while his four, Dwemer metal clad guards pulled forth their own weapons. Denor pulled out her hammer with no hesitation, ready to use it against her foe. The other four young heroes also armed themselves, ready for battle, but none as eager as her._

" _Listen, we shouldn't have to fight," Lerian called out to the warlord. "We could just-"_

" _You won't change my course, boy," the Argonian interrupted. "It's all been laid out before me." Desann clenched his hand as magics flowed through him, strengthening him further. "However, for your past services helping my sister and mother, I will make sure to make your deaths as painless as possible."_

 _Denor growled as she took her battle stance. "The next time they see you, it's going to be at YOUR FUNERAL!" she screamed before charging him. He caught the haft of her hammer upon the flat of his blade as each of the others faced off against their own opponents. Nicaea almost immediately began battering her foe around, his armor and her mercy the only things saving him from a near instant death by the Champion's hands. Lerian fluidly dodged around sword swings and struck out with his daggers, his opponent finding himself at the beginning of death by a thousand cuts courtesy of the Watcher. The Unknown's enemy could barely defend himself in the weapon-wielding confusion laden by the madman. Yohannes stood like a bulwark against futile blows that almost bounced harmlessly off of his shield, showing the maceman just a fraction of the Hero's steadfast defense._

 _The Guardian's battle, however, was going far differently, for her opponent was no mere elite mercenary. Desann, who had ventured deep in ancient Dwemer ruins, fought and killed thousands of mortals, and had become such a name of notoriety among certain circles as to be seen as a legend, was far stronger than anything she had ever faced. After her third power-filled blow was almost effortlessly blocked or parried away, he swung out his sword with lightning speed and precision, cutting across the side of her shoulder deeply. She tried to block a downward swing, but found herself dropping to her knees from the power behind the blow._

" _You were strong and brave, but foolish, and not nearly strong enough." Desann then twisted his blade and sliced upwards, cutting into Denor's face. The Guardian screamed as she fell back and clutched her wounded eye, a bleeding line leading from her forehead and down her cheek. "Forgive me. That was meant to kill you."_

" _Denor!" Lerian cried out, seeing his oldest friend lying down and bleeding. The others cried out for her as well, but Lerian's was the most desperate. He looked at his opponent as an untellable fury enveloped him, and then he struck out with a palm covered in lightning, denting the Dwarven plate and sending electric energy through the being before him with such intensity he began to turn into ashes within his armor. The young monk charged the Argonian raising his sword over his friend and stabbed upwards into a gap in the gold-filigreed ebony armor. Desann shouted in pain, but then Lerian's hand reached up and grasped his scaly throat before sending waves of lightning through him as well. He bowled them both over before stabbing into the Argonian's unarmored face and throat with his other dagger rapidly. Desann shouted and tried to pry the crazed man from off of him, but went still moments later._

 _As Lerian realized the warlord was expired he turned to look back to his closest companion, bleeding out all over the floor. She was going pale, and his stomach was twisting in knots, even as Yohannes finished off his own foe and knelt by her side. The paladin began sending healing energies into her, but already things were looking too late for her. Lerian came to her side as well, clutching one of her hands and sending what healing magic he knew to her._

" _Please! Gods, please! Help her!" he pleaded to whoever would listen._

" _I'm doing…all that I can," the knight stressed as he pushed his magic to its limit. One look at Lerian's desperate face though, and Yohannes gritted his teeth as he struggled to push himself beyond those limits. Denor groaned, and looked up at them with a glassy eye._

" _Lerian…" she got out._

" _It'll be all right," the monk tried to reassure both her and himself. "It'll be all right."_

" _It…will be," Yohannes struggled out as a new sort of power seemed to fill him, a new magic he never knew before. Suddenly light began to shine around the young woman as the deep cut marring her face began to seal up even quicker. "By the Nine, I will not let you go now!"_

"Blake, can M'rissi ride Patches now?" Blake looked up from her book and sighed.

"All right, but we're almost at Kynesgrove anyways," the Faunus conceded. M'rissi didn't seem to care about that fact as she hopped up into the saddle as soon as Blake was clear of it. Inigo seemed to chuckle at this as he strode along with them.

"Does she smell…off to you?" J'zargo asked his fellow male Khajiit, who merely chuckled.

"Eh, I don't really mind it so much. I actually find it interesting. In fact, everything about M'rissi is interesting. It is not my story to tell, but she has a colorful past, but cannot remember any of it. A ghost suggested that we try to restore her memory at the College."

"Ah, this one sees. Also, he wants to ask you, about your accent…?"

"Oh, I have traveled all over most of Tamriel for most of my life, so my accent is eclectic, you see." J'zargo nodded at his fellow Khajiit's answer.

"Yes, this one understands. Not all Khajiit are born in Elswyr." Before he could continue, Yang suddenly stopped in front of them and turned around, having heard the conversation.

"So instead of Elswyr, you were born elsewhere?" Yang asked before making finger guns. Inigo began laughing uproariously while most present just groaned. Onmund started to chuckle, but his small laugh was mostly covered up by the blue Khajiit's.

The group came upon the small mining village and began unwinding themselves from the trip. Weiss, J'zargo, and Blake went to go find them rooms at the Braidwood Inn, while Ruby almost wandered off towards the sound of a hammer before Delphine caught her.

"Come on, we need to check and make sure we haven't been beaten to it."

"Eh, okay. But I'm still not sure about this whole thing." Ruby had tried to find something, anything in the dragons' collective memories that could point to them coming back to life as being plausible, but nothing had revealed itself to her but a few whispers of a handful of words. Half of them were useless, but one stood out. **Vo** : undo or, more specifically, reverse. It made sense if one stretched their imagination, but that was like trying to stretch a foot of nylon over a whole stadium. Meditating without any real direction got her nowhere fast, so she gave up on trying that and focused more on words she did know.

The two climbed a pair of hills before topping a third, where a circular stone mound filled with dirt lay. A quick look confirmed what Ruby already suspected.

"Still here. So whatever it is hasn't come by yet," Delphine replied with her characteristic scowl while Ruby silently gave her the stink eye before gaining a thoughtful look.

"You know, I never did ask, but how did you find these things?"

"You dug up the Dragonstone for Farengar, who got it for me," Delphine explained as she turned away and began heading back to the village.

"That was you?" Ruby exclaimed as she followed the Blade down the hill.

"Yes. It's how I found all the sites that've already been emptied. If the pattern holds, this one will be next." She looked across the distance and hummed to herself. "We'll need to keep watch on this thing. I get that you have doubts, but I need you to trust me for a bit longer."

"Sure, fine," the Dragonborn groaned. "Just know that you're seriously holding me back from my Voice training, which I kinda need and stuff to fight dragons effectively."

"I can help you with other things. Weapons if you're interested," Delphine offered

"Nah, I'm good there," Ruby declined politely with a shake of her head. "Hm, actually, I'm gonna look into what this place's stuff is. It's a malachite mine, right?"

"Last I checked, yes."

* * *

"' _Kolb stopped at the tavern to rest before fighting the dragon. High elves ran the tavern, however, and poisoned his mead so they could steal his gold._ '"

"Darn it! She keeps getting Kolb killed," M'rissi pouted. "She just wanted him to be well rested before fighting the evil dragon."

"It is okay," Inigo comforted her. "I think you are getting the hang of it. Perhaps next time will be the one."

"Why in Oblivion would high elves poison a traveler in their own inn?" Weiss questioned. "That's bad for business in several ways."

"You're trying to apply logic to a story made for small children," Blake pointed out.

"A story that promotes a racist viewpoint." Blake blinked her eyes at Weiss' answer.

"…Fair enough." Blake looked toward her notebook and jotted a few things down.

"What are you writing there, anyways?"

"Oh, it's, er, some notes," Blake bashfully admitted. "I've been…reading what I could about Alessia and the events surrounding her. Trying to get what I can on Morihaus, specifically."

"Hah, take that, orc!" M'rissi cheered, catching an actual orc's attention for a moment before he growled and went back to his drink. The girls turned their attention away from the avoided situation and back to each other.

"Morihaus was supposedly a demigod and son of Kynareth, and his descendants became the Minotaurs, correct?"

"Yes, but, uh, that's the thing about…that." Blake chewed at the end of her pen.

"Hm, what is it?" Weiss asked, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"It's…weird, but kinda beautiful. I'm just not sure how…"

"Oh just spit it out, already."

"He believes she's referring to how Morihaus and Alessia were lovers," J'zargo interjected. Weiss looked at him disbelievingly then over to Blake, who slowly nodded while blushing a bit.

"Wait, what?"

"Alessia's son was Belharza the Bull. Second Emperor -or first depending on how you look at it- and he was a Minotaur, likely the first."

"Oh, that's…odd. Really makes me wonder how… Anyways, why exactly are you researching that, Blake?"

"Well, I just realized no one's ever really…novelized the story. There's just bits and pieces from the _Song of Pelinal_ and _The Abadal-a_ and some other places. I was going to see if I could write a version of all the events in one cohesive story as a historical fiction piece, kinda like what Gyorge Marren did with _Journey of the Heroes_."

"That actually sounds pretty interesting. Let me know if you need any help researching details. And I'd love to read it as you go," Weiss offered.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks." Blake blushed, knowing that if Weiss knew what she had planned she might not be so eager.

* * *

Ruby looked over her newest creation, a shortsword made out of malachite, with the blacksmiths and Dravynea looking on with awe.

"Hey, you were right! The moonstone really is holding it all together. Any other material and this stuff would just be falling apart like the world's driest cookie. And it's so pretty how it veins out into the cracks of the malachite!"

"Glad you like it. And…I'm very surprised you got it on your first try. You must be a prodigy at the forge," Dravynea slowly replied, her eyes never leaving the glass sword.

"Thanks! Eorlund said the same thing, but it always feels nice to hear people say it."

The Dunmer's eyes seemed to nearly pop out of her skull. "Eorlund Grey-Mane?"

"Yeah, he taught me how to work moonstone and quicksilver to make elven stuff, and how to work Dwemer metal. Guess I need to learn how to do orichalcum next. Oh, and I'll let my buddy know about your frost salt thing. She and her classmates probably have some between the four of them. Thanks again! I'm gonna go show off this baby to my team." Ruby bounced away from the forge, leaving behind the dumbfounded smiths. Once Ruby fully disappeared, the head blacksmith wiped his head with a cloth rag.

"Ain't that about the damnedest thing you ever saw?"

* * *

"Hey, anybody seen Weiss?" Ruby asked, sitting on the bar stool and looking around the inn for Weiss.

"Not since lunch time," Yang admitted. Blake just shrugged as she penned more thoughts down, now having nearly half filled her notebook.

"J'zargo might know," Onmund suggested.

"Yeah, but he's not around either, Mundy," Ruby pointed out to the mage Nord.

"No, please, not you too!"

"I just don't-" Ruby's words were caught in her throat when she opened up the door to her rented room to finally find Weiss, who was currently sitting in J'zargo's lap, their faces pressed together and arms wrapped around one another. The two's eyes shot open and then they both looked over in shock.

"Ruby?!"

"What? I- What is- I don't-"

Weiss waved a hand and the door slammed shut. Ruby blinked a few times then turned to see the astonished faces of her other teammates and a few others. The girl smacked her head a few times and then shook it.

"What just happened?"

"You didn't knock, that's what happened," Yang pointed out before sighing. "Well, at least we know where they are now. Doing what I figured, just not where I thought."

"Where did you _think_ they'd be?!" Ruby shrilly screamed.

"Like out in the woods or something. Somewhere where we wouldn't look or be able to find them easily." The lock on the door clicked and Yang hummed in thought. "Guess they forget that the first time."

"But…when did…?"

"They've steadily been making bolder and bolder advances towards each other since after Weiss' first week," Onmund groaned. "Gods, at this rate they'll be putting on Amulets of Dibella in a month, and Amulets of Mara in two."

"They'll what?!"

"Ruby, Weiss got a boyfriend," Yang slowly explained.

"But…we don't know anything about him! As our friend and newly adopted sister, it's our duty to vet any potential boyfriends she might get! That's why you tested Sun before we left."

"You did what?" Blake exclaimed in a higher pitch than normal, looking straight at Yang.

"Hey, I had to make sure he wasn't a creep. Turned out he's just pure happy-go-lucky. A little too much at times, but you'd be a perfect leash for him."

"I feel like I should be more upset than I am about this."

"If it makes you feel any better, this isn't the first time we've done this. I went and vetted Jaune when he started flirting with Weiss, and he was basically the same as Sun. Only clumsier, less confident, and lacking a tail." Yang shrugged, not really seeing the issue here, while Blake just looked more and more flabbergasted.

"I feel confused," the Nord mage admitted.

"That's because it's girl talk, Mundy. Right now, just make like Lydia and sink into the background."

"I'm not in the background. I just have nothing to add."

Onmund nearly jumped out of his seat and looked over at the steel-plated housecarl, sitting at a table and eating a small loaf of bread.

"Wh- when did you get here?"

"I came in with Thane Ruby. Did you not realize?" Lydia actually looked offended, causing Onmund to begin to stammer.

"I, uh, er…"

"No, he did not." Yang chuckled and patted the mage on the shoulder. "It's okay, pal. Took me a few days to get used to her…ways. She's not trying to sneak up on anybody, she's just quiet."

"Well, she might want to sneak up on anyone that means me harm, but that seems to be in the job description." Ruby muttered and drank from her cup. From the smell, it appeared to be Cyrodiilic Brandy. Blake wondered when Ruby became such a connoisseur of drinks, but that was for a later time.

"In that way, my unassuming demeanor is a boon to my duties. If threats are unaware of me, then I can handle them more easily." Lydia shrugged it off.

"Back on topic, we need to make sure J'zargo is worthy of our teammate!" Ruby declared, pointing her hand into the air, with Yang boldly following and Blake halfheartedly so.

"You know, you're lucky they can't hear you through that area muffling spell they used."

* * *

"Frost salts for a few Alteration tips. A handy trade!" Weiss happily told herself and her friends while turning a stone into dirt and then back into a solid rock.

"Well, we might not have as many fire resistance potions, but we'll manage," J'zargo stated, causing Weiss to go rigid.

"I may have made a mistake." J'zargo chuckled at Weiss' blanche look and patted her shoulder.

As they walked from the mine, the four students stopped and looked to where they heard a series of loud, metallic clashes to see Ruby and Lydia sparring, the young girl using two iron swords in place of her normal weapon. Watching her, Weiss noted how both her hands seemed to be used almost equally, neither favoring her right or left. As she began to wonder about it, Yang came up from the inn's porch.

"Wassup?" Yang put her arms around both of their shoulders, keeping her eyes on her sister.

"Oh, just wondering what Ruby's doing." Weiss gently removed Yang's arm, J'zargo doing the same, albeit with greater difficulty. "She doesn't normally use swords, let alone two. Do you know why she's doing this?"

"Yeah, well, you remember how she told us about when she lost Crescent Rose for a while there? Well, trying to teach her plain hand-to-hand isn't working out at all, but Lydia did teach her some useful disarming tricks, and she's had a sword at her side since we first went to Whiterun. She wanted to relearn how to dual-wield, so they're working on that."

"Re-learn?"

"She used to do it all the time." Yang lightly shrugged before leaning against a fence with her elbows. "Back when she was just starting out with the scythe and had no idea what she was doing, she'd fall back on dual swords or mom's bow for practice. She just sorta dropped them when Uncle Qrow taught her scythe wielding."

"She found dual-wielding easier than wielding a scythe?"

"You ever wield a scythe before? Not that easy. I tried. Uncle Qrow said I might as well have been swinging around a battleaxe. Not fast enough for that, though." Yang shook her head.

Suddenly Ruby pulled off a flip where she spun mid-air and brought her swords colliding with Lydia's shield at a rapid pace. The woman went to one knee, but held her shield up steadily before forcing herself forward and knocking Ruby onto her back. The girl twirled her legs and spun off of the ground while righting herself, but then had to block a slash, only for her swords to give and the blunt, practice blade hit her.

"We need to work on your defense," the housecarl judged. "Your offense is good, but your guard is flimsy, and you often forgo defense for attack, relying too much on speed to get you out of a tough situation. Pick a sword and block with all of your might behind it."

Ruby nodded and made a blocking stance, but awkwardly tried to figure out how to put more strength behind one sword. As she tried to block Lydia's next swing, the others noticed Idda running from the north. She was panicked, by the looks of it, and frantically looking back as she ran.

"Dragon! There's a dragon attacking! It's up at the old mound!" She didn't even stop as she screamed past everyone and hid in the mine. The village went silent as they contemplated her words, before a distinctive roar was heard overhead. Miners and villagers screamed and began scattering, trying to find shelter. The rest of Team RWBY's companions burst out from the inn including Delphine, having heard both the roar and the villagers' screams.

"Where's the dragon?!" Inigo shouted as he strung his bow.

"Hurry, up the hill!" Delphine commanded as she sped for the dragon burial mound. Ruby shot after her then sped ahead, sheathing her swords and pulling out Crescent Rose in its folded form. As she crested the last hill, she stopped and gawked at the sight before her. It was the same dragon from Helgen, blacker than the void and hovering next to the old mound. Ruby's attention was focused purely on it as the others finally caught up, but she could still hear the faint gasps of recognition from her team and of fear from the others. It roared as rain began to drizzle down, then some sort of magical swirling happened around the large grave.

" **Sahloknir,"** the dragon commanded, **"ziil do dovah ulse!"**

"By the gods!" she heard Brelyna whisper in fear.

"Look at that big bastard!" Delphine exclaimed, her hand hovering near her blade.

"He's…" Yang gulped. "Guys, he's gotta be at least five times bigger than Mirmilker or whatever his name was. Was he that big at Helgen?" Ruby just stared forward at the black dragon, memories not her own playing in her mind. Part of her kept saying she had seen him long before the time at Helgen. Before she was ever born.

" **Slen Tiid Vo!"** the dragon shouted at the burial mound. The ground shook, not from the Shout, but from something else. A dragon's skull then burst forth from the dirt, followed by the rest of the skeleton as flesh seemed to appear from nowhere and attach itself to the bones. Soon, a yellow and grey dragon with a frill around his head and a paddle-like finned tail stood before them, looking up at the black dragon with wonder.

" **Alduin, thuri!"** it cried out as though with joy. Ruby felt bile rise in her throat as she looked back at the black one.

' _Alduin? He's…real…'_ She didn't want to believe it, but now she was forced to face the truth.

" **Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?"** he asked the much larger dragon.

"Ruby, what's going on?" her sister asked while snapping her fingers in her face. "Come on, what's happening?"

"I… He…"

" **Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir."** The black dragon then turned towards them, his eyes focusing right on Ruby. Sahloknir followed his gaze and growled at them while shifting his body into a predatory ready stance. **"Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi."**

"I… I am…" Ruby winced and then looked back at the two. "Zu'u… los Dovahkiin,…Alduin. Zu'u…pogaan dovahsil"

" **Feh, you can barely speak our tongue. Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah."** He looked over at the other dragon. **"Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."**

The dark dragon then swooped low and away, flying out of arrow's reach within seconds. The newly revived dragon then leaped up and took to the air before winging around in a circle.

 **"My lord Alduin requires your death! I am glad to oblige him."**

"Hit the deck!" Yang screamed as fiery breath leapt from the dragon's maw. Ruby snapped out of her daze just in time to take a breath.

" **Fo!** " she shouted, clashing against the wave of fire coming for her and successfully blocking it for a moment. She gasped a few times, then unfolded her scythe, preparing for the battle ahead.

"Here we go!" Delphine yelled as she leapt up from her cover and drew her bow. "Take it down!"

"Blake, go for the wing joints! We need him on the ground! Weiss, make sure he doesn't scorch anyone!" Ruby barked her orders.

"Got it!" the two Huntresses responded, their followers taking after them. Blake, M'rissi, and Inigo fired arrows at Sahloknir and into his path, but few hit and fewer did damage, though it seemed Inigo's ebony arrows were doing the most in both categories. Weiss threw lightning bolts while J'zargo threw fireballs, Onmund focusing his magic into a harder incantation, and Brelyna seemed to be trying to find some sort of position to take.

As the dragon winged around and took another breath, Yang jumped from the top of a boulder and grabbed onto one of his claws. As fiery breath leapt from his mouth again, this time nearly roasting Lydia and Ruby, Yang began punching the dragon's thigh with the booming of shotgun shells accompanying her. Sahloknir roared in pain then performed an aileron roll while tucking his wings. Yang held on, but then the dragon banked down and scraped her off against the earth. The blonde rolled out, but managed to right herself after a moment and tried to send a shot after the dragon, only to find her gauntlet's guns clinking empty.

"Uh oh," she muttered as she opened them both to find that there were no shots. "That was my last clip."

Ruby checked herself over real quick to find that she was low as well, only a clip full of fire shots and a few rounds of gravity. Gulping, she loaded the fire Dust bullets and readied herself. The dragon zeroed in on her and began to hover close by her position.

" **I am Sahloknir! Hear my Voice and despair!"** he declared before taking a breath and then unleashing an icy vortex upon her. Ruby managed to get clear of the blast as it turned muddying ground frozen, and then turned before jumping up towards him, but the dragon merely flapped harder to get himself out of the way of a cut towards his belly. Gritting her teeth, Ruby looked up and Shouted.

" **Fus! Ro!** " the concussive force hit the dragon and knocked him off course. With a yell, he fell towards the ground and landed with a booming and shaking of the ground. Delphine charged him, her katana held at the ready before she swung at his closest wing. The blade seemed to almost slip by the scales of the dragon to get directly at the softer flesh, but after two slices he pulled his wing away and snapped at her. The woman managed to move out of the way, but was still smacked away by the dragon's head. Yang then came in with a battlecry and punched down on his head. Sahloknir roared and then began slinging his head around to dislodge her. The brawler tried punching in his skull, but quickly found the action to be ineffective and so reached behind her back and drew her Dwarven axe. With a cry she swung the weapon with both arms and smacked the dragon in the forehead, eliciting a roar of pain before he twisted his neck and smashed down against the ground.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled as she saw her sister lying on the ground in a dragon skull shaped imprint, slowly filling with rain water. Sahloknir turned his attention towards the young Dragonborn and leaped up. Ruby gasped as she saw herself heading straight for his talons in mid-air, and then suddenly she was caught in his grip. The girl struggled to get loose as her friends and housecarl saw her predicament and all became terrified.

"Ruby!" Weiss, Blake, and Lydia screeched and tried to leap for the dragon, but he seemed to be dropping as he pointed himself straight up.

" **Wuld Nah Kest!"** he Shouted before firing straight up into the air. Ruby screamed as she was pulled along, and then she was so high up that she was unable to make out details of her friends below.

" **Your Voice is strong…for a mortal, but it is no match for mine! Let us see how the Dragonborn fairs against the sky!"** Sahloknir taunted, continuing his ascent.

Ruby struggled to pull herself free as the dragon climbed higher and higher into the sky. The air began to feel thinner, and she was finding it harder to breath, even as she pulled her arms free and tried to get a hold on Crescent Rose.

' _I…have to get loose. I have to get back to the ground…alive. Have to…beat him… Beat…Sahloknir.'_ Ruby blinked as she grew dizzier, and then held onto her weapon before collapsing it.

' _ **Su**_ _,'_ her mind said. _'The life-giving air that you breathe weaves in and around all things. It is the essence of them.'_ Her breathing seemed to come more easily, even though Sahloknir had only climbed higher, the arrows her friends sent after them falling just as they became visible to her. _'Talent and skill can make one swift, but_ _ **su**_ _will make one graceful. Commanding its essence to stand aside and submit with haste.'_ Ruby twisted Crescent Rose where it was trapped in Sahloknir's talons, positioning it by sheer memory and familiarity with its parts and functions. _'Release_ _ **su**_ _and unleash your fury!'_

" **Su!** " Ruby Shouted as Crescent Rose unfolded, forcing open Sahloknir's claws before swiftly spinning around, hooking her scythe onto one of them, then swung herself over and up while slicing against his side, firing shots to direct herself. The dragon roared and began turning to see Ruby holding herself ready. Lightning flashed around the two and let loose a ripping of thunder.

 **"It's to be a real fight, then,"** the dragon snarled before grinning. **"Good!"** As he moved, Ruby moved as well, going with the air currents to move herself through with surprising speed. The dragon snapped at her, but she dodged with a flip and then cut across his neck as he went by. He bent himself flexibly and hit her with his tail, knocking her across the sky even as she blocked. He dove at her again, but this time Ruby hit his face with her weapon, knocking herself out of the way and giving herself a little spin. She changed her trajectory with a shot and went across his back, cutting off one of his spines and then partly into one of his tail fins. He roared as dragon blood spilled out through the sky and then dropped before positioning himself below Ruby and coming up at her with his maw wide open. Ruby swung her scythe down with a yell and a shot and stabbed deeply into a part of his neck before letting go.

Sahloknir thrashed as Ruby glided away from him in a flurry of rose petals. He looked back at her and saw the cold fury in her eyes as she drew the two swords from her waist, Dawnbreaker in her right, and the glass sword in her left. He growled as he went for her.

" **Su!** "

" **Su Grah Dun!"**

The two clashed as they fell, Ruby slicing across a frill spine as Sahloknir snaked his head out of the way. His wing came at her and she barely bent herself just right to avoid it, Dawnbreaker cutting into part of the membrane as it passed. She kicked off from his tail as it came at her then aimed herself towards him.

" **Wuld! Nah!** " she Shouted and she spun herself and activated her Semblance. Rose petals of red, orange, and grey swirled around her being as she closed the distance between them and raked across his back and part of one wing, nearly clipping him. Sahloknir twisted and tried to catch her in his talons, only for both to be sliced at, the left one having a toe cut through and left a smoldering stump. Ruby spun at him again, both blades cutting at him as she twirled and swung around his body. She stabbed her glass sword into one wing shoulder and then Dawnbreaker into the base of his neck. As he began to drop, Ruby ran down and grasped Crescent Rose before yanking it loose and then leaping up to hook it around his upper jaw, standing on his head. She pulled tightly, holding herself on like a clamp as they plummeted to the ground. As they got close, Ruby fired her rifle, tugging Sahloknir's head up so that his neck would hit the ground with their full force, and closed her eyes.

"Ruby!" Yang screamed as she ran toward where the dragon had crashed. Everyone else ran after her as well, all of them worried about the young girl after falling so far out of the sky. Some of them were beginning to fear the worst had happened, and they were holding on to the slimmest of hopes. The people of the village were also beginning to look outside, a small crowd gathering at a safe distance from the dragon's crumpled body

"Ruby!" Weiss called out as she moved in alongside her teammates. The whole group stopped and gasped when they saw a ghostly figure standing upon Sahloknir's head, but then the figure suddenly gained color and jumped off the dragon's skull. Yang smiled and sighed in relief before running towards her sister, but paused when she saw the young girl's pupils in reptilian slits. Ruby blinked and her eyes returned to normal, just before she turned towards Sahloknir, who slowly opened one eye to look at her while shifting his head.

" **I…have lost,"** he got out. **"Ruth! I cannot…feel my body."** His head shifted a little more and then a low growl left him. **"My Voice was silent…for so long. Must it End so soon?"**

"Why then? Why'd you fight?" Ruby sheathed her weapon and knelt down.

The dragon looked at her like she'd grown a second head before another whine left him. **"My thuri… My lord commanded me."**

A final breath left the dragon, and then his body began to go up in flames. Ruby stood resolute as his soul flowed into her. She saw similar scenes as before, but then saw a battle against a Nord man who Shouted with skill, despite having a mortal's soul, at the very end, before feeling something like a chain snap free.

 _"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!"_ she recalled from two different points of view, her grip tightening on her weapon.

"…Gods above," Delphine muttered as she saw the dragon reduced back to a skeleton, its power going into Ruby. "I… It's true, isn't it? You really are Dragonborn."

Ruby ignored her exclamation, instead recollecting her weapons from the corpse as her mind replayed that phrase again and again.

 _"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!"_

' _Spirit. Bound. Dragon. Eternity,'_ she instinctually knew. The words themselves weren't much alone, but she also understood exactly what they translated into.

' _I bind your dragon spirit for eternity!'_

* * *

Ruby didn't say much to anyone as they escaped from the rain. People were cheering for them after seemingly saving them from the dragon, but the group only felt so much satisfaction at their victory. They knew there was another dragon out there, and it had the power to bring others back to life.

"I suppose I owe you some answers, don't I?" Delphine began once she and Team RWBY finally got some privacy in one of the inn's rooms, Weiss casting a Room Muffle for extra security. Lydia and the others stood guard outside, keeping everyone at bay, but it never hurt to be prepared. "Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back."

Yang looked to Ruby, who still held a somber look on her face. The younger sister nodded and Yang let out a long sigh.

"All right. First off, we wanna know who you are, and just what it is you want with Ruby."

"I'm one of the last members of the Blades," she answered. "A very long time ago, the Blades were Dragonslayers, and we served the Dragonborn, the greatest dragonslayer. For the last two hundred years since the last Dragonborn emperor, the Blades have been searching for a purpose. Now that dragons are coming back our purpose is clear. We need to stop them."

"And do you know anything about the dragons and how they're coming back?" Weiss asked.

"Not a damn thing. That giant black dragon was as much a surprise for me as it was for any of you."

"We've seen it before," Blake explained.

"Really? Where?"

"Helgen," Ruby threw in. "He was at Helgen. I thought… No, I _hoped_ he was just a really tough dragon. But now… Sahloknir was even bigger than Mirmulnir, and…"

"He could have swallowed some of the dragons we've run into," Yang finished.

"You said Helgen? That's when Ulfric was about to be executed. Interesting. Same dragon…" Delphine tried to think for a moment before hitting her own thigh in frustration. "Damn it! We're blundering around in the dark here! We need to figure out who's behind it all!"

"Well, the dragon is obviously the one bringing the others back to life," Weiss pointed out.

"Yes, but who brought back that dragon? And who's directing it, if anyone? That's what we don't know."

"So what do we do?" Ruby asked.

"First thing is to figure out who's behind the dragons. The Thalmor are our best lead. Even if they're not involved, they'll know who is."

"They do tend to stick their noses in everyone's business," Weiss groaned with annoyance. "Especially if Ancano is any indicator."

"Then there's M'rissi's situation."

"But why would the Thalmor want to bring dragons back?" Yang asked in genuine curiosity. "Dragons aren't exactly…discriminate from what I've heard."

"I've got nothing solid. Yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else." Delphine began ticking off fingers. "The Empire had captured Ulfric. The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war's back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately, like you said. Skyrim is weakened. The Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"

"Makes sense, but it could just be good luck for them," Blake pointed out.

"Ancano _was_ trying to get the College to hand over the dragon corpse there. He might not be in the know if they are behind it, but I'm not too sure."

"So we need to figure out what the Thalmor know about the dragons, and hope it's enough to narrow everything down," Ruby thought out before gulping. "I just… I hope they _aren't_ working together."

"But how would we get that kinda info?" Yang asked.

"From the Thalmor Embassy, if anywhere," Delphine explained. "It's the center of their operations in Skyrim. There are about three high-up Thalmor leaders in Skyrim. Elewen, the top of the bunch, is based there. Problem is that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. I have a few ideas about how to get in there, but I'll need some time to pull things together. Until then, I guess you all just continue on as before. I can send you a letter once I get something. Yang, you're a member of the Companions. I can count on you to be in Whiterun often?"

"More than most places, at least."

"Good. I'll send a letter to Jorrvaskr once I've got something. Respond at quickly as you can. I have no idea how much of a window we'll have once I find one. You alright, Dragonborn?"

"I'm fine, it's just… That dragon. Sahloknir said his name. And…I remember it."

"Right… You can understand them. I forgot about that. I guess I didn't know what to expect from the Dragonborn, but it was like something straight out of legend. I hope to see you again soon. If you all don't mind, I'm going to head straight back to Riverwood." Delphine grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulder as she prepared to leave.

"Will you be okay alone?" Ruby asked.

"I'll be fine. Not the first trip I made on my own. Nor the longest or most treacherous. You all keep doing what you do. And Divines watch you."

"You too." Delphine nodded and left the room, leaving the girls to stew to themselves.

* * *

 **Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik? - Has the time come to revive your dominon?**

 **Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir. - Yes, Sahloknir, my loyal champion.**

 **Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi. - So, you are the Dragonborn? I see none of the dragonkind in you.**

 **Zu'u pogaan dovahsil - I )have) many dragon soul.**

 **krii daar joorre - kill these mortals**


	27. Story Time

Most of the group was still winding down well into the next day, and, to Weiss' delight, they hadn't had to pay for rooms or food since the death of Sahloknir. The vampire was enjoying a few drinks to herself while most others were scattered and relaxing in their own ways, though her classmates were mostly studying while teaching M'rissi a few basics. The young Khajiit caught on quickly, but her attention span varied. Weiss tried to show her Enchanting, but the girl ended up nearly dozing off while studying a fire enchanted dagger. She was definitely more of a talented mage than a studious one.

As Weiss sipped a glass of spiced wine she received from Ruby (and was that a surprise!), she noticed a Dunmer drunkenly waving one arm around while holding a mug in the other. While not abnormal considering he'd been there since before they arrived and that drunken patrons was just a fact of life for an inn, his full set of steel plate armor he was currently wearing made his movements much noisier. And of course, cursed by her observation, Weiss began to feel more and more annoyed by the clanking metal and bad singing coming from the Dunmer. And so, she gently stood up and walked over to him prepared to politely ask him to stop.

"With three beers down the orc did frown and bid the elf *hic* goodbye!" he sang terribly out of tune before taking a draught of his mug. "For none could know 'twas not for show, and someone had to die!" Before Weiss could open her mouth, he suddenly noticed her looking at and approaching him and set his face into a scowl. "What do you want?" he asked as all pretenses of cheeriness drained from his face. "Come to gawk at the Knight of Thorns?! Well here I am, for your viewing pleasure!"

As he hiccupped again, Weiss formulated a response while her brain somewhat recognized the title.

"Honestly? This is what you call a knight? You're dancing around making a fool of yourself, drunker than a Cultist of Sanguine. Where's your dignity, "knight"?" she asked while making air-quotes, only remembering a second later that air-quotes didn't seem to be a thing in this land.

"Where's my dignity?" he went with a sloppy smirk that contrasted the sadness in his eyes. "Why, it's in Cyrodiil, where I left it, in the bloodstained robe of the Countess of Cheydinhal." Weiss' eyes opened wide and her eyebrows rose in response. "The same Countess who held me close to her side like a maiden clutches a rose. I am that most unworthy of fiends you see." Now his face morphed fully into a scowl. "A liar. A betrayer. A turncoat."

"Wait, you assaulted a Countess?"

"Yes, and she survived." The fact that there was smidgen of joy in that phrase left Weiss confused. "Such was the depth of my failure. In fact, so pathetic I am that the Countess chose to exile me rather than take my head. One final insult to the Knight of Thorns!" He looked to his cup and gestured toward himself as if reciting poetry from it. "To be pitied rather than scorned." He took a deep gulp from the mug and sighed.

"Wait, the Knights of Thorns… Wasn't that the name of a knightly order a time ago?"

"Yes, that was an order founded by the now-retired Count of Cheydinhal, Farwil Indarys, a hero of the Oblivion Crisis. In fact, he was a personal friend to the Five Heroes, and was even trained for some time by the Hero of Kvatch himself. He changed it after a time, reinstating his knightly order with a rose sigil, either at the suggestion of the Five, or his future bride. Or both? He keeps telling the story differently every time," the Dunmer drunkenly slurred and waved his hand around. "So the Knights of the Thorn became the Order of Roses. Fighters chosen for their incorruptible honor as much as their skill in battle. Thank the Gods Grandmaster Farwil wasn't around at the time of my crime, for he surely would have cleaved me in twain for harming his beloved daughter."

"A survivor from the Oblivion Crisis…" Weiss wondered for a moment. "So the Order still serves the Count and his family?"

"We swore an oath to more than the Count." His eyes began to take a deep look into them, seemingly misty as the disgraced knight recounted pieces of his past. "We swore to uphold the very essence of virtue. We were the unsullied. The unspoiled. Every single member a rose without a thorn. That is who you speak with. An elf who betrayed not just the Countess, not just her family, but the very ideal of what a knight aspires to be."

Something bothered Weiss about the whole thing. Long forgotten was her drink at the table. She wanted to know just why this knight spoke the way he did, with no conviction to the crime he admitted to, yet joy at its failure, and anger at its occurrence.

"So who are you? You weren't the Knight of Thorns before, obviously."

"Hmph. Some called me the White Rose. A paladin in pure white armor, said to be painted by a soul that was the very same." He started walking towards the bar, harrumphing again. "Ha! I deceived all of Cyrodiil with my feats of valor. The liberation of Fort Farragut. The vanquishing of the Warlocks of Quickwater Cave…" He paused as he took a seat, letting down his mug to be refilled by the innkeeper with hardly a sidelong glance. "All a ruse, an unctuous gambit to gain the trust of the fair Countess. Then without cause, motivation, or provocation I stabbed her in the chest." He took a sip of his drink once again. "Thank the Divines the Steward was there to witness the entire deed and to provide the Countess with the healing potion that saved her life." The small smile that appeared disappeared just as quickly as Weiss noticed it. "Of course, he never saw my face, but there was no mistaking my armor. And no mistaking the petals of blood that stained its chest plate." He leaned back and shook his head. "So it was obvious that I, jealous over her love of the new Count, clumsily stabbed the woman I was sworn to protect."

"So you're saying that someone stole your armor in order to frame you?"

"No, no, that's impossible! Heavy armor is so comfortable to sleep in! At no point would I remove it and allow an enterprising thief to purloin it." If the lie wasn't so obvious, Weiss would not have even realized he was being sardonic. The knight then placed his chin in his hand as he leaned against the counter. "Bah! It matters not. The evidence points to me. There is no other explanation. The Countess chose exile to be my sentence, and so I serve."

"All right, this whole act you have going on is getting quite annoying. Just tell the truth already!"

"What are you suggesting? That I am not a traitor? That I am not a drunk? This belly full of mead begs to differ." He twirled his hand then placed it upon his chest. "I am the Knight of Thorns, and to say otherwise is to defy the Countess of Cheydinhal. Yet perhaps that is what a traitor would do. I could embrace my decorated past, and challenge all those who would say I am tainted." He turned around in his stool and then tipped up his mug, drinking it deeply until it was emptied. "Or perhaps I'll just stay here and keep drinking and build a new legacy as the Knight of a Thousand Beers." He chuckled at this as he began to sway in his seat. "Now, leave me be."

He fell over with a clang, catching almost every patron's attention with it.

"Dravenyea, can you go tell Kjeld that Erevan's out again," Iddra rubbed her forehead and called out over to the Stoneweaver.

"Um, which Kjeld did you want me to get?" the Dunmer mage inquired as she approached the bar.

"Both of 'em. He's in his armor again."

"Right." As the woman left to go get the two men, Weiss looked down at the drunkenly unconscious knight and felt a large twang of sympathy for him, despite the large amount of disgust she felt as well.

' _He just gave up,'_ she realized. _'His whole life crashed down and now that he has nothing…'_ She looked over to her half emptied glass and pushed it back.

"I think I've had enough for now."

* * *

As the group rode and walked to Windhelm, Ruby signaled for Yang and Blake to begin Operation 'To The Vet' which had made Yang smile and Blake roll her eyes. Weiss herself was discussing something to do with Alteration with Brelyna while J'zargo was speaking with Inigo and M'rissi about something more than a few paces away. It took some subtle pushes, but, to Blake's surprise, Ruby was able to pull it off without garnering any suspicion from the two.

"Oh, I definitely agree. Moon sugar is important to the Khajiit diet, but Skooma is just terrible for everyone. Moon rum, though… Hm, that one is tricky. Of course, I am trying to stay sober, but a beer or mead once in a while hurts no one if in moderation. Could the same apply to moon rum?"

"Hey guys," Ruby butted in as she hopped off of Chocolate Hooves. "Whatcha doing?"

"We are discussing experience with moon sugar and skooma," M'rissi unabashedly told the younger girl. "M'rissi does not remember having skooma before, but she has eaten some moon sugar recently. It is good!"

"Yeah…humans have to be more careful about that stuff. So, J'zargo, you and Weiss are…together sorta. How long has that been happening?"

"Hm, since, a week ago, when she asked J'zargo an oddly worded question."

* * *

" _Hey, J'zargo?"_

" _Hm, what is it, Weiss?"_

" _Would you…like to go out…with me?"_

" _All right. Where are we going?"_

" _No, I meant, like on a date."_

" _Well, he will have to check his schedule, but J'zargo is pretty sure he has plenty of free spots."_

* * *

"She eventually explained that she wanted to try courting." The khajiit shrugged. "I must admit, J'zargo never thought he'd end up with a human vampire as a lover, but the world is a surprising place."

"Did he just say something in first-person?" Yang whispered over to Blake.

"He's probably picked up sayings here and there," Blake whispered back and rolled her eyes.

"So she asked _you_ out?" Ruby hummed in contemplation. "Okay, so where are you planning to take it?"

"To Winterhold and the College?" J'zargo squinted his eyes in confusion. "Is this another one of your land's phrases?" Ruby rubbed her chin in thought before nodding.

"Oh, yeah, I guess it is," she acquiesced.

"She meant how far do you plan on your relationship going with Weiss," Inigo put in, cutting Yang's next sentence off.

"Wait, you understood it?" she asked the blue Khajiit in surprise.

"I got it from the context clues." Inigo acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You seem to be sniffing out his intentions to ensure they are pure and that he will not use her for his own satisfaction at the risk of breaking her heart." Yang and Ruby stared blankly at the Khajiit.

"Wow, that's actually… Yeah, pretty much." The blonde brawler numbly nodded, not used to people in Tamriel getting what she was talking about right off the bat without some effort on her end.

"I see. So you want to know how far J'zargo will go with our newly forged bond?" Ruby nodded at J'zargo's question. He smiled and nodded back in response before answering. "This one will go as far as Weiss allows, and no further. To be honest, he is as curious as he is enamored. If she wishes to stop, this one will stop."

"So you understand that 'no' means 'no'?" Yang asked for clarification.

"Yes, that is how words work." At her glare he laughed. "J'zargo also understands that 'not right now', 'I don't feel like it', and 'I'm not sure' are other ways of saying no. J'zargo's mother was very firm on him learning these lessons."

"Okay, so at least we're clear on that. That just leaves… Oh, uh…"

"No," Ruby quietly pouted. "I don't want to ask this," she whispered.

"Me either, but it's gotta be asked." The sisters looked over to Blake, whose ears popped up and eyes widened in shock and disgust.

"What? No! There's no way!" the Faunus spat in denial. The other two girls tried to convince her to say it, while the two male Khajiit merely looked on in confusion.

"What are they on about?" J'zargo asked his fellow, eyebrow raised.

"I'm afraid I do not have the key to this mystery, my friend."

"Okay, I'll just…" Blake groaned and looked at the two males. "Khajiit are cat-like, right?"

"Well, that is what my fur, ears, and tail seem to indicate. Also my snout. These things tend to vary among our people though."

"All right. So, the question is, how cat-like are you…Khajiit men?"

The two looked to each other and shrugged. "Well, we are Cathay," J'zargo started, "so we have plantigrade legs and-"

"I meant in more…personal aspects."

"I still do not- OH!" Inigo suddenly shouted in realization. "You mean the thorny myth. No, it is not true."

"Thank the gods!" Yang exclaimed, happy to finally get that over with.

"Gah, do people still believe that rubbish?!" J'zargo angrily exclaimed. "Just because house cats… The sand cats do not have them, nor do the jungle margays. Just because some domesticated pets do everyone thinks we do as well! We Khajiit do not believe Men eat termites, fling dung, and pick through each other's hair just because they resemble monkeys!"

"So that means the book lied?" M'rissi asked, gaining a very concerned look from Blake, Yang, and Inigo.

"What kinda books have you been reading?" Yang asked worriedly.

"She found _The Real Barenziah_ in Blake's things. But if the book lied, is it not real?"

"Still carrying around trashy novels, Blake?" Yang questioned her partner with a smirk. "Some things never change."

"I didn't know it was that! I haven't even gotten around to it. M'rissi, you should be more careful about what you read."

"Oaky!" M'rissi saluted and then stuck out her tongue, causing Blake to roll her eyes and smile.

"Not to mention _The Real Barenziah_ was completely wrong about most things," Inigo added. "For instance, did you know that Therris, which the book said she had a tryst with, was not interested in her at all. He was more attracted to Straw, the stableboy."

"Wait, really?" Ruby questioned. She had read the book during one of her downtimes between missions and, while she suspected it wasn't telling the full truth, that there _was_ a tryst was one of the more believable aspects of it.

M'rissi had a thoughtful look in her eyes for a moment. "Suddenly she is much more interested to learn the truth, but how?" As the others pondered the truth of the tale and the search for it, Yang merely closed her eyes and shrugged.

"At least there's no incompatibility danger there, if things ever go that far." J'zargo seemed to blush while Ruby glared at her.

"Bleh!" the younger girl went at her sister's words. "Well, you're cleared. For now!" she emphasized with a finger pointed at the sky. A pleasant smile immediately fell back onto her face. "So just be good and treat her with respect and we'll have no problems."

"Very well. He will keep doing what he has been doing so far, then."

"Did you guys seriously do something like this to Jaune and Sun?"

"Sorta." Yang shrugged. "I also told Jaune to calm the hell down and put some space between attempts after that one week. There also wasn't…that kind of thing to worry about."

"You didn't have to worry about it here either, but you did." Blake's ears wiggled. "Wait, you guys weren't surprised that I didn't know either."

"You are a girl, and, I'm assuming, a maiden," Inigo explained. "Why would you have known?"

"Hm, good point." Blake looked ahead before looking back. "Wait, you assume?"

"What else would I assume?" Before Blake could reply, Ruby loudly coughed and grabbed everyone's attention.

"I take the reins and steer this conversation to something else!" Ruby cried out. "Hey, Inigo! You know any cool songs? I know cool songs!"

"I know a few. I've even written some. I…would like to wait before sharing them though. I'd rather get a professional opinion or two first from the Bard's College. Maybe even go there to learn too."

"Cool! I was there for a few days, you know. Let me play something for the road."

* * *

"Hey," one guard, slightly overweight and wearing an orange sash, standing across the bridge from another said to catch his fellow's attention. "You ever wonder why we're here?"

"We're here guarding the bridge. I'm filling in for Donnert 'cause he's sick. You're on your normal schedule. Lucky bastard," he grumbled the last part out, his maroon sash swaying in the wind.

"No, I mean, why are _we_ _here_ in this world? Are we really just the random results of the mixing of Static and Change, or do the Gods really have a plan for us all, in which we all need to play our parts to reach a greater destiny beyond mortality." The orange-sashed guard nodded thoughtfully. "I just don't know, and…it keeps me up at night, friend."

"Ah, yes. That's pretty…out there…thoughtwise." The maroon-sashed guard rubbed the side of his helmed head. "Mm, I'm a little sleepy to think about it, but…the Gods have to have some idea right? I mean, Shor got them all stuck here for some reason, so at least he's planning something. And daedra are always plotting to destroy us, so the Divines have to be plotting how to stop them. At least, I hope so. Don't seem to be doing much else," he grumbled the last bit angrily.

"You thinkin' 'bout the poor little flower girl again?"

"Ain't right, that. At least that Arentino boy lets her stay at his house overnight. Any idea when they're going to be sent to the orphanage?"

"No idea, that. But I heard Commander Storms is going to be leading the Scouting Brigade to check out something happening in Riften. Some fort being refurbished or something. A lot of rumors say it's vampire hunters setting up shop, but they're checking it to be sure it's not an Imperial trick."

"Aren't all those vampire attacks happening over to the west? What's with that anyways?" The maroon guard narrowed his eyes.

"Don't know. Maybe people are too busy between the war and the dragons that the vampires decided to take advantage of it." The gold guard sighed and gazed upward at the clouds. "Gods, it really looks like the end of the world, doesn't it?"

Before the maroon guard could answer, three musical notes suddenly echoed out from the distance, and the two looked forward to see a motley procession of humans, catfolk, and one elf coming in, one girl sitting on a horse with a lute in her hands.

"~HERO!" she sang loud and proud then began playing. "Don't wanna hear you calling out my name. I'm not here for fortune and fame. Hero! Instead, I'll fight knowing nobody knows my name! Push on! The mortal that I used to be has died. There's gods inside my fist tonight. Hero! I'll stay, until I taste the dirt of defeat someday! Unleash my fists, HEROOOOOO!~"

"Well," one went as the song ended, "ain't that about the damnedest thing you ever heard?"

* * *

"Wow, so this is Windhelm!" Ruby exclaimed as they entered the city into a sparsely populated street. As a cold breeze blew past her, she shivered, rubbed her arms and then breathed into her hands. "It's really cold up this far north. Don't you have a house or something here, Weiss?"

"Yes, Hjerim should be warm enough. And Calder should be able to get all the rooms ready long before evening comes up," Weiss replied, the cold not affecting her in the slightest.

"Wait, how'd you afford a house?" Yang asked through chattering teeth. "And a servant?"

"Oh, it was a gift. No one would have wanted to buy it after Calixto used it to house a necromantic ritual in an attempt to bring his sister back to life. In fact, that's his head over there." Weiss pointed out a near fleshless skull on a spike at the top of the wall. Ruby cringed while Yang made a slight wince.

"Did they behead him?" Blake asked.

"Well, after I killed him, they did. That's actually why I got the house and Thanedom. I finally found the murderer and brought him to justice, then Jarl Ulfric had his head removed and put there like he'd promised to do."

"Is that sanitary?" Ruby asked in genuine worry. Weiss actually hadn't thought about that, and now it seemed like a good question that needed an answer.

"Well, at least Windhelm is a good bit safer," Inigo stated as he took Mr. Dragonfly from his side. "Between the witch and the necromancer this place was not at all a good one to rest in. Luckily, both of those are gone."

"Wait, what witch? I didn't hear anything about a witch."

"No one probably has. She's how Mr. Dragonfly and I met. I'll explain better after dinner. It is a long tale."

"And now this one is curious as well. He just thought Inigo had too much skooma at one time."

"Oh, I most certainly did, but that is not how Mr. Dragonfly and I met."

* * *

As the group was checking out Weiss' manse, a knock came at the front door. Calder immediately went to answer it, leaving the large cauldron of stew and rack of meats under Onmund's care. Opening the door, he saw that a guardsman was there, who saluted the housecarl as he answered.

"Hail, friend. I bring a message from Jarl Ulfric. He's asked that Thane Weiss and the…Dragonborn come up to the Palace of the Kings. He wishes to meet with them."

"I shall pass it along, good sir." Calder saluted back and moved to close the door, only to be interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming up from behind.

"No need, I heard." Calder turned back to see Weiss just behind him. "Let the Jarl know we'll be there shortly. We just have to settle in a few things here."

"Of course, Thane. Talos guide you." The guard saluted and began leaving. Calder closed the door, and Weiss sighed.

"Well, I suppose I should have suspected it." Weiss shook her head and turned towards the stairs. "Ruby, the Jarl wants to meet you!"

"'Kay, one second," the Dragonborn yelled from upstairs.

"Hey, I'm coming too," Yang called from the basement.

"Can you guys stop shouting," Blake, ironically, shouted at them.

"Girl, I ain't started shouting yet!" Ruby sassed jokingly before appearing from atop the stairs then hopping down. "Okay, I'm decent. Let's go and meet the Jarl." Ruby's expression suddenly shifted. "Oh… He's… I almost forgot about that." She huffed and took a deep breath. "Weiss, if I have to ask a tough question, you'll back me up, right?"

"I always have your back," Weiss answered without a second thought. "I might try to steer you in a better direction, but in the end I'll follow your lead. But what exactly are you going to ask him?"

"Well, everyone in Solitude keeps saying the same thing; that he Shouted the High King apart in a duel. If he can do that… It's not that I want to learn from a guy who does that kind of thing, but how…useful could it be to be able to do that? And then…I wanna know why."

"Oh." Weiss rubbed the back of her neck as she thought it over. "Might not be a popular question, but he's a fairly reasonable man, from all I've seen. If nothing else, he will give you a straight answer."

Yang came up from the basement, buckling her chest piece back on, but having a little trouble with the strap under her left arm.

"Stupid thing," Yang grumbled as she attempted to move the strap into the correct position. Before Ruby could go over and help her sister, Lydia stepped up and grasped it for her.

"Let me help you with that." The housecarl buckled the strap into place and tucked the slack. As Lydia let go and took a step back, Yang turned and smiled.

"Thanks. Not the easiest thing to put on with these girls." Yang emphasized her point with a few knocks on her breastplate. "I'm just glad Eorlund got the measurements right."

"No trouble at all. It took me quite some time to get the movements right as well," Lydia smiled back. As the two continued to converse, Weiss silently glared at her teammate and the woman, particularly at where they were more 'gifted' than her. Ruby noticed and snickered at this. As the vampire turned her attention to her partner, Blake cleared her throat.

"So are we going?"

"Yeah, let's go," Weiss replied and walked out the door. After a moment, the others followed.

* * *

After a short walk, the four Huntresses and housecarl walked into the main hall of the palace and went towards the back where Ulfric was seated. His own housecarl was at his side, like always, and the two seemed to be talking about something to do with a recent battle. As he saw them approaching, he gestured for Galmar, who turned and saw them before nodding and crossing his arms.

"I heard about the dragon at Kynesgrove," Ulfric began as he stood from his throne. "You did well, bringing it down and defending my people. We are in your debt."

"You're welcome, Jarl," Ruby responded. "Did you just want to thank us?"

"Not fully," Ulfric admitted without missing a beat. "I have many reasons for bringing you here. But, first among them, I wished to see what kind of person you are. I will not dice words here, you are a young girl, barely a woman. I imagine your Voice is strong, but that can't be all. Even dragons bite and claw as they rain frost and fire."

"Well, I've been trained…in a certain fighting technique that I'm really good at, if I do say so myself," Ruby admitted with a hint of pride.

"Can't be those mismatched swords of yours," Galmar grunted from his place only to receive a glare from Yang. "What? Most folks swinging two blades around have no idea what they're doing. Unless that box under her lute is her real weapon. Or maybe it is the lute." As the Nord laughed, Ruby took the compacted scythe from her back.

"Don't call her a box." She unfolded the scythe, surprising the man and even causing Ulfric to take a step back. "Crescent Rose is, at the very least, the second greatest battle scythe in this, or any world."

"Yes, that is more what I had thought," the Jarl calmly stated as he observed the scythe. "Imperials were talking about a Red Reaper slaying necromancers left and right out west. Some said she was a dragonslayer as well."

"Man, rumors really travel fast." Ruby folded Crescent Rose and set her to her back. "Okay, so were you going to ask me to join your army like Tulius? Because I'll tell you the same thing I told him."

"I know you won't join. Your friend explained as much." Ulfric looked slightly disappointed, but only for a moment. "So long as you're keeping the dragons at bay, however, I will not complain. And, it seems that despite appearances, you are more than capable. I trust I can forward any dragon related problems to you?"

"Yeah. Any dragon problems we're more than willing to help with."

"I'll see if we can't make out a list then. There have been a few spotted landing at places. Some are more trouble than others. One has been targeting caravans, another burning whatever farms it comes across. There's even one that's set itself as a highwayman of sorts, though it has yet to kill any law-abiding citizens."

"Heh, we could put a badge on that one and practically call it a customs officer," Galmar joked. "Damn thing's keeping the road to Riften clear of outlaws and the more dangerous beasts. Just don't travel laden with gold, and you're fine."

"Yes, that one is much more convenient," the Jarl admitted. "But I would still stay wary of it."

"Well, at least that's out of the way," Ruby sighed. She looked up and took a deep breath. "There's something else, though. You know I've been to Solitude."

"Yes. I assume you've spoken to Elisif and her Court." Ulfric didn't sound surprised, which tipped Ruby off that he likely already knew.

"I have, and…" Ruby paused as she tried to straighten out her train of thought. "Everyone says you challenged the High King, and then Shouted him to death."

"…Not entirely true. Though not entirely false, either," he admitted with a long sigh. "Any Nord can learn the Way of the Voice by studying with the Greybeards, given enough ambition and dedication." Lydia seemed to shift at that, something noticed by Yang and Blake. "My shouting Torygg to the ground proved he had neither. However, it was my sword piercing his heart that killed him. By that point, all of the Solitude Court were either hiding behind tables and curtains, or, in the case of Elisif, had fainted. So of course the one or two who actually witnessed it would twist the tale."

"But…did you need to kill him?"

"It is the way of Skyrim and our forefathers," Ulfric calmly stated with absolute conviction. "When a High King is challenged, it's up to him to defend his honor or die trying, and to the victor the throne. But, a challenger must have just cause for his challenge, and mine was that we needed to break from the Empire, reestablish ourselves as sovereign, and fight the Dominion on our own terms. But the Empire decries our ways, and Solitude stands against us, saying I fought without honor."

Ruby looked on sadly, recalling the man she'd seen beheaded for having let Ulfric leave through the gate. She took a deep breath and stood firm. "You could have done things differently."

"Perhaps, but what could have been done no longer matters, only the future. And for Skyrim to have any future where we aren't placed under the thumbs of the Thalmor, I will keep fighting."

* * *

"God, that was cold," Yang groaned as they returned to Hjerim and flopped onto a couch. "I wanted to say something, but…"

"He has a presence," Weiss filled her in. "You should have seen him when he was explaining how he'd run into a pair of vampire clans back during the Great War."

"I may not agree with his actions, but yeah. He's a leader." Ruby sighed as she sat down. "I guess it makes more sense than there being some Shout that tears people apart."

"That concussive Shout you do can be pretty dangerous though," Weiss pointed out. "I saw a dragon use it against a group of men. Some of them were just instantly killed when the force ruptured their organs and broke many of their bones. Those were the lucky ones. Three men were hemorrhaging and Madame Collette was only able to save one of them."

"Unrelenting Force," Ruby muttered. "Yeah, I know two words of that one. Greybeards taught the second to me. I think they're going to teach me the third one when I return, and then something about getting ready to meet the Grandmaster."

"Grandmaster?"

"You couldn't meet him before?" Yang asked.

"He lives alone, way up at the peak of the mountain, the Throat of the World. I can't go there because there's some weird, permanent storm that nearly froze me solid in seconds. Even Lydia couldn't go far into it." The three Huntresses turned to look at the housecarl, who nodded in affirmation.

"Well how the heck did he get up there? And how are you supposed to meet him?"

"Argneir said I can go up there when my 'Voice can clear the way'. I think he means I've gotta learn how to control the weather."

"Do you know how hard it is to magically control the weather?" Weiss asked her partner.

"It's not really magic, though. The Unrelenting Force Shout? I'm literally just shouting 'Force'. And the second word is 'Balance', which helps the Shout concentrate its power into a finer point."

"So what do you have to do to learn a weather controlling Shout?" Yang asked her in curiosity.

"I don't know. He just said I'd know when I'm ready. It'd be kinda cool to meet the guy though. He's either a really old elf, or he was named after some ancient guy called Paarthurnax."

"Paarthur-" Lydia blinked and then looked over to her charge in surprise. "You said it right."

"Yeah, I did. I don't get _every_ name wrong."

* * *

Inigo carefully placed the jars down on the shelf and looked them over. "If you are sure that you're fine like this. I'm glad I found you, otherwise, who knows what may have happened. That ghost did a good job of taking care of you, Lady Butterfly, but I think he was starting to lose himself. He did forget where you were, even though you were right on the table." He went quiet a moment and then nodded. "That is true. We can't expect too much of an old man, much less one that has died. At least now you're somewhere where people can understand and watch over you."

"Okay, is no one going to ask about the bugs?" Yang asked as she indicated to Inigo.

"M'rissi knows the story," the Khajiit girl stated with pride. "It was a good and suspenseful tale."

"Well are you going to tell us anything?"

"I will tell everyone, after dinner," Inigo proposed as he walked away from the rows of jarred bugs. "It is a long story, and one better told when no one is distracted by hunger or thirst. Especially me. I am quite hungry."

As the blue Khajiit walked into the kitchen to check on dinner's progress, M'rissi headed upstairs. Yang watched the girl leave, then looked over at her sister and frowned at the expression she saw on her face.

"Hey, Ruby?"

"Hm, what's up?" she responded, the forlorn look disappearing again.

"You're not…feeling that thing with the dragon souls messing up how you feel, are you?"

"No, no, I'm not. It's just…" Ruby checked around, and saw that it was only Team RWBY in the main hall. Everyone else was scattered throughout the house for one reason or another. "Guys, you know that dragon that brought Sahloknir back to life was the same from Helgen. That was… Sahloknir called him Alduin."

"The same name from the Dragonstone," Weiss muttered. "And the same one that's supposedly a god of destruction."

"But, that's not what keeps bothering me about it." Ruby's face morphed into an enraged expression. "I…heard exactly what he said. Four words. Ziil gro dovah ulse."

"And what does that mean?" her sister asked.

"Directly, they mean 'spirit bind dragon eternally', but that's just how the grammar works. I understood it as 'I bind the dragon spirit for eternity'." Yang's mouth went agape while Weiss covered hers. Blake seemed to stare dead into space.

"You mean, he 'bound' the dragon? How?"

"I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed a pattern. Mirmulnir. Mir, mul, nir. Loyalty, strength, hunt. It's the same with every dragon we run into. Their names mean something, and each name seems to…indicate what they're like. Paalduzaam was a horrible slaver, but 'slave' is literally a part of his name. Alduin said Sahloknir's name, then said that he bound him. Just like calling a dragon's name out is a way of challenging them, it's also a way to show dominance. Words, to dragons, are supposed to be used with great care, so he wouldn't have just said something meaningless before reviving him. Then…just before he died…"

"Yeah, I remember," Yang told her sister, not wanting her to face that moment again.

"I don't think all of the dragons want to fight, but he's making them. I'm not sure exactly how, but I'm going to find out. Yang, when me and you head back west, we need to take a scenic route. Blake, about where did that dragon hold you up?"

The Faunus groaned. "Near Steamcrag, but you could probably get his attention anywhere south of Kynesgrove. Why do you want to run into him though?"

"Well, he's obviously not working with Alduin. I wanna know how."

* * *

"I rushed out the main gate onto the bridge. I was exhausted, but while my legs were running, Mr. Dragonfly's mind had come up with an idea."

At this point in Inigo's story, Ruby and M'rissi were both enraptured, Yang was seriously intrigued, and all of the mage students were invested. Blake, however, still held on to a bit of skepticism even as she listened to his tale.

"As the brothers stepped out of the gate, panting and furious, I walked onto the ledge before the first stone arch. I sheathed my sword and held out Mr. Dagonfly's jar. "Do you know who this is?!" I shouted.

""I don't care, all those bugs look the same to me," replied the middle brother. "Stay there, you coward! You're a dead man!" I waited until all three brothers stood near me at the edge.

""Do you love your mother?" I asked.

""Yes," sniffed the youngest.

""Tell us where she is and we'll kill you quickly," said the eldest.

""Here," I replied. Then I threw Mr. Dragonfly off the bridge." Most of the others gasped at this before M'rissi began clapping.

"Wow, that was so brave of Mr. Dragonfly!" M'rissi cheered.

"Yeah, go Mr. D!" Ruby agreed.

"Yes, I am very proud of him," Inigo complimented the bug with a pat on the top of the jar. "I think he may have used the last of his courage in that moment though. Lady Butterfly is quite impressed as well."

Blake looked over at the butterfly in a jar sitting next to the bee in a jar, both with tiny, magically shrunk dishes that had been filled with sugar water at the bottom of their jars. She had to admit, those bugs all did display some odd behavior, though nothing really screamed 'sentient' at her.

"The brothers then all yelled "No!" and threw themselves over the edge, trying in vain to catch the jar. If I had carried out the plan thirty feet along the wall, they may have survived, but the icy water they landed in was very shallow." A few winces were then had around the table. "There was quite a mess. For a second I worried about Mr. Dragonfly, but then I spotted his jar bobbing in the bloody water. "I made my way down to the river and retrieved him. He thanked me, and I asked him again if he wouldn't rather be released.

""No," he said. "I would stay in my jar and in your company if that is okay. I have already forgotten my past life, and even the meanings of these words I am saying are beginning to fade." I told him he could stay with me for as long as he wished then asked what I should call him.

""Mother scratched my initials on the lid of my jar," he said. "I no longer know what they mean."

""They seem to say Mr. D," I replied. "Do you mind if I call you Mr. Dragonfly?" He said that was fine. He then said I would no doubt lose the ability to hear him soon, but that has not been the case. Ever since the transformation I have been able to randomly pick up his thoughts. I can also sometimes understand horses, fleas, and dogs too."

"Whoa, you can talk to animals?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"In a way. Their thoughts are alien and often do not contain words as we know them, but I can usually decipher the overall gist. Mr. Dragonfly's fear about losing his words has also not come to pass. I think our little conversations are good for his mind."

' _Maybe he's projecting,'_ Blake theorized in her head.

' _Aw, it's like one of those mushy stories but without the dumb mushiness,'_ Ruby thought.

"Anyways, that is how Mr. Dragonfly and I met. It was a long story. I hope it did not bore you."

"Dude, that was a cool story, even if it was long," Yang complimented.

"I was invested," Weiss admitted. "Though my experience with polymorphing was quite different. For one, someone _kept_ messing up instead of getting a professional to fix the problem." Brelyna chuckled nervously at that. "Also, I didn't end up with some kind of animal telepathy."

"It does not sound like this mother used a traditional polymorphic spell," J'zargo explained. "It seemed more like a potion, and, by the description, ate away at the mind until all that remained was instinctual fear."

"She just hopes that she does not get turned into a bug. She likes being a Khajiit." Most of the table laughed at M'rissi's comment, to her confusion. "Why is everyone laughing at her? She was serious." This caused the laughter to intensify before Yang suddenly stopped in thought.

"Hey, while we're at it, what's your story?" Yang directed at J'zargo.

"Pardon?"

"Well, we've got Bree and Mundy's bits of history, and Inigo just gave us a bit of his. How about you share a bit of backstory?"

"Yang, that's hardly the proper way to phrase that," Weiss admonished.

"What, you don't want to know?"

"No, it's not that." Weiss looked over at her newly-minted boyfriend and cleared her throat. "J'zargo, you have no problem telling us a little about yourself, do you?"

"Not at all. Let's see…" J'zargo tapped his chin in thought. "This one supposes he will start from the beginning. J'zargo was born in Elsweyr, like many Khajiit, youngest of five. There were…problems at the time." He closed his eyes and groaned. "He was young, but he recalls how his clansfolk grew restless and scared. We had neighbors who protested Thalmor occupation. As one side told it, they were rioting and terrorizing those loyal to the Dominion. By others' words, they simply refused to bow any longer."

Blake's ears sprung up, as did M'rissi's, both girls beginning to listen more intently to the tale.

"J'zargo does not remember much from the time, but there were many who grew scared and complacent. His siblings, however, grew angry. Many a friend and kinsman were lost to them and our family. They grew angrier when they found that many survivors, of which there were few, were taken away like slaves. His family's resentment grew, but he did not quite share it. J'zargo had not been wounded like they had, and did not think he had as much reason to be angry." He paused to take a deep breath before continuing.

"When J'zargo was nearly grown, a year or two ago, his siblings had made an assault on many Thalmor agents with many others. Two were felled, another captured. His last two remaining siblings managed to avoid capture, and it was from them he learned his eldest sister was in the clutches of the long ears." A low growl echoed up from J'zargo's throat. "Even then, J'zargo was a skilled mage. Many disagreed that a Cathay should focus so much into learning magic, but J'zargo was also born under the Mage's sign. He went with his free brothers and lanced the damned elves with bolt after bolt of lightning while they clawed and ripped them apart. When we found our sister and several other prisoners, we killed more, but we soon realized our mistake. The Thalmor destroyed the Mirrsha with no qualms and little quarter. Our clan would just as likely be swept away." M'rissi had perked up even more as the mention of her supposed clan came up, but if J'zargo noticed he didn't show.

"It was then that this one had an idea. Publically, one of the more injured rebels went out and declared that we had separated ourselves from clan and kin, unable to stand the yoke of Thalmor any longer. He succumbed to his wounds long before he could be captured, last J'zargo heard. The rest of us scattered like sand in the wind. His sister cut through Cyrodiil and made it safely to Hammerfell. His brothers went up along the edge of Argonia, pretending to be mere beasts when needed, and civilized when not. J'zargo, however, went north. First this one tried to find a place to learn in Cyrodiil, but they were lacking in what he needed and too far directly in the gaze of Thalmor. Then he hears of Winterhold, deep in Stormcloak territory, offering to teach magic to any who were worthy of gaining entry.

"J'zargo was far more than worthy of entry, and has only grown in skill since then. He will push himself to learn, and eventually he will master the ways of Destruction magic. It may be that magic is the high elves greatest strength, but it is also their greatest weakness." He took a deep breath and exhaled with a resolute look on his face. "This one knows there will one day be another Great War. The elves keep pressing, and men struggle back. When the day comes, J'zargo will be there to help destroy the long ears that stole his home, his kin, and his life. This one did not understand the rage before, but now… Now, I understand how to hate them." He blinked himself back and shook his head. "But that is not a worry for now. Today he is another, much above average student."

"J'zargo, you didn't have to tell so much," Weiss comforted the Khajiit with a hand on his arm.

"Ah, it is no trouble. Besides, it is good to get things off of one's chest, is it not?"

"It was a little heavy, but man, I didn't know the Thalmor could be so bad," Yang stated.

"I did," Blake said evenly, looking over to M'rissi. The girl nodded back.

"She does not remember, but notes and books and a ghost say that M'rissi came from the Mirrsha clan." J'zargo's ears popped up and he looked over at her.

"Ah, this one is sorry then. J'zargo cannot express how much sympathy he has for your clan's plight. Even his dark experience pales in comparison. But, he is curious, why can you not remember?"

"We don't know. That's why we're heading up to the college. To, hopefully, get her memories restored."

"Well, if anyone can do it, Madame Collette can," Onmund decided. "Unless the Hero of Kvatch suddenly reappears, she's the best at Restoration that there is."

"What's up with that anyways?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?"

"About the Hero of Kvatch," she clarified. "People mention the Five Heroes here and there, but anytime it's something plain heroic, they usually just mention him. Like, the others have specific stuff. The Champion's all merciful and a skilled warrior. The Guardian was a big shaker in equal rights and uplifting tribal people. And the Watcher was stealthy and good with money and stuff. The only specific thing about the Hero is that he was a good healer."

"Oh, well… Ah, Shor's bones, how do I explain this…?"

"Also, why does no one seem to remember their names?" Yang threw in.

"Even the novelization of their adventures states that it's using 'speculative' names," Blake explained.

"Well, that's a bit easier," Brelyna started. "First of all, consider that after Martin Septim's death, there were no legitimate heirs to the throne. A lot of people, including the High Chancellor Ocato, wanted to make the Hero of Kvatch the new emperor. He certainly had the confidence of the people behind him should he have done it. But then he disappeared along with the others. Then came The Forgetting. It may seem like forgetting a simple name wouldn't be much, and by the name you wouldn't be clued in, but it was a horrifying time for many people. Imagine there was someone famous you knew. Everyone knew about them. Maybe you even saw them a few times and recognized them. Then, one day, you can't remember almost anything about them. Actions and words are there, but you can't think of a name, title, or even a gender or race." Brelyna paused to emphasize her point as the others contemplated the event. As it sunk it, they all shuddered, causing Brelyna to nod.

"Ocato's assassination didn't make things any better. Thules the Gibbering, as everyone calls him, used The Forgetting as an excuse. He said that it was 'in honor of their sacrifice' and began striking all records of the other four of the Five Heroes' names. Everyone now knows that it was just him trying to secure his rule. The Heroes were still fresh in everyone's mind, even if one of their members couldn't be remembered. If they ever reappeared, he'd be asked to abdicate almost immediately."

"Didn't save him though, when Titus Mede I overthrew him," Onmund continued for her. "Unfortunately, it was too late to save any records, and no one could be sure what their real names were. A lot of citizens swore they knew the true names, but every other person had a different name to give. Between the Civil War when Titus Mede I overthrew Thules and the sacking of the Imperial City by the Thalmor nearly a hundred years later, all traces of their actual names were lost." The others looked downcast at this before Blake narrowed her eyes.

"Wait, you said the Thalmor sacked the Imperial City," Blake pointed out, causing the others to direct their attention to her. "Did they _purposefully_ go after surviving records of them?"

"They did," Calder added, causing the others to scowl. "Their very existence ran counter to their Elven Superiority propaganda. That a mere Nord could stand against the forces of Oblivion when they themselves could not was an insult to them. So, when they sacked the Imperial City, any and all surviving records of them were burned. It was a travesty."

"Surprised you care about the Imperial City getting sacked, Calder. Thought you hated the Empire?" Lydia pointed out, causing him to shake his head.

"The Hero of Kvatch and the Guardian were the two greatest Nord heroes of the past few centuries. Of course I'd be offended that the Thalmor attempted to wipe their memory out. Even then, I don't hate the Empire. I just don't trust them to stop the Elven threat." Brelyna slightly scowled. "Not you, of course. The Thalmor and their ilk." Brelyna smiled at the hasty correction.

"Well, at the very least they all went absolutely insane after that," Onmund shrugged. Seeing the others all look at him in confusion, he continued. "After the records were burned, it's said every Thalmor agent that did it ended up losing their minds afterwards. Some murderous, others simply crazy. Many of them died within the month, and the only ones that didn't had to be taken back to the Isles and stuffed into asylums. No one really knows why, but in my opinion it's only proof that The Unknown actually did Mantle into the role of Sheogorath, and did not appreciate what they did to his friends." The others all thought about it for a moment before nodding their heads in agreement.

"Seems legit," Yang nodded while Weiss looked at Onmund.

"So, no one actually knows their names?"

It is believed that Farwil Indarys, Count of Cheydinhal knows it," Onmund pointed out.

"He's not the Count anymore," Brelyna corrected her classmate. "He stepped down and gave the seat to his daughter, in order to better focus on his knightly order."

"Oh, uh, right. Anyways, he's one of the few people alive today who knew them closely." Weiss' eyes widened at this as she remembered her encounter in Kynesgrove.

"I actually talked with a…former knight from Cheydinhal," Weiss added. "He said that the Hero trained Farwil."

"Sounds about right," Blake agreed. "In the _Journey of the Heroes_ , Farwil apparently got almost every 'knight' with him killed when they tried to assault an Oblivion Gate that appeared near Cheydinhal. At the time, they weren't really knights. Just a Count's son and his friends all wearing armor and pretending to be valiant while trying, and usually failing, to catch outlaws. And going out drinking."

"So like some rich guy's kid starting a tough-guy club?" Ruby asked.

"Basically, but apparently after losing nearly all of his friends to his own mistake, he was dejected as could be. Then Yohannes- Sorry, the Hero offered to show him what being a knight really means."

"Yohannes?" Ruby raised her eyebrow. Something about it sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"It's the speculated name the book uses. Wouldn't exactly flow well if everyone just called him Hero, would it?"

"…Guess not." Ruby shrugged and dropped the conversation.

"So, the Order of the Rose was basically inspired by the Hero of Kvatch." Weiss noticed Ruby's bright smile and Yang's light chuckling. "What? That's what they call it. The former knight just didn't know if the name was suggested by Farwil's wife or the hero."

"Where'd you meet a former knight anyways?" Yang leaned forward towards Weiss.

"Kynesgrove. He was the Dunmer with the armor that was constantly drunk."

"That guy used to be a knight?" Ruby stuck her tongue out. "He smelled like if my uncle had slept in a troll cave. For a week."

"So why hasn't Farwil told them what their names were?" Yang asked. "He was obviously close to them, and he was a noble."

"Not entirely sure, but I heard rumors." Onmund nodded. "Some say that he feels like giving out their names would diminish their legend. Others say that he never actually knew them and that he is trying to use their association to improve his image, but most people don't actually believe that one. Doesn't sound like something he'd do." Onmund paused before another thought came up. "Oh, one thing people say is that he saw something in a dream, that one day when Tamriel needed them most, the Heroes would return. As such, he doesn't really see the need to correct their names when they will do it themselves."

"Do dragons burning up the world not count?" M'rissi asked. "She is pretty sure that they would be useful for that."

"Well, we've got us," Ruby said, indicating to the whole group sitting around the table.

"Yeah, that's true." Everyone went quiet at that, thinking about what was just said, before Yang spoke back up.

"You know, you never answered the question, Mundy," Yang pointed out. "Why is it that the Hero of Kvatch was so much more fondly remembered than the others?" Onmund looked at Yang before closing his eyes in thought. When he opened them again, there was something in them that wasn't there before, something that sent Yang aback slightly.

"Well, they were all heroes, certainly, but there was something about him, something that inspired a whole continent in their darkest hour. Something that made him more than just 'one of the heroes'," Onmund began, the others enraptured by his words. "He was a leader. A knight and paladin that inspired several knightly orders through his actions alone. But... I think the biggest thing is during the invasion of Kvatch. It's not just books and tales, he historically went forward all on his own to stem the tide of daedra. That one action freed up everyone else to push and save anyone left in the city before the other four went in after him. He saved so many lives, all while risking his own. And he risked his own life again and again, leading the charge against any evils that popped their heads up. Umaril, Mannimarco, Mankar Camoran... He even defied Mehrunes Dagon himself, right in his face. No matter how many times he got knocked down, he simply got back up and kept going. People thought it was symbolic, that he was a living personification of their unwillingness to give in, and when he and Martin stopped Mehrunes his status was all did great things, and they all saved their fair share of people from disaster, but..., he saved us all. That's why he's _The_ Hero."

* * *

As the group began leaving Windhelm, M'rissi and Ruby began looking over the edge of the bridge and towards the ice-edged river below. Inigo stopped and took the dragonfly in a jar from his side.

"Yes, Mr. Dragonfly, this is where it happened. You were very brave. I am proud of you."

"I wonder…" Ruby looked over to the side and hummed as she stepped onto the ledge. Everyone, Huntress, companion, and even the nearby guard immediately tensed up.

"Ruby, don't you-" Yang started to warn her sister, only for the younger girl to ignore her, hop over towards the stony canyon side below the walls of Windhelm and begin sliding down. Everyone immediately ran over and looked down, only to see her safely slide all the way to the frozen bank.

"Ooh, M'rissi wants to try that!" the Khajiit girl declared as she ran to where Ruby slid down.

"No! M'rissi!" Blake yelled as she tried to catch her, only for the girl to hop out of her clutches and then begin sliding down like Ruby had, somehow even more graceful than the Huntress-in-training had been.

"Do not be too surprised," Inigo said as he loosened himself up. "We usually tend to be more agile. Well, shortcut away." The blue Khajiit followed the two's girl's trail and Blake sighed before looking back at the rest of the group.

"Just so you know, I'm doing this to catch up with them quicker." Blake hopped up an the ledge and then the canyon wall, focusing Aura into the bottoms of her feet and shoes and the hand she kept on the wall as she slid down. After a few seconds that seemed longer than they should have been, she was on the snowy bank of the river, while Ruby and M'rissi were both looking around the ice sheet nearby and into the water.

"Hey, I see 'em," Ruby declared before pointing it out to M'rissi, who leaned over her with her chest pressed against the top of Ruby's head.

"Oh yes, she's sees the three skulls."

Blake immediately came over and looked where they had been staring and saw three bleached skeletons half buried in the river's silt, some bones broken, and one of the skulls dented and cracked up.

"Hehehe," Inigo laughed. "Silly brothers. We showed them, Mr. Dragonfly."

The Faunus blinked, suddenly realizing that Inigo's story might have been a bit more credible than she had originally thought.

* * *

"Look at 'em go, Gyaf," the maroon-sashed guard pointed out as the group from before all hugged and went their separate ways. The khajiits and elf went with the mages up north while the blonde and the redhead continued south. "Wonder where they're going?"

"Beats me," the orange-sashed one pointed out. "Either way, it doesn't really affect us, Cyrigs."

"You just say that about everything," Cyrigs scowled. "Unless there's a damn sweet roll involved, nothing involves you."

"Yep," Gyaf replied, causing Cyrigs to sigh. As the two began to argue, another voice sighed in boredom, only this one half a mile away and looking at them through a spyglass.

"What are they doing?" an Imperial soldier with dark skin and wearing a teal headband asked the man watching the Stormcloaks at the gate.

"...What?" the man holding the spyglass looked up at the other, his blue sash swaying in the wind.

"I said, "What are they doing?", Kirk". The other soldier put his hands on his hips in expectation, causing Kirk to stand up in irritation.

"Gods above, I am so sick and tired of answering that question!" he shouted. "You ask it every five minutes!"

"It's not my fault I don't have the longlense and you won't share it!" the Redguard shouted back. "What else am I supposed to do? Play wi-"

"Okay, Tu'kar, stop," Kirk demanded and pointed at the two Stormcloak guards. "They're just standing there talking. That's all they've been doing. It's all they _ever_ do. It's what they were doing last week. It's what they were doing five minutes ago. So, when you ask me again in about five minutes, I'm going to give you the same damn answer. They're still just standing there, and they're just talking, so stop asking that stupid gods damned question." At that, Kirk knelt back down and brought the spyglass back up to his eye, satisfied at the silence he was now given.

"...What are they talking about?"

"... I hate you."


	28. Heroic Revelations

As Ruby, Yang, and Lydia made their way back southwest toward Whiterun, Weiss and Blake traveled north with their respective entourages alongside them. Unfortunately, Inigo had almost no talent at magic and couldn't really figure out how to use Longstride without tumbling over, so the group had to make do with regular walking speed.

"I can't believe you could trip over your own feet, only the roll three times and then land on them," Onmund mentioned to the blue Khajiit.

"There is a certain grace to my people. Unfortunately, my grace likes to make things as humorous as possible for others at my expense sometimes." Inigo waved his hands around in a 'what can you do' manner, causing Onmund to lightly chuckle.

"M'rissi is glad that she did not fall like that," the girl added. "Her face is too pretty to smash into the dirt."

"I agree. You were also very good at it. It seems you have as much a talent for some magic as you do for bows."

M'rissi purred at the praise Inigo was giving her. "Of course. She is very talented and skilled. You and Blake are lucky to have her traveling with you. The crazy rat man would have had you as skeever food if she was not there to save you."

"Wait, what?" Weiss asked her teammate, who shrugged.

"While we were doing the Honningbrew job, we ran into this crazy man who was planning to breed an army of poisonous, super-strong skeevers right under the brewery and destroy… Was it Whiterun? Anyways, I burned the journal and planted evidence to make it look like Maccius murdered him in cold blood."

"Oh my god, Blake!" Weiss and the others stopped and stared at the unrepentant Faunus.

"He has plenty of motives to choose from. If he's smart, he'll get a few years." Blake shrugged once more. "Anyways, he was a total jerk and was planning on ruining another man's livelihood because he felt overworked. Well, he was, but I had a talk with Sabjorn about how the way treating his employees will be the key factor in him making or breaking it. He actually seemed to take it into consideration." Blake shrugged. "Well, if it turns out he's just as terrible still I can always do something to fix him up."

"Blake, you're talking about vigilantism." Weiss pointedly stared at Blake, who developed a thoughtful look.

"Oh, uh, guess I am. Well, it's not really illegal here in Skyrim." Blake smiled. "It's just frowned upon in certain situations."

Weiss shook her head and sighed.

* * *

As the group made camp at the foot of the small mountain where Azura's Statue stood, Blake began cooking up a stew while M'rissi sniffed at it hungrily. Weiss was leaned against J'zargo, and Brelyna was testing out some magic in the opposite direction of everyone else. Onmund simply read, and Inigo had just finished setting up his tent.

"Well," Inigo said while looking at his tilted tent, "like my mother used to always say, "You utterly failed, but you did your best. So I am still proud." Hehehe, just kidding."

"Ooh, she wants to hear more stories from her friends!" M'rissi announced happily as she sat on the other side of the log Inigo was seated at. "Tell her a bit more. She wants to hear more about families."

"More about…my family. Okay. Well, to start, my brother and I never knew our real parents. We were found abandoned in a smelly shack by a soldier on his way to battle." As Inigo began telling his tale, the others began to slowly move on from what they had been doing and listened closely. "We melted his heart with our fuzzy little faces and he carried us to the nearest town. He deposited us at an orphanage and that is where we spent most of our childhood. My brother and I were then adopted by a couple of retired assassins. I guess the orphanage did not do a family background check."

Blake's ears popped up. "Assassins?"

"Yes. Government work, mostly, going by what little they shared." Blake remembered the stealthy agents that had helped with taking down the Brotherhood, and figured that the Empire certainly wasn't above using their own cutthroats for certain situations.

"Must have been an interesting childhood," J'zargo commented.

"Mine was more unconventional than most, but I suppose all childhoods are interesting to some degree. My parents provided me with love and encouragement. Aside from the nightly training sessions, we were a normal family." Inigo hummed in thought. "Though, I was bullied by the other Khajiit children because of my unusual color and markings. My mother showed me a handy trick with a rock and a glove. I was never bothered again."

"Ouch," M'rissi said with a wince.

"I never seriously hurt anyone, of course. Not until I was much older. My father taught us how to use the sword; my mother taught us the bow. Happy childhood memories."

Blake smiled and recalled her own past when her mother and father were first teaching her how to fire a gun. Other memories crawled up, however, and she fled away from her own mind.

"I grew up in Riverhold, not far from Cyrodiil. My brother and I headed to the Imperial City to find our fortune when we came of age. I found love, for a time at least. My brother…found death."

"Love?" Onmund asked in surprise.

"Well, now that I think about it, maybe it was not love. It was brief and as it turned out one-sided. Anyway, all that happened later. My mother and father are now both gone. They died protecting a trade caravan a few years back. I guess I am an orphan again."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Inigo," Blake lamented. "What were they like?"

"Thank you, my friend. And I suppose they were a bit of an odd couple being an Argonian and a Khajiit, but they adored each other and us. Despite their previous profession, they were good people." He scratched at his neck and continued on. "My brother and I found much work as sellswords. We never made it to the Imperial City but we made a lot of coin. We went all over Cyrodiil, from the Gold Coast to the Jerall Mountains. It is a wonderful land, but quite tame compared to Skyrim. Those were happy times- traveling or working during the day, camping out under the stars at night. Life was good." His ears began to droop a little as his smile disappeared. "I awoke one morning to a lot of noise outside of our tent. My brother staggered in bleeding and pushed my father's sword into my hand. He said that if I loved him I would run. He used the last of his strength to rip out the back of the tent and push me down the slope beyond. Some Khajiit hating locals had blamed us for a spate of robberies in the area and decided to take matters into their own hands. Twelve of them had snuck up on us in the night. My brother died, but I live because of him."

"That must have been terrible for you." Blake's eyes held a mournful look to them, causing Inigo to look down.

"Yes. That morning I lost all that was dear to me, unfortunately, I also uncovered a side of myself that I never knew existed." The others all went quiet at this. After a few moments of silence, Weiss began to speak up.

"Do you mind if I ask what his name was?" she asked

"His name was Fergus." Inigo then sighed. "I miss him very much, but part of me is glad that he did not witness what became of me after his passing."

"Losing him had to have hurt. I'm sure he would have understood," Brelyna attempted to comfort the Khajiit, who only sighed.

"Maybe you are right. It is a nice thought, but I suppose I will never know."

M'rissi whimpered a little and then looked over at Weiss and J'zargo. She decided to lean over on Inigo, which surprised the whole group. The blue Khajiit laughed at her antics even as Blake tried to whisper to her. He simply patted her head and ruffled her hair.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, thank you, M'ri. You should get up though. Blake looks like she wants to claw us."

"She should not be so jealous of you. She has been around M'rissi for longer and has had plenty of times to be close to her."

"I don't think that was it at all," Brelyna muttered beneath a smile before looking over to the Faunus girl. "I guess that means you're next."

"What? Me?"

"Seems to be a pattern for all of us. We get some rest, eat some food, then one of us tells everyone a bit more about our backgrounds."

Blake looked over to Weiss, who then sat up and cleared her throat. "Well, all of you know we're not from Tamriel," the heiress started. "What you might not know is that…we're not from Nirn at all."

The Khajiit's ears all sprang up while everyone's eyes widened.

"Wait, so… Where are you from?" Onmund managed to ask.

"A world known as Remnant," Weiss replied. "We aren't sure where in relation it is to Nirn, but Archmage Savos has a few ideas. It could be in some pocket in Oblivion or one of the other planes of Mundus, the gods' bodies some call them."

"It is strange to think of, but explains a few oddities about you and your friends," Brelyna reflected. "So what does that mean for you two?"

"Well, for one, I'm not a Khajiit." Blake pushed back her hair to reveal her human ear on the side of her head. "I'm a Faunus. After seeing Khajiit and Argonians, I think the best way to explain us is to think of a human with one –rarely two– of several animal traits, like ears, horns, or a tail. And it could be pretty much any wild animal, even a few extinct ones. My…former mentor has horns because he's an auroch Faunus."

"Auroch? Like those wild cattle in Hammerfell?" Onmund asked.

"Why are so many things extinct on Remnant still… Nevermind," Weiss muttered. "Yes, like those. …Wait, is he who I'm…"

"Yes, Weiss. I'm sorry. See, I used to be part of an organization that fought back against the marginalization of Faunus by humans. My parents were…" She sighed. "My father was the leader of the White Fang, and one of its founders. When he stepped down, Sienna Khan took over, and everything started becoming gradually more and more violent."

"Sienna Khan…" Weiss rolled. "Belladonna…" Her eyes opened up wide. "You mean…you're the daughter of Ghira? The chieftain of Menagerie?"

"That's me," Blake shyly admitted. "Yeah, I was lucky to have a common surname. I was pretty surprised when you didn't figure it out after seeing my ears."

"Well _now_ it seems obvious, but I'm a little hurt that you didn't tell us before." Weiss huffed. "Do Yang and Ruby know?"

"Yang didn't even know who Sienna was when I mentioned her. I doubt either she or Ruby knows who my dad is."

"Wait, I'm confused. Are we all saying that Blake here is a princess?" Onmund asked. "Of a country on another world?"

"It's actually a small continent," Weiss explained. "And not a very hospitable one at that."

"What this one doesn't understand is how exactly it pertains to you," J'zargo pointed out to Weiss.

"Oh, well, my grandfather started a company. A worldwide…mining business, if you will. He led by example and made sure that the company treated all of its employees fairly, including Faunus." She sighed at this point. "Then my father came along. My grandfather was ill and likely dying, and someone needed to run the business in his stead. So, my father married my mother, taking her name and running the company. It definitely grew under him, but…" She looked over to Blake, a glint of shame in her eyes. "All of the good it had done was just brushed away. Now Faunus are treated unfairly by the company, paid less, given no benefits, forced to work hard hours, and they can't just quit to find new work with the way our world is."

"Oh, I already see how badly this must have gone," Inigo stated as he shifted his footing. "The White Fang group did not appreciate what your father was doing to them, and the violent leader took steps."

Weiss nodded at that and Blake sighed. "So, there we were. Girls from opposite sides of the war. But despite everything I couldn't hate Weiss when I got to finally know her."

"And I…learned to understand that not all Faunus were White Fang, and not all of the White Fang were cold-blooded murderers. Many of them are misguided, but they're being led by some extremists who either want to crush humanity under their boots or wipe them out."

"A lot of what I've seen in the Thalmor, I saw rising up in the White Fang." Blake clenched a fist and held it to her chest. "When we get back, I'm going to make sure to change things. I won't let us make that mistake."

"Here's to you doing so." Inigo leaned over and sniffed at the stew. "Suppose it is ready to eat now?"

"Yeah, just don't scald your tongue like the other day."

"Ack! Don't remind me! I still can taste burntmudcrab claws sometimes!"

* * *

"Okay, so we're on the road, got a bunch of gold stuff, and we're waiting for the dragon," Ruby told to herself as they rode on before her eyes drooped in annoyance. "Where is he?"

"Can't expect a highwayman to rob you on your time, sis." Yang shrugged before nearly slipping off and having to grab onto her horse's saddle horn to stabilize. "He's got his own schedule to keep."

"What does a dragon even do with gold? It's not like he can use it to buy stuff. Unless he's planning in the long term for after people get used to them? But then that'd mean he's not banking on dragons winning and ruling again.

"Maybe he's planning to go into actual banking?"

"That's dumb. A dragon starting up a bank? Really?"

"Well, I bet two hundred years ago they didn't think ogres would be teaching at a university, but look at the world now."

"Okay, maybe you're-" Ruby was cut off by a roar and saw a dragon flying in. He was mostly a rust-red with yellow stripes running down his side and on his wings, encircled by black. "Hah, he found us!"

The dragon seemed to be eagerly zeroing in on them, then the group saw his eyes go wide before he frantically tried to bank up, and only to fail and have to flap himself back to stability and turn around to fly back the way he came. Ruby blinked as she saw the dragon basically running away from her. Her cheeks puffed out and then she spurred Chocolate forward.

"Hey! Get back here!" she yelled as she pressed her horse to run through the trees. They emerged out the other side of the grove to see the dragon trying to pick up speed. "Vulgahrotru! I need to speak with you!"

The dragon looked back at her with fear in his eyes and Ruby waved her arms to keep his attention.

"I just want to talk!" she tried calling out, then looked ahead. "Hey, watch out for that-"

Vulgahrotru roared in pain as he crashed one wing against an inordinately tall and thick tree. The tree was mostly fine, but the dragon was sent spinning into the ground where he skidded against the earth before rolling and then splashing into a hot spring. Ruby saw three people jump out of the water at the other side and scramble in fear, to her embarrassment, bereft of clothing. She looked away as the people grabbed their garments and headed for the hills, watching as the dragon pulled himself out of the muddied water and shook his head. He looked up and saw Ruby, and his fear returned, washing away whatever pain he was feeling for a moment.

" **Niid,"** he groaned as he back away. **"I… I do not want to fight you, Dovahkiin!"**

"I'm not here to fight. I just wanted to talk."

" **You…want to talk…? In peace?"**

"Yes, just peacefully talk. I have questions and you should have answers."

" **Yes, I… Very well then."** The dragon hissed and winced his eyes. Ruby looked over and saw a large, bleeding gash on his wing that had hit the tree.

"Here, let me help with that." Ruby hopped off her horse and approached. Vulgahrotru seemed to flinch back, but as Ruby held out her hands and let healing magic flow from her and into him, he seemed to calm down. Yang and Lydia rode up as she was working on healing him, with both the older women dismounting their horses and coming to her side quickly.

"Ruby, you just rode off through that patch of trees and we nearly lost you," Yang admonished her sister, making sure to place herself between Ruby and the dragon's head.

"Sorry guys, but I had to catch up with Vulgahrotru here." Ruby scrunched her face in concentration as she let the magic flow. Her teammates were definitely right. Healing magic was hard.

"I would appreciate a little warning next time you speed off, my Thane, as I'm sure would your sister." Lydia placed herself even closer to the dragon's head, her shield arm placed closest to it.

"Right. I'll be a little more careful about it in the future." Ruby cut off the flow of healing magic and the dragon looked over to his healed wound.

" **Kogaan hi, Dovahkiin. I…did not expect such kindness. Most would not see a dragon deserving of such."**

"Well a lot of dragons aren't exactly endearing themselves to the countryside," Yang pointed out. "And you're on thin ice yourself, robbing people and stuff."

" **I will not apologize. I simply went back to my ahrol-hofkiin and did as I had before my sleeping. I keep my lands safe, and those traveling it pay for passing through."**

"And thank you for doing no worse than that, but we should talk more about that later. I want to know something else." Ruby moved past her sister and housecarl right up to Volgahrotru's face, which seemed to be filled with relief.

" **Yes, of course, but, if you do not mind, as a show of gratitude, I would show you how dragons engage tinvaak. It does not seem right to speak with another dovah without doing so."**

"What?" Yang asked her sister.

"Tinvaak means conversation. Or a Thu'um battle, depending on the context," Ruby explained with a brief turn of her head before looking back at Volgahrotru. "Okay, I don't mind. Show me how."

" **Yes, your…followers may wish to step back for this."** Yang raised her eyebrows, but her and Lydia both moved back from the Dragonborn. **"Yes. Good."** The dragon stepped out of the hot spring and then shook himself off. Yang and Lydia both blocked the water with their arms while Ruby called up a ward. **"The first step is the greeting. Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin."**

"Drem yol lok," Ruby repeated with a smile. "Peace fire sky."

" **Yes. It is how Dov introduce themselves in a peaceful manner. Then, upon a first meeting, we give each other a taste of our Voice. Yol Toor Shul!"**

"Ruby!" Yang screamed as crimson flames leapt from Vulgahrotru's maw and flowed upon her. Yet, Ruby felt no burning, even as she was taken completely by surprise. Rather, she felt warmth, and looked to her hand to see her fingers raking through flames, only feeling liquid-like licks of warmth from them. The fire stopped, and she looked over and saw both her sister and housecarl ready for battle, only for them to both have astonished expressions upon seeing her unharmed.

"It's okay guys. This is part of it. **Yol!** " she Shouted, pulling on the feeling she had when Vulgahrotru's flames had bathed her. The fire did not harm him in the least, though steam did come up from the water that was still upon his scales.

" **Yes, your Voice is strong. Only a single Word, yet I felt much power in your Thu'um. Krosis. I forgot about your false-fur."**

Ruby looked down and sighed in frustration, her clothes mostly charred and ruined but still covering her modesty. "That was my last outfit from home." Gasping, she pulled her hood from behind her and sighed when she saw it was only singed a bit near the end. "Yeah, guess neither of us were expecting that. Thanks for teaching me though."

" **It was no trouble. It is only proper for a dovah to know, no matter their shape. You had questions for me though?"**

"Yes, you see, I saw Alduin." At that Vulgahrotru went still, his eyes focused in on Ruby. "We saw him raise a dragon from the dead, but before that I heard him call out his name and say 'ziil gro dovah ulse'."

" **Ah, that. Yes, you heard Alduin call his name before. I am curious, can you tell me his name?"**

"He was Sahloknir. He's…dead now."

" **Geh. Aaz Hah So, Sahloknir. I knew him, though we knew one another little."** Velgahrotru hovered his head a moment and nodded. **"Yes, what you heard was Thur Rot Gron. A more powerful dragon can call upon the name of another, and bind him to do his bidding as a servant to a lord. Aarsethur."**

"Did he do it to you?"

" **He tried."** The dragon laughed. **"Niid, for it is not an absolute. Any dovah can resist the binding. The stronger their will and Thu'um, the greater they can resist. But, there are few that could resist the call of Alduin. Less who could while in the dreamless sleep."**

"Then how did you resist?"

" **Zu'u ni ov voth nid motmahus."** He noticed the confused looks from the other two humans. **"Ah, I do not trust lightly. As we came to be, we dragons often found our names in a short time, or were born with them. However, I realized what power our names held. So as the others excitedly told one another their newfound identities, and gave them to the First Born willingly, I hid mine within the recesses of my mind, and told them a false one. Alduin could not bind me with a false name when he awoke me."**

"Then, Vulgahrotru isn't your real name?"

" **It is not. It is a front, though I do enjoy playing the part."** He laughed as though joking. **"I would ask that you keep this secret, Dovahkiin, for it gives no benefit to you to share it."**

"I won't tell anyone, but… Besides not trusting the other dragons, why aren't you following Alduin at all?"

" **Bah! Away with their wish to rule over mankind with force alone! Alduin may be powerful, but when you hold something down, beast, mortal, or dragon, it will struggle to free itself. I had already seen what real power can be amongst the mortals. So much pull is given by your kin to the soft metals."** He let out a small laugh and something that sounded like a pride of lion's purring in tandem. **"Metals that make a good bed to rest on. I have all the strength to hold over others that I need. To have more power, I will use what is there to gain something else."**

"So you're getting power through wealth." Ruby nodded and crossed her arms. "So how are you going to use it?"

" **Another secret I shall keep, if you do not mind, Dovahkiin. I would rather my ideas not spread before I've had the chance to enact them."** The dragon then looked up and towards the south. **"A party of eight joorre and two mounts. At least… Mm, one hundred pieces between them. Gah, the people have been traveling light lately!"**

"Okay, look, about your hofkiin and getting paid," Ruby started, getting his attention back. "You should set a flat, non-negotiable rate. Something that's not too high, but people can expect and afford every time. So long as you keep the road clear of bad stuff and don't hurt anyone, I'm okay with you doing that. Also, the Holds might want to tax you a bit for it."

The dragon snarled. **"Any who touch my hoard will be burnt to a crisp!"** At Ruby's glare, he cleared his throat and looked away. **"They are free to come and negotiate something, though."**

"Good. I think it's actually a good thing what you're doing, just don't take it too far and we won't have any problems."

He groaned, but dipped his head in her direction. **"Very well, Dovahkiin. The world is different, after all. I will adapt. Hopefully, this time no greedy army comes to slay me in my sleep to steal my hoard. Hm, a good, flat rate. Ah, well then. Tiid bo viing. Vah Su'um Ven, Dovahkiin"**

"Vah Su'um Ven, Vulgahrotru."

The dragon rose his wings and leaped into the air before flapping down, sending winds and dust out as he took to the sky. He turned after a few flaps and then winged up as he went towards the group he sensed. Nodding her head, Ruby smiled and walked back to Yang and Lydia, who merely looked at her and the departing dragon with incredulous looks.

"…Did you just give a dragon the all-clear to rob people?" Lydia asked, her face filled with confusion.

"I did negotiate it with him." Ruby shook her head and shrugged. "Anyways, we'll send up a letter to Ulfric, who'll probably send somebody to talk with him, then the people get a safe road, a dragon has a job, and the Holds have little more income."

"Yeah, but everybody's got to pay to use the road," Yang pointed out

Ruby shrugged. "They could always use the other road, but it's curvier and _not_ being kept clear by a dragon. Can't make everyone happy, Yang."

* * *

Weiss looked up from where she was putting out last night's fire to see M'rissi going through her bag. She was about to yell at the Khajiit girl, but then held herself back as she recalled her often childlike demeanor.

"M'rissi, it's rude to go through someone else's things without permission," she lightly scolded as she wagged her finger.

"But you have so many interesting things!" the girl declared while pulling out a notebook and then flipping through it. "You do so many magics too! Hm, is that an ear ring?"

"No, it's a communication device," Weiss explained as she took the notebook and pointed out the various pieces in the sketch. "See, diamonds seem to work the best with Conjuration enchantments while amethysts work best with electrical or liquid based ones. By enchanting a copper and gold piece between to two with the simple information exchange enchantment, which I finally figured out after painstakingly looking through every library we came across, then giving these other two a connection enchantment and attuning enchantment, I could make a device that will allow instantaneous, two-way communication between any two individuals at any point in the world. Something that is normally only possible for the most skilled of mages right now." Weiss turned to look at M'rissi, sighing when she saw the blank look on her face. "It lets me talk to people from very far away."

"Oh, okay." M'rissi nodded in understanding. "Have you made one yet?"

"No," Weiss admitted bashfully. "It's mostly purely theoretical at this point. I have the pieces to make a pair, but I have yet to actually enchant or construct it. It's not exactly a cheap endeavor."

"I'd be more than happy to help," Blake offered. "My plan is to stay in Winterhold for a day or two, and I can hold off on leaving until we get a working pair. So long as it isn't too long."

"Oh, obviously. And thank you." Weiss smiled as she finished putting away her things. With the camp cleared, the mages and Khajiit began the trek up the mountain. The journey itself was uneventful, outside of seeing a dragon fly about in the distance, but other than that nothing happened. After a few hours, they spotted the Shrine to Azura, its statue rising high above them. The Khajiit and Brelyna stopped to marvel at it, while the others stopped as well out of respect to their friends. After a few moments and prayers from the worshippers, the group started moving again. As they came closer, Blake felt a tickling in her ears as words hit them.

"We are children of the Twilight. Beings who are to be guided from the darkness into the light. And from the light into the darkness," a feminine voice rang out. A quick look confirmed it to be from the Dunmer priestess, currently kneeling in front of the shrine.

"Huh, she's praying," Onmund stated.

"I am fairly certain that is in the job description of any priest or priestess," Inigo scoffed, causing Onmund to sputter and the others to faintly chuckle. Calming herself, Weiss walked up the steps and over to Aranea with the Star in hand. The priestess turned and looked upon them with more than a little amazement.

"Azura's Star! I knew the Lady of Twilight had sent you for a reason. Hand it over to me," she beckoned with her arms outstretched. "I will ask Azura to restore the Star to its original purity." Weiss handed the artifact over with nary a word, and the priestess looked it over in saddened awe as she set it down upon the altar. "I shall commune with Azura now," she announced as she raised her hands up in offering. "Azura. Mother of Roses. Goddess of Dusk and Dawn. Your chosen champion has returned your Star to you." A moment of silence passed them all by, and then the priestess let her arms down and turned her head towards Weiss. "She wishes to speak to you herself. Please. Place your hands on the altar, and you will hear her voice."

Weiss looked back at her friends. Blake seemed unsure, but Brelyna was practically giddy while J'zargo had a slight smile as his face. The vampire took a deep breath, and then walked forward towards the altar before placing her hands upon.

" _Greetings, child,"_ all present heard, causing some of them to jump in surprise. _"Ah, such a bright soul, like the first star seen before the moons' rays. You have followed my guidance through the veils of Twilight and rescued my Star from Malyn Varen. But his soul still resides within, protected by his enchantments. Until he is purged, my artifact is useless to you."_

"Uh," Weiss tried to recompose herself, already noting that this was turning out to be much more pleasant than her previous discussions with Daedric Princes, "not to be rude, my lady, but can you not purge him yourself?"

" _Eventually my Star will fade back into my realm in Oblivion, but I doubt you'd wish to wait the hundred or so years that will take_ _,"_ Azura's response was devoid of any offense, causing Weiss to internally sigh in relief.

"No, I suppose not."

" _Then one option remains. I will send you inside the Star. You will banish Malyn's soul there. Tell me when you are ready, mortal."_ Weiss thought over her options and looked back at her friends before nodding her head.

"I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Lady Azura."

" _Have faith. I will be watching over you."_

Suddenly, Weiss felt the world around her shift, as though she was sent speeding out of it in all directions, yet remained in one place. Her surroundings changed, the snowy mountainscape replaced by hexagonal crystal spires that made up the floors and walls as well as tapered crystal spikes sticking out in random places.

"Ah, my disciples sent me a new soul," she heard and looked forward to see a Dunmer a distance away. "Good. I was getting…hungry." Weiss clenched her teeth and grasped Mytenaster's hilt. "Wait," he realized at her aggressive motion, "there's something different about you."

"This twisted experiment of yours is over, Malyn," Weiss declared as she drew her rapier and called the Sanguine Rose to her right hand.

"And who are you to challenge me?! I've conquered mortality itself! I've spat in the eyes of the Daedric Lords! This is my realm now! I've sacrificed too much to let you take it from me!"

The Dunmer ran off and Weiss chased after him, but paused when a group of three Dremora mages stood in her path. They made twisted grins as they launched firebolts at her, only for her to summon a ward with Myrtenaster and use the Sanguine Rose. A fourth Dremora appeared, this one clad in jagged, spiked armor and wearing a masked helmet depicting a winking smile. It chuckled and drew a sword while the other three went stiff.

" _Oh no_ ," one mumbled.

" _Oh yeeeeeeees_!" Weiss' summon effeminately shouted before charging them. The heiress left as the three screamed in suffering and her summon gleefully cackled. After going down the spiral structure, she entered what appeared to be a throne room where Malyn had procured his own staff and held an ebony dagger in his off-hand. The two fired arcs of electricity at one another immediately as Weiss closed the distance between them. He tried to stab at her, but she easily blocked him and twisted the dagger out of his grasp before stabbing his shoulder. The dead mage cried out and then Weiss grasped his face and sent a large amount of electricity directly into him. He screamed for a moment before pulling himself free and then aiming his staff. A lance of lightning streamed towards Weiss, only to be blocked by her glyph. The necromancer's eyes went wide, then a spike of ice was sent through his gut.

"Damn you to Oblivion! Can you not see what I've done! What it means for this world!" Malyn protested, fustily attempting to pull the icy spike from his body.

"So what? You became immortal. I did that on accident, and believe me," Weiss sped over to him, driving her blade into his chest. The soul looked towards the rapier piercing him and felt it heating up, "it's not worth it."

"No… Not like…" The Dunmer went up into flames, not even having any time to scream before he was reduced to ash. Weiss sighed and took a deep breath before she felt the world rumbling.

" _The Star is free to purify itself. Don't worry, mortal. I will return you before you are cleansed."_

"Wait, wh-

"-at?" Weiss blinked and then looked around to see that she was back at the shrine, everyone mostly just like they were before. "What happened?"

"You…went into a trance for a few minutes there. You felt…empty," Blake numbly answered after a few moments of silence. "What happened to you?"

"I…I think my soul was inside of the Star, but my body must have been left behind. Strange." Weiss shook her head while M'rissi looked contemplative for moment before smiling and striking her palm.

"Talk about an out of body experience," she enunciated. M'rissi smiled as the others all turned towards her. "What? Yang was giving her lessons. Did she do it wrong?"

"...Damnit, Yang." Blake sighed and rubbed her brow. She should have known this would happen, but before she could curse Yang and her penchant for puns more, Areana flinched and began glowing.

"Areana?" Onmund moved towards the Dunmer in worry, which only increased when she began floating in midair.

"Areana!" Everyone shouted as the priestess raised her arms, a sun appearing over one hand, a crescent moon above the other. Weiss began to cast a spell, only for the woman to start speaking in a voice that was not her own.

" _My Star has been restored, and Malyn's soul has been consigned to Oblivion,"_ Azura said through Areana. Slowly, the others all lowered their weapons and spells and looked on with interest. _"You have done well, my child. As was destined, you are now free to use my Star as you see fit."_

"Uh… Thank you, Lady Azura. I will be sure to put it to good use." Weiss still wasn't quite sure about this situation, but if she had to guess, Areana would be ecstatic this was happening.

" _And you also wish to know more of what I know about your path?"_ Weiss nodded, and as she was thinking of how nodding might not be a good way of showing respect, Azura continued. _"You have crawled from upon the serpent's trail, from beyond the reach of even the mightiest dragon. From the vast emptiness, to the filled center. Others have made this journey before you, the first being the great serpent himself. Some have traveled down, others have traveled up. Yet everything that goes one way must come back and rejoin."_

"Not the first…? Everything rejoins?! So, we'll make it back home?!" Weiss asked hopefully. When no answer came, she sighed. "Well, thank you regardless."

" _Farewell, mortal. Know that Azura will be guarding over the threads of your fate in the Twilight_."Areana stopped glowing and gently descended to the ground as Azura left her. While the others all went to go check on the Dunmer priestess, who was, as Weiss expected, praising the Daedra for the honor of being possessed by her, Weiss stayed rooted in place before breaking out into a smile, overjoyedatfinally getting an answer. Blake's face was unreadable for amoment, untilfinally a smile found its way onto her the likes of which Weiss had never seen before. The two girls started laughing, tears of joy stinging Weiss' eyes as she became the one to initiate a hug this time around.

* * *

The next day, after making it back to Winterhold, the group took a moment to reequip themselves at the few shops the town offered. Weiss was currently studying a coral claw, similar to the one Lucan had. Birna, the local trader, sold it to her for fifty septims a few days after she arrived in Winterhold the first time, and she was getting closer to finding out where its door was.

"Has anyone seen my staff," Weiss heard Nelacar call out as he exited his room and began looking around the inn. "I swear I just had it this morning."

"Sorry, friend," Dagur told him. "Haven't seen it around. You sure you didn't magic it away somewhere?"

"What? No, I- Oh, never mind. I'll just look a little harder. Has to be around here somewhere."

"Don't suppose someone nicked it while you were away?"

"Please. It's almost as tall as I am. Where would they have hidden it?"

Weiss heard a slight chuckle and looked over to see M'rissi smiling brightly with her tail wagging. Sighing, Weiss leaned over and whispered to her. "Where is it?"

"She sold it," the Khajiit happily whispered back, not an ounce of remorse on her face. "The Court Mage paid her for it."

"By the gods," Weiss mumbled as she sat back up and put away the claw.

' _Well, suppose I shouldn't complain too much. He was calling Azura evil and all. And she's…kind of my patron now, I suppose. Well, better than Molag Bal.'_ Weiss shivered as she recalled a recent text she read on the depravities of the Father of Vampires. _'I just hope that if a cure isn't forthcoming soon that Azura gets my soul rather than him. Whatever she has must be better by default.'_

"I think we're ready to head up soon," Blake announced. "It's not a far walk to the College, right?"

"No, just up the hill, er, sorta. Hopefully Madame Collette can help you with your problem."

"Mew! Me too!"

"Did she just meow?" J'zargo asked.

"I think it has something to do with the memory loss." Blake looked over at M'rissi, whose ears drooped. "It's okay. Don't let it get at you."

"She doesn't mean to! It just feels right sometimes."

"It is okay, M'ri. We all have our strange tics. Onmund tends to slip into that farm-speak where he forgets how to pronounce g's at the end of words, and Blake's face looks like she always wants to kill someone."

Blake glared at the Khajiit, causing him to laugh. "Yes, exactly like that. So don't worry about it. Besides, it is a little adorable."

"D- do not call her adorable!" M'rissi punched Inigo's chest and she turned away blushing, causing him to stumble back a little and laugh.

"Only when you stop being so adorable will I, hehe."

"All right, quit tormenting the little kitten," Brelyna admonished the blue Khajiit while pushing him forward. "Let's go and see if Madame Collette is available."

* * *

"Sorry, everyone," Riane apologized to the group, "but Madame Collette left not too long ago to gather supplies and take a short break. It'll be a few days before she comes back. Maybe I could help, though?"

"We were kinda hoping for a Restoration Master."

"Oh, it'll be fine Blake," Weiss said to her teammate while waving her hand dismissively. "Riane might not be Collette, but she is an expert or fairly close at the least. Perhaps we should just start with a Mnemonic Glance to get an idea of what should be done and go from there?"

"Sounds good. Right then, come here puss." The Breton woman's breath caught in her throat when she realized what she'd just said in the presence of four catfolk, two of whom bristled up, while another narrowed her eyes. Inigo seemed to be the only one to brush it off.

"Frrreow! Her name is M'rissi!" she objected. "M'rissi!"

"R-right. My mistake. Um, would someone mind holding her still?"

"I'll do it." Blake went behind M'rissi and then wrapped her arms around the Khajiit. "I've had to hold her down before." Blake felt a few gazes at her and looked over to the men with a scowl. "Really?"

"Nothing, Nothing," Onmund said as he turned his head away.

"Alright," Riane outstretched her hand and magic flew between her palm and M'rissi's head, yellow, gold, sky blue, and grass green energies twirled around the girl as she began twitching, struggling, and clawing while gritting her teeth, letting out small mewls.

"Aha! Got it!" Riane announced as she cut off the spell and pulled back. M'rissi shook her head and rubbed her eyes while Blake let go and rubbed her arms.

"I hope you did. She nearly shredded me."

"It's an old Aldmeri Sarcophagus!" the mage shouted out in surprise.

"…And those do what, exactly?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"I think I read something about those," Onmund began, "but all I recall is that it has to do with memory. Nothing new then."

"Yes, well, it's kind of like a lockbox, in the mind. It's hiding all of her memories." Riane nodded and cupped her chin in thought.

"Okay, good, then we're getting somewhere. So, can you unlock it?"

"Not without the correct passphrase I'm afraid." Riane shook her head.

"Ooh, try 'passphrase'," Inigo suggested.

"If you attempt to open it without the right passphrase, it'll be destroyed, and permanently erase the memories within it," she dryly replied, causing several of them to gulp.

"Do not try 'passphrase' then," he reneged. "Any ideas on where to get it?" Inigo asked as he rubbed a now dejected M'rissi's head.

"Best place to get it would be from the person that placed it, whomever that is."

"Isael," Blake muttered. "She's the one the ghost mentioned. It might have been her, most likely."

"Er, ignoring the ghost part, Isael is the Head Justicar of the Thalmor in Skyrim."

"Wait, I thought that was Elenwen," Onmund thought aloud.

"Elenwen is in charge of all facets, but Isael is the Head of Justicars directly under her," Brelyna explained.

Riane continued on. "You'd probably find her at the headquarters in Solitude, but…"

"I doubt it'd be a peaceful meeting," Blake finished.

"Then…we cannot get them back?" M'rissi asked sadly. "She… She knows the Thalmor are powerful, but…they will chase her forever, and now they have her memories' passphrase?"

"I'll get it." Weiss looked back at her teammate in surprise.

"Blake, don't be foolish. This isn't some secret society ready to crumble at a moment's notice. This is the Thalmor, a government entity equal to the Empire itself."

"Maybe, but I've been getting pretty good at this whole thief thing. I don't have to ask to get answers. I just have to find them. It's bound to be written down somewhere. Something important like this, whatever her reasons for locking them away, she wouldn't want to risk forgetting a few words and losing whatever she was holding over M'rissi."

"That's…true, I suppose. But…I don't know if it's a good idea to…" Blake followed Weiss' gaze over to the Khajiit girl, whose ears were drooped in sadness and face turned to a pout.

"M'rissi?"

"Yes Blake?"

"You wanted to learn a little magic, right? How about you stay here for a while and learn with Weiss and the others while I go try to find the passphrase? We'd have to come right back here anyways, so it's better if you just wait here until then."

"Really, she…" Her ears went back up a small smile appeared on her face. "Yes! Of course she would love to learn magic while you get the code! Then, when you get back, she will be a master wizard as well as a master thief and bowman."

"Aim for the stars, why don't you." Blake laughed and then looked over to Inigo. "You don't mind staying here with her until then right?"

"I suppose not. I will be quite miffed if you get to kill a dragon or troll pack without me though."

"Should be fine. Just running to Solitude and back. On my own I'll go a lot quicker."

"Wait, what about Ancano?" Onmund asked, getting everyone's attention back.

"Who?"

"Ancano is the Thalmor attaché to the College," J'zargo answered. "He is a nosy fool, but a fool all the same. Unlike others, he will not be on the lookout for the kitten, and none would suspect her to come here."

"Grrrow! Stop calling her kitten! She is grown, and maybe older than some of you!"

"So she can hide in plain sight," Blake deliberated. "That should keep us out of their gaze for a while. All right, I'll head out first thing in the morning."

"I'll be sure to work on those communicators tonight then," Weiss declared. "Between me, Brelyna, Onmund, and J'zargo, we should be able to get a pair up and running. Assuming that my theories are right, of course." Blake smiled and nodded at her vampiric teammate, who smiled back.

"Until then, let's get you settled," Brelyna offered M'rissi as she took the girl's hand and led her from the Hall of Countenance. "I bet that you'll make apprentice at least. You certainly climbed right over the novice level."

"She'll be a master in no time!" the girl excitedly declared, causing the Dunmer to chuckle. Riane, seeing how her job was done, nodded and went back to her office, leaving Blake and the other students behind. Weiss then nodded at Onmund and J'zargo, who nodded back and left to begin preparations for creating the communicators, leaving the two girls alone.

"I hope you know what you're doing Blake," Weiss warned. "There will be serious ramifications if you get caught breaking in to the Thalmor's property."

"Then I'll just have to not get caught."

* * *

After splitting up with Ruby at the base of the mountain, Yang reached Whiterun during the night and collapsed into her bed at Breezehome to a restless sleep, something that was becoming the norm for her. When she woke up she mindlessly meandered through the morning, fondly recalling coffee, soda, and other caffeinated things before heading up to Jorrvaskr. She really missed those little luxuries. As she passed through the mead hall doors, she overheard a few members discussing something rather loudly at one of the tables. From the sound of things, it wasn't pretty.

"Yang, good to see you," Farkas greeted as he caught sight of his fellow Circle member. "Your trip to Kynesgrove go all right?"

"Well, we killed a dragon before it could do any serious damage, so I guess all's well." Farkas chuckled and then followed her gaze over to the table. "What's going on?"

"Hjaalmarch is going to shit, basically. Vampires are everywhere, and just recently a house was burned down in the dead of the night right in the middle of Morthal, killing a woman and her daughter. Actually, we were hoping to talk with you about it."

"I mean, that's horrible, but I was practically at the other side of Skyrim at the time. What gives?"

"Well, it's not that… Uh, Vilkas would probably know how to say it better. Something about your friend…?"

"Let's go find him and ask then." Yang began leading the way down to the quarters, literally following her nose to what a part of her mind was thinking of as her packmate. She sniffed the air and picked up on the scent of coal-based makeup and sweat. There was a slight tingle up her spine and she felt her face heat up a tad.

' _Whoa, down girl!'_ Yang admonished herself. _'Yeesh! Sure, he's hot, but he's almost twice my age! Stupid instincts trying to get me into trouble!_

They found him talking with Kodlak about something, which made the wolf in Yang immediately calm down. Something about being in the presence of the Harbinger simply made them all far more well-behaved.

"Good to see you come home, Yang," Kodlak greeted while Vilkas gave her a nod. "Unfortunately, we might have to send you back out again."

"Farkas said something about a house in Morthal burning down and killing a family. I imagine it's related to that?"

"Half a family, actually," Vilkas corrected. "Word is that the husband survived unharmed, then moved in with another woman the very next day."

Yang whistled. "Wow, talk about suspicious. So people are thinking it was a murder?"

"Essentially, but not many of us have experience with investigating such a crime," Kodlak explained. "That's where you come in. You've told us quite a bit about yourself and the hunting schools you went to. Then some folks were talking about your…more nocturnal friend finding a murderer that had evaded authorities for a long time in Windhelm."

"Yeah, saw his head when we dropped by." Yang nodded her head, seeing where they were going with this. "So you guys think I can figure this out?"

"If anyone can," Vilkas answered. "My mind might be about as sharp as my blade at times, but I'm not used to having to figure out where my prey is beyond simply tracking it. Out of any of us, it was agreed that you might have the best chance at figuring anything out."

"Well, we were taught the basics of criminal investigation. If nothing else, I might be able to worm a motive out of this guy." Yang shrugged. "Morthal, right?"

"Yes. You'll just have to speak to the Jarl for permission, so as to not get into any trouble." Kodlak groaned and stroked his beard. "Also, be careful. Vampire activity has increased dramatically in Hjaalmarch and some places in Haafingar. While there's no risk of being infected for us, they're still not an opponent you should underestimate."

"I'll be careful. I'll probably head out tomorrow after Ruby gets back. She's making a quick stop to High Hrothgar, and I've gotta check on something me and Eorlund have been cooking up for her." Yang smiled brightly. "By the way, you guys know where I can get some red paint?"

* * *

Yang stepped down from the Skyforge while rolling her arms. Dusk was coming in, and soon the people would be turning in for the night. She chuckled to herself and then noticed someone leaving Jorrvaskr. She recognized Aela's scent before she went over and saw her, stuffing items into a bag and going through her quiver of arrows.

"What's up, buttercup?" Aela looked up, slightly startled by Yang's appearance. The older woman sighed as Yang squatted down next to her. "I didn't see you today. Everything cool?"

"I found where another Silver Hand base is," Aela answered evenly as she continued her preparations. "I'm going out there to kill them."

Yang looked over the woman's kit and then back at her. "Not by yourself, I hope."

"Trying to bring anyone with me will just slow me down."

"Oh no! We're not having that." Yang stood up and pulled Aela around by her shoulder. The huntress tried to pry her away, but Yang kept a firm but gentle grip on her as she looked her in the eyes. "You _cannot_ just go after them alone! You'll get yourself killed!"

"I won't let them get away with what they've done!" Aela yelled as she shook herself free of Yang and glared daggers at her. "After all these years they still hunt us down! They've killed Companions for decades, whether they have the Blood or not!"

"Keep your voice down and _think_ for a minute. Do you remember what happened when Skjor went off alone?"

Aela reared back a fist but stopped herself from going through with it. The snarl on her face slowly faded as she looked right into Yang's sad, blue eyes.

"I feel like shit for bringing it up, but I had to. He got himself killed being impatient, and you going off on your own will just end up doing the same." Yang placed both her hands on Aela's shoulders and slowly shook her head. "Listen, I've learned the hard way that trying to rush ahead on my own can end up getting me and those I care about hurt. Hell, sometimes I have to relearn it. I'm not saying you let them get away with it. We all want them taken down permanently. There's not a Companion in that mead hall who wouldn't agree they need to pay and be stopped. But getting yourself killed isn't going to stop them or make you feel any better. It'll just hurt us."

"I… I'm sorry. I haven't been…thinking straight." The woman sighed and leaned in, her forehead resting against Yang's shoulder. "Damnit!"

"Hey, it's okay." Yang patted her back and then let her up. "Now, what do you say we see if one of the guys is available? I'm pretty sure Farkas isn't doing anything."

Aela nodded. "All right."

As the two women headed inside, Yang pulled Aela in closer and patted her shoulder. "Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. Just slow down, and always have someone to watch your back." As Yang escorted Aela down to the quarters, she failed to notice Kodlak standing a short distance back, smiling at her.

"Well done, Yang. Well done."

* * *

Ruby looked at the four Greybeards. There was a sort of fear dwelling in her gut, but at the same time she felt excitement and anticipation. The dragons… No, _she_ was eager to prove herself strong enough to withstand this.

' _I am the force. I am the balance. I am the push. I will not stumble. I will not falter. I will not fall.'_

" **Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth niid balaan klov praan nau.** " Ruby felt the tangible weight of the words upon her, the Voices of the Greybeards pulling, pushing, pressing, and whirling upon her very being, but still she stood, braced and ready for the very world. " **Naal Th'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, naal Suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok.** "

As the echoes of their words rang out around her, Ruby stood at the center, gasping as she straightened herself back from the slight crouch she had been in. The very air tasted different as she picked up her head and took in a deep breath. The souls within her were roaring, but so was her own. A few calming breaths later, and Ruby could still feel the euphoria that came with passing the Greybeards' test.

"My Thane, are you all right?"

The Dragonborn looked over to her housecarl and grinned. "Never better."

* * *

As they rode back up to Whiterun, Ruby strummed her lute almost absentmindedly. As she tried formulating her next steps, she brought up her fingers and then brought them down on the fret of the two highest strings, making a note separate from her strumming. She made a few more hammer-ons and pull-offs as her other hand kept plucking out the rhythm.

"I guess we should head down to Falkreath at some point. Get that word from the old Brotherhood sanctuary. Already got the one from that cave Weiss went through."

"That sounds like…a good idea." Lydia's eyes were trying, and failing, to track how she was playing two separate lines at once. This was only compounded when Ruby's strumming hand's thumb began tapping the wood. "Were we going to go back to Solitude to inform Jarl Elisif about her husband's horn?"

"Yeah, I guess that should be done personally rather than through a letter." Ruby's playing shifted towards something closer to what Lydia figured was normal, though her thumb kept up its beat, and it was still an unfamiliar tune. "Kinda have some sensitive information there. Everyone keeps talking about there being vampire problems too." Her strumming hand lifted and her nails clacked a quick, rapid beat before going back to the strings. "I don't think I've ever fought a vampire. Unless that practice spar with Weiss counts."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it doesn't."

"Hm, new experience then, I suppose." Ruby strummed a short breakdown, letting the last chord fade on its own while her hand went to the lowest strings. She plucked the high notes alone for a moment before her other hand went up and began a quick series of hammers, interspersed by pairs of strummed chords. Lydia almost balked at what she was seeing, but managed to keep her composure. "Reckon Yang will want to come with us?"

"I…don't see why she shouldn't." Lydia's mind seemed to calm itself as Ruby cycled back to a chord and thumb-tap combination, only to boggle again when her strumming hand went up and a single finger was used to hammer the top string while her other hand focused on lower strings. At this point they were closing in on the stables and guards on patrol were stalling in their steps as they passed by. As they stopped, Ruby's playing shifted to a more normal, if still a bit aggressive, series of chords, finally ending right before she slid off of her horse's back and began patting his neck.

"Good boy, Choc-Hooves. I'll be sure to tell them to give you an extra apple."

Lydia shook her head and allowed a small laugh to escape her as she dismounted. Even after getting used to some of the more bizarre things about her Thane and her friends, she still ended up getting surprised sometimes. The two made their way into the city, dropping off their things at Breezehome and then heading to Jorrvaskr upon seeing that Yang wasn't there. They were quickly pointed out by Njalda to the Skyforge, which immediately became their next destination. Ruby saw Eorlund hammering away at a newly forged chest plate and Yang working on some armor section. The elder girl put the chest piece on, wincing at the obvious discomfort from it not being fitted for her particular frame. She then reached up and unclicked something at the shoulders while doing the same at her sides. The piece then went loose, the straps of it seemingly tripling in length. Yang grinned though, as if she had succeeded.

"Looks like it worked, Eorlund." She saw Ruby standing off to the side and practically ripped off the odd armor before rushing over to her. Ruby virtually grappled her as she wrapped her into a hug, then lifted her older sister up and squeezed, making her helpless. "Ah, mercy!" Yang playfully yelled.

"No mercy!" Ruby called out before breaking out into giggles and letting Yang down. "Well, it's done there. My training from here on is trying to find out the words on my own. Also Argneir asked that I return the horn to complete some ritual or something, so I'll be doing that. How was your day without me?"

"Unsurprisingly, peaceful." Ruby blew a raspberry right before Yang broke into laughter and rubbed her head. "Nah, nothing much happened. The others asked if I could look into something that smells like foul play over in Morthal. House burned down. A woman and her daughter died in the fire. Some circumstantial stuff points to the husband, but it's enough to make him a suspect."

"Oh…" Ruby moaned sadly. "That's…horrible."

"It is. Hopefully I can get to the bottom of it. I've been doing something else though." Yang grinned and walked over to the blacksmith. "Hey, think she's ready?"

"It's as ready as it'll ever be." The man placed his work down safely and began heading down the stairs. Yang followed, beckoning Ruby to follow along as well. Wondering what exactly was going on, the young Dragonborn followed her sister and the man to the back yard of Jorrvaskr. Yang called into the building, and soon a plethora of Companions poured out, including Kodlak and Vilkas. A few rolled out something covered in a tarp, to which Ruby rose her brow at. Eorlund stood at the front of the group and received a nod from Kodlak.

"As the smith for the Companions, it has been my honor and privilege to forge the arms and armor for this great hall for decades now, but for the first time in my life, and likely the first time in centuries, I got to work with a material that few would even dream of. With the help of Yang Xiao-Long, I have finally been able to piece together this masterpiece, and thus present it to one who needs it the most out of anyone in Tamriel. Dragonborn Ruby Rose, if you would accept, I give to you, my first set of dragon scale armor."

Yang pulled away the tarp and what was beneath it made Ruby gasp. Like Eorlund had said, it was an armor set constructed of dragon scales, most of them linked together by a glossy, black material. Dragon teeth were embedded into the neck guard, angled so that they would protect without risking injury. Larger scales were used for the abdomen in a segmented pattern with a y-split pair of scales over the chest. The gauntlets and shin guards were made from intermediate scales pressed and bounded together with spiked knee pads. Most noticeable about it was that above the legs was an armored skirt made from tiered scales, the last tier ending in stylistic steel points.

And every scale on the whole thing was painted in her favorite shade of red!

"This is… It's beautiful!" Ruby said as she admired the masterpiece. "I love it!"

* * *

Weiss blinked wearily before she downed another herbal infused drink. She hissed as the bitter taste passed by her palate and went down her throat, then looked back at her notes. She was getting closer to figuring it out. There just seemed to be something missing that she wasn't quite sure of.

"Everything okay, Weiss?" she heard before turning back to see Blake walking up with two steaming cups.

"Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?"

"I could say the same for you," Blake said before placing a cup within reach, but away from Weiss' papers and materials. "I actually tried though. Couldn't fall asleep. I keep thinking about everything. M'rissi. Ruby. The dragons. What Azura said about there being others ending up here before us."

"Yes, my mind keeps wandering back to that as well. It's…a little distracting, to be honest. But I think I've narrowed it down to four or five people from history. Most of them being 'mysterious appearances'." Weiss blinked as she took a sip of the hot drink. "Tea?"

"Well, they don't have coffee if that's what you wanted. I prefer tea myself honestly."

"Take what you get, I suppose." Weiss drank a little more and sighed at the warm feeling it spread throughout her. "Gods above, this is pretty good though." She looked over and saw Blake with her nose already in a book. " _Journey of the Heroes_ ," she read the title. "Mm, what did you say that the Hero's name was in that?"

"Yohannes. I think it's a misspelling of a common Nordic name, Johan or Johannes, with a j."

"A…j?" Weiss eye went wide as all pretenses of sleepiness faded from her. "A j?!" She set the cup of tea aside and pulled out a blank sheet of parchment and one of her ball-point pens then wrote down 'Johannes' onto it. "What were the others?"

"Weiss, what are you…?"

"Don't derail me! Say their names!"

"Uh, Yohannes, Nicaea, Denor, Lerian, and Unknown," Blake answered in scared confusion. Weiss scribbled down the three other names and then drew lines from them.

"Describe them! I've heard about them before, but describe them to me in your own words." Weiss furiously scribbled more notes down, not looking up at Blake while she worked. Confused, but deciding it was better to go along with it, Blake cleared her throat.

"Okay, so Yohannes is the leader. The book actually describes him as being a novice at first, with barely any idea how to swing a sword, but he gradually improves to the point he's able to fight veterans on equal ground. Other than that typical Nord. Blond hair, blue eyes, hints of a beard starting to grow, and really wants to be a great warrior," she described, still wondering where Weiss was going with this. "Nicaea was skilled from the start, but also kind of timid and very…overly nice. Merciful to a fault at times. Pretty sure she's a red-haired Colovian Cyrod. Also was really attracted to Yohannes. Like, shockingly so in that nothing ever happened. He's been kinda oblivious to it for a while, but I think he's starting to catch on." Blake shook her head at that. Honestly, those two reminded her of Jaune and Pyrrha a bit, but she supposed stuff like that is universal. Regardless, she shipped both pairs. "Denor was wild, full of energy, barely thought about things before she did them. At least before the Tragedy, then she went full civil rights movement and got calmer, in some aspects at least. Fairly typical Nord with red hair, only short. Had a thing for lightning and hammers. Lerian was quiet, reserved, but also responsible and mature. He was described as a Nibenese monk with 'thick Akaviri blood visible in his face'. He usually watched out for Denor, and they pretty much fell in love after the events of Desann's Palace. Or they already were and only realized it after that close call with death. What exactly-"

"Look at this!" Weiss commanded while holding the paper right in Blake's face. The Faunus gently took it and held it at a better distance to read what Weiss had written.

 _Johannes –_ _Jaune_

 _Nicaea – Pyrrha_ _Nikos_

 _Denor –_ _Nora_

 _Lerian –_ _Lie Ren_

Beneath the lines between each pair of names Weiss had listed off several traits that Blake had mentioned. Physical characteristics, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses were all there. She'd even written down Nora's Semblance. The Faunus' eyes widened as she realized just how much of this was beginning to match up.

"I… This is…"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice it beforehand! Those names are just bastardizations of Team JNPR's names!" Weiss threw her arms up into the air while Blake looked frantic, her mind trying to process what it was starting to see.

"Okay, but… ," she racked her brain in search of a more logical explanation. "That doesn't answer why they would have appeared two hundred years ago. Not to mention when we were headed to Patch, they were still at Beacon watching over that mutt."

"Don't you see? 'Beyond the reach of even the mightiest dragon'. That's not Alduin or some super powerful dragon flying around. That's Akatosh, the Time Dragon." Weiss' eyes held a look of realization in them, while Blake's slowly widened.

"I… What?"

"Remnant must exist outside of Nirn's time! I don't know how we have time at all if that's the case, but the timelines of Nirn and Remnant are non-parallel at the very least." Weiss got up and began to pace, her finger pointing back and forth as she walked. "We could return at the very moment we disappeared, or maybe centuries in the future. Perhaps even a point in Remnant's past." Weiss gulped at that realization. "But one thing's for certain, these names match up too well, the hint runs too close to home. Tell me, could you easily picture Team JNPR in the Heroes' place?"

Blake looked back down to what she had been reading, a chapter where Yohannes was facing against Umaril's forces, leading the Knights of Nine. She tried to picture Jaune there instead, and it was honestly uncanny.

"Ma- Maybe if they had time to mature a little…"

"And how much time has gone by in that story?"

"Months, maybe. Oh my god," she muttered.

"I know. How in the world did Jaune become a Restoration Master when I only just got used to the basics?"

"That's what you've taken away from all of this?!" Blake shouted, exasperated at her friend's priorities.

"I haven't had sleep, all right. And I'm due for another bottle of blood." Weiss plopped down on her stool and sighed. "At least we have some hope now. It's obvious why JNPR didn't come back from the Shivering Isles. They must have gotten back. Will get back?" Weiss shrugged. "I guess it's both."

"How would they have gotten back through the Shivering Isles?"

"It's nothing concrete, but I think that the 'serpent's trail' is some sort of reference to Lorkhan. Shor to the Nords. In most religions, especially the Altmer's version, Lorkhan is depicted as a silver-tongued serpent. Even the Yokudan tradition depicts him as such. Conversely, Sheogorath has been described by some as coming from that last spark of Lorkhan. Nothing concrete, like I said, and it could very well be that they never did leave the Isles, but if anything could have gotten them back from what we know and can guess at, Sheogorath is one of the few." She picked up her enchanted communication device and looked it over before sighing. "At least that's one mystery solved."

"I wouldn't call it solved. Oh great, now I can't stop picturing Nora pretending to be a pirate."

"What?"

"When they were fighting an Argonian warlord-slash-sex slaver, he cut her eye out and she had to wear an eyepatch from that point on."

"How in the world could that have happened?" Weiss suddenly got much more worried.

"Apparently that guy had traveled Morrowind, Skyrim, and Hammerfell, taking on small armies and raiding tombs and Dwemer ruins all on his own for years to amass a fortune. Then he went into illegal human trafficking and forced prostitution for some reason. There was also some weird stuff with some kind of not-daedra that I think might have been something related to Dibella."

"Gods." Weiss shook her head while grabbing an identical device to what she was holding, both of them oblong 'rings' made half from copper and half from gold, with a diamond inset on one side and an amethyst on the other. Blake thought they looked like gaudy, wireless ear buds. "Okay, this information is way too important to relay by mail. Blake, mind helping me test this?"

"Sure." Blake took the piece, agreeing with Weiss' logic. If they could get this working, they could let the others know right away. She followed Weiss' motions, putting the piece up to her ear and tapping the amethyst only to hear static and something that sounded like an imp being ripped in half. Blake pulled it away and shook her head. "Ow!"

"Yeah, that keeps happening." Weiss sighed at yet another expensive failure. "Probably some sort of interference. An emerald enchanted with telepathic based spells should have solved that, but it actually made it worse."

"I wonder…" Blake hummed and took out her scroll, opened it, and placed it on her leg. Placing the device on it, she looked back at a now amused Weiss. "Try calling me."

"Hehe," Weiss laughed as she shook her head. "Very funny Blake." Playing along, she took out her own scroll and held it against the device while selecting Blake from her call list. Her scroll phone began attempting to connect, which she expected to fail like every attempt made since arriving, but, to her surprise, Blake's scroll began ringing. Blake answered, and suddenly she could see her teammate's face on her scroll in real time.

"It worked," she heard from both in front of her and from her scroll.

"But… How did it?" Weiss took the enchanted object away from her scroll and the call became disconnected. "How?"

"Maybe they needed some kind of vector. Scrolls already have an input and output for visual and audio. Maybe that's what you needed?"

"Input and output…" Weiss looked down and touched the devices together again, and her scroll reconnected the call after a few seconds. "Oh. My. God."

"So we've got it, right?"

"I…guess so. I'll get them altered so that they can attach to the scrolls, but… Why is tonight so weird?"

"At least it's a good weird." Blake hung up and passed the device over to Weiss.

"Yeah, I guess so. Bleh, magic was supposed to be a new kind of logic, not an unknown craziness."

"You're just sleep deprived. Come on. Maybe we can finally get some rest now that you don't have so much to worry about."

"Fine… After I make the attachments and ship them out."

"Gods, Weiss."

* * *

The armor was surprisingly easy to put on. It practically slipped on, only having to have the boots, gauntlets, and neck guard buckled into place. Ruby tested out the range of motion for her arms, finding herself not restricted at all. Eorlund had planned to add pauldrons, but Yang dissuaded him of that in the end. Ruby picked up her scythe and extended it before swinging the weapon around, over, and then spinning it before taking a stance with the blade held back. She swung Crescent Rose forward and spun herself before jumping up, kicking one leg over and twirling through the air as her weapon turned under her, inches above the ground despite fully reaching out. At the top of her jump she rolled Crescent Rose around herself from behind her body and slashed forward. The scythe spun in her hands, deflecting imaginary attacks and slicing apart imaginary foes. Ruby twirled and twirled her weapon as a leaf fell from a nearby tree and towards her. The blade sliced across one side and then the other, shaving the leaf bit by bit until it went from star-shaped to a thin oval. She paused, the tip of Crescent Rose having pierced the very center of the leaf.

Ruby smiled and flicked her scythe back up and twirled it around before stopping, her weapon held behind her, the head held near the ground and the blade pointed up.

"It's a little heavier than what I'm used to, but it feels perfect." Ruby tapped a part of the armor with her scale-covered knuckles. "My own scales," she muttered. "I think I'll call it…Scaled Rose." She hummed and took a breath. "No, Qahpeyt." A soft breeze passed Ruby by and she looked over to the rising sun. "Yeah, Qahpeyt, the Scaled Rose Armor."

* * *

 **Kogaan - bless/ thanks**

 **Kogaan hi - Bless you/ (I) thank you**

 **hofkiin - home**

 **arhol - hill**

 **Aaz Hah So - Mercy Mind Sorrow. It essentially means "I'm sorry," but with far more sympathetic undertones than the simple krosis.**

 **Thur Rot Gron - Lord Word Bind**

 **Aarsethur - Servant of (the) master**

 **Zu'u ni ov voth nid motmahaus - Literally "I not trust with no difficulty"**

 **Vah Su'um Ven - Spring Breath Wind - the 'farewell' to Drem Yol Lok's 'greetings'**


	29. Pieces of Apocrypha: R and W and 7

Journal of Ruby Rose, Huntress

 _4E 201, 6th of Hearthfire_ (Hearthfire's like September or something here)

So, the Greybeards say writing things down could be good for me and my focus. Unfortunately, Weiss had all of the pencils and pens, so I'm doing this with a quill. At least the paper's pretty good.

Well, I've been thinking about what to write down. The whole situation is crazy. We're stuck in another world. Magic is everywhere. There are actual dragons flying around reeking wrecking making a mess of things. And now I'm destined to fight their overlord, Alduin. Argneir says he's the Nordic God of Destruction. I don't know how they expect me to fight a god, but I'm hoping that's just his way of exaggerating and Alduin is just a really tough dragon. Actually, that's still pretty scary. I've only fought two dragons, and one of them said that _he_ was weak compared to others when we beat him, and I know for a fact that he could have stomped just about any Grimm I've ever come up against. Even that Giant Nevermore from initiation wasmostly difficult because it was airborne.

 _4E 201, 7th of Hearthfire_

Well, meditating has helped me figure out some stuff. Apparently the dragons were sort of ranked and/or divided into types. They didn't really care about the different types themselves, but it helped their human servants to tell apart which dragons were bigger bosses than others.

So the weakest are 'Brown' Dragons, but that doesn't mean they're always that color. It's supposed to have something to do with closeness to the ground, but Mirmulnir's memories on it are fuzzy for me. Just trying to think about it gives me a headache. These guys shouldn't be a problem for me and my team, but to everyday people they're still dangerous.

Blood Dragons are just above them. Paalduzaam was a Blood Dragon. Apparently they get this name because they tend to be bloodier than other dragons, usually getting injured by stuff that wouldn't hurt the tougher kind and that browns would just avoid.

There are some other groups I can't remember, but Mirmulnir was known as an Ancient Dragon, way above a Blood Dragon. Weirdly, I know it doesn't have to do with age, but I don't know _why_. I know they aren't the most powerful, but they're just at the start of the groups that can take on whole armies and come out with just a few wounds. I knowthere's at least two ranks above Ancient, but I can't remember what they're called. I just know that there are some dragons who could have easily beaten Mirmulnir as he would be able to beat Paalduzaam.

* * *

Journal of Weiss Schnee,

 _12th of Hearthfire 4E 201_

My studies into the arcane go well, but I have not neglected my training with my Semblance or my sword skills since I've arrived here at the College of Winterhold. Some people do find it odd that I would practice such a skill while learning magic, but those people are halfwits who won't be able to defend themselves the moment an enemy resistant to magic charges them head first.

While I've tried researching a cure for my vampiric condition, all I've found so far are cures for _other_ conditions. It appears that nearly every strain of vampirism requires a different cure, though there are rumors of there being a place in Cyrodiil that can cure any form of the affliction, but, as these are just second-hand written descriptions of very old rumors, I'm not putting much trust in them.

I have noted several interesting things about my newfound biology, though. Most things don't pain me much, even being wholly penetrated by a piece of wood or a blade only stings. Having my leg impaled just before the witch hunt my teammates and I went on only stung about as much as when I was cut across my eye. Fire, however, has only become more painful. I think I've started to develop a phobia of it.

Of course, there's the problem with sunlight. It doesn't necessarily hurt me, but what would have once seemed an enjoyable sunny day has become blindingly bright and sunbaked. And it does affect me, as being in sunlight slows my ability to regenerate Aura and magicka alike. It's also exhausting, and now I'm afraid that whatever the sun used to do to my skin will be nothing compared to a sunburn I'll get as a vampire.

Biologically, everything appears normal. My heart beats, I bleed when I'm cut, and I still digest food. I never feel actual hunger though, and eat more out of habit than anything. It seems my body just processes it all thoroughly. All I really crave now is blood, but I am more than satisfied with just two liters every week. On that note, it appears that the blood does not necessarily need to be man, mer, or beast-folk. Animal blood, while not as filling, provides me the necessary sustenance. The faculty here has been most accommodating in that matter. On a side note, Brelyna now knows about my condition. I explained how it happened after her experiment and my eyes shifted colors. She took it with gusto, surprisingly, and even offered to provide blood without me asking to. She's a good friend, I should get her something.

Among other things, I've discovered that I'm still fertile, of which I will not go into detail on how I know. At the very least, there seems to be a precedent of vampiric parents, though not very much. While at least I can have an heir, there really isn't much need as it's universally agreed upon that vampires are immortal and unaging, which is annoying in itself as I looked forward to gaining my last few inches into adulthood. I also don't know if having a child is a good idea at all for me as there isn't any written indication on what the child of a vampire is like. I only found three examples of vampires having children, one about a mother who then drained her newborn, one about a pair of vampires whose house was then burnt down taking them and their unborn child, and something about a vampire who was once a lord whose mistress fled him with their love-child. The last one seems to be indicative of another tale, but the library doesn't have that particular book anymore, apparently stolen by some wayward students.

At the very least, it's not all bad, though I am a little unsure of these shrinking returns that certainly mark this as a curse. Hopefully I'll be able to dig up a cure soon, but until then I'll work on reaching a level of magical aptitude where transporting us home becomes not only feasible, but inevitable.

* * *

 **Experience with Giants**

In traveling I've run across a fair amount of wildlife and seen a lot of different peoples and cultures. Ranging from the Khajiit of both Anequina and Pelletine, to the Dunmer of Morrowind. I've seen trolls of every kind you could imagine, big cats of every environment, giant worms digging through sand for locomotion, and the odd life cycle of kwama. I have met people as varied as the creatures they live alongside and against, but one of the oddest cases I ever came across was that of the Giants.

Living almost exclusively in Skyrim, Giants are said to have come from Atmora alongside the ancestors of the Nordic peoples. In fact, many ancient historical accounts tell of Giants being a part of Skyrim's armies, battling alongside Men against the armies of the Falmer and Ayleid. Yet, from what I've seen, Giants live segregated from the Nords, out in primitive nomadic clans rather than in towns or settlements. I asked what would have caused this sort of change at nearly every level, but lord and peasant alike seemed to not only not know, but didn't seem to understand why I would ask.

Then I came across something terrible. A group of mages were hunting Giants and their mammoths, collecting mammoth hides, meat, and bones while using pieces of the Giants for alchemy. They had an assortment of traps and magical setups that would fell the beings once led into their grasp. Thanks to my experience in crafting translation amulets, I was able to quickly make another one specifically for Giantspeech and assisted a clan tribe known as The Broken Limb, who were being harried by these rogues. I was able to counter the magics, while they easily smashed them, quite literally in most cases. After that I was accepted as a 'Friend of Jo'Tunn', which is quite similar to being known as Bloodkin to Orsimer. I may have also inadvertently taught a few Giantesses how to more properly use healing magic, as their best healer was frightfully amateur.

Despite my best efforts though, I cannot grasp why the Nords seem so complacent about the Giants' lot in their world. These are their historical kin, perhaps closer to them than the Minotaurs are to the Cyrods, and they hadn't had the sort of conflict those groups had in times past. Even the Forsworn primitives, who would _only_ ever benefit from an alliance with the Jo'Tunn, look to them more as competition and a source of sacrifices.

Perhaps when I return from my trip to Solstheim I will have time to better look into the situation, and maybe even get the Pigmole University to assist in rectifying it. At the very least, the Giants could make use of basic sanitation, metallurgy, and agricultural methods to improve their livelihoods. They already know some form of 'green' Alteration magic to assist plants in growing, discovered by their own efforts. Who knows what their fresh perspective could add to the world. The only comparison we have is the architectural ingenuity of Mulukrin, otherwise known as goblins, and anyone who's been the target of 'the goblin-hall prank' knows how much a difference they made there.

 _Jesse Kay, the Heavy Scribe_


	30. Deliver Us Devilry

**Just a reminder, if you submit a guest review, I can't respond to whatever question you had.**

* * *

" _They have taken you from the Imperial City's prison, first by carriage, and now by boat, to the east, to Morrowind. Fear not, for I am watchful. You have been chosen."_

 _Thunder rolled, and wind blew, and then a throaty voice spoke._

" _Wake up. We're here. Why are you shaking?" he asked in concern. "Are you okay? Wake up."_

 _Eyes opened to see a Dunmer with a long scar going from one side of his chin all the way up to and across his forehead._

" _Stand up," he said while helping. "You were dreaming. What's your name?" When no answer came, he chuckled. "What's the matter? Never seen a Dunmer before?"_

" _No. No, I haven't."_

* * *

Weiss gasped as she awoke, her head leaning off the side of her bed. She slowly sat up, groaning at how tired she still was. For some reason, she had heard Azura's voice in her dreams, and then saw something. She looked over the Azura's Star sitting on her nightstand, and then took the artifact in her hands to look it over.

" _You wish to better understand your future, to prepare for it,"_ she heard the voice of the Daedric Prince. _"But seeing the future will not help you prepare. Rather than glimpse the Dusk, I will show you the Dawn. Prepare for the future, by looking at the past."_

"The past?" the still waking vampire muttered. She sighed and placed the artifact back down. The girl stretched herself, and then went to prepare for the day.

* * *

"Any idea who it was?" Blake asked her teammate as they walked towards the courtyard.

"Not at all. It was too short to get any big clues." Weiss shook her head. "All I know was that he asked…whoever I was seeing the point of view from what their name was. There was a mention of never seeing a Dunmer before, and then I woke up."

"Never saw a Dunmer before? You think it could be another from Remnant?"

"Possibly, but I'm not sure what showing me about them is supposed to do. I don't even know who it was."

"Must be connected to Azura somehow. Maybe that'll help."

"I'm not sure. I'll try to look into it, but there's no telling what I might or might not find."

Weiss suddenly stopped as she caught sight of Savos Aren talking with an Altmer in thick robes, a hood pulled over most of his head. The stranger had to have been over seven feet tall, perhaps the tallest being she had ever seen. What was really telling though was the four people standing just to the side of them, looking lost, yet hopeful.

"Weiss?" Blake asked in concern.

"Those are the four vampires the others and I freed," Weiss whispered while gesturing in their direction. Blake looked over and her ears flicked.

"And the high elf?"

"I'm not sure, but going by what I'm seeing, I'm willing to bet he's with Duskfall. Might even be the friend Archmage Savos mentioned to me when I first joined." Weiss looked out past the gates of Winterhold and sighed. "Well, you be careful headed to Solitude. Call or text me every night and morning as well as the moment you get to the cities."

"Yes, _mom_ ," Blake replied with a roll of her eyes before laughing and wrapping Weiss in a hug, which the heiress returned. "You take care of yourself, too."

"I will. As well as your noisy friends." They split up and Blake began heading down the path. Weiss watched her go for a moment and was prepared to head back in, but then the Altmer that had been speaking to Savos was near her. Weiss paused and took in his visage. His eyes were a glowing orange hidden beneath his hood, with black hair peering out around them. Though yellow-skinned like most Altmer, his was a pale yellow.

"You are Weiss Schnee. Savos told me about you." The vampire hummed and nodded.

"He…did?" Weiss felt a strange sort of weight around her. She wasn't sure how, but something was telling her that the vampire right in front of her was far more powerful than she could even think of being.

' _Savos called him a friend. Dunmer don't just call anyone friends. They may have known each other for centuries. He could have been a master wizard when Savos was still an apprentice. Maybe even before he was born.'_

"Yes. May I?" He held up a finger, though Weiss wasn't sure what he wanted. Not knowing what he was going to do, she looked back up at him expectedly. "It's only a simple probe. I want to see the face of your…predecessor."

"The one who bit me." Weiss whispered before nodding. "All right, but if I don't like where you're digging I'm shoving you right out." The elder vampire nodded and touched the tip of his finger to her head. The Mnemonic Probe started, but it was gentle, almost waiting. Weiss did her best to recall what she could of the vampire that bit her what seemed like ages ago. She heard a small hum, and then suddenly the image sharpened. The memory went back to the back of her mind as the vampire took his hand away and the Probe ended.

"Damn," he quietly cursed. "Thought he had long fled to High Rock and beyond. Seems he stayed and finally met his end barely more than a dried up corpse. Fitting."

"You… You knew him?"

"I knew of him. He was despised, even by other vampires. Diableric. I ask that you do not follow in his footsteps, should you ever learn what they are. Down that road only lies worse damnation than what we already face."

"I…don't know how it can get much worse, but I'll be careful…,sir."

"Jarmak." The Altmer hummed after giving her his name and then stroked his chin. "You are trustworthy enough. Feel free to come to us should you ever need help from others. Simply look for where dusk falls at the heart of dawn, and sing."

"Everything should be in order then," Weiss heard from behind Jarmak, and looked to see Savos ushering the vampire women forward. "Safe travels, Jarmak. Do take care of them. They're a rough lot, but not wicked in any way."

"Wickedness is always a choice." Jarmak smiled and nodded before turning away. "Come then, children. It's a long way home."

The Bosmer vampire groaned as they went, but the Nordic one paused for a moment to nod at Weiss. The heiress nodded back and watched them head on their way. She looked over to Savos as he came alongside her to watch their departure, then cleared her throat.

"So he was the one from the Duskfall Kindred. Your friend?"

"Yes." Savos smiled. "That old elf has been around a long time. Sometimes he takes a few years to teach at the College. Taught even me a thing or two."

"How old is he?" Weiss looked out towards the departing vampires, just now crossing the bridge into Winterhold.

"No idea. But I recall him mentioning things from as far back as the Second Era. I wouldn't be surprised if he was one of the oldest beings on Nirn. Think he may have even had a hand in the First Aldmeri Dominion." Savos laughed a little and shook his head. "He has some odd stories though. If you ever find you have the time, I might be able to recount a couple."

"I might actually like that. If you wouldn't mind helping me though, sir, I've finally made major headway into the communication enchantment." Weiss pulled out her scroll phone and set it to call Blake, who should have been close to the stables by now. "It turned out we needed a proper way for the devices to input and output the information, so our non-magical communicators turned out to be a pretty good vector."

"Hey Weiss," Blake answered from the middle of Winterhold. Savos was actually startled when he heard her voice and saw her face, a bit of the town moving along in her background. "What is it?"

"Just showing off to the Archmage, letting him know of our success. Thank you again, by the way."

"No problem. Oh, be careful about M'rissi. She tends to…claw apart her bedding sometimes. Night terrors. Don't tell her I told you."

"Oh… Right. I'll look into it. Good-bye."

"Bye." Weiss hung up and looked back to Savos, who was stroking his beard in thought.

"Input and output, you say. Well, how about we start with something simple? Crystals are useful for both taking in and sending out images. The crystal balls like what the bank uses allow a two-way view within them.

Weiss smacked her own forehead. "Crystal ball! Why didn't I think of that before?"

* * *

"I bet Zora could set up right there," Ruby pondered over a very empty field, nodding her head. "Yeah, just set up a nice cottage there, a fence here, and then cotton all around."

"I think farming is a little more complicated than that Rubes," Yang pointed out.

"How hard can it be? You put some seeds in the ground and make sure they have plenty of water."

"Well, you gotta think about the soil. Cotton takes some very rich soil to grow."

"Well, there's some Giants nearby. Maybe she could get some mammoth manure."

Yang looked forward and saw a group of Giants herding their mammoths. Several were looking their way, and a few were wearing basic iron chest armor. A little further she could see their camp where smoke was rising from their fires.

"I think that might be their field."

"Ah crud! You're right! Hey, hold up." Ruby slowed her horse and looked towards something in the distance. "I think that's some lady Giants. I wanna check it out." She turned her horse and began heading in the direction of the Giantesses, catching a few of the herders' attentions and causing her sister and housecarl to groan.

"Ruby, hold on!"

"My Thane, please make your intentions to the Giants clear."

Ruby took out her Giantspeech talisman and put it on as she approached what she now could see were three elder Giantesses and two younger ones, one of them probably still a teenager or young adult. They noticed her coming, and a nearby male started taking a stance, but Ruby just waved.

"Hello. I'm Ruby Rose. Don't mind me. I was just curious about what you're doing," Ruby explained while Yang and Lydia caught up to her.

"Ruby?" one holding a staff asked before breaking out into a wide smile. " _Friend of Jo'Tunn! We gladly welcome you to the sacred Sleeping Tree._ " She then gestured over to a tree that Ruby was surprised she didn't notice at first. It was lavender colored, almost crystalline in its appearance. It glimmered in the sunlight, and the small pond around it was filled with blue waters that slowly gave off a purple mist.

" _We heard about your helping the Guldun and Cradlecrush tribes,_ " another one said as she squatted down next to Ruby. " _And teaching the Talking Stones to craft_ iron _shells._ "

"I was just doing what felt right." Ruby bashfully kicked the ground. " Seems like you guys got some armor too."

" _A few from Talking Stone came to trade and show us the ways to craft them. We have done the same for Guldun, who we hope will show more Jo'Tunn towards sunrise. We may have lost the art, but we can bring it back, thanks to you._ "

" _Grandmother,_ " the youngest began, " _can we show her? Do you think she is trusted enough?_ "

" _I believe so._ "

"Ruby, what's the dealio with the old Giant ladies?" Yang asked, a little tired of being left out of the conversation.

"Oh, I forgot." Ruby reached into her bag and pulled out another talisman. "Here." She handed it over to her sister, who put the necklace on.

" _Yes, I believe she is trusted enough to be granted the Sight and Strength of the Sleeping Tree._ "

"Okay, what did I miss?"

The Giantesses looked over to Yang, and the youngest one scoffed.

" _Do you not know what an honor it is to even be considered to taste of the sap?_ "

"Wait, what sap?"

"They're talking about Sleeping Tree Sap," Lydia explained. "Ysolda trades for it sometimes. It can make a man as strong as an ox, but slow as a horker."

"Wait, so it's a drug? Is that legal?" Yang looked at the housecarl. "Is Ysolda a drug dealer?!"

"It's not illegal." Lydia shrugged. "It's not one of the more harmful substances, like Balmora Blue or skooma. More akin to moon sugar, pipe weed, or smokebug."

"Ysolda _is the one we sell the diluted leftovers to, right?_ " one of the elders asked.

" _Yes, that is the one._ " She nodded towards the three women. " _Folk from afar in all directions make the pilgrimage to the Sleeping Tree in search of its guidance and gifts. I believe_ Ruby _is worthy of such a gift. And I would hope that the Sleeping Tree shall show you a greater path._ "

"Oh, okay. It's some kind of spiritual ritual. Like those guys in the northern parts of Vacuo who drink cactus juice for spirit journeys."

"I think there was a lot more to it than that Rubes," Yang warned. "Also, who knows what drinking this stuff could do to you."

"It'll be fine, Yang. What'd you say it does Lydia? Makes people slow down a bit? Aren't you always complaining about how fast I am?"

"It was more me complaining about how I am not that fast, but you do raise a good point. The effects aren't normally all that bad and usually short lived." Lydia then looked around, noticing that several of the males had started coming their way to investigate what was going on. "Besides, it does seem like an honor. They would be making an incredible exception."

Yang squinted and looked towards the Sleeping Tree. "What even is that anyhow? I don't think I've seen another tree like that, ever."

" _It sprouted long ago, when a single seed escaped the Flying City._ "

"Umbriel," Lydia muttered. "That happened a hundred and fifty years ago."

"What's Umbriel?"

"It was a city that came from Oblivion. Some say it came from the Realm of the Hist. There are those who say it planned to eradicate all mortals save for Argonians, or that it was going to turn everyone into Argonians. It destroyed the Black Marsh city of Lilmoth and began making an undead army to assault the Empire. It took a group of heroes sacrificing almost everything to stop it. If this tree came from there, then it's probably related to the Hist trees."

"Aren't those, like, really important to Argonians and stuff?" Yang looked over to the tree again. "You sure this is okay?"

"It shouldn't be harmful, but I don't know what all it would do."

" _When it was but a sapling, my grandmother noticed its beauty and a drop of sap leaking from the side. She tasted it, and then followed the words she heard and dug this pond out around it. After that the Sleeping Tree grew great and strong, and sometimes gives its sap to us so that we may commune with it. I have taken the journey a few times, and have been given great strength in exchange for being its caretaker. If you look, you will see our men are often taller than other tribes. We are blessed by_ Kann _to have such a responsibility and gift._ "

"That's really cool, uh, neat. I'd be honored to join your ritual, miss," Ruby told the shaman. "It's about time for us to camp anyways."

* * *

"Hurry up, you milk-drinking sons of elves!" a gruff voice belonging to an armored Dunmer yelled. Cyrigs ran by him, but Gyaf stopped several meters away and doubled over, gasping for breath.

"Sarge, you're killing me!"

"Don't get my hopes up! Just run! Lopin' has already gone past you twice now!"

An Argonian ran up and paused by Gyaf to scoff at him. "(The fatso couldn't run unless a sweet roll cart were to go by)," he said in his native tongue of Jel.

"Exactly! What if we needed to run from Thalmor agents plannin' to take away all of our rights! While you'd slow them down, they'd catch up to you so fast they could get right back on the rest of our trails barely hindered! So speed up, that way it takes them longer to catch you, and the rest of us have time to plot their demise through a series of unlikely traps! Good points, Lopin'!"

"(Why, oh Hist, why am I stuck with you fools)?!" the Saxhleel bemoaned before continuing his run.

"Come on! That's the third time he's passed you!"

"No fair! He has those weird bird legs!"

"Actually," Cyrigs yelled from the other side of their snow-trodden running circle, "our plantigrade legs allow us to run at a more constant rate than digitigrade legs like Loping-on-Heavily's. He'd actually get tired quicker than the average man or mer. Yer just that fat and lazy."

"I'm…not that fat."

"I did tell you, you should join me on my diet," Donnert said as he came by. "Seriously, that ash-yam juice will give you more energy than you'll know what to do with. Good thing I've got plenty of physical activities to keep me active."

"Don't try to make him better than he is," the former sergeant grumbled. "You'll give me less to yell at him about!"

"Come on, Sarge! Once he's past the hump he'll be a brand new man! Just gotta get behind him, you know."

"Only thing behind him is my crossbow!"

Gyaf yelled as he had to move out of the way of a crossbow bolt. "Are you crazy, you could have killed me!"

"That's half the idea!" He reloaded the crossbow with practiced ease. "Now either run and suffer or get hit!"

"I hate you!" Gyaf grumbled yet complied, only for him and everyone else to stop as a new, feminine voice sounded. Looking over to the source, they saw the Ohmes girl from before, strangely talking to a clear rectangle and looking exasperated.

The girl's ear twitched as she led her horse along. "Yes, Weiss. I'm at Windhelm. I'm taking my horse to the stables right now. Yes, I have plenty of water. It's not the first time I've been on a boat ride." The girl continued to speak into the rectangle as she headed towards the docks, not giving any of them a second glance.

"…Who's she talking to?" Cyrigs asked now that the very pretty girl was gone.

"(It could be that she is using some sort of new long-distance communication device designed by a mage to talk to a friend of hers. Going by what she said, it is a familiar friend concerned for her well-being)."

"Yeah, Cyrigs! We're fighting for religious freedom. Let the weird Khajiit woman pray while she walks if she wants to!" Donnert happily nodded, ignoring Loping's scowl.

"(If we ever run into a leviathan nest, I am shoving you into it)."

"Thanks, buddy."

* * *

"Oh hey, that Khajiit girl is back," Kirk observed.

"The cutie or the beauty?" Tu'kar immediately asked.

"Wha- What the!" Kirk looked at him in barely contained anger. "Seriously? That's how you differentiated them?!"

"Well yes, of course. One of them was cute, and the other was beautiful. One of them I'd feel okay patting her head, but the other one I wouldn't mind studying a little racial phylogeny with, if you get what I'm saying."

"I wish I didn't! Seriously, man, Khajiit are a totally different species!"

"People used to say the same thing about elves, but then the Bretons happened. And Ohmes like her are basically ninety-nine percent elf, which are ninety-eight percent human. I may not be a math-magician, but that's gotta be ninety-five percent at the least."

"First off, it's mathematician. Second, that's the stupidest damned reasoning I ever heard. Ohmes might be man or mer-like, but the same Khajiit born a week later would've basically been a housecat."

"Okay, first off to you, that's racist. We're supposed to be fighting against racism and shit like that."

"And Stormfolks!"

Both of the men looked back to see their orcish companion and sighed in relief. The orc was unnaturally stealthy for one of his kind, which was the only reason he even ended up on this assignment.

"Hey Kobulz," Kirk greeted with absolutely no enthusiasm. "Did you get us some food?"

"Yes!" he announced excitedly. "I actually got us food for forever!"

"I am frightened but intrigued," Tu'kar began. "What'd you find?"

"I found…a whole cow!"

The two looked over to see a cow tied to a nearby tree, chewing on some hay.

"Uh, Kobulz, while this does kinda meet the requirements of food," Kirk started off before taking a deep breath, "we kinda meant something we wouldn't have to prepare from literally the very first step."

"No, no, see, I thought this through. With my brain and everything." Kobulz held up his finger. "See, cows make milk. And milk is good for drinking. And you can make cheese out of it, which is food. So, I got us unlimited milk and cheese."

"That's not any better, you nitwit! We still have to feed the cow!" Kirk groaned and smacked his head against a boulder.

"Look, my man, how about you take the cow and trade it for prepared food," Tu'kar tried to advise. To his credit, Kobulz seemed to ponder it before nodding.

"Oh, okay. Maybe I could trade her back to the Giant guy I got her from."

"Giant?" Kirk asked in curiosity. "How'd you buy something from a Giant? Do you even speak Giant?"

"I don't think so. I speak normal sized. Unless I yell, which isn't much. NO, the Giant was a bandit, so I confiscated her."

"You confiscated the cow…from a Giant bandit…and you want to sell her…to the Giant bandit." Kirk and Tu'kar looked over as the ground began shaking to see a Giant clad in hides and shaking a club at them.

"Son of a bitch!" Kirk yelled before taking off.

"Yeah, this shit's on you. Later Kobulz." Tu'kar sped off after the other soldier, leaving behind Kobulz to think on his situation.

"Hm, angry bandit running at me… Oh no! I'm going to be robbed! Don't worry, Martha! I have a great plan!" The Orsimer turned and grabbed a boulder before lifting it out of the ground and turning around towards the attacker. The Giant paused when it saw the orc lifting a rock that likely weighed more than he did, and then throw it down towards him. The Giant tried to run back, only to trip and then get rolled over by the boulder as he continued to fall down the mountain. Kirk and Tu'kar watched in amazement and somewhat entertainment as the Giant went down, likely being crushed to death a little at a time.

"You know, I keep forgetting how strong that orc really is," Kirk mumbled.

"Yeah. Guess that's the Gods way of making up for his stupidity." Tu'kar smacked his lips. "Maybe we shouldn't have left food gathering to him."

"That was dumb on my part, I'll admit."

* * *

Ruby, Yang, and Lydia were seated near the Sleeping Tree, which now glistened in the moons' light. The Giantess shaman offered over a large bowl toward Ruby, from which the young girl took a deep draught before she brought it back and covered it with a cloth.

"So what now?" Yang whispered over to Lydia, who shrugged.

" _We ask that the Winds of Nature help to guide the young_ Ruby _as she steps into the worlds of endless colors and scents,_ " the shaman said as she raised her hands towards the tree. " _Let her see a true path before her._ "

"Whoa, I'm definitely seeing some…colors," Ruby dizzily said as she stood. Yang went to grab her, but one of the elders held her hand out.

" _Let her walk the path. There is no danger,_ " she reassured the elder sister. Yang wasn't too sure, but she decided to let Ruby go while watching her closely.

The young Dragonborn began to slowly walk forward, but as Yang noticed, she was getting slower with every step. Lydia tapped Yang as they turned to watch her and held her hand out.

"Could I see your scroll? We could cord this for later."

"You mean record?" Yang looked over and then shrugged. "Know what, that actually sounds like a good idea." The blonde took out her scroll and began recording. "So, Ruby's tried some Sleeping Tree Sap, undiluted. Part of a Giant ceremony and stuff." She kept the scroll aimed at her sister, who was now taking _very_ slow steps. In fact, Yang couldn't recall Ruby ever going that slow. Seeing it was actually starting to crack her up a bit.

To Ruby, she was seeing the world in a new way. A violet line seemed to appear before her, leading her towards something. After a few steps, she came up to an old, fallen log. Likely one dragged up by a Giant or mammoth. The light seemed to circle it, and Ruby just _knew_ what she needed to do. She reached down and picked up the log, lifting it over her head. A thought crossed her mind and she grinned before rearing back and then throwing the large log with all of her strength.

"Holy-" Yang went at the display of strength. She might have been able to throw a log like that, but only if she _really_ put effort into it. "Okay, so apparently that stuff really _does_ increase strength."

Ruby looked down and saw the top of an old chest. Smiling, she bent down and pried it open to reveal a dwarven war axe, about half the size of the one Yang carried, a magic scroll, and a large gem that was glowing. She picked up the gem first and could feel something from within, almost begging to be released. She held it up and squeezed tightly, until the gem shattered in her grasp. The glowing from within escaped into a mist that then formed itself into the ghostly visage of a mammoth bull. The Giants and two women jumped in surprise, but Ruby stood still and resolute. The mammoth ghost looked down at her for a moment before rearing its head up and lifting its truck to trumpet out. Ruby smiled brightly as the mammoth ghost dissipated, a little bit of its mist flowing upon her.

The girl reached back in and took out the scroll and waraxe to bring them to her sister and housecarl, walking slowly back towards them. Yang stared incredulously as Ruby came back to them at a snail's pace. She blinked a few times and then looked over to Lydia.

"Uh, what was that?"

"That looked like a Grand Soul Gem, and it looks like she shattered it in her bare hands and the soul inside was a mammoth's."

"Okay… I saw that much. What exactly caused that?"

"I don't know, but my best guess is it's something to do with the sap."

"Yeah. Wow! Okay." Yang looked back to her sister, who didn't seem to make much progress in coming back to them. "This looks like it's going to take a while."

* * *

When Ruby _finally_ made it back to Lydia and Yang, she was tuckered out and ready to go to sleep. The two watched over her as she laid down and quickly fell asleep, breathing steadily and deeply. Yang was still a little worried about any lingering effects the sap might have, but they didn't seem dangerous so far. She looked at the axe Ruby had given her and twirled it around her hand a moment.

" _Here. You go. Yang. I. Thought. You. Might. Like. Another. Axe. To go. With. The other. One. You. Have."_ Ruby had told Yang earlier, only to drop dead asleep practically on the spot.

"Man, that stuff can slow people down."

"I think it was because it was straight from the source. The stuff Ysolda normally has doesn't affect people to that degree," Lydia explained from where she was seated at the Giants' fire.

"Yeah, that is a big distinction there. We don't even know how watered down it is." Yang sat next to her while putting the axe back on her belt. "It was pretty funny at first, but then it went weird and kinda amazing."

"That seems to be Ruby in a nutshell," Lydia commented as she brought the squirrel on a stick she was cooking back and prodded it with a fork. "I wasn't sure what to think about you all when I first met you, but the more I learned, the odder you all seemed. Yet, at the same time, it was simply amazing." She sighed. "I can understand why you aren't quick to share how you do it though."

"You do? 'Cause I don't." Yang frowned and shook her head. "I've had half a mind to unlock a few people's Auras a few times. But…I won't go behind my teams' back like that. Weiss wants to make sure it's safe first, and by that I mean safe for the individual and the world."

"Well, I certainly see why you'd want to make sure it's safe for the world first," Lydia agreed. "The civil war might not be as active right now, but it's still there. The moment both sides figure out how to circumvent the dragon problem, they'll be right back at it. Then there's the Thalmor watching it all unfold."

"And whoever gets Aura will be the winners unless the other side can catch up." Yang nodded. "Yeah, but there's also the individual thing. We don't know what it'll do to each person. We might be too dissimilar for it to work right, is what Weiss is afraid of. Back on Remnant, having an Aura is basically proof of having a soul. Even trees and plants have an Aura, just not much."

"Well, here on Nirn, we may not have Aura, but we clearly have souls. We just saw a mammoth's not too long ago."

Yang shivered and groaned. "Gods, that's just… The idea that a soul can be captured is just…"

"Scary?"

"Horrifying! Paralyzing!" Yang gripped her elbows and leaned in on her knees. "It's supposed to be the most untouchable, sacred part of a being. Even with an exhausted Aura and a broken body, your soul's still there. But apparently things here figured out how to get at even that."

"To be fair, it's mostly from daedric interference." Lydia took a bite of squirrel and nodded. "Some say the first Soul Gems came from Molag Bal. Others say they're crystalized magicka, which is how they hold a soul, and the way most are made nowadays apparently proves that. I don't know the specifics, but the College makes theirs with some sort of magical wells. Sometimes mines find a few as well."

"I guess I'll ask Weiss more about that. She said they resemble inert Dust, which would make sense if they're made of magicka." Yang hummed to herself in thought. "Has Ruby been a handful while you've been traveling?"

"If she wasn't at this point, that might worry me more." Lydia laughed and offered over some of her squirrel to Yang. The werewolf accepted and tore off a chunk before beginning to gnaw at it. "She's surprising, most of the time. When you see a young girl like her, you don't think of a skilled warrior, but there she is, taking on a dragon one on one to save a couple of farmers. Slaying hordes of undead and stopping the revival of an evil necromancer. Yet she still refuses to see anything but the best of the world. She gets up with a smile and is ready to adventure. To go to places unseen in centuries, discover ancient secrets, and save the lives of countless strangers."

"That sounds like Ruby living the dream she's always had; to be a hero that saves the day." Yang laughed a little while Lydia turned to her.

"And you?"

"Hm?"

"What about you? Were the Companions what you wanted out of life?"

Yang took in a deep breath and sighed. "To be honest, I wasn't sure what I wanted out of life. I always said I wanted to travel, see the world, feel the thrills…" Yang looked down to her arm and clenched her fist, feeling her nails against her palm. "Here I am, seeing a whole new world, traveling all around, feeling all kinds of thrills from hunting wild game to fighting dragons… It's definitely not what I wanted. I wanted…something else." She looked at the few bones she had left and resisted to urge to gnaw at them before tossing them right into the fire.

"Did you get it?"

"I think I have, or at least, I'm pretty close to it."

"Fus ro dah," they heard, followed by a short breeze coming directly from Ruby. The two started breaking into giggles that turned into full-blown laughs after a moment. When they quieted back down, both sat with a smile on their face for a long moment.

Yang reached over and nudged the housecarl. "Come on. Let's get ready for bed."

"Still need help with your armor?"

"I've gotten used to the one latch, but I think I could still use a hand with the back."

* * *

Upon waking up, and determining that there were no negative consequences of Ruby's sap drinking, Ruby, Yang, and Lydia continued on the road, heading west and then turning up north. Not long after they hit the bend, Lydia noticed someone running at them from the direction of a fort in the distance. The sisters dismounted as well in time to see a crazed looking woman wearing a tangle of feathers in her hair and with most of her face covered in war paint charging them with a pair of saw-like swords. Lydia readied her sword and shield, but Yang held up a hand before taking a few steps forward. The charging woman aimed for Yang and screamed as she came close, only for a fist to crash down upon her head, knocking her out and to the ground.

"What's up with this chick?" Yang asked as she prodded the woman with her toe.

"She's a Reachman, likely a Forsworn," Lydia said as she walked over and began patting down the attacker. "They're Bretons, really. The feathers are fake."

"No, chick is another word for girl where we're from."

"Kinda like lass," Ruby explained.

"Oh, I see." Lydia took out a few small, empty bottles. "Skooma," she growled before tossing them aside. She checked a little more and found a device and the woman's belt. "Skooma pipe. This one's an addict."

"Sheesh, that stuff really is like Angel Dust," Yang muttered as Lydia tossed the pipe aside and began stomping it. "You've seen them before?"

"Back when I was a guard. Every once in a while someone thought they could get away with it."

"Drugs are bad," Ruby said before throwing a raspberry.

"You drank Sleeping Tree Sap last night with a bunch of Giants."

"That's sap. It came directly from a tree. Drugs are things you have to do some chemistry to, like distilling a special kind of sugar."

Yang hummed and looked to one of the bottles. "Alright, I'll give you that. Still, it definitely had a narcotic effect on you."

"Yeah, but not…that." Ruby looked over at the direction the crazed addict had come from. "We should probably check that place out. They might have more skooma there which… How do you get rid of skooma?"

"Usually we'd pile it up and burn it away from the city."

"Oh, then we'll do that."

"Uh, they'll probably put up a fight, Rubes," her sister warned.

"Yeah, so will we. Besides, they're pretty close to Rorickstead. What if they all got high and went to attack the village? No, better to run them off and bust them up. Let's tie her up and go."

The three bound the addict woman's hands together and to her ankles before heading in the direction of the fort, which their map labeled as Fort Sungard. Upon their approach however, it became more and more apparent that this was not going to be a simple task. Animal heads had been severed and placed on pikes, intermixed with people impaled on stakes. All were long dead, but there was still flesh that crows and ravens picked at from the corpses. Ruby felt her stomach turn, and it only worsened when she saw what looked like a man that had been strung up by his intestines.

"These are definitely Forsworn," Lydia said as they took the horses away to tie them up somewhere. "Normal Reachmen might be a little barbaric, but they're going far above and beyond that. I wouldn't be surprised if there are profane daedric rituals going on."

Yang blanched at that while Ruby's eyebrows furrowed.

"How profane?" Ruby demanded.

"They… I'm not sure what I can tell you."

"Lydia, I have literally killed people with my own hands," Ruby ground out, shocking her sister both from her tone and the statement itself. "WHAT could they be doing that's so terrible?!"

The housecarl looked to the side and took a deep breath. "It's not unusual…to find that groups of cultists have performed…torture or human sacrifice, maybe cannibalism."

Ruby looked back in the direction of the fort then quickly tied Chocolate's reins to a tree and started heading towards the place. Yang tied Lucky Day and went after her.

"Ruby, be calm. I've run into these kinds of places before."

"And?" The Dragonborn looked back at her sister, expecting an answer. Yang looked aside and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I don't want you to run in and get blindsided by just how awful it can be. Lydia wasn't lying when she said there could be cannibalism and torture, but we have to keep our heads on straight. Half these people will be desperate to stay alive, and the other half will gladly throw themselves into the jaws of death."

"Good." Ruby reached behind her and pulled out Crescent Rose, extending the scythe as she did. A few people began yelling as they saw them approach, and a few fired arrows at them. Ruby quickly flitted out of the path of the arrows and then charged the gates. Yang smacked an arrow away and ran after her. A man with blood across his face screamed as he held up two axes, only to receive a spiked knee to his face. Ruby spun around and blocked a woman's sword, then shoved her back before looking around. More corpses were seen decorating the inside, and they made Ruby's blood boil.

" **Krii**!" she Shouted at a group of Forsworn rushing her. Several of them stumbled, and a few of them felt their armor loosen. Ruby charged them with a scream while Yang caught a man's arm and broke his elbow to force him to drop his weapon. Blood suddenly spattered at Yang's feet and she looked up to see Ruby slicing the Forsworn apart like she would Beowolves.

The brawler paused a moment, but was brought out of her daze when she had to duck under a double sword swing from a man wearing an antlered headdress. She came up, separating his arms and punched him in the face, expecting him to go down, only for his head to snap back, with his eyes looking square at her. He screamed as he brought his swords back, and Yang bent back to avoid them before lunging back up and punching, only to miss as he dodged, caught her arm and then slammed a sword hilt against the gap in her plate armor at her armpit. She yelled and pulled away to dodge three strikes from the Forsworn, where she noticed something off about his chest. Figuring she'd had enough of him, Yang grabbed her enchanted Dwemer axe and swung down, cutting through the sword the Forsworn tried to block with and into his shoulder. The man grunted as his body began catching fire, but then he reached over and yanked the axe out then pushed Yang back.

"What in the…" Yang stared in disbelief as the man seemed to shrug off nearly having a third of his body sliced off, and then noticed that the strange thing on his chest was actually _in_ his chest. Where a heart should be, there was instead some kind of spiky plant thing pulsing with energy. With his one good arm the man charged her, and Yang blocked with her weapon, letting go with one hand, and then reached, breaking through the leather holding the bulb in place, gripping it and then ripping it out. The man stumbled at that, and then seemed to drop dead on the spot. Yang grimaced and looked to the thing in her hand before dropping it. Holding her axe, she looked forward and nodded before rushing back towards where Ruby was. Lydia was at the gate and knocked a woman over before driving her sword into her chest. Ruby let out a scream that sounded almost animalistic before bringing her scythe around and yanking it through a man's abdomen.

" **Hi mindol dreh pah paar!?** " she yelled at them while looking at a force of archers gathering at the top of the stairs. " **Daar muz los dii, ni hin!** "

The archers drew back their bows, and Ruby took in a breath. " **Fus Ro Dah!** " The Shout smashed against the group of archers, flinging most of them into the air and over the wall of the fort. Yang heard the sound of flesh hitting stone from beyond and flinched. The one out of the group that hadn't been blown away stumbled up and scrambled to get away despite the wooden shrapnel in his leg. Ruby started after him, the man begging as he crawled away, only to fall down unconscious within a few seconds. Even then, she continued forward, anger clouding her mind.

"Ruby!" Yang screamed, and then the girl paused. Ruby looked back to Yang and began taking in deep breaths before starting to sob.

"I- I'm sorry… I'm sorry, I-" she looked around herself and took in another breath before slowly releasing it. "I…lost myself for a second there. I'll be fine. Just…let me catch my breath."

Yang saw Lydia gesture to her and walked over to the housecarl, eyes and ears open for whatever answers she could give her.

"Do you know what that was about?" she whispered to her.

"I have an idea, but I don't want to lay baseless accusations on her," Lydia whispered back. When Yang stared at her with desperate eyes, Lydia sighed and continued. "It's likely the dragon part of her."

"Dragon part?" Yang looked back at Ruby, who seemed much calmer than before.

"Dragons, from what we seen and heard, are really possessive, and Ruby wants to protect everyone. She saw something like this…"

"And then she and the dragon part both hated it."

"She couldn't fight it back down because they were both doing what they both wanted." Lydia looked around at the recent addition to the carnage. "To be truthful, we would have likely come out of here killing just as many as what we had done if not more, Dragonborn or not. But what was… What is affecting her…"

"Is the way it happened." Yang sighed and looked towards the ground. "I never saw her that upset before." Taking a deep breath, Yang started walking back to her sister. "Hey, you all right?"

"Yeah, just need to catch my breath, like I said. Let's go inside," Ruby insisted while heading towards an open door. "They might have prisoners or anything in this place."

"That's true." Yang went after Ruby, holding her axe at her side while she did, Lydia right behind her. A little ways into the building, Ruby collapsed her scythe and placed it at its spot on her back, beneath her cloak. Ruby grimaced at the sight of different hearts placed on a table, along with a couple of Spriggan taproots that Yang recognized. As they headed in deeper, Yang began to smell an odd scent she couldn't quite place. It was an animal, but not one she'd ever smelled before. Wondering just what it could be, the girls turned a corner and saw a shrine-like setup. Oddly enough, there was an old carving dedicated to Kynareth alongside ones to Namira, Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, and Boethiah. The last one she didn't recognize, but she was pretty sure it was another Daedric Prince's offering. Candles were placed around the shrine, along with various animal and humanoid skulls. Behind the shrine seemed to be an effigy of some sort, but then it moved and a groan came from it and the three knew it was no effigy.

"They're still alive!" Ruby shouted as she sped over and began pulling off feathery decorations and furs to reveal a thickly muscled, humanoid arm tied to a wooden cross. She took a dagger and cut the ropes loose while Yang went to do the same at the other side. They helped the being down as they freed his torso and legs, and then he reached up and pulled a gag from his mouth. All of the women were surprised as they stood up and realized that part of what they thought were coverings were actual fur and a bull-like head on a human torso. The Minotaur coughed a few times, then gasped for air as he picked himself back up to his hooves, only to immediately cover himself in embarrassment. Ruby blushed herself into a shade of crimson while Yang ripped an old banner from the wall.

"Here," she offered to the Minotaur, who nodded and took it before tying it around his waist.

"Thank you," he got out in a deep, baritone voice. "Thank you so much…for freeing me. These…lunatics were planning to sacrifice me! To Kyne of all beings! My people's direct ancestor!" He snorted and then shook his head "I'm…parched. Do any of you-"

"Here, bud," Yang said while offering one of her spare canteens. "Take it. You need it." The Minotaur accepted and then guzzled down the contents before letting out a sigh.

"Thank the Gods," he muttered. "My name is Nirero Woodpad. I am eternally grateful to you all for saving my life. Please, may I know the names of my saviors?"

"I'm Yang Xiao-Long. This is my little sister, Ruby Rose."

"Hi," Ruby greeted, still blushing deeply.

"I am Lydia Snow-Mare." Yang looked over at her in surprise. "What?"

"Nothing, I just never heard your last name before. Kinda started to think you didn't have one."

"I do. It just never seemed pertinent to tell it."

"You've literally sworn your life to protect my sister."

"…It may have been an oversight on my part."

Nirero laughed. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't, but after being tied up for well over a day slowly suffocating and dehydrating, I think I'm finding humor in all the wrong places." He continued laughing, a small, cattle-like grunt coming up once in a while.

"Come on," Yang offered, gesturing towards the exit. "Let's see if we can find you some clothes that fit and get out of here."

"Both of those sound like lovely suggestions."

* * *

The moment they found a pair of pants large enough to fit Neriro, the sisters began setting everything flammable within Sungard on fire, Ruby with her Voice and Yang with flame magic. As they exited the burning place, they headed towards the other two standing with the horses, the beasts of burden oddly at peace with the Minotaur.

"Ah, so you're akin to a knight dedicated to a lord. I understand now."

"Okay, you guys ready to go?" Ruby asked.

"As ready as I can be. I'm afraid my people aren't really suited to riding horses though, so I'll have to hoof it."

"Ha!" Yang laughed aloud. "Nice! And, well, that's probably what happens when you're six hundred pounds of pure muscle."

"Four-fifty!" he objected while hitting a fist to his chest. Yang smiled back at him while the girls all got onto their horses and began heading north. "I'm at least glad we're heading in the same general direction."

"What're you doing in Skyrim, anyways?" Yang asked. "Not that you shouldn't be or anything."

"No, I understand that seeing a Minotaur outside of Cyrodiil is rare these days. I'm actually a member of the Imperial Legion. I was sent with a group of reinforcements, but we were ambushed by the Forsworn. They saw me and decided I was to be specially sacrificed."

"Why though?" Ruby asked.

"Hm, do you know where Minotaurs came from?"

"Uh, not really."

"Well, we're descended from Kynareth. Nords called her Kyne. She sent her son, Morihaus, to assist the tribes of men that fought against the Ayleids. He served directly under Queen Alessia, the First Empress, and the two fell in love. Their children were the first generation of Minotaurs."

"Oh wow! That's so cool! I never knew that before! I thought you were like Khajiits or Argonians."

Nirero shook his head. "Nope. Direct kin to man. Something that the Guardian, bless her soul, realized and reawakened within us. Before the Oblivion Crisis, we had been shunned out of society by the followers of the Alessian Order, damn Marukh the Monkey's soul to Oblivion! We were pushed into the wild for millennia, but even after the old doctrines were thrown out, we were never allowed back in. It took the desperation of the Oblivion Crisis to get people to even think of accepting us back, but that's all behind us now." The Minotaur snorted, wetting his bull nose. "Nowadays, I suppose we're somewhere between orcs and goblins in how well we're accepted. That is, most won't accept us unless we're completely useful to them."

"Well, you're a soldier right? That's pretty respected, right?" Ruby asked.

"Nope. I'm a blacksmith." He chuckled at Ruby's confused look. "Legions are more than soldiers, child. You've got carpenters, blacksmiths, and alchemists in every unit. Enchanters in the big ones. I think only about eight of ten of every Legion is soldiers. The rest is support. Now, that doesn't mean I don't know how to swing a warhammer as well as my crafting one like any self-respecting Minotaur, but I'm a blacksmith first and foremost."

"That's pretty neat. I'm pretty good at smithing myself. Yang too."

"Ah, that's good to hear. Don't want to be stuck only knowing how to swing a blade all your lives. It helps to balance your destruction with creation."

"What was that about the Guardian though? The Guardian of Lightning, right?"

"Well, that's what some call her. Some call her the Guardian of Wind, or the Guardian of Downtrodden. That's what Minotaurs, Mulukrin, and Mulukrog were when she came along. They say she'd have sooner killed a hundred soldiers than let them hurt a goblin family. Some folks have been trying to get her canonized as a Saint alongside the Hero and Martin Septim, but some people don't think she's worth it." Now Nirero snorted angrily. "Bringing three races back into civilization and helping end the Oblivion Crisis wasn't enough for them, apparently."

"I'm pretty sure she only set the table for goblins and ogres," Lydia pointed out dryly, earning a snort from the Minotaur.

"Semantics!" He waved his hand. "It's still insulting to my people that she isn't viewed as 'deserving'."

"That does sound a little messed up," Yang admitted. She peered forward and saw a town on the horizon. "I think we're nearly at Rorickstead. Think we're okay to approach? I don't know if these guys have ever seen a Minotaur before."

"Maybe not, but they shouldn't be too jumpy. I have you three around, don't I?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Ruby said, waving her sister's concern away. "Besides, didn't you, Weiss, and Blake come around here one time?"

Yang sucked air in through her teeth. "Yeah, we did."

* * *

"Don't look at her Gleda, you don't have to," the man told his goat while leading it away from the group that had just arrived. Some children had come and were in awe of the Minotaur, who laughed and answered their questions calmly while letting the twin girls touch his horns to note that they did feel like a bull's. Ruby, meanwhile was up on a nearby hill, trying to meditate.

She could see her soul, and the dragons within were angry. They felt what she felt, but each felt it in their own way.

 _They are mine! They belong to me!_

 _They are my subjects! They are my responsibility!_

 _They took them from me! They took what is mine!_

 _They took my things!_

 _They hurt my people!_

 _My people!_

 _My belongings!_

 _Mine!_

 _They…hurt…the ones…I promised…to defend._

 _They hurt those I promised to defend._

Ruby focused on that truth, making her mantra until she could feel the souls within her calming, their rage more focused. Their erratic flying around the pillar straightened out until they were steadily going around once more.

"Hey guys." Ruby looked up to see Yang standing a little ways down the hill and Lydia sitting close to her, meditating as well. "Rooms're all set for the night. You meditating too, Lyd?"

"I'm…hoping to understand what exactly it is my Thane's doing to better protect and serve."

"Makes sense. Anyways, there's-"

Yang was cut off by a man riding a horse right up to them, stopping only a few feet away from the girls. His horse breathed deeply as he dismounted and walked over to them. He was dressed in sandy leather, a long overcoat over a set of leather armor, his face was covered by a scarf and a pair of glass eye-protectors, with a wide-brimmed hat atop his head, and a crossbow slung across his back.

"Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao-Long?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" Yang asked carefully. The man reached into his overcoat, and the Huntress readied herself, only to loosen her stance when he pulled out a parcel.

"Express delivery from Winterhold. Weiss Schnee."

"Something from Weiss?" Ruby asked as she took the package. Lydia took out a few septims and handed them to the man before looking back at Yang.

"Don't you have express couriers back home?"

"Uh, they look a bit different. Thanks, Mr.…?"

The courier was already back on his horse and heading away from them, riding away in the distance.

"Okay? Wait, how did he find us?"

"The Courier's Guild has some ties with every guild and organization, even some of the more questionable ones. Everyone wants to send and receive their messages without any problems, so they don't mess with the couriers, and help them when they can."

"Wait, if couriers have that much power…?"

"Let's just thank the gods that they _want_ the world to be in balance."

"Are they really that feared?"

"One time in Hammerfell, a courier got betrayed by a client and nearly killed. He recovered, went after his former client, and within a week the client and his entire criminal enterprise were either dead or burning. Probably both."

* * *

" _Now though, you have ended the cycle," Jyggalag declared. "You now hold the mantle of madness, and Jyggalag is free to roam the voids of Oblivion once more. I will take my leave, and you will remain here, mortal. Mortal…?" the daedra repeated as if in question. "King? God? It seems uncertain._

" _This realm is yours. Perhaps you will grow to your station. Fare thee well, Sheogorath, Prince of Madness."_

 _The Daedric Prince of Order then faded away, and the other four heroes looked to their friend in shock and some fear._

" _Tell me…it's not true, right," Denor got out. "You're still you?"_

" _Friend, can you hear us?" Nicaea_ _tested, tears building up._

" _Aye, I hear you perfectly fine. My ears are still on me, right?"_

" _Please, just let us know everything's all right," Lerian requested._

" _Come on, let's just head back… I…I can't remember. Please!" Yohannes begged._

" _What's that? Memory problems? Well, I suppose that's perfectly normal in my realm"_

" _It's not your realm!" Denor pleaded as she walked forward. "It's not… you're not…Sheogorath!"_

" _Just tell us your name!" Yohannes demanded, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. "Please!"_

" _But I told you my name, already. All those months ago when ya ran with the Emperor through my little cell. We had a whole meet and greet right next to me old boney buddy." The cat-eyed face of an elder man with a snowy beard and white hair turned towards them. "I am madness. I am insanity. I. Am. Sheogorath."_

Blake closed the book and took in a deep breath. It was becoming impossible to not imagine Team JNPR in the place of the Four, and she could almost visibly see the pain in their eyes in that last part, even if it was the one artistic license was most liberally applied to. Yet the characters were all too much like them. Whatever little faults the writer may have had, he got their characterization down right. And the idea of the horror they went through when someone who had basically become the fifth man on their team was just… Erased wasn't even the right word for it. Overwritten seemed more apt. While no one was sure, most of the evidence pointed to the Unknown becoming Sheogorath. There were entire philosophic theses written on the subject and a whole philosophy itself dedicated to the idea behind it. Mantling, to act like something greater, until you become it.

' _I really shouldn't have read that book.'_ Yes, he was a more recent writer, and fairly good at it from his other works, but now that she knew how likely the possibility was she couldn't drive it from her mind.

"We're about to pull up to Dawnstar," a sailor told her and the other passengers. "Get yourselves ready to depart if you're leaving."

"I'm for the ride to Solitude," she reminded him.

"Right. You lot getting off though?"

"We are, good sir, thank you," the cloaked Altmer said. The sailor just nodded and headed back above deck.

"So, you're headed home? Must be nearby." Blake looked at the Altmer, who nodded.

"Safely so. Not too far, not too close." He looked over and hummed as he read the cover of her book. "A good tale, though not entirely accurate. The author got the order of the Gates' appearances a little mixed up at a time."

For half a second Blake wondered if he shouldn't be more careful with that information, and then recalled that as an elf he could be totally expected to have been alive at the time. "There are a lot of inaccuracies, but it was a good read."

"Was? Why, my girl, you haven't finished it yet."

"I'm a little…bummed out about recent chapters."

"Going by the thickness on either side, you must be at the end of the Shivering Isles arc, right when the Unknown has fully mantled Sheogorath." He hummed and shook his head. "It may seem a depressing way to end, but if you look at it, it is a balance."

"How?"

"It's not all that different from Martin Septim's sacrifice. But, where Martin gave up everything, the Unknown embraced everything. Both, in the end, were no more, yet both succeeded in saving what they loved." He leaned back and hummed again. "Martin loved the world and all of its little people. He tried to make himself and the world a better place. In the end, the best thing he could do was give his all, let Akatosh come into the world through him, and save all of Nirn. To save the Shivering Isles, the Unknown had to finally let go, embrace the madness within him, and take on the Mantle so that Sheogorath would be the one to defeat Jyggalag. Perhaps it is a cautionary tale, or maybe signs of two paths in life. Do we let go of everything and float away, or embrace it and dive in? What is right and wrong? Are either right or wrong?"

Blake felt the boat hit against something, then heard a quick commotion above them as the sailors did their work. An Argonian poked his head down and nodded.

"All right. We're docked. All ashore that's goin' ashore."

"Fare thee well, Miss Belladonna." The Altmer hummed before standing up, then was followed out of the boat by the four women he was traveling with. Blake looked back to her book, and then slowly opened it and turned to the next page. All that was left was a short epilogue beneath a drawing of Martin Septim backed by the Five Heroes.

" _The Amulet is shattered. Dagon is defeated. With the Dragon's Blood and the Amulet of Kings we have sealed the Gates of Oblivion, forever. The last of the Septims now passes into history. I go gladly, for I know my sacrifice is not in vain. I take my place with my father, and my father's fathers. The third age has ended, and a new age dawns. When the next Elder Scroll is written, you shall be its scribe. The shape of the future, the fate of the Empire, these things now belong to you."_

 _We must never forget those that have sacrificed their all for us. Even if we can't recall the names, we must recall the deeds. If we do this, then there will be more than just five heroes. There will be heroes in us all. The heroes we remember, the heroes we imagine, and the heroes that make ourselves._

 _Be a hero. Remember, and live!_

* * *

Weiss heard her scroll ring and picked it up to see the call was coming from Ruby. She sighed with a smile and answered the call to see Ruby and Yang's faces.

"It works!" the younger sister exclaimed.

"Ho-ly-"

"Thank the gods it works from… Where are you two right now?"

"We're at Rorickstead," Yang answered. "I can't believe this is actually working!"

"I can! Man, it is great to see you without having to traverse the country first!"

"It's good to see you too, Ruby." Suddenly a message popped up. "Oh, hold on. Blake's calling." She swiped to add the call and a second screen popped up to show Blake with a tear streamed face.

"Hey Weiss, just letting you know the boat's stopped at- Oh, hey guys. You got your pieces already. Express really is fast."

"Worth every denar," Weiss agreed with a nod.

"You okay Blake?" Yang asked in concern. "You look like you've been crying."

"Just…read something pretty emotional. Oh… Oh god. Weiss, the book…"

"Oh, right. Gods…" Weiss suddenly looked downcast, trying to form the words but unable to. "...Yang, Ruby. I don't really know how to tell you this. So I'm going to show you this paper and let you read it."

Weiss took the sheet where she had written down the links between the speculative heroes' name and JNPR. A few moments later, the girls' jaws began to gradually drop.

"What?" Ruby asked, tears beginning to form.

"Hold on. Where did you get this information from?"

"From the book _Journey of the Heroes_. Almost every character trait that the characters display match that of Team JNPR almost exactly." Weiss sadly shook her head. "The ones that aren't exact matches we aren't too sure about or they developed over time."

"But that would mean…" Ruby drooped. "They died."

"Ruby, they didn't die," Blake tried to correct her.

"I don't think they are," Weiss shook her head. Seeing the sister's confusion, Weiss continued. "Look, I did a favor for Azura and so she gave us a hint. Wherever Remnant is, it's outside of Nirn's time."

"I was about to say," Yang began. "They were still at Beacon watching Zwei while we were picking up my birthday present."

"Oh no! Zwei!" Ruby gasped. "Oh no! Your birthday present!"

"Calm down, Ruby. Another thing she said is that we _will_ get back. Somehow."

"Wait, what exactly did she say?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. "Our interactions with…her type haven't exactly been the best.

"You guys sure enjoyed partying with Sam," Ruby grumbled.

"Out of all the Daedric Princes, she's the most trustworthy. Okay, uh, she said: _You have crawled from upon the serpent's trail,_ -likely a reference to Lorkhan- _from beyond the reach of even the mightiest dragon._ -almost definitely a reference to Akatosh- _From the vast emptiness, to the filled center._ -The filled center is definitely Nirn- _Others have made this journey before you, the first being the great serpent himself. Some have traveled down, others have traveled up._ -That's what gave us the hint that other people from Remnant have come to Nirn- _Yet everything that goes one way must come back and rejoin._ -Our guarantee home."

"You're sure it's JNPR though?" Ruby asked.

"Everything matches up. Even physical description. I mean, if I described a short, redhead with a penchant for hammers and lightning, what would you think?" Blake pointed out.

Both sisters looked over at the other side of their screen. "Blake, how long have you been reading that?" her partner questioned her.

"Look, I _did_ think it was a little uncanny on occasion…"

"You never thought to bring it up, though?"

"I've run into that kind of stuff before! I once read a book that sounded just like me and…someone else I know, only with a different backdrop. It's not exactly unusual to see familiar characteristics in book characters."

"We're talking about four _very_ varied people who were described accurately down to the hair color?"

"…Maybe I didn't want to think about it?"

"Great job, partner. Wait, where are you anyways?"

"I'm on a boat, headed for Solitude. We're at Dawnstar right now."

"Oh, that's where I'm headed," Ruby announced. "Can't tell you why though. Thalmor might not like the details."

"…Same. Let's just text each other later. I'll let you know when I've landed."

"Cool! Oh, and guess what? We met a Minotaur!"

"Wait, a Minotaur?"

"What's a Minotaur doing in Skyrim?" Weiss asked. "N-not that he shouldn't be in Skyrim! It's just-"

"He's Neriro, a blacksmith for the Legion. Some Forsworn killed his unit and were going to sacrifice him to Kynareth." Ruby growled for a moment but quickly straightened herself. "Hey guys, when we've got less trouble on our plates, we need to go over and fix the Forsworn problem in the Reach."

"Uh, Ruby, it's not quite that simple," Blake began.

"Yeah, I know. War is a bit more complicated than fighting monsters, but we really can't let this stuff go on."

The other two Huntresses were quiet for a long moment, giving Yang some time to prepare a suitable answer for their inevitable questions.

"What did you _see_ out there?" Weiss finally asked.

"Remember Orphan Rock?" Yang asked the two. "Lower on the 'quality', much, much higher in the quantity."

Both girls winced at that. "Well, I'll look into some more on the history of the Reach when I find a moment," Weiss promised. "For now, let's try to focus more on the tasks at hand. Blake might need your backup in Solitude, so be ready for that. Yang, you didn't say where you're going."

"Murder investigation in Morthal. A house burned down. Killed a woman and child. Looks like the dad did it. Gonna find proof."

"Why's it look like he did it?" Blake asked.

"Would your dad move in with another woman the day after your mom died?"

"No."

"Yes."

The rest of the group looked over to Weiss, who had a thoughtful look to her face.

"Scratch that, he'd probably move _her_ in."

"Weiss, we need to have a big long talk whenever we see each other face to face," Ruby told her partner.

"Maybe. Keep in mind, that's a talk I haven't even had with my boyfriend yet."

"He's been your boyfriend for, like, a week," Yang pointed out.

"Semantics."

"He probably hasn't even been to second base yet."

"He might have. What's second base, exactly?"

"He hasn't," Blake said plainly.

"Whatever! I'm sure we'll get all of them eventually."

"Ooh la la! Weiss, I didn't think you were so forward!" Yang sang, causing Weiss to blush.

"What?! No! Blake, help me! What do they mean?"

"Nope. You dug your own grave for this one. I'm not pulling you out."

"Hopefully he does."

"Ew! Yang!" Ruby glared at her grinning sister.

"Stop it, you brutish, barbaric dog!"

"Hey, this girl's a wolf, batty!"

"Stop arguing, guys," Ruby asked of her team. "Yang will explain to you what she was talking about _from the privacy of her own scroll_ whenever you two feel like having that conversation." Any further arguments between the two were preemptively silenced by another glare from Ruby, and the two relented.

"Well, now that that's all taken care of..." Blake began.

"Oh hey, Blake," Yang suddenly spoke up, cutting the Faunus off. "Remember that book you were planning to write?"

"Yes?" she responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, when we rescued Neriro, the Forsworn kinda stripped him down. Poor Rubes here got an eyeful." Ruby turned the color of her namesakes at that and seemed to sink into herself while Blake looked on in horror. "So, when you get to that point-"

"Blake, what in the name of all twenty-eight gods are YOU WRITING!?" Weiss screamed.

* * *

 **Hi mindol dreh pah paar? - Did you think you could do anything you want?**

Daar muz los dii, ni hin - These people are mine, not yours


	31. Words to Anger

Despite having crossed it a few times in the past, the sisters still were able to look at the titular Dragon Bridge with an amount of awe. The large stone structure, emblazoned with a stone dragon head, ancient and weathered yet still standing, all of it caused the girls to let out small gasps of amazement as they walked across the bridge. Neriro was stunned by it as well, running his hand along the wall of the bridge as he passed by.

"This thing might be from the First Era, yet here it still stands, worn down but not worn away," he mused, continuing to run his hand along the wall. "The stories this could tell. If only."

"Those ancient people really built things to last, didn't they?" Yang asked.

The Minotaur smiled and nodded. "Seems so. Well, I'm going to check in with the Penitus Oculatus outpost. Hopefully they can give me some direction to work with." As he went into the village, Ruby and Yang both found themselves looking along the road that went eastward.

"Well, here we go again," Ruby said with a small laugh. "I wish I could go with you."

"Me too, Rubes." Yang backed up Lucky Day and then reached over to pull Ruby into a half-hug. "But Blake's done gone off on her own and she could really use the backup this time. Call me if anything goes wrong, though. No crime scene is more important than helping my family."

"I will. But you stay focused on the case." Ruby nudged her head against Yang's shoulder and let her go. As the elder sister rode away, she looked back at Lydia, who nodded before dismounting. Ruby joined her on the ground and the two led their horses to the stables.

* * *

Weiss looked over a choice between some elven daggers and Dwemer metal ones. One of the elven daggers had a beautiful topaz inset into its pommel, but it was also a lot more expensive. She hummed in thought while looking them over once more, then went to look at armor pieces nearby, holding J'zargo's hand all the while. Some people had been glaring at them since the moment they came down from the college to window shop and pick up some general supplies. Whether it was because they were mages or a mixed race couple was probably different for each person. Some might have hated both facts.

"They're still staring," Weiss grumbled. _'Honestly, is our relationship_ that _interesting?'_

"This one does not mind," J'zargo chuckled. "Let them stare. You are much more interesting to look at, anyway."

"Oh, stop," Weiss blushed. Before she could continue, there was a slight boom in the distance. Everyone, both in and out of the store, went still out of confusion and fear, but when the world was obviously not sliding into the sea and the College hadn't toppled over, everyone went back to their day.

"... What was that?" Weiss idly wondered if the explosion was the result of a spell, enchantment, or potion gone wrong.

"This one has no idea. Must have been an experiment," J'zargo dismissed with a shrug. Shrugging as well, Weiss went back to shopping. After gathering a few rings, necklaces, and other jewelry to enchant and sell back for profit, Weiss and J'zargo began heading back, discussing dinner plans when a Khajiit came running up to them, a wild look in his eyes. Weiss tensed when she felt that even J'zargo was readying himself.

"Ra! Khajiit has something important to tell you!" the stranger yelled when he came close, stopping just short of them and then gasping for air. "The heavens fell from the sky!"

Weiss looked back to J'zargo, who shrugged, his eyes betraying his state of confusion.

"What do you mean?" she directed toward the Khajiit stranger.

"The spheres! They broke into millions of pieces above the Sea of Ghosts!" he exclaimed while gesturing wildly. "Panic! Panic! Nirn is ending! Khajiit needs help, Dragonslayer!"

"Calm down," she insisted while lowering her hands, silently pleased at her growing reputation. "What exactly happened?"

"Shards of the stars! Magic everywhere! Boom! Lhajiito!" The strange Khajiit threw out his arms as wide as he could in emphasis.

"Uh, okay." Weiss looked back at J'zargo again before turning back to the strange Khajiit. "We'll look into this."

"Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Khajiit thanks you!"

"Yes…you did." Weiss looked back to J'zargo once again as the stranger walked away in the direction of the inn. "What was that about? It looked like he had some skooma or something," she whispered to him

"This one is uncertain. Perhaps he ate a little too much moon sugar and saw himself too far into the sky. Skooma is also a possibility, especially among my kind." J'zargo mournfully shook his head before looking back at her. "But I did not see the more physical tells. Should we take a look?" Weiss contemplated for a moment, weighing the options in her mind, before shrugging.

"It might be nothing, but it will give us a chance to get some exercise at the very least. Let's see… North? Uh, let's ask him for more specific directions."

* * *

"This confuses her," M'rissi confessed while looking at the chart for moon phases as they pertained to the months. "Why must she learn this?"

"Well, there isn't really a 'must'." Brelyna admitted. "I just figured it was a good idea that you learn it while we wait to get your original memories back. It's supposed to be very important for the Khajiiti peoples."

"So she does not need to learn it right now?"

"I…guess not?"

"Then she will not bother." She made to toss the papers away, but then stopped herself and set them down. "She was already born and has her own form."

"I suppose that's true, but what about if you decide to have your own children?"

"Let M'rissi worry about her future kittens on her own. Besides, it does not matter what her children are. When they are born she will love and care for them and keep them safe and give them wonderful names. That is all that matters."

Brelyna blinked a moment before nodding. "I suppose that is true. Sorry, I guess I'll leave these kinds of things to J'zargo. He'd be more knowledgeable about these things by default."

"She thinks so, too. For now, she will go and see what Inigo is up to." As M'rissi gathered up her books and headed downstairs, Weiss and J'zargo came up.

"Brelyna, we're going up to the Sea of Ghosts to investigate something," Weiss began with little fanfare as she went into her room, emptied a bag of jewels and jewelry into a locked chest, and began gathering a few supplies. "Some Khajiit was yelling about a star falling, exploding, or some other nonsense."

"Stars can't actually fall. They're holes through Oblivion into Aetherius. Everyone knows that." Brelyna took a sip of a drink and shook her head. "Falling stars are a misnomer for odd pieces of creatia and magic that fall back onto Nirn."

"Yes, well, if it is a meteorite then we can have it for study, and possibly even get rare materials from it." Weiss slung her pack onto her shoulder. "And if it is somehow related to the stars that could be even better. Back home we could never study the stars much, though some scientists theorized that they're all massive orbs of burning gas that could be bigger or a little smaller than the sun, just very far away. While studies here show that's not the case, it's not as though people have flown up on a ship and gotten near them."

"Actually…"

"So, would you like to join us?" Weiss interrupted, not hearing Brelyna.

"Shouldn't someone stay behind to guard your friend's…friends?" the Dunmer pointed out.

"They'll be fine with Onmund. Besides, we aren't going that far. Just a few miles onto an ice sheet and then back."

"J'zargo?"

"It is interesting." He shrugged. "He wonders if we will find a true discovery or just a mad Khajiit's tall tale."

Brelyna sighed. "I should refuse, stay, and study for my project, but I'm feeling like going on a little trip. I think you infected me with some sort of nonsensical thirst for adventure."

* * *

"Inigo, where do kittens come from?" M'rissi asked with all of the innocence of a child. Inigo, however, paled and began to sweat.

"I feel trapped, like a wolf in a net. I am suddenly jealous of the bears that can get away by gnawing their paws off."

"Inigo!" she pouted, causing him to sigh.

"All right, I will explain, but not in detail. Basically, a mother gets with a father-"

"Haha, fooled you!" the girl suddenly called out before jumping onto the couch next to the chair Inigo was in. "Of course she knows where the babies come from! She just wanted to see you embarrassed."

"Well, she succeeded." Inigo laughed a little himself, then noticed an odd expression on M'rissi. "Are you okay?"

"Mostly. She misses Blake a little. She forgot what it was like to not have her. She is not alone now, but M'rissi has been with Blake almost as long as she can remember. That's not very long, but it's all she has until Blake gets back. At least she has you."

The male nodded. "True, at least I am here. That is something. But I feel like there's more to this."

"Her memories," the Khajiit girl whimpered. "What if she remembers so much she doesn't care about all of you anymore?"

"Oh, do not worry. Once you remember things, you won't forget us. In fact, you'll probably feel even better. Especially when it comes to Blake. Imagine how much you'll care for her when you know she's the reason you have your memories."

"That…is true. She did not think about it like that." M'rissi purred and whipped her tail up a bit. "She will feel better, assuming her memories aren't too bad. But…what about when she remembers her family? Does she have family to remember?"

"Oh, I bet you do." Inigo set aside his notebook and leaned forward. "In fact, let me make a few more bets. I bet you have a brother and a sister. Your sister, I bet, is a big and powerful Senche. Maybe even a Senche-raht. And she has a great sense of humor, and is shy around the boys. But your brother is the opposite."

"Then he is like Inigo, only smaller," M'rissis teased, earning a laugh.

"Yes. He's probably a Dagi. Perhaps when you were all kittens, he would climb up fruit trees to get you all a snack. I bet he tried to teach you a bit of magic as well, knowing that one day it'll be useful for you."

"And she would catch fishies to go with them." M'rissi giggled and then lowered her head onto the armrest. "Thank you, Inigo. Even if her memories are something completely different, she's glad that you would make up stories with her. She can only hope that they are real and great, maybe even greater."

"It's hard to be better than someone like me and with magic skill, but yes. I hope it's all better than suspected as well."

"Was your brother also great?"

"Oh, he was. I'd say he was the best brother I could've had." Inigo laughed. "You know, my mother used to call us Sky and Sun. Because of my coloring and markings," he explained, pointing out his white facial marks. "My brother, on the other hand, was golden-furred and a little round."

M'rissi laughed with him, and the two fell into a pattern of swapping tales, jokes, and stories. After a few hours, Onmund came in to search for a snack to eat, and saw Inigo asleep on the couch with M'rissi lying down, her head resting in his lap.

"Huh, guess they're taking a cat nap," he joked to himself as he looked around the pantry.

* * *

While Ruby was stretching out her legs just outside the Four Shields Tavern, she heard a clopping sound and looked to see Neriro, now wearing the standard Imperial leather armor, rushing over to her. He looked around worriedly as he closed in, causing Lydia to stand up with a suspicious glare.

"Ruby, there's a, uh, bit of a situation. You… The Penitus said you're a dragon slayer?"

"I've killed a few dragons, yeah," she confessed while Lydia's tension melted. "Why?"

"They told me to get you as quickly as possible, but not to let the word out. There's a dragon nearby. It's been attacking farms and villages, always aiming for their livestock first, leaving wrecked carcasses everywhere, then capturing people and pinning them on trees or leaving them strung up on buildings." The Minotaur snorted, and then shook his head. "Apparently the damn thing's been increasing the frequency of his killings, and now he's been at it for two days nonstop. A scout just got back, and they think they know exactly where he's going to be for a while. When they heard you were here-"

"Tell them I'll be right there. Come on Lydia. We've got a dragon to stop." Ruby rushed to the stables and got her mount ready in moments. As she was leading Chocolate Hooves towards the Penitus Oculatus outpost, she saw a Bosmer in uniform talking to two of the Penitus agents while holding the reins of a much slimmer horse, likely bred for short distance speed rather than endurance. As Ruby approached, the older looking Penitus agent nodded.

"You're the Red Dragonslayer, then. Right, so Smith Woodpad told you the situation."

"Dragon doing evil stuff. Gotta stop him."

"You've got to be kidding me," the Bosmer mumbled. "Sir, with all due respect, that is a child, even for humans."

"Hey! I'm almost sixteen years old!" Ruby objected.

"And I'm three-hundred and forty-two."

"Glaundal, that's enough. She might be young, but we know what she's capable of. This won't be the first dragon she's killed," the agent chastised, halting the Bosmer's protests. "Look, just lead her to where the damned thing is at and hopefully we can finally kill this dragon before it does any more damage."

"I you don't mind, I'll be tagging along." Ruby turned to see Neriro bringing up an ox with a saddle and a wide-ended steel warhammer in one hand.

"You're not a combatant," the younger agent began, only to get cut off.

"I'm off-duty right now until I'm given a new assignment. Plus, I owe these women for saving my life. If anything happened out there when I could've stopped it, I'll never live it down. Besides, this'll be the first time a dragon and a Minotaur have met face to face in a _long_ time."

"Just don't get yourself killed, Woodpad," the elder agent said. "We need swords as much as we need soldiers."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Well, just when I thought we wouldn't get much slower," the Bosmer complained while he jumped up onto his mount.

"You worry about your speed, we'll worry about ours," Neriro threw back at him while hopping onto the massive ox.

"Godspeed, warriors."

* * *

Glaundal rode fast, but Ruby and Lydia never lost sight of him as they followed. Surprisingly, the ox Neriro rode was fast as well, though he was still a bit behind them. After a while, they began to see smoke filling the air, and Glaundal slowed his pace down. Once they started tasting the smoke, everyone had slowed their mounts into a trot. Just as it started to sting Ruby's eyes, they came upon a group of soldiers ushering citizens one way and trying to get situated in the other. An orc in steel centurion armor was trying to direct them with barked orders, only for a roar to cut him off followed by the bottom half of a cow coming out from the trees and smacking down several people in its path.

"Damn thing's toying with us!" he screamed. "Do we have any ideas how it's moving around so fast?!"

"I don't know, captain!" a man shouted back. "It just pops up wherever it wants!"

" **You mortals could not comprehend my power even if I explained it to you!"** a deep, gurgling voice called out from several directions at once. **"Time is my wings! My scales can withstand any metal! My claws will rip any armor! My teeth will tear through any hide! My Voice will rend any flesh!"**

There was a loud beat of wings and then the dragon zoomed by overhead. As it disappeared behind another treeline, something fell into the crowd and citizens began screaming. Ruby looked and saw that it was a man, only he was mostly ripped in half, only a spread of guts between the two halves connecting them. The smell of death came in with the smoke and Ruby growled.

"Dragon!" she yelled. "Dragon! Dovah!"

Suddenly the forests went still. Nature itself became so quiet that the fear-sickened civilians took notice and went silent as well.

" **Who said** _ **that**_ **?"** the dragon's voice called back.

"I am Ruby Rose, Dragonborn, Dovahkiin!" she declared as she dismounted. "You've brought too much suffering to these people! I challenge you, nameless dragon!"

There was a roar that made trees bend from its force. Many people had to cover their ears while Ruby stood resolutely against the force of the raging voice.

" **You dare!"** The dragon popped out and hovered, practically frothing as he stared down Ruby, giving her the first clear picture of him. He was mostly dark red, with black stripes running down his spine and making up his underbelly, a little larger than Mirmulnir, but more streamlined. **"I am Volvaazvey! I am the terror that makes warriors and kings tremble like children! I am the one who rips and tears asunder all that displease me! You dare to call me nameless! I will destroy you, Dovahkiin! Not for any thur, but for your own slight against me!"**

Ruby flicked out her scythe as she snarled at her foe. "Come and get me, then!" With that, she sped off towards the empty field west of the refugees and soldiers. The dragon came after her, roaring and raging with his mouth wide open to catch her. Ruby leaped over Volvaazvey and turned in mid-air, cutting at his neck as it passed by before jumping off of one of his spikes. Dragon blood hit the blackened field with a sizzle as Ruby turned back to face her opponent. Arrows flew through the air, but the dragon paid them no mind as he zeroed in on Ruby and began blasting balls and streams of fire in her direction. The girl dodged around the attacks and countered them with Frost Breath when necessary, all while trying to get herself in a position to attack. When he swooped down near her, she jumped up in a flurry of rose petals and cut his flank. The dragon roared and smacked her away with his tail before he flashed away in a Whirlwind Sprint before he began turning.

"My Thane," Lydia yelled out as she came to Ruby's side. "The soldiers… They said they have a scorpion, but it's the only one left. They might be able to kill him with it."

"Maybe, but he's fast," Ruby said as she stood. She looked across the smoking fields until her eyes landed on a cliff wall that made a small box. At about twenty feet high and with an incline leading up one side, it was almost perfect.

"Tell them to get it over there. Don't bring any attention to themselves while they do it."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"I've got this. Don't worry. Go, he's swinging back!"

Lydia saluted her and began running back to the forces of Imperial soldiers. Ruby readied herself, and began running at the dragon coming her way. Volvaazvey roared before unleashing Fire Breath upon Ruby, only for her to dodge to the side and then jump up. She managed to hook her scythe onto the side of his mouth and swung onto his back, cutting the edge of his lip as she did. The dragon looked back at her, and tried to shake her off, but Ruby held herself in place while he shook, spun, climbed, and dove. She kept her eyes to the treeline, watching as several Imperial Soldiers moved the scorpion into place. Counting down in her head, Ruby jumped from the dragon's back and then raked her weapon's blade against one wing shoulder and membrane. Volvaazvey roared in pain, but managed to keep himself airborne a while longer as Ruby ran to the boxed area.

In between the two cliff faces, Ruby looked from side to side for anything that could further improve her plan. She saw a large boulder and smiled at how it had sank in to the higher ground. The sound of heavy footsteps started pounding closer, and then she saw Volvaazvey staring at her from the mouth of the miniature canyon.

" **This is your grave, Dovahkiin!"** the dragon snarled before coming at her, limping on his injured right wing. Ruby just smirked and then took a deep breath, feeling her energy coursing through her Su'um.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** " she Shouted. The dragon ducked, the concussive force passing over his head as he did. When it was clear of him, he smiled and laughed at her attempt.

" **Were you even trying, mortal?"**

"Not to hit you, if that's what you meant. I'm just tipping the balance." Ruby smiled with confidence, despite her back being against the wall.

Volvaazvey narrowed his eyes at her, before they widened at the sound of earth shifting. Before he could pull away, the large boulder fell and landed on his left wing, crushing and pinning it. He immediately began trying to push it off with his head while roaring, tugging hard against it. As he did, the soldiers finally crested the hill and aimed the scorpion down at him.

"Fire!" the captain screamed as the dragon turned his attention back. The large bolt was shot out and the dragon tried to pull himself out of its way, but was only partly successful. He roared in pain again as the bolt pierced through his leg, almost pinning it to the ground. The dragon thrashed about for a moment, while the soldiers rushed to try again.

"Reel it back! Reload! Reload!"

Volvaazvey collected himself and stared at Ruby with vitriol and hatred. He growled and then snapped towards her, forcing the girl to put her attention back onto the dragon and back away. He continually snapped his jaws, trying to pull himself closer to her even as it tore at his trapped wing.

"Oh no," Lydia muttered, taking out her bow and firing it as fast as she could. Some soldiers began doing the same. Soon, nearly everyone that wasn't rushing to reload the scorpion was shooting the dragon with a bow or crossbow. Even as arrows and bolts bounced off or sank in to turn him into a pincushion, Volvaazvey ignored them and even Ruby slashing Crescent Rose at his face as he tried his best to bring his teeth closer to crushing her. As the dragon's maw inched closer and closer to Ruby, Neriro looked down and shook his head clear before taking out his warhammer and running for the side of the cliff. Some people tried to reach out to stop him, but he was already over the cliff's side and headed down by the time they could touch his tail. The Minotaur let out a massive bellow that shook the air as he came down and brought his hammer to bear upon the dragon's skull. The contact rang out like a smith hitting an anvil as hard as he could, marking the end of the bullish battlecry as the dragon's head was slammed into the ground. Dust was kicked up, but cleared moments later to show Volvaazvey's head unmoving against the ground, a visible dent at the top of it and many scales and spikes broken off. Just as the soldiers were beginning to think it was over, the dragon started moving, only for Ruby to jump in with a spin, screaming as she stabbed Crescent Rose into the dragon's head. After a momentary thrashing, Volvaazvey's eyes rolled into the back off his head and his body began burning.

"What in the N- Eight?"

"Kynareth's breath…" Neriro mumbled as the dragon's body conflagrated. The wisps of energy began flowing into Ruby, filling her with visions of violence and fearmongering across generations, but they were easily looked over as Ruby rejected what they were and took in the power of her foe.

When it was done, only a dragon's skeleton, some scattered scales, and spatters of blood were left of him. The skull had a noticeable hole in it where Neriro's hammer struck, but besides that the bones were pristine. The soldiers began shouting in victory, and Neriro lifted up his bent hammer and let out a victorious bellow. Ruby looked to the celebrating men and women and saw the civilians coming up to see the aftermath as well. The Huntress smiled and lifted her scythe up and let loose her own cheer, and the people who had seemed so frightened to death only moments ago felt their spirits rise as they let out their own jubilations.

* * *

"Maybe we should have gotten a boat," Weiss said as she rolled her shoulder. Thanks to the location of the mystery thing they were looking for, Waterwalking had to be used often, lest they swim through the icy cold sea. While she wasn't entirely sure about what they were looking for, a shape in the distance seemed to stand out to her. The three began walking along the black sand shore, the shape they were looking at becoming clearer and clearer as they went.

"Is…that a face?" Brelyna squinted her eyes, trying to get a clearer picture.

"Or something close in likeness," J'zargo answered, just as perplexed as she was.

The three stopped when they were near the object and stared at it. It was entirely blue, and had the appearance of a face wearing a headdress of some sort, floating above a pyramid. Weiss began moving around, but paused in her steps when the face seemed to follow her. She took a few steps back, forward, and even ducked, all while looking at the strange object.

"Weiss?"

"It…the face of it, it's always directly towards me from my perspective. What about you two?"

J'zargo looked back at the object and made a few motions himself, Brelyna moving the other direction. "This one sees what you mean. It…does not seem real. An illusion?"

"I'm getting the same feeling," Brelyna added, stopping behind the vampire.

"Hmm, I wonder," Weiss mused as she took a few steps forward, looking at the pyramid structure underneath the floating head. Suddenly the blank eyes glowed.

"Discordant waveform detected," the face announced in a voice that somehow sounded both robotic and organic to Weiss' ears. "Please identify yourself."

Weiss looked back over to J'zargo, who seemed too stunned and focused in on the thing, his fur raised up on end everywhere she could see. A quick glance told her Brelyna was feeling the exact same way.

"I am Weiss Schnee," she offered to the mystery. "Who or what am I speaking with?"

"I am the Marker. Created to explore and enlighten. To bring wisdom to the people of Time. To further the cause of the Pantheon."

"Pantheon?"

"The Pantheon exists beyond the Spheres in the Untimes. You call us the Magna-Ge."

Weiss felt her lip drop and her mouth gape. As far as she knew, Magna-Ge were basically the third kind of original spirits, separate from Aedra and Daedra, who created the stars when they ran from the creation of Mundus. Even though she'd spoken with and even met Daedric Princes before, she never would have thought she would speak with any sort of Magna-Ge.

"A disruption event has destabilized the Pantheon," the Marker continued. "We have need of the support of an intercendent being. The Dragonborn was selected, and contact was planned to be established. You are the next phase of the mission plan."

"Next phase… So you want me to get Ruby to you?"

"That is correct. The Dragonborn, also known as Ruby Rose, is vital to the completion of this mission." Weiss felt something almost caress her mind as a soft glow fed its way from the Magna-Ge to her. "I have established a psionic guidance algorithm for you to guide the Dragonborn. You should establish contact as soon as Time-Fate allows." The Marker grew silent and Weiss remained unmoving, an expression of shock blooming on her face.

"Weiss?" J'zargo asked in concern as he came over to check on her.

"It's fine. It's just…" Whenever Weiss thought about telling Ruby about where the Magna-Ge wanted her to go, she felt an almost indescribable tug trying to pull her one way. She looked over to the west and wondered if that tug was towards the goal or Ruby. She tried to clear her mind of it, but found that to be harder than she thought. "Damn. Is this what birds feel like in winter migration? Okay, Marker, why should I even do this for you?"

"We can provide substantial rewards, including, but not limited to, items of value, unique collectibles, powerful tools, previously unknown and/or forgotten magic spells and rituals."

Weiss felt intrigued, but at the same time didn't want to seem too eager in front of the being. "I suppose that can work for now. I'll try to…guide Ruby to whatever it is, and we'll go on from there."

"Acceptable." When the Marker seemed to offer no other words, Weiss, J'zargo, and Brelyna looked at each other.

"Do you suppose this counts as a discovery?" Brelyna asked, silently wondering why this sort of stuff happened every time she went with Weiss.

"J'zargo's mind is still reeling from what he has seen and heard. We should probably figure this out after we return."

"Right. I'll call Ruby and let her know in a minute about this."

* * *

After getting back to the College just before dusk, Weiss' mind was still trying to sort itself from what it had just gone through. The tug came back every once in a while, but it was always when she thought about showing Ruby to wherever the Marker wanted them to go. While she thought about calling Ruby on her scroll, she passed by the alchemy rooms and then paused before heading back into them to see a massive, frozen liver sitting on one table while Tolfdir work on a slice of it.

"Is that the dragon's liver?" she asked, getting the old man's attention.

"Oh, hello Weiss. And yes, it most certainly is. There seem to be some very peculiar properties to it. Why, I think I'm getting closer all the time to figuring out how these dragons can fly despite their wings not being large enough to give something with that much weight lift, but some others have found different uses from the samples. One person, er, I forgot who, figured out that the spleen can apparently be used to combat alcohol poisoning or even just hangovers."

"That's…interesting." Weiss wasn't lying. It was simply the memory of her worst hangover coming back at her.

"Have there been other discoveries?" J'zargo asked in interest.

"Well, for one, dragon bones have to be one of the hardest, yet most flexible, materials we've ever come across. Why, it's probably stronger than ebony! There's also the blood samples, which we've had…mixed results with."

"How mixed?"

"Well, some of the students thought it'd be a good idea to chug down a cupful of the stuff," the teacher said with a groan. "They had to be rushed to the Hall of Healing and Collette had to watch them for days. The poor things were wailing in agony for hours. If we hadn't been treating them the whole time, they might have died." He sighed and shook his head. "But, each one of them bounced back and suddenly just had new skills or ideas. A boy who could never get the hang of dual-casting suddenly seemed to just get it. One of them understood the basics of advanced steel armor forging for some reason, despite never being at a forge before in her life. And another still could create dual enchantments. A sudden leap from a skilled protégé to a complete master of the art! Don't get any ideas though," he directed towards J'zargo, who certainly looked like he was getting them. "The effect seemed random, some of the new skills not useful to a mage at all. You might drink it and barely survive, only to wake up knowing how to sew shirts. Or you might not survive at all."

"Seems like a shortcut that is not worth the risk," the Khajiit concluded. "This one will become great by his own merit. He just wonders how dragon's blood could cause such things."

"We're not quite sure. We've been trying to see if we could somehow dilute it or mix it with something to cancel out the poison, but nothing seems to mix with it besides itself. It's not even dissolvable in water, which should be impossible."

"We'll figure it all out in time, I'm sure." Weiss gasped and looked down at her scroll. "If you'll excuse me, there's a call I need to make really quick."

"A call? I had thought you two were an item now," Tolfdir aimed at J'zargo.

"She means that she's going to begin a magical communication with someone."

"Oh? Right. I forgot about those things. Let me know when you make more of them. Something like that can only be useful, after all."

* * *

As Ruby and the Legion cohort made their way back to Dragon Bridge leading the refugees, she felt her scroll vibrate as her ringtone sounded. She took out the device and opened it to see Weiss calling, then answered.

"Hey, Weiss. How's everything?"

"Well, we figured out dragon blood is both poisonous and causes some kind of random increase in skill. Also, I talked with a Magna-Ge."

"Aren't those things up in the stars or something?" Ruby asked her partner as several soldiers walking near her turned to look at them speaking.

"Well apparently one came down to Nirn, and it wants you to do something for them. Now I have this thing in my mind trying to lead me towards some location, and I'm supposed to guide you towards it."

"Like a pigeon?"

"That…is probably not entirely inaccurate." Weiss looked down in thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Anyways, once Blake is finished with her task we should meet up so that we can get to the bottom of this."

"All right! Besties on an adventure!" Ruby cheered while Weiss merely stared unamused. Her eyebrow then perked up once she noticed a curious face peeking around Ruby's shoulder, wearing a familiar helmet.

"Are those soldiers behind you?"

"Oh, yeah. Killed another dragon. He was tormenting civilians and killing people horribly. A squad had to stay behind to try and get the bodies out of the trees. It was…awful." Ruby frowned a moment. "But, it's over now. We-" Another beeping started, showing Ruby that Blake was calling. "Oh." She answered and the screen adjusted to have both teammates on. "Hey Blake."

"Hey Ruby. Hi Weiss. Well, the ship's about to pull in to Solitude. We should be docked before night comes. How far out are you?"

"Um, we're coming back into Dragon Bridge right now."

"Dragon Bridge? You're still there?"

"Had to rescue people and kill a dragon. Sorry, Blake."

"No, don't be sorry for that. Just wish you had sent me a message. Anyways, that's maybe half a day away, so it's not that bad. I just got here first instead of the other way around. I'll look around while I wait for you to show."

"Okay. Oh, hey, Neriro will be coming with us. You should meet him, he's pretty cool. He helped out with the dragon, and actually cracked its skull. Like, he literally hit him so hard the skull cracked and caved in. Then I stabbed him in the brain."

Both girls flinched at that, Blake sucking air in through her teeth.

"What? If anything that's probably one of the most painless ways to die."

"Nothing. Just not a nice mental image," Blake brushed off. "Anyways, like I said, I'll be looking around until you come."

"All right. I'll see you then. I'll call once I get to the gates."

"Just be safe, both of you," Weiss warned them. "I don't want to have to stage some grand rescue operation because one of you got yourself thrown into some tower."

"No promises," Ruby joked, earning a smile from Weiss before she hung up. Blake nodded with a small smile as well before she too disconnected. As Ruby pocketed her scroll, a man suddenly came up to her from the village, wearing a courier's sash. He was wearing simple clothes and a hat, a far cry from the Courier she ran into before, likely meaning he was just the local mail man equivalent.

"Excuse me," he began, "are you Ruby Rose?"

"I am. What's up?"

"I've got something for you. Your hands only. Let's see here...," the medieval mail man rummaged through his bag a bit before pulling out a letter. "Courier station just got a letter passed through from Solitude Court. It's marked as urgent. Someone said you were around." He handed over a letter to her and walked away, and Ruby gently broke the seal before opening it.

 _Ruby Rose,_

 _Over the last few days we've had some disturbing information come to light regarding the events at Wolfskull Cave and the summoning and binding ritual you interrupted there._

 _Given your involvement with that event I'm asking you to return to Solitude to help us once more. I'm wary of putting all the details in print, please come see me at the Blue Palace._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Falk Firebeard_

"Cheese and crackers," Ruby mumbled. "Well, at least we're headed that way."

"Everything all right, my Thane?" Lydia asked.

"Yeah. Just gotta make sure we drop by Falk when we get to Solitude. Looks like there's something to do with…" Ruby paused when a stray thought crossed her mind. "Actually, Lydia, let's see if we can head out overnight. I won't push it if you or Neriro don't think we should, but…this might be more urgent than we think."

* * *

As Blake stepped off the boat, she took a moment to rediscover her balance and slowly walked as her land legs came back to her. She started heading up to the city, but stopped when she saw a familiar, horned head.

"Last haul for today, mates. Get 'em up and barreled," a Redguard said as several men pulled up a net and sorted through its catches. "Movver, much better today. We'll make a fisher's grip out of those farmer's hands yet."

Blake focused in on the Argonian and approached him. He saw and recognized her, his eyes darting about as he took her in. Blake felt her blood boil at the memory of what Weiss had gone through thanks to him, and then the idea of how easily she could kill him came up.

The Blade could easily _slice into his shoulder and through-_

' _No! I…am not a murderer.'_

" _Grelod's corpse and all of those slain assassins beg to differ."_

' _Grelod was an accident! Manslaughter at worst! And the assassins were criminals. Killing them was self-defense and…summary execution. He… Ruby said she talked to him already. He had his reasons.'_

"Ah, hello…again." Blake wanted to scream at him for his plain looking expression, but then recalled how Saxhleel couldn't physically express most emotions without a good deal of effort, and so focused on his eyes, which did show a degree of sadness.

"I…don't know what I want to tell you," Blake admitted. "I'm angry, but…"

"I understand. I'm afraid there's not much I could do to make it up at this point. Your friend said you were all fine, but one of you was hurt?"

"She's fine, but there was…a while there that we were scared." Blake sighed and put her hands to her hips. "I shouldn't be the one to talk to you about it."

"I suppose you could always hit me like the red one did?"

"No. I'm afraid I might accidentally kill you." She wasn't lying. She really feared the possibility.

"Thank you for not doing that, then."

"Yeah." Blake moved past him and continued on to the city.

"For what's it worth, have a good day." Blake ignored him and just continued on.

The Faunus walked through the gate and into the winding down marketplace. Her eyes scanned crowds while she did her best to look natural and flow along with them. She broke off near the ramp that led up to Castle Dour and went up and to the side of it. Remembering the directions she'd gotten from a few sources, she found her way to the Thalmor Headquarters and headed straight towards them, recalling one piece of advice she'd picked up from Delvin when he wasn't acting like a condescending ass.

" _Act like you're supposed to be somewhere, and almost no one will question you. When someone does, act surprised, lead 'em on to thinking you genuinely thought it was allowed or you were told. Just keep your story straight, and nine of ten times they'll just put you back out with none worse for wear. Best way I ever found how to scope a mark."_

Blake already had a fabrication in mind. She was simply a Khajiit serving a justiciar, not an uncommon thing to be found among the Thalmor. Altmer may have made up the ranks of the Thalmor, but their servants were often either Khajiit or Bosmer. She even wore a dress more befitting a servant over her armor. She walked into the headquarters, doing her best to look as demure as possible, even as she noted the place to be almost entirely empty. She stepped in, and an Altmer sitting to dinner, wearing clothes more associated to Nordic nobility and high class looked over at her.

"Who are you then?" he asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity and not suspicion.

"Ah, this one is a simple servant, milord," she answered, making sure to keep her false accent at a manageable level in order to avoid overdoing it. "She was sent to prepare for her master's arrival."

"About the only one who bothers coming here besides me is Isael," he mumbled. "She left a while ago, and probably won't be back for a while either. She's never here for long. Probably like the rest of them; can't stand the Nords or their practices."

"Standing their barbarity must be a great task," she pretended to agree.

"Oh, it can be at times, but there are things to learn, even from backwards, self-destructing savages like them. Besides, learning to use their own methods to our benefit has only worked. Take your people for example. Why, you were all wandering about in the desert and jungles almost aimlessly before we set you up straight."

"This one is very grateful for your guidance." Blake wanted to gag, but the Altmer kept going.

"And then there's our 'shared' kin. Being carnivorous is one thing, certainly, but to go to the lengths Bosmer do… Why it's simply atrocious! You and your kinsmen are almost totally carnivorous as well, only eating a few fruits and your moon sugar, yet you don't have to fall back on eating each other when food is scarce."

"We…certainly do not."

"Makes elven kind look bad. Why, I'd almost prefer we have the Dunmer or Orsimer rather than those cannibals, if only they weren't Daedra worshipping heretics." He shook his head and scoffed. "You know, there is some evidence that points to Orsimer almost converting back to worshipping Trinimac and rejecting that blasphemous shadow Malacath. But of course it didn't happen. Now had it, the very face of history could have been changed forever. I mean, simply imagine what it would have been like to have Orsimer guided by the hands of their superior Altmer cousins."

"Very formidable, she thinks."

"Yes, exactly! Perhaps even over time they would have found themselves becoming more like their original ancestors. Not to our pedigree of course, but certainly much better than what they are now. Might even lose those ugly tusks along the way. But as they are? Might as well try to make elves out of goblins."

Blake nodded. _'Okay, guess I should…'_

"Then there are those goblins, or Mulukrin as they call themselves now."

' _Son of a bitch!'_

Blake kept herself calm as the mer continued on his rant.

"We have goblins back on Alinor, you know. They're still savage like the old ones in Cyrodiil used to be, up until that Nord convinced them to try and join civilization. It makes sense when you think about it. Nords are about a level above where goblins once were, on average. A rather decent bridge to where the Cyrods are. And now it seems like goblins and ogres are improving where men are failing. It only makes sense. Goblin-ken are related to elves. Far off, of course, but closer than mankind can hope to be."

Blake internally groaned as she forced her assumed persona to continue smiling and listening.

* * *

Yang walked through the town that seemed to be built on a near-still lake. If it had been built on a swamp like most people accused it of, the water would have been a lot more fetid and the smell would have been worse. As it was, the body of water was connected to the river, it just didn't really flow in or out from the looks of things. Perhaps it seasonally changed, but Yang had no way of knowing that for certain right now.

Her attention was, instead, drawn to the burnt out house just down the dock/road from the inn. Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone had told her about the circumstances around it: Hroggar, the owner, had been out the night the house caught fire, by most people's accounts, with Alva. Now his wife and daughter, Helgine and Helgi, were dead, and he was staying with Alva. Perhaps if he hadn't been with her before the fire Yang would have figured it was just a neighbor letting him stay at their place after a tragedy, but from what she saw and heard he didn't even seem to be mourning their passing. She tried to question him, but he just brushed her off, saying he was trying to not think about it. It was suspicious, but Yang needed hard evidence or she might convict an innocent man guilty of nothing but unlucky circumstances.

"Hey, you there," she heard and turned to see an orc wearing a dark brown brigandine over a leather coat, a crossbow at his back and a stylized steel hatchet at his side. "You're a member of the Companions, right?"

"Armor give me away?" she asked with a smile. "What's up? You got a question?" The orc looked confused for a moment before nodding his head in understanding.

"Yes, a few, actually. You here about the vampire activity?"

"Nah, murder investigation," she said while pointing a thumb at the ash-covered house ruins. "Don't suppose vampires did that?"

"Not likely," he shook his head. "They don't like attention, or fire. Unless one of them screwed up something major, they wouldn't have done that. Especially here." The orc began to look around, scanning the area.

"So...interesting armor you got there," Yang observed. "You don't look like a soldier. Who ya with?"

"I'm with the Dawnguard," he declared. At Yang's look of confusion, albeit slight, he slightly shook his head. "We're a group of vampire hunters located out of Fort Dawnguard, southwest of Riften. We got reports of vampire activity in the area, and I'm pretty sure a coven is based somewhere nearby. Possibly even in the town itself." Yang suddenly snapped her fingers as she finally recognized the group.

"Oh, I remember now! Kodlak said something about a group of vampire hunters forming out east. Huh, small world," Yang smiled with mirth, her mind going over the possibilities, both good and ill. "I don't think I got your name."

"The name's Durak."

"I'm Yang." The woman offered her hand over and Durak took and shook it.

"Good to meet you, Yang. Tell you what, if you happen to find anything about some vampires, let me know. I'll do the same if I come across anything relevant to your murder case."

"Sounds like a good idea. Hope we both get to the bottom of everything going on around here. This place is all gloom and doom. They could use some good news."

"Like a pile of dead vampires." Durak laughed and then nodded. "All right. I'm going to be looking around the hills right in the east. I reckon you'll be in the town most of the time. Good luck, Companion."

"You too." As the two split up, Yang wondered just how likely vampires being behind the fire could have been. Obviously vampires didn't like fire, if Weiss was any indication, but that didn't mean they couldn't use or utilize it. Motive was still a big factor as well, and there were easier, less-likely-to-fail ways to cover up a death by vampire bite, again, something she learned from Weiss.

She stepped into the house and began to look around. There wasn't much, likely as a result of the simple passage of time, but she still had to check. At the very least, the Jarl had ordered the site to remain undisturbed, with a constant guard posting to ensure no trespassers. That meant nothing, presumably, was missing. She walked over to the side of the house, near where she assumed a window would be, and noticed that the soot was in larger quantities there than everywhere else. This was likely where the fire started.

' _No signs of forced entry_ ,' Yang shook her head. None of the walls were caved in, no shards of glass indicating a window broken from outside. Whoever did this started it on the inside, and either snuck in or, worse, expected to be here. Hroggar was starting to get a bit more suspicious to the huntress, but nothing was conclusive. She walked over to the other side of the house, near a collapsed bed frame, only to stop once she noticed some scratch marks on the ground, almost as if something got thrown. She sniffed, picking up the trace of three people thanks to her enhanced nose. There was definitely a struggle.

An image was starting to form in Yang's mind. Hroggar had become enamored with a young, attractive woman, and decided that he'd rather be with her than his wife and daughter. But, divorce laws were nonexistent in Skyrim, as far as she knew, so he couldn't simply divorce her. So, in a leap of logic that defied expectation, he decided to try and kill them, making it look like an accident. The wife caught him and tried to fight back, but a fire started and the two died.

' _That doesn't seem right..._ ' Yang shook her head. She could, somewhat, understand a man, or woman for that matter, deciding to go to someone new, current partner be damned. She had a few friends from Signal who did that. Called it "upgrading". She wasn't friends with them after that, but still she knew it could happen. But to immediately jump to murder? By all accounts, Hroggar and Helgine were happy together until their demise. Ruby had even played with Helgi when she was in town, albeit briefly and based off of what Lydia told her was a horrifying experience for all involved, but Ruby had nothing but nice things to say about them. It made no sense.

"What am I missing?" Yang sat down next to the broken bed, contemplating her next move, only to feel a chill run down her spine, the hairs on her neck standing upright. Something was wrong. She slowly turned around, only to see a pale, ghostly form emerge from under the bed. She jump back, slightly afraid, only to cock her head as the form changed into that of a little girl.

" _Who's there?"_ the little ghost asked, whimpering. It... She was afraid. _"Is that you, father?"_

"No, no…" Yang began, trying not to freak out over what she was seeing. "Um, can I have your name?"

" _Helgi, but father says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."_ Helgi took a step back, still afraid although getting calmer by the second.

"Well Helgi, I'm Yang. See, we're not strangers now," Yang calmly said, taking a few breaths to calm herself. "I'm with the Companions, you see. Do you know what happened to your house?"

" _The smoke woke me up. It was hot and I was scared, so I hid. Then it got cold and dark. I'm not scared anymore."_ Yang felt tears building up from behind her eyes, but held them back. _"I'm lonely. Will you play with me?"_

"If I do, do you think you can help me figure out who set the fire?"

" _Okay! Let's play hide and seek! You find me, and I'll tell you! We have to wait for nighttime though. The other one is playing too, and she can't come out until then."_

"Wait, what other one?" Yang wondered if she meant another ghost, her mother's, or something else entirely.

" _I can't tell you. She might hear. She's so close. If you can find me first, I can tell you."_

The child ghost then dissipated before Yang's eyes. The woman reached out towards her, but paused and looked around.

"Have to wait for nighttime." Yang looked over to the setting sun and nodded. "Right. Just a little while then."

* * *

Searching around the town didn't reveal much else to Yang. Night was about to roll in and she was beginning to think she would have to just search every inch of the damn town to find where Helgi was hiding when the time came. As she started thinking of a search pattern she could follow, she heard small footsteps behind her and turned to see a young boy, maybe a little older than Helgi had been.

"Hey kid, it's getting late."

"Late?" He blinked and looked up. "Oh, it's almost night. Hey, you're the one my mother set to look into the house burning down."

"Yeah, that's me. Wait, you're the Jarl's son?" Idgrod looked like she was around sixty, yet the boy couldn't have been older than twelve.

"Yes. My name's Joric. I… Well, you're looking for something, right? You should try the graveyard. It's to the west, in the hills."

"The graveyard?" Yang looked west, but didn't see any grave markers. "Where exactly is it?"

"You have to go up the hills, then it'll be between all of the crowns. It's hidden like that. Easy to miss. Easy to forget. I guess people don't want to be reminded. But I think they need to. Remembering can hurt, but it can heal too. Hroggar can't heal if he's not allowed to remember."

"Man, kid." Yang rubbed the side of her face. "You didn't have to go so deep. All right. I guess I'll start there." The Huntress looked forward and let out a sigh while standing up to her feet. Her eyes were caught for a moment by a man holding a lantern and walking down the road.

"Thonnir Stofleid misses his wife. She went missing a while ago. He hopes she just went to join the Stormcloaks and will come home, but a lot of people think she's gone for good." The boy suddenly gained a faraway look in his eyes before they seemed to go still and glassy. Yang waved her hand in front of his face before snapping her fingers near his ear, causing him to shake his head and look around confused.

"Sorry. I get lost sometimes. I'm not sure where I go, but I'm not… I'm not here." He looked back up at Yang and turned towards her. "You know, you're not like anyone else here. You're different, but that can be good too." The boy then started walking away, towards the Jarl's longhouse. Yang watched him go for a moment before taking in a deep breath.

"Weird kid. Still…" She looked back over to the graveyard. "Good advice."

She walked through the town as everyone went home for the night, trying her best to sniff the air as well as keep her eyes open. She stalled as she heard the sound of metal sliding against earth, then kept heading up the hill until she crested it. Like Joric had said, the graveyard was placed in between the hilltops, hidden from view, but now that she was looking in, she could see someone digging up one of the graves. Ready for whatever came up, she slowly approached the digging woman. As she came closer, she saw that the coffin was mostly uncovered and that it was small. The woman tossed her shovel aside and reached in before pulling up at the casket, partially dislodging it before seeing Yang and stopping, drawing a sword from her side.

"I- I'm warning you," she stuttered out. "Back off or- or else!"

"You're the one grave robbing here. I could easily take you in for that." Yang kept one hand near her axe as she stood her ground. "So what are you doing out here?"

"I- I-" The woman seemed to be shaking in her boots, then grimaced. Yang's eyes widened when she saw her teeth included a set of fangs and that her eyes were red and glowing. The Huntress prepared herself, not knowing how exactly this would down as she gripped her weapon tightly.

"Do you have anything to do with the burned house?" Yang slowly asked. As the vampire flinched and winced, she took in a deep breath through her nose, smelling a scent she'd come to partially relate to Weiss, only weaker.

"No one can know," the woman whimpered before her eyes shot open, her pupils turning into pinpricks. "No one can know!"

She charged Yang with her mouth open in a scream and her sword reared back. The Huntress prepared herself, drawing out her axe, only for something to fly by her and strike the vampire in her mouth, knocking her back and to the ground. Yang blinked, then looked behind her to see Durak reloading his crossbow.

"Found one," he quipped before walking forward and then nudging the corpse with his foot. "Just like I suspected. Cyrod Court vampire."

"Hold on a second," Yang said as she came forward. She looked at the exhumed grave's tombstone and saw the name Helgi Waterborn before placing her hand on the coffin.

" _You found me!"_ she heard from the casket. Durak slightly jumped at the unexpected voice, but he quickly recovered and directed his attention to the casket. _"Laelette was trying to find me too, but I'm glad you found me first."_ As Durak came over to listen in, the ghost's voice went sad. _"Laelette was told to burn mommy and me, but she didn't want to. She wanted to play with me, forever and ever. She kissed me on the neck, and I got so cold that the fire didn't even hurt. Laelette thought she could take me and keep me, but she can't. I'm all burned up. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for a while now."_

The orc looked over to Yang and shook his head. "Damn! So there were vampires behind it. Almost took that little girl's soul, too."

"What the hell is going on?" Yang asked. "Why would the vampires want to burn a family to death, but then miss…" Yang went quiet as she thought back to Hroggar, only for her thoughts to be interrupted as a torch came into view and a man rushed through the graveyard.

"Laelette? Laelette!" he yelled as he came to the woman's side. "What have you done, you- By Ysmir…" he whispered as he lifted up her face to see her fangs and red eyes. "She- She's a vampire!"

The man pushed himself back and began shaking as he dropped his torch. Durak picked in the burning wood and stomped on some of the grass that had caught.

"Hold yourself together, friend," the orc told him. "You'll do her memory no good if you let it break you. Trust me, I know how you feel right now. I lost both of my wives to the abominations," he said with genuine sympathy.

"I- I always thought she'd left to join the Stormcloaks. My… My darling." He began to sob, holding his face in his hands, while Durak rubbed his shoulder in an attempt to provide comfort.

"Did anything weird happen before she left?" Yang gently asked. "What was she doing?"

"She…started seeing Alva often. Yet, only the week before she despised her. She said they'd had a heart-to-heart, and got to know one another better. She said she was going to see her the night she disappeared, but Alva told me later that she never showed. I never…got to tell her good-bye." He began sob again, while Yang got a contemplative look.

"Alva," Yang whispered. "It all leads back to Alva." Durak looked at Yang, his eyes showing he understood where she was going.

"Wha- What do you mean?" Thonnir asked, his eyes red from the tears. "You don't think that Alva could be…a vampire, do you?"

"It's certainly worth looking into," Durak contemplated.

"She couldn't be! Not- Not her!" Thonnir looked back over at his wife's corpse. "Laelette must have met her fate out in the marsh. I refuse to believe Alva of all people could have done this!"

"Well, I don't need you to believe it," Yang told him with a shake of her head. "I just need evidence. Believe what you want, whatever. I'm getting to the bottom of this." She looked back to Durak. "Think I found some evidence for your investigation."

"Seems so. Let's go."

The two headed out of the graveyard and back into the town. Durak started heading towards the inn, but Yang caught his shoulder.

"What're you doing?" he asked, confused as to why she was stopping him.

"We can't go in there and just shoot her in the head. There's a very, _very_ slim chance we might be wrong. Even if we aren't, people are going to try to kill us before we can hold her mouth open and let 'em see the fangs. We should look into her house first. There's probably something incriminating there. If not, we'll catch and question her."

"Unless she's some kinda buffoon of a bimbo, she wouldn't just leave evidence lying around," he pointed out. "But I do see your point. How do we know which house is hers though?"

Yang gestured him to follow as she walked over to a patrolling guardsman. "Excuse, me, can you point me out to where Alva and Hroggar live? We need to ask one of them some questions."

"You're the one on that case, right? Well, Alva's house is over in the corner there, with the docked porch that leads onto the land, right next to that open space."

"Thank you, sir. Have a good night."

"You too, Companion. Good luck. Oh, by the way, Alva would be working right about now."

"We'll see her soon then. First we wanna talk to Hroggar."

"Ah, I see. All right then. Take care."

"You too." As the guard walked away, Yang turned back to Durak, who nodded.

"All right, I see. So now we've basically got the go ahead to investigate. And an alibi should things get ugly."

"Honestly, I was just getting directions. Those are bonuses." The two went over to the house the guard mentioned and Yang tried the knob only to find that it was locked. She thought a moment about picking it or just busting in when Durak went in and fit something into the keyhole.

"Lockbreaker. When you wanna be discreet, but have no patience for picking." He tapped it in with a hammer and then pulled it out, causing the knob to fall off.

"I was going to try knocking to see if that'd work," Yang said as she pulled the door open and stepped in. An iron axe came at her face, but she caught the arm and then jabbed Hroggar in his gut before shoving him back and ripping the axe from his grip. The man tried to scramble to his feet and Durak pulled out his hatchet, but Yang raised her hand to halt the orc before going in and then quickly putting Hroggar into a hold.

"He's been enthralled," Durak warned her as they struggled. "He won't give up even if it costs his life."

"Don't need him to give up. Just need him to give out." She quickly switched to a sleeper hold and held down the pressure. The enthralled man thrashed about, trying to get loose from her, only for his struggles to gradually weaken until he slumped in Yang's arms. She caught him and set him onto the nearby couch before letting out a huff.

"Okay, you get any rope or something?"

"Um…" Durak looked around and then took some leather strips from a tabletop. Yang looked at the length of them and then nodded.

"That'll do." She went over and began tying the man's hands behind his back and to his feet.

"You know, he'll keep struggling as long as Alva lives."

"Then we'll fix that, as soon as we go get her. First, let's look downstairs. I wanna set the record straight on all of this." Yang headed down into the basement and opened the door. The first thing she saw was how there was some bedding sitting in a coffin, then a little notebook sitting next to it. She picked it up and started reading it, at first sticking her tongue out when she read what sounded like some lovesick teenage girl's wishes for a prince charming, then stopped when she reached something about meeting a man who then 'showed her the truth.'

 _He has promised me a feast of blood if I do his bidding in Morthal._

"It's like a villain in a dumb, young adult novel," she complained before handing the diary to Durak, who read it a little and nodded.

"Yeah, definitely a vampire. And behind the murders, too."

Yang looked at the part Durak pointed out and felt her blood heating up, barely restraining herself from growling.

 _Hroggar's family is becoming inconvenient. I've told Laelette to kill them all, and make it look like an accident._

"Oh, I am so killing that home-wrecking skank!"

"So, what do we do next then? You seem to have this all figured out."

"First we tell the Jarl. Get some guards to arrest Alva or kill her on the spot, whichever works out. But first, you think we can get the location of this Movarth guy from her?"

"If he's her sire like this book indicates, then she'll feel an insane amount of loyalty to him. Laelette was a Court vampire, which means so is Alva and this Movarth." Yang was confused. Vampires formed groups? The only one she encountered was, by all accounts, extremely isolated. Durak picked up on this, and began to explain. "Courters are some of the tightest knit groups, just because of how slavish the childers become to the sires. Whether it's genuine or a side effect of the strain, we don't know. Never cared to learn, in any case. Funny thing is that Courters usually stick to Cyrodiil, which means these moved in. Vampires in Skyrim are usually Volkihar. Tougher, but much more individualistic."

"So she's not gonna betray him? That's just swell." Yang shook her head, idly noting how knowledgeable he was on vampires. He certainly knew more than she did, possibly even Weiss. "Okay, new plan. Tell the Jarl, let Alva think she's slipped away, track her back to her master."

"Hah! I like how you think, friend. Right then, let's go."

The two left the house, Yang telling some guards that Hroggar had gone mad and needed to spend the night in prison while the cure she gave him set in. They believed her, and took the man to the prisons figuring his yelling of how Alva was in peril to be a madman's screaming, one of them fitting a gag over his mouth to keep him from waking the neighborhood.

Yang and the vampire hunter came in right as the Jarl was leaving her courtroom to head to bed, catching the elder woman's eye and making her and her husband pause in their steps.

"Well, is Hroggar innocent or not?" Idgrod asked as Yang approached.

"Hroggar's innocent. Alva was the one who orchestrated the murders."

"Alva?" Idgrod raised her eyebrow. "Didn't think she had it in her."

"She does," Durak continued for Yang. "The woman's a vampire. She turned another woman named Laelette and sent her to kill them."

"A vampire? I assume you have proof of all this? Can't go making accusations like these without proof."

Yang passed over the diary and the Jarl began speed-reading. Her eyes moving along the lines quicker than Yang could think of them.

"That traitorous bitch!" the Jarl spat upon finishing. "Morthal owes you two a debt for this. And now we've got a vampire problem to take care of. You'll be rewarded, Companion, as promised, but we'll need your help again. Yours too, vampire hunter. This journal mentions Movarth, a master vampire I thought was destroyed a century ago. Take some guards with you to bring in Alva. I'll have some able-bodied warriors gathered together so that we can clean out Movarth's lair."

"You know where he's laired up?"

"Going by the words here, and by history, sounds like it's the same lair he was last seen in. Go on, we've got work to do to make Morthal safe again. You two, go with them. Aslfur, come on. We've got defenders to raise up."

As the two left with the guardsmen backing them, Durak went ahead and readied his crossbow while Yang drew her axes before sheathing the larger one. As they entered the inn, several folks gave them odd looks while both noticed the same thing.

"What's the big idea?" one patron asked.

"Looking for Alva," Yang explained as she sniffed the air before turning back to the door. "She's not here."

"She left a little while ago when a guard came by to tell her something," another customer explained. "Don't know what it was, but she got all worried."

"Damn it!" Yang muttered.

"Well that bit us in the ass," Durak grumbled. "She must have ran back with her tail between her legs."

"Well, we'll get her either way. It's just now we've gotta worry about them being ready."

* * *

Blake felt her eyes open and then suddenly sat up in alarm, a blanket falling from her back. She looked over herself and realized that she had fallen asleep at the table while listening to the Altmer, Orondil, prattle on about every other subject under the sun. She probably got too invested at one point, now that she thought about it. He had compared her and Khajiits to cats which made her, even in her servant persona, get defensive about it, but at least his point about it wasn't the worst she'd ever heard. Even some Khajiit called themselves cats, though most preferred not to be called such as it suggested they were more like house cats rather than something majestic like a lion or tiger. Lions and tigers happened to be his examples though, and then he went on to compare humans to apes and trolls, pointing more towards trolls for Nords and Bretons with apes for Cyrodiilics and Redguards. Then they discussed Imga, which Blake had never met but had read about, yet Orondil had met before. He said it was somewhat adorable how some of them wanted to be more like the Altmer, but that he would remind those he knew that they were not, and should, instead of shaving themselves to look like them, focus more on doing their best at being Imga for the Aldmeri Dominion. It was the closest thing to progressive he said since she stepped foot in this place.

"Ah, you're back in the land in the living," she heard and turned to see Orondil nursing a cup of something. "I was going to show you to a guest room, but you were out like a light after only a few minutes of silence. Travels can be quite tiresome."

"Yes, they are." Blake allowed herself to yawn and looked to a window to see the morning light starting to pour in. "If you do not mind, this one will just take a look around for a while and then be on her way. This one's master would like to hear back before she arrives."

"Of course. Go ahead dear."

Blake nodded and then headed up the stairs. Part of her wanted to check every room, but a practical part of her said to start from richest looking and work her way down. After all, Isael was the second or third highest Thalmor in Skyrim.

The first room she went into was extravagantly and disturbingly decorated. On one shelf, there were three different sized Khajiit skulls, two from humans, and another that she guessed was an orc's going by the tusks. She grimaced at them all and then rested her eyes on a small chest. Listening for any incoming feet, she took out her tension wrench and a lockpick and began working with the lock. As she kept going, she counted around nineteen tumblers before she finally pushed the twentieth into place and sighed as the lock turned. She opened the chest and reached in to find nothing except for a thick journal. As she put the journal into the inside of her disguise and went to continue searching, she felt her limbs go heavy and stiff before her body started being dragged back towards the center of the room where a malachite ring had popped up. Blake fought against the spell taking hold even as a purple shield appeared around her and her entire body froze.

' _Oh god,'_ she thought in horror. _'Oh god, no!'_

* * *

Yang, Durak, and a load of townsfolk armed with random implements turned weapons came up to the mouth of the cave as the sun began peeking over the horizon, but at the feeling of bone-biting chill, many of them began slowing down.

"Um, this place looks dangerous," someone commented.

"And it looks creepy too."

"And it's full of vampires?"

"Cowards!" Thonnir yelled as he walked up to the front of the group, an axe in his hand. "We have to go in and kill them before they kill us! We have to make them pay for what they've done!"

"Yeah, but," an orc in well-to-do clothes began, "how about those two go first? A trained vampire killer and a Companion…"

"Fine, all of you can stay out here and quiver. I'm going in."

"Not in front you're not," Yang said as she stepped ahead. "Let the tank, tank, okay."

"The…tank is you?"

"What's a tank?" someone whispered as Yang led the way in. It wasn't long before they were accosted by a few frostbite spiders, functioning a guard dogs, if she had to guess. Durak pulled up his crossbow and fired, nailing a frostbite spider right in-between all of the eyes, making it fall back dead, while Yang leaped down and cleaved the smaller one in half. They then ran further in, where Yang saw someone getting up from a chair and pulling up a battle axe. Yang clashed with the dead-eyed Redguard, then punched up into her gut, making the woman groan before falling over unconscious.

"Another thrall," Durak commented. "Looks like your everyday bandit, but who knows."

"You said when the vampire dies they get released?" Yang asked for clarification.

"Yeah, but it doesn't always mean they become good." The three paused as they heard someone humming up ahead.

"Well, seems like you have a little bit of gold left in your pockets, don't you, my friend?"

Yang jumped around a pillar and saw a man putting bodies into a freshly dug hole in the ground, searching around the pockets of one of the deceased. He looked up, only to take a bolt to his chest and stagger back. The thrall yelled in pain, but still managed to run out and at them as another one came from nearby. Yang blocked the one coming at them with a greatsword while Thonnir charged the injured thrall. Yang smacked the sword away before cleaving into the man with a heavy chop while Thonnir managed to cut the throat of his opponent. Another face popped in, only for Durak to fire and send a crossbow bolt through the person's eye. She went down like a sack of bricks, and Durak kicked her over as they went.

"That was another vampire. We're probably close to where most of them are."

"Then we're close to killing them all," Thonnir added.

The three came out in a wide, open cavern and saw a table set in the center as though it was presenting a feast. A quick sniff was all she needed to determine just what they were feasting on, and it made her blood boil. Three vampires stood up from its side while one stood at the head, a thrall by his side.

"Kill the intruders, my children," the head vampire declared before Yang hopped down and held her axe at the ready. One charged her with a powerful downward swing, but she blocked and kicked at one of his knees. As he went down from his knee going backwards, Yang cut sideways and removed his head. One vampire took a crossbow bolt to his chest before Durak came down at him with his hatchet, slicing through his undead flesh almost effortlessly, the runes etched into it glowing while he did. The head vampire came at them and Durak squared with his thrall while Yang shoulder-checked the katana wielding vampire.

"So, you're the one Alva warned me about," he hissed. "I guess I should have paid a little more heed."

"You realize I'm about to kill you, right?" Yang asked as she heard Thonnir yell while chopping into the last of the others.

"Oh, I'll survive. You, however…" The vampire yelled while coming at her swinging fast, his katana flashing about as she dodged. Just as Movarth's expression began to change into disbelief, Yang grasped the blade beneath her right arm, holding it between her arm and armor.

"Were you saying something?" she quipped before taking her waraxe and burying it into his side. The axe suddenly glowed white and Movarth let go of his weapon as his face shifted into one of pure fear. He tried to back away, and the axe ripped out of him and caused much of his blood to spill.

"No! No!" he yelled in fright as he tripped back and tried to crawl backwards away from Yang. "Help me!"

"I've got your help, right here!" Thonnir yelled before he ran up and buried his axe deep into Movarth's skull. The vampire's eyes roll back into his head, and then Thonnir twisted his weapon free, splitting open the skull. Just as the three were beginning to catch their breath, they heard a scream and turned to see Alva.

"No! You… You ruined everything!" she yelled as she ran at Thonnir, her fangs bared. Yang, acting on impulse and instinct, brought up her waraxe then threw it as the crazed vampire woman jumped the table. Its head sank into her guts and knocked her up and down into the feasting table as it began glowing white. Alva began screaming again, this time as though a massive monster was about to eat her, and then Yang swung her other axe down and chopped through her neck, catching the body and the table on fire from its enchantment. She pulled the axe loose from the burning corpse, and then looked at it in curiosity.

"Okay, what the heck is with this thing?"

"Let me see," Durak offered before Yang handed it to him. "Hm, feels like it's been enchanted with Turn Undead. Not only that, but it's a strong enchantment. This thing's just short of a holy artifact." He handed it back and Yang looked at it with a new sort of respect.

"Wow, that's pretty cool for something we found in a hole in the ground. Then again, it's a hole in the ground my sister found while being led on a spirit journey."

"What?" Durak looked at her oddly, while Yang merely shrugged.

"Thank you, friends," Thonnir said, getting the two's attention. "Thank you, for helping me to avenge my wife."

Yang reached over and patted him on the shoulder while Durak nodded.

"No problem at all."

* * *

 _He watched as the moons slowly drifted across the night sky._

" _Looks like you didn't get much from them either," a familiar voice said. He looked back to see the same person from the ship, now at least with a shirt and a pair of boots._

" _I was told to head to Balmora and deliver something to a man named Caius Cossades," he explained before turning back and looking up. "I haven't a single penny to my name, and only a handful of rations and a water canteen. They said I would be paid for it."_

" _You going to do it?"_

" _There's not much else to do, unless I wanted to become a bandit." He shook his head. "But I won't fall to that kind of low."_

" _Yeah, this is a new start. I might not know what you've done, but I'm glad my past is behind me. A whole new life… I think I'm going to make something of myself this time."_

" _Make something of myself…" He hummed. "Maybe."_

* * *

Weiss woke up, and the first thing she did was touch Azura's Star, hoping for some answer to her strange dreams, but nothing was forthcoming. Giving up on solving it now, she took out her journal and jotted down what she could remember. One page had the first dream, and the next had a quick sketch of the Dunmer's face. Sighing, she put the journal down and laid her head back. Something patted nearby, and then a body shot up from seemingly nowhere and landed on her with a shout. Weiss felt the air knocked out of her and began struggling.

"Good morning, Weiss! Brelyna told her to wake you up!" M'rissi greeted, smiling at Weiss, who was practically smoking from how angry she was.

"I'm going to get her for this," Weiss seethed. Meanwhile, Inigo and Onmund laughed from outside the door.

"What if she finds out it was us?" the Nord asked.

"She won't if you don't say anything, because I certainly won't."

* * *

Blake figured she was stuck for close to thirty minutes. Testing, she found she was still able to talk, but didn't want to call for help just yet. Orondil might have been relatively nice about some things, but he was still a member of the Thalmor, and would more than likely turn her in to his higher ups. So the last half hour or so had mostly been Blake attempting to move her hand towards her pockets so that she could get her scroll and call for help. It was slow going, but she had gone from having her hand in front of her chest to next to her waist after all this time, so she felt like she was relatively close to her goal.

Then her ears caught the sound of footsteps coming. Her breathe hitched for a moment, before a pale Altmer woman in Thalmor robes walked in and observed Blake with amusement. She knew who the Thalmor was immediately. It was Isael!

"Well, well, look at what the Khajiit dragged in," she started off condescendingly. "So wonderful to meet the one who's been hindering my search parties."

Blake growled. "You've been sending those people after her. I don't care what you want, you're not going to get her."

"That little beast belongs to me. Of course I want it back. Tell me, how is my toy faring?"

"She's not…a toy!" Blake growled out, clenching her teeth as her body strained to move. "And she isn't yours! She's a living, thinking person!"

"Oh please! You're just animals meant to be hunted and toyed with. And your shrieks are much more delightful than a stray housecat's." The elf giggled as Blake felt her rage only increase by the second.

"You're a monster!"

"Hardly. I just see the reality of things, while a bunch of soft-hearted fools walk about wasting time and effort trying to help the lesser creatures of Nirn. Now, you're going to explain why you were in my private chambers rooting through my things."

"Go die in a hole, save everyone else the trouble of digging you one."

"So rude! I feel like I should punish you for that." The Thalmor agent twirled one hand while rubbing her cheek with a finger. "Hm, well, I could always save the good ones so that my dear little pet can watch. Oh, wait, now I know. It must want her memories back." She laughed to herself and leaned her head. "It might be amusing to look at its distorted face! Yes, I'm positively impatient to see such fear and pain!"

Blake's expression shifted. "Wha- what?"

"To watch it recalling everything I graciously took from it: the death of its family, the death of its hopes, the death of its trust… Marvelous! All that humiliation and slowly increasing pain! Ah, I barely can control myself, mmm…"

Blake looked forward with absolute disgust. "I was wrong. Monster's too good of a word for you. There _is_ no word for something as twisted as you."

Isael just laughed. "Ah, you managed to entertain me. As a reward, I'll tell you the password. It's 'Power'. But it does you little good, where you are now. You're in my clutches, with no way out. I have another cat to catch, but don't you worry, I'll be back for you." She turned and began sauntering towards the door. "And since you seem to care so much for one another, it will be extremely pleasant to watch you suffer together."

After Isael was gone, Blake felt her anger steadily increasing, even as she continued to push to reach her scroll. She didn't know how far out Ruby was, but she needed to get a hold of her and hopefully get her to help her escape. She didn't even know if Isael knew where M'rissi was, in which case she'd have to warn Weiss as well, in case they couldn't be able to intercept her. Every muscle in Blake's arm pushed itself to the limit, trying to reach to her pocket.

' _Come on! Come on!'_ she thought. _'I have to escape! I have to…get out of this!'_

Blake looked around herself, at the fluctuating purple prison.

' _Can my Semblance get me out of this?'_ she wondered. _'I've never been in this kind of situation before. But, maybe, if I try-'_

Suddenly she felt something happening to her. A blue magic began to wrap around her from within the bubble before she saw herself beginning to flake away into nothing.

"Am I-

-being teleported?"

Blake blinked and looked around herself. She was somewhere out in the wilderness, among trees, mountains, cliffs, and a nearby river. There was smoke in the distance, and a small boat in the river. She wasn't sure exactly where she was, but she was pretty certain that most places in the wilderness didn't sport wooden pedestals with paper notes set on them, usually. Cautiously, she walked over and picked up the note to read it.

 _I'm sure by now you've realized you stand no chance against Isael on your own. Lucky for you, there are others who would see her destroyed. If you truly care for your friend, you will meet with me as soon as you can. We will provide you with the key you need to put an end to things once and for all. You'll know how to find us when the time is right._

 _Ulquarrion_

"Ulquarrion?" Blake wondered aloud. Thunder sounded out and Blake looked up to see storm clouds heading over from the north. Blake felt something against her side and the reached in to feel the book she stole from Isael's room. She took it and opened it up to see it was written as belonging to Isael, which she'd labeled as a casebook. Flipping to the first page, she saw that across the face of it was a sketch of three Khajiits, a female, older than the other two but still young; a young male, maybe a five year old going by the size; and another girl with her face hidden behind the boy against the elder girl.

 _Amongst the group of captives, an interesting individual attracted my attention. A very young female Khajiit stood out from the yelping multitude. It actually seems curious. I do wonder how it can still enjoy the world, which has, by no means, treated it kindly, considering all that happened to its clan, the death of relatives, and so on. None of this has forced this young beast to withdraw into itself, unlike so many others of its kin._

 _At that very moment, it dawned upon me: what if I test this specimen? Eventually it could dispel my tedium! I bought the promising creature along with its younger siblings, two mere whelps, male and female, into my home. There was something affecting in how it clasped them to its bossom. I wonder how those two will become useful for me._

As Blake read on, she could only feel her anger growing more and more palpable as the situations worsened, as the games became crueler, and as Isael's sadistic treatment of them continued to grow.

 _At last, the moment I've been waiting for! M'rissi loses itself and, pushing the saved male whelp aside, dashes for the hopeless female prey to help. It doesn't know that all its efforts are in vain. The little Khajiit bitch was being kept alive only by my good will, well, keen will, at least- and the moment M'rissi moved from its male sibling, I stopped pumping life energy into the female one. The body falls to the cold stone at her feet with impeccable timing, at almost the exact moment she reaches it._

 _As ruthless and rage-filled as a pureblood Dremora lord, M'rissi pounces upon one of the dogs. Khajiit claws and fang might be a tough weapon, and the poor loyal wolfhound feels it badly right now. However, rage dims feline vision, and the test subject just loses sight of the other dog, who immediately changes his aim and rushes for the just 'saved' male whelp. M'rissi's brother clings fast into its corner and cries. The test subject at once realizes its mistake, and the horror of this realization freezes it in its place._

After that point, Blake dropped the book and roared into the heavens, promising in her mind that she would make Isael pay dearly.

* * *

After a night of riding carefully up the mountainside from Dragon Bridge to Solitude, Ruby, Lydia, and Neriro finally dismounted near the stables at Katla's farm. Letting Lydia take Chocolate away, Ruby headed straight for the gate of Solitude while pulling out her scroll and calling Blake. After about seven rings, no answer came, and Ruby stopped the call. She hummed and checked to make sure the magical attachment wasn't loose or anything before trying again. As she passed the inner gate and entered the city proper, she hung up her second try and sighed.

"Might still be asleep," she reckoned and so headed towards the Winking Skeever to ask if Blake was there, only to receive an all-around negative. As she started calling her again, she focused on casting and brought up a clairvoyance spell. She followed the blue light trail as her scroll ringed for Blake once again. Some people gave her odd looks, but for the most part continued on with their day as Ruby followed her only lead past Castle Dour and to a door with a plaque next to it that read "Thalmor Headquarters".

"Blake," she groaned, a little mad that her teammate went ahead without her. She opened the door easily and looked inside to see an Altmer cooking at a fire.

"Excuse me," she began as she entered the room. "I'm looking for a friend of mine. Young woman. Black cat ears. You wouldn't have happened to have seen her?"

"Oh yes, the Khajiit girl. She went upstairs to look around the rooms for a bit. Do you…" The Altmer looked her up and down for a moment. "Are those…dragon scales? You're wearing dragon scales for armor, a red cloak…"

"Oh, so you heard about me?" Ruby asked with a smile.

"By the gods, I'm not sure whether I should be excited, afraid, or appalled. Uh, please, go and…see your friend while I collect myself."

"Appalled?" Ruby thought out loud as she headed towards the stairs.

"No, appalled was the…wrong word for that. Shocked, maybe? Yes, that's actually far more accurate. I am shocked."

Ruby shook her head slowly and rolled her eyes as she climbed the stairs. "Blake?" she called out as she started opening doors and looking around. "Blake?"

After looking into every room, Ruby began to get worried. She went back to one of the larger ones then looked towards a table of food and walked over to it before noticing a sketch. She picked it up and realized that it seemed to be M'rissi in a dress, but drawn from behind. Ruby folded the sketch back and immediately headed downstairs.

"Where'd she go?" she asked, catching the elf's attention.

"Your friend hasn't left. I've been here all morning, and she hasn't-"

"Who else has been here?" she demanded, her tone growing angrier. "Did anyone else go upstairs?"

"Anyone? I… That's Thalmor business. I honestly don't have to tell you as much as I already-" His words were halted when Ruby lunged forward and lifted him off the ground by his belt before tossing him over herself and across the room. The Altmer rolled and made a face of pain as he clutched himself before Ruby walked over and stood above him. She drew Dawnbreaker and gripped his shirt collar before pulling him close and holding the blade parallel to his neck, her eyes completely focused on his fearful face.

"You're going to tell me _exactly_ who came here and where they went!" she hissed.

"I- i- it was Isael," he groaned out. "She…came by for a short time, but I didn't even think they'd run into each other. I don't kn- know where she went! Honestly! She said something about following a trail from a toy! I don't know what that even means!"

Ruby seriously thought about driving Dawnbreaker into his cheek for giving her useless information before she gritted her teeth and blinked before letting him go and standing up. Part of her were yelling to discipline him for disobeying her in the first place, while another part was telling her than she needed to remain calm. She tried meditating, focusing on bringing herself under control, then she heard her scroll ringing. She whipped the phone from her pocket and sighed in relief when she saw it was Blake calling her.

"Blake!" she cried out, actual tears coming when she saw her friend safe.

"Ruby, you called me three times. What's going on?"

"Blake, I'm in Solitude. Where are you?"

"I think I got teleported somewhere south of Dragon Bridge. I was trapped in some magical force field Isael made. Ruby, that woman's completely insane! I've only glanced at her casebook on M'rissi and… Gods, it's made me sick to my stomach!"

"I'm just happy you're okay." The girl looked down at the Altmer she had threatened and then helped him up to his feet. "I'm so sorry about that, mister. I'm a little tired and I let my temper got the better of me."

"Then please, get more sleep," he begged as she helped him into a chair.

"Ruby, did you accost Orondil?"

"I- Yeah," she sighed. "Again, I'm really sorry for that whole thing. It obviously wasn't your fault."

"I'm all right. Just a bruise to my ego…, and a few ribs."

"Here," Ruby offered while funneling healing magic into him. "Oh, Blake, he said that Isael is following some kind of toy trail."

"M'rissi. She wants her back. She wants to torture her. She talked about causing us all kinds of pain like…"

"So, there were some merit to the rumors," Orondil said as he adjusted himself. "Thank you, miss. I'm well now."

"Again, I'm so sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"Wait, what rumors, Orondil?" Blake asked, causing Ruby to turn her scroll towards him.

"You sound different through this thing," he mentioned before shaking his head. "Well, the rumors have mostly been variations of how much of a sadistic sociopathic psychotic narcissist she is, and before anyone thinks 'oh, so your common Altmer', she's at the degree that some of the most corrupt officials wish to have her removed as well. Unfortunately she never goes _quite_ outside the boundaries. Always brushing them. At least, as far as anyone can prove. I'm certain that if there was a serum that forced people to tell the truth to any question asked she'd admit to crimes punishable by Soul Capture and Consignment to Oblivion."

"You mean you take people's souls if their crimes are horrible enough?" Blake asked in utter shock.

"That's the Imperial version. It's only been used six times in the last two centuries, and three of those were people who committed the worst of offenses, like premeditated child murder, without remorse. Each Death by Soul Capture needs unanimous approval by a specially convened council. Then, once the deed is done, the Black Soul Gem is given over to whichever Prince's summoning day is closest. At least the Aldmeri Dominion just tosses the Soul Gem into a portal to nowhere and be done with it."

"So you've heard that Isael is bad enough people would be willing to do that to punish her?" Ruby asked.

"If they didn't just slay her to avoid the mess. I'm surprised it hasn't been done yet. She's been a detriment, if nothing else. Elenwen's probably been looking for a reason to send her back to Alinor since she arrived."

"We can't let her get M'rissi," Blake said resolutely. "I won't let her."

"I'd love to help you, truly, but I'm afraid I have no information to help you with."

"Then I'll just need to get back to Winterhold. Ruby, I'm headed there. Ship's the fastest way between the two, and Solitude's the closest port city. Just hang tight."

"Sure Blake. You be safe getting up here." As the two hung up and Ruby put her scroll away, she looked back at Orondil. "I can't tell you how sorry I am about that whole thing."

"Oh, do stop. You were able to throw me across a room with little effort. If anything I'm more embarrassed than angry. Just go get that sleep you need to not bodily toss grown Altmer around like playthings. And don't worry, I won't say a thing. As far as we're concerned, this talk never happened."

Ruby nervously chuckled and left the headquarters before going downstairs. She recalled the letter from Falk and decided the one more quick stop before a nap wouldn't hurt, and so headed towards the Blue Palace. As she did, Lydia caught up to her, Neriro having split off into Castle Dour proper.

"Well?" the housecarl asked.

"Looks like Isael is insane enough to where the Thalmor are willing to turn a blind eye to us going after her. So, nothing new there."


	32. We Commit Thee to Dust

As they returned from the cave, the three were greeted by the amazed looks of the other civilians who were _meant_ to go in and help them. People immediately began apologizing to Thonnir as they started heading back into town, Durak taking up the lead, while Yang hanged back as she smelled something in the air. As the townsfolk cleared, Yang turned and saw the ghost of Helgi once again.

" _Mother's calling me,"_ the ghost child said as she looked up at Yang. _"It's time for me to sleep now. I'm so tired. Thank you for helping her feel better. Can you let papa know that she's not mad?"_

Yang nodded, her eyes feeling misty. "Sure. I'll tell him as soon as I get back."

" _Thank you. For everything. Good-bye."_ The child waved her arm as she dissipated into mist, flowing away into the sky. Yang stood and watched as the ghostly mist disappeared completely in the morning sun, then turned and walked back towards Morthal, a single tear trailing down her cheek.

* * *

After Hroggar was released, the man nearly fell into a depression. No one blamed him, and many felt sympathy, but most didn't know what to do. Luckily, Thonnir was able to comfort him and the two went to the inn to drown their sorrows. While others were celebrating the removal of a menace, the two widowers could only mourn their losses together. When things seemed settled enough, Yang went to Highmoon Hall and bowed her head to the Jarl as she approached.

"So, I hear Movarth is dead, and he and his childers' corpses are being burned as we speak. Have to admit, I was a little worried for a while there, but you all pulled through."

"Only doing what was right to protect the people."

"Well, you went above and beyond your call. I was half-expecting Hroggar to just turn up dead somewhere, but you did everything professionally. Not only that, but we're only hearing good things about you from all over Skyrim, even things here in Morthal. I could use someone like you in my court."

"Thanks, but… I'm kinda based in Whiterun."

"True enough, but the title of Thane is mostly honorary, especially in a smaller Hold like Hjaalmarch. Also, it'll allow you to purchase property within the hold. But mostly, you need to be a Thane in order for me to grant you a certain reward." Aslfur walked in with something covered by a cloth and a large bag of gold. He set it down upon a table, then uncovered it to reveal a four-sided mace with a green-wrapped hilt and mouth-like engravings on its edges. "The Marshborn Blight, one of the relics of Hjaalmarch from ancient times. They say it smashed open so many frostbite spiders and chaurus that it became eternally poisonous itself. Probably just a strong enchantment, but I feel that it makes a worthy gift for a Thane who's saved our very capital."

Yang picked up the mace and looked it over in appreciation. "It's nice. Not my kind of thing, but I was saying the same thing about axes about a week ago." She nodded and set it down before kneeling. "I'd be honored to accept."

"I'm honored to have you, Companion. Let your friends know that they're welcome anytime as well, so long as the red one doesn't scare our children half to death again."

Yang laughed, but then realized Idgrod might be a little serious about that.

* * *

Returning to the inn, Yang saw Hroggar and Thonnir both talking to Durak, who noticed her and waved her over. The men nodded, tears evident on Hroggar's face, as she came up.

"Everything good?"

"Just fine. The men and I were talking, and they decided they wanted to join up with the Dawnguard. Looks like I'm bringing them back with me."

Yang looked at the two Nords, who nodded.

"I've lost…everything to them," Hroggar got out, his breath ragged and eyes red from tears. "My home, my wife, my child…everything. All because some vampire wanted a guard." His face warped into a snarl. "She could have chosen any bachelor in this Gods forsaken town, and she decided to take me, and take away everything from me. All I can do now is work to keep this from ever happening again."

"I may still have something left, but it'll do me no good if there are more to take it away," Thonnir picked up. "I'm moving my son down to Falkreath with my brother and his family. Might not be the best place, but it's far better than here."

"So you guys are really going to do it?" Both nodded, and Yang hummed. "Can't blame you. I probably wouldn't be half as calm if something like this happened to my family. I'll wish you luck."

"I guess you'll be headed back to Whiterun then?" Durak asked.

"As soon as I catch up with my friends." At his blank look she held up her scroll. "We can magically send each other messages. We're trying to keep our plans in line so that we can help each other out as much as possible. But yeah, I'm going back that way soon."

"Ah, good luck with that then. I'd ask if you want to join, but I'd rather not have the Companions biting my ass about taking one of their best."

"Heh, yeah, I'm pretty much theirs now. Although, if you don't mind me asking, your axe is enchanted against vampires, right?"

"Rune-forged and enchanted. Runes themselves aren't powerful, but they do a little on their own. Even if the enchantment was drained, it'd still have some extra kick against vampires."

"Nice."

"Actually, everything on me is specifically made for slaying vampires. Steel bolts, dipped in holy water. Crossbow, blessed. Armor, specially made. I don't even know the specifics behind it, but a lot of work is put into each set. Vampire tries to bit you, they're more likely to break their teeth than anything."

"Damn, that is useful," Yang muttered. "I might have to bring it up with Kodlak. If the vampires really are getting out of control, then Companions are going to be called about them more and more."

"Feel free to come by and ask Isran about it. Don't know what he'll tell you, but he's always up for new recruits. Might be willing to work something out with your folks."

"Yeah, I hope so."

* * *

Weiss and several others were observing the object many had taken to calling 'The Eye of Magnus'. Research still didn't explain quite what it was, but the object was always giving off large amounts of magicka, making it easier for people to recharge near it. Almost no one was convinced, however, that that was its true purpose. Weiss followed and wrote down a line of runes on one side of it, hoping that the sample could help out. She thought about getting the Marker to translate, but the thing seemed to only have one purpose and revisiting it only led to her being reminded of it.

Speaking of which, that thought led to a thought that caused her to feel the draw of her goal. Weiss sighed and tried to clear her mind of anything to do with Magna-Ge, which was difficult considering someone decided to name the object of curiosity she was nearby after their leader.

"Is the one named Weiss Snee here?" she heard, causing her eyes to open as she looked over to see Ancano storming into the Hall of Elements. The student he questioned nodded and pointed over to her.

"You mean Schnee? Right there."

"Thank you." Weiss felt her breath hitch as her heart hammered in her chest. She hadn't finished her work on a different communication medium, so there was no way to get a warning up to Inigo and M'rissi without Ancano noticing. He stopped just short of her and glared down while crossing his arms. "I need you to come with me."

"What's going on?" Weiss asked, holding her tone neutral.

"That's what I'd like to know, as well," he said while putting his hand to his hips. "Why is there someone claiming to be from the Psijic Order here. I'd also like to know why he's asking to meet you, specifically."

Weiss internally sighed while relief flooded her, unfortunately, she also let slip a smile, but quickly recovered it.

"Perhaps they're recruiting me? Sounds like a wild, but amazing dream, yet…"

"Recruit you? Really? And they say I'm arrogant." He huffed and shook his head. Weiss briefly had a look of indignation come over her, but he didn't notice. "Come on, he's up in the Archmage's rooms. Let's get to the bottom of this."

As Ancano turned to lead Weiss out of the Hall of Elements, she began to wonder what really brought another Psijic monk out here. "Why do you seem concerned about this?"

"Because the Psiijic Order is a rogue organization that believes itself above the law," he began, making Weiss roll her eyes.

' _Yes, as opposed to the one that twists the law to suit its desires.'_

"They've clashed with the Aldmeri Dominion many times in the past. If they're planning something here, then I will make sure it doesn't interfere in our work."

Weiss somehow didn't think that they were here to stop anything Ancano was planning. She was able to keep him out her business by simply pretending her work was a beautification charm, and he bought it. More likely it had something to do with either the Magna-Ge a few miles away or the item just underneath their feet. As the two walked into the room where Savos was currently speaking with an Altmer in robes similar to the ones the projection wore. They turned towards her and Ancano, and suddenly the room seemed to saturate as Savos and Ancano both went still, even motes of dust stopping in mid-air near the garden.

"Please do not be alarmed," the Psijic began. "I mean you no harm."

"I would hope not. If you did, I'm not sure what I could've done," Weiss admitted, her body still and eyes wide.

The monk laughed and shook his head. "It's good to meet you in person, Weiss Schnee. I've given us a chance to speak privately, but I'm afraid I can't do this for long. We must be brief." His face shifted grimly and he nodded. "The situation at your college is of dire importance, and attempts to contact you as we have previously have failed. I believe it is due to the very source of our concern. This object… The Eye of Magnus as your people have taken to calling it."

"So it's not the Magna-Ge on a little island?"

"The Marker's appearance was surprising, but its power is controlled and streamlined, conscious of itself, as it were. Also, there is very little even my order can do about it. The work the Marker needs done must be completed by something…more."

"An intercendent being is what it told me."

"An apt term, I suppose. Another way of saying a demigod." At Weiss' widened eyes, he shook his head. "Back to our situation though, the energy pouring out from the Eye has prevented us from sending you and your fellows visions like what we already showed you. The longer it remains, the more dangerous the situation becomes. And so I come here personally to tell you it must be dealt with."

"I'm not sure what I can do about this. In case you didn't notice, I'm barely an adept, and I have a lot on my plate as it is. Can't your order do something about it?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. You must understand, the Psijic Order does not typically…intervene directly in events. My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order, and as soon as we're done here, I will be leaving your College. I'm all too aware that my arrival has aroused suspicion, especially in Ancano, your Thalmor associate."

"Please do not associate us," Weiss dryly demanded, causing the Psijic to lightly chuckle.

"Very well. Still, my Order will not act directly. You must take it upon yourself to do so."

"Well, what is the problem, honestly?"

"As you may have learned, The Eye is immensely powerful. Left here unguarded, it will be misused. Some fear that it already has, or that it will be soon, and that something unavoidable is coming." Weiss' eyes widened at this declaration, but before she could ask just what this event was, the mage continued. "Your efforts should be directed towards dealing with the aftermath, but we cannot predict what that will be. I fear I have already overstepped the bounds of my Order, but I will offer this: seek out the Augur of Dunlain here in your College. His perception may be more coherent than ours."

Weiss blinked. "Augur of Dunlain? Who…is that?"

"He was once a student here at this College. Now he is…something different," he explained with a curious expression.

"And where exactly in the College is he?"

"I…" The Psijic held a surprised look. "I am unsure. He is somewhere within. Surely one of your colleagues or teachers would know of his whereabouts." The Altmer seemed to stagger a bit. "I am sorry, but it seems that's all we really have the time for."

"Wait, just a moment longer," Weiss requested. "Is there any way at all that anyone in the Order knows how we got here or how to get us back home?"

"You mean…your sudden appearance." Weiss nodded, and the mage shrugged. "To be honest, it has baffled us, but there have been clues. We just aren't sure what to make of them. There's a connection," he started while gesturing with his hands, "between Nirn and the world you came from, as old as Mundus itself. Perhaps older. We don't know specifically how, but we do know when it started to show. The Simulacrum of Jagar Tharn. But, that is as much as we've been able to uncover behind it."

Weiss wracked her brain, trying to figure just what he meant. She knew about the Simulacrum of Jagar Tharn, her teachers wouldn't stop talking about it. In year 389 of the Third Era, the Imperial Battlemage at the time, a Bosmer named Jagar Tharn, had used the powerful Staff of Chaos to banish Uriel Septim VII to Oblivion, then masqueraded as him for the next ten years. The Empire nearly fell apart during that time, only for the Eternal Champion, who she then figured out was likely named Talin (who she was, at the very least, able to confirm a native due to his relatives in the Imperial Court) to overthrow him and restore Uriel to the throne. The Staff itself was destroyed afterwards or banished to Oblivion, people weren't quite sure. She shook her head. It wasn't enough information to go off of. Way too many possibilities, but at the very least it was a start.

"Thank you for that much, at least. It's more than what I had."

"You're welcome. I'm afraid I must leave now. We will continue to watch over you, guide you as best we can. It is within you to succeed. Never forget that."

The saturation of the environment then faded out, and the other two elves went back to following through the motions they had been going through.

"Adept Weiss, good to see you," Savos greeted. To her credit, Weiss immediately recovered and acted like she didn't just have a conversation with the Psijic.

"And you, Archmage." She earnestly smiled and bowed.

Ancano walked to the Psijic and crossed his arms. "Well, what is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Don't play coy. You asked to see a specific member of the College. Here she is. Now what is it that you want?"

"There's been a misunderstanding. Clearly I should not be here. I shall simply take my leave."

"What? What trickery is this?! You're not going anywhere-"

The Psijic Monk waved his hand, and his body faded away in wisps of blue and purple, signifying his teleportation from the grounds. Ancano growled underneath his breath and gritted his teeth as he stomped out of the Archmage's Quarters.

"I'm… I'm not sure what happened," Savos murmured. "A monk from the Psijic Order, here, after all these years, and then he just leaves."

"Would you mind if we speak privately?" Weiss requested of him.

"Of course, dear," he agreed before raising his hands and casting a Muffle Room spell. "All right, no one will be able to hear us."

"Well, first off, do you know where the Augur of Dunlain is?"

Savos sighed. "Has Tolfdir been telling stories again? We've been over this. I thought I made it quite clear that it was a subject inappropriate for conversation."

"No, the monk… Well, he seemed to have frozen time around us and said I should seek out the Augur of Dunlain."

"Did he?" Savos asked, his red eyes looking at her with interest. "I'm quite surprised. But…why did he feel the need to hide such information?"

"There was a little more, but that's what it all came down to. Something about the Augur's perception. I'm not too sure. I don't even know _what_ the Augur is."

"Well, in this case, you will have to see Tolfdir about it. I know he- the Augur of Dunlain is in the Midden, but Tolfdir knows the specifics better than I."

"I'll go and speak to him about it I can figure out whatever it is that's got the Psijics worried and we can put this behind us."

* * *

The storm clouds gathering over Solitude were beginning to worry Ruby. They seemed to be coming in too fast, and were much too charged. The air seemed to be hanging dry despite the nearby sea, and the thunder rolling had no lightning preceding it. The whole thing felt downright unnatural. As she came closer to the Blue Palace, something rumbled the city, and the clouds began to gain a greenish tint. People started pouring out into the streets to look up at the sky, almost crowding the place. Falk Firebeard and other members of the court came out as well, then the steward saw her and ran to meet her.

"Ruby, thank the Gods you are here!"

"Falk," she greeted with a little worry. "What's going on? I got your message about Wolfskull and…"

" _Here me, citizens!"_ a voice echoed out across the city, surprising everyone. _"Your true Empress is here, to take back the throne of the Empire from the pretenders. Soon, I will walk among you. Those who bow will live to serve. Those who resist will die, and then serve in death."_

As the people began clamoring in fear, Falk adopted an expression of despair. Ruby, however, felt her eyebrows rise.

"Wait, that was Potema's voice!"

"But we stopped the necromancers!" Lydia pointed out. "We stopped them before they could resurrect her!"

"This is what we feared. You may have stopped the binding, but Potema was still brought back." Falk gravely revealed. "I've spoken with mages and priests, and it seems that Potema has been trying to bring herself back to flesh and blood. Please, follow me!"

As Falk led the way through the fearful crowds, only kept from panicking by watchful guards, Ruby and Lydia followed him. They left the more crowded main streets and through one of the alleys, emerging near the castle and aiming for the Temple of the Divines.

"Recently, a wall was broken down in the Temple's basement," Falk began explaining. "At first nothing came out, and then there were skeletons. The priests fought them back, and we sent a few squads of legionnaires and guardsmen. Those skeletons were only scouts, however, and the soldiers ran into draugr, vampires, and even had to face their fallen risen back as zombies. They had to fall back, and we've locked up the basement leading to it. Documents showed that the place they're coming from is Potema's sealed catacombs."

"So you're sure it's her?" Ruby asked, eyeing Dawnbreaker from the corner of her eye.

"As certain as can be." They stopped just in front of the temple, next to an old man who was caught up looking at the green clouds rolling above. "Styrr."

"Oh, good, you're here. Uh, who's this?"

"This is Ruby. The one I told you about."

"This young girl? Well, you must be quite talented. So, do you know what you're heading in for?"

"I need to go in and stop Potema, right? Destroy zombies and draugr and stuff."

"At the core, yes, but it's a little more than that." Styrr shook his head grimly. "Potema was one of the most powerful necromancers in history. She'll have her own legion of undead ready after a short time. More than that though, she's likely still in a spirit form, but is getting close to reforming herself."

"Can't be too bad, right?"

"Oh, but it is. Alive, she'll have better control over her magic. Better able to think and discern as well. It's probably the only reason she hasn't sent an army marching upon us. She wants all of her faculties intact when she begins." Ruby's eyes narrowed, her expression flat as she eyed the temple.

"Okay, then what do I do?"

"We need you to push through, and find whatever is left of her remains. Bring them back, and I'll be able to purify them."

Ruby nodded. "Okay. Kill the undead army, find Potema's grave, and bring back her bones. Anything else?"

"You say it like I've given you a shopping list." He sounded exasperated. "Do you at least have something to help defend yourself against the undead?"

"I got a holy sword." Ruby drew Dawnbreaker and let the priest see it.

"Oh, I see. Well, in that case, good luck." He handed over a key and Ruby nodded.

"Thank you. I'll be back before you know it." The young Dragonborn headed into the Temple and down into the cellar, her housecarl tailing her. She unlocked the gate and went in to see a wall that had a hole knocked into it. Looking back at Lydia, she nodded, and the two headed in, Ruby preparing to sheathe her sword, but pausing as she went through the old halls.

"Hold on a sec." She took out Crescent Rose and extended the scythe before turning it in her hands, only for the head to hit one wall. Ruby pouted and collapsed the scythe before putting it to her back again. "Too narrow to use my sweetheart."

"It's probably better to use the undead destroying sword against undead anyways," Lydia said as they went forward cautiously. They stopped at a set of iron bars in their way and looked at a wall carving, depicting what they believed to be Potema cloaked in wolf furs.

" _You've arrived at last,"_ they heard. Ruby looked forward into the room beyond the bars and narrowed her eyes. _"The heroine who prevented me from being bound returns to my fold. I have much to thank you for, little one,"_ Potema said in something near a motherly tone. _"When you die, I will raise you, so you can take your place by my side."_

As the bars dropped, Ruby shook her head and scoffed. "That was a worse villain recruiting pitch than the ones I hear on Saturday morning toons."

"She means to kill us and add our corpses to her army."

"Not on my watch."

The two went in through the doorway and immediately felled a draugr with a slice of Dawnbreaker. Rather than explode, the undead fell on fire and continued burning as they left it. Just past that room was a stairway that went up and down, but the upper levels were blocked off by huge stones. They headed downstairs, where a number of draugr stood waiting, along with zombies with the beginning stages of rot showing decked in the Imperial uniform. At the head of them was a woman wearing leather armor, with orange eyes and a sunken face. While the other undead looked at the two blankly, she smiled cruelly.

"Looks like we get to feed again today," she announced as she drew a bronze colored sword.

"Vampire!" Lydia warned just before slashing at one of the zombies. The undead managed to block with a shield, but was still sent back by the force of the blow. Ruby sliced through one zombie, and the incandescent explosion rang out across the others. Some undead simply caught fire, others seemed to fall back in fear, and still a few of them crumbled into ash as they were completely consumed. A few of them were outside its radius, including the vampire woman, but she still beheld a look of fear at the holy fire. Ruby then jumped in and sliced the head off of a zombie, causing it to disintegrate before she had to block the sword of one halfway on fire. She strafed to the right and let the blade slide down before shoving it away and cutting the zombie behind the knee. As it fell forward, she stabbed into its head, and it exploded messily. Lydia drove her blade through a draugr next to her and pulled free before making a spinning swipe to fell another.

The vampire snarled and let a lance of red magic leap from her hand at Ruby. The Dragonborn felt the spell hit her Aura, and the vampire beheld a surprised look before Lydia ran up and shield bashed her face. With the magic no longer hitting her, Ruby sped forward and held her blade's point at the vampire's throat.

"How did you get down here?" Ruby demanded.

"We've been here…since the beginning. The Wolf Queen awoke us, and now the army is coming back. I don't care what you mortals think, Potema will rise again."

"Not if I can help it."

Zombie moans came up and they looked to see that the undead that had fleed before were coming back. The vampire tried knocking Ruby's sword away with her own and tried casting her magic again, only for Lydia to slam her shield down on her throat, crushing it and almost decapitating the vampire. The two turned their attention back to the zombies and draugr, then proceeded to cut them down. A few more piles of ash and re-killed corpses later, and they were heading in deeper, stopping only a moment to rip a key away, tied to the dead vampire's belt.

Ruby saw what looked like a strange effigy with two spears jabbed up into its chest, and her attention was caught by it long enough for a draugr to get close.

"Ruby!" Lydia called out, but before she could act, Ruby leaned out of the way of a swipe and sprung back up, driving her sword into the undead's chest and the slicing up and out of it while it burned.

"Sorry. There's just a lot going on right now." Lydia glared and shook her head.

"You need to be more careful."

"I know, Lyd." Ruby smiled. "Don't worry about me."

They went through a lever opened gate and momentarily into a more spacious room. Ruby wondered for a moment if she might be able to bring out Crescent Rose now, only for them to enter a narrow area once again, and of course be attacked there instead. The draugr were no problem, but Ruby did sigh after finally felling them.

"Everything all right, my Thane?"

"That first big pack was kinda threatening, but now we're just running into squads. I'm not saying I'm disappointed. I just expected a lot more. City sieging more."

"It's liable that there are more the further in we go. There may even be places we won't go near with hundreds of corpses waiting for Potema to use as fodder. We also don't know what her effect will be on the common dead. Blessings of Arkay may guard the buried, but where there's a rule there's an exception."

Ruby shivered. "Sounds like how a movie we watched played out. Only more magic and less infectious virus."

"I'll have to ask more about that when we're a little safer," Lydia commented as they headed down a set of ancient stairs in a room that looked more like a cave.

"It was Neighboring Wickedness. It was actually based off an old zombie-killing game, but both series got really weird and kinda convoluted with all of the 'mutations' they kept adding with each sequel. I don't even think the last game had that many zombies in it. Just new kinds of mutants and evil corporation soldiers everywhere."

Suddenly a woman ran up from an alcove and swung an axe at Ruby. The girl dodged and then kicked the woman to the side, where they could see her orange eyes glaring at them in hatred. As the vampire snarled, revealing her fangs. Lydia swung down, only to be blocked by the undead. Ruby tried to hold her sword up to her throat, trying to get her to surrender, but the woman bit the blade. Her face caught fire a moment later and she went down screaming trying to put it out in vain. Lydia stabbed at her heart, ending her suffering.

"I think we may want to give up on getting them to surrender," the housecarl suggested.

"I just… I thought that…"

"I know you're probably comparing them to Weiss, but these people aren't like her. They chose to side with the Wolf Queen long ago. Whatever their reasons, they're the enemy now. It'd be no different than having to fight enemy soldiers in a war, or bandits who've decided to take the path in life to kill innocents."

Ruby sighed and nodded. "Right. Sorry, you're right. Still, I can't help but hope for the best."

"I know."

The two moved forward ready for anything to come out of any corner, but past a turn they found part of the room to be filled with water. It seemed almost on purpose for the area, likely as some sort of cistern or oubliette. Ruby hopped over a pressure stone that likely activated a nearby spiked gate trap and walked over to a ledge to look down it to another cave-like area. As Lydia went to follow her, several heads popped out of the water before zombies and draugr started shambling towards her.

"Ruby!"

"Hold on, Lyd!" she called back as she charged the oncoming horde. She swung for one zombie, only for it to bring up a shield and block her strike. Fire and light poured out across the shield's face before Ruby drew back and sliced towards its legs. As she cut across its exposed face when it fell forward, she heard Lydia cry out and looked up to see several axe wielding draugr taking turns at trying to chop through Lydia's shield. Another one came out of the water from behind her, and Ruby gasped.

"Lydia, look out!"

Lydia turned just in time to see the draugr bring down a battle axe that she narrowly side-stepped. At the same time, another swung at her back with a sword, striking her armor and sending her stumbling with a cry. Ruby blocked a blow from a draugr with her ebony reinforced gauntlet, and then stabbed into its decayed guts before swinging it around and tossing it into the crowd of undead, where it exploded in blue, holy fire. As the undead horde scrambled, Ruby took in a deep breath.

" **Su!** "

Her sword flashed out faster than she'd ever swung one before, rapidly slicing through zombies and draugr. Several began exploding or turning into ash. A few stumbled as they were lit ablaze, only to be brought down by the explosions of their fellows a moment later. As Ruby beheaded the last draugr, who tried to freeze her with a blast of frost magic, she felt the effects of her Shout fade and started gasping for breath. Lydia leaned against a nearby wall and tried to catch her breath as well. As the two recovered, the housecarl went to stand straight and nodded.

"All right, I'm ready when you are."

Ruby looked at her and shook her head. "No."

Lydia seemed stunned in place by her Thane's declaration. After a moment of silence, she blinked and spoke up.

"No?"

"No, you're not going any further. I'm sorry, but this is way above where you can fight, Lyd."

"My Thane, I am sworn to defend you with my life." Lydia looked despondent, and Ruby felt a pang of guilt, but she pressed forward.

"And you're great at that. You've gotten me out of several uncomfortable situations, protected me from assassins, and kept me from getting lost more times than I can count. But this is different. We're practically fighting an army here, and I feel like it's about to get worse. You've already been injured here."

"It's nothing."

Ruby responded by reaching around Lydia quickly and then pushing her finger through the new gouge in her armor. Her fingertips pressed on flesh, and Lydia hissed in pain as she flinched away.

"Another inch, and that bruise would have been a deep cut. Just a little more, and you could have had your spine severed. I'm sorry, Lydia, but right now it's less risky if I go alone."

"But what about you? What about the risk to you?" Lydia's eyes were wide in concern, gesturing with her sword arm at all of the undead corpses.

Ruby sighed. "I admit, it's a little scary going on my own, but I'm… You don't have the same sort of protection I do. You're strong, but it's not strength that's the problem."

The housecarl looked downcast and moved her gaze aside as she sighed. "I understand. Just, promise me that you won't press if you start to feel overwhelmed as well."

"I will." Ruby reached over and patted Lydia's arm, bringing her eyes back to meeting hers. "Let everyone know I'm still going. I can beat this thing. You get to safety and have someone treat that bruise."

Lydia nodded and looked back before heading up the way they came. Ruby watched her go for a minute before going back along the trail, going past a number of gibbets, including one with a number of bleached bones within and below it. She went down into what seemed like a far more ancient structure, and stopped at a lever. Cautiously pulling it to one side, the stone within the doorway began moving, spinning almost like a wheel. When a gate came and opened up, Ruby pulled the lever back and felt it click into the middle. She wondered for a moment how something like that was supposed to keep people out, then figured that it might have actually been to keep something inside. As she walked in, she paused to look at another wall carving. This one bore an almost identical carving of who she was certain was supposed to be Potema, but then on both sides of it were two funeral processions. On Ruby's left the deceased looked like an old man with a large crown and a sword resting on him, being carried by three robed men holding staffs, a dog walking alongside them. At the other side was a funeral procession for a younger looking man, with a smaller crown. He was being carried by three robed women with staffs.

While Ruby wondered who they could have been, she headed deeper into the tomb. Walking for several minutes, she began to really feel the effects of doing this on her own, namely the loneliness. A grinding noise started to become clearer as ruins gave way to tunnels, and she paused to behead a draugr that had been looking away while she came. As the body burned away, Ruby proceeded and saw three levers and another revolving stone door. Reaching over, she flipped the levers as the gates came around, having to push one lever the opposite way for a moment to line them up, but in the end opened the path before her. They weren't completely straight, which she was sure would have bugged Weiss, but it was good enough for her.

Before she could pass through though, she heard a gasp and turned to see an emaciated, yellow-eyed woman coming from an adjoined room wearing old, worn robes. The vampire immediately launched an ice spike at the Huntress, which Ruby narrowly dodged. A red magic beam came at her, but she jumped over it and aimed the point of the Dawnbreaker at her foe. The vampire cried out as she dodged, but then turned and unleashed twin cones of frost on Ruby.

" **Feim!** "

The frost passed through Ruby's spectral form, confounding the vampire for a moment. Ruby stabbed her equally spectral blade into the vampire, but there was no resistance and no damage. While the undead woman looked at the ghostly sword in confusion, Ruby felt herself fade back into material being along with Dawnbreaker. The vampire's breath hitched, and Ruby pulled back her sword, leaving a large wound in her foe's chest. The woman's heart crumbled into ash as her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell dead. Ruby sighed and returned to her path.

Past the spinning door stones she saw an urn and chest through a window, and turned to her left only to have to dodge out of the way of a fireball. As she landed from her jump, she had to dodge another and realized that both had come from a pair of Soul Gem traps. Taking a moment to plan behind a pillar, Ruby waved her hand to bait out a fireball then pulled back before leaping out and rushing it as the spell passed by. She plucked the Soul Gem from one trap then ducked under another fireball before nabbing the other one. Sighing in relief, she looked at the two Soul Gems and held one in her right hand.

' _I wonder…'_ She tried concentrating her Aura into the gem like she would for a weapon, and then felt it reacting before shining brightly. Ruby looked away and the gem ruptured, luckily, not very hard. It was more akin to those old science experiments with filling a bottle up with vinegar and baking soda before closing them tightly. She looked at the pieces and hummed in thought. Unlike before, they had no energy to them, likely meaning whatever white soul they had was now gone. Figuring it could be something to bring up with Weiss, she pocketed both the whole and broken gems and continued forward.

After passing through a short but winding hallway, Ruby opened a door and walked into an open room with a grate in its center and two thrones on the far side, an inactive draugr sitting upon one of them. As she entered, she heard a sword slide out of a scabbard.

"You've come far, mortal," a male voice said as a Nord in old, red leather appeared from around a corner. "No doubt you seek to enter Potema's sanctum. I can see to that. We'll need plenty of fresh corpses to rebuild her army."

"There's not going to be an army," Ruby declared. "I'm going to stop Potema, here and now. If you stay out of the way, I won't hurt you, but if you make one wrong-"

Ruby side-stepped an urn thrown telekinetically at her and gritted her teeth as the draugr awoke. The vampire laughed as the two undead rushed her, him bringing his sword around and the draugr chopping with his axe.

" **Wuld!** " Ruby Shouted as she shot across the room, leaving him to be confused. The draugr immediately turned back at her and took a deep breath.

" **Fus…Ro DAH!** " the corpse Shouted. Ruby dodged out of the way of the Unrelenting Force, leaving behind only rose petals to blow away, before she closed the distance and kicked off the confused vampire's face before meeting against the draugr ebony war axe and shield. The deadlock ended as she twisted and pushed up, but then she had to parry a strike from the vampire. As the man seemed to stumble, Ruby jabbed at him with the pommel and hit his stomach. Flames burst out from the contact point and the vampire was sent reeling before Ruby turned and blocked the draugr again.

Ruby kicked up and knocked the undead back and against a wall. She quickly reached behind her and pulled out Crescent Rose with her left hand while sheathing Dawnbreaker, then spun her favored weapon before closing the gap with the draugr, coming at it rapidly from different angles, overwhelming its defenses momentarily then slicing it in half at the waist. As the torso dropped and the legs fell backwards, Ruby turned back to the vampire, who was staring at her with no small amount of fear in his eyes. Ruby readied herself as she saw him preparing a spell. He turned invisible, and she wondered whether or not he was planning to run for it before hearing a tell-tale footstep near her and then pushed her Aura as high as she could. She felt something hit her dragon scale protected belly then swung Crescent Rose around, stabbing into something and eliciting a scream of pain as the vampire reappeared. She had stabbed all the way through his leg where he was standing slightly to her let. Ruby stepped back and ripped her scythe free, nearing slicing the limb off and dropping the vampire. She turned, rose and brought down Crescent Rose, stabbing down into the vampire's gut as he looked at her in hate and fear. He clutched the weapon a moment before going still, and Ruby pulled it free.

"Idiot," she mumbled before collapsing the scythe and putting it to her back. She went back over and picked up the ebony axe and admired its craftsmanship before deciding to strap it to her side. Ebony was a strong and rare material, very expensive compared to steel, and it also seemed to be very long-lasting given the state of the steel and iron weapons from the same time period. They looked like they were forged centuries ago, but the ebony axe barely looked like it aged at all. If she didn't know any better, she'd almost think it was forged yesterday. She took the key from the vampire's belt and moved to unlock the door leading her further into the tomb.

A little further in she heard someone mumble from behind a set of iron doors and pushed in to see another vampire man who immediately cast a spell upon a female draugr lying on a stone altar nearby. The draugr rose and took up a bow while the vampire charged at Ruby, teeth bared. Remembering a move her sister showed her, Ruby ducked down and uppercut into his belly while grabbing his collar with her other hand. She sent the vampire over her and threw him out before turning back at the draugr-zombie and dodging an arrow fired by it. Ruby dashed in, leaving a trail of petals and drew out Crescent Rose before slicing into the draugr and dragging it off the altar as she did. When the vampire came back, she twirled around and stabbed up into his chest before drawing back. He fell dead, and Ruby heard a commotion beginning in the next hallway. She went in, ready to meet whatever, but paused at the sight of a room filled with corpses, covering the entire floor. She gingerly walked into the room, careful to step over the ancient mummified bodies. Her eyes were caught by the sight of another wall carving depicting Potema, and then her voice came again.

" _Not much further. Come, little one. Serve me in death."_

Ruby growled, but a wisp of blue magic came from the carving and began threading its way through the bodies. She jumped back away from the corpses and magic, but the tendril reached out past the room and her into the hall, where it touched corpses laying at rest within the mausoleum. Draugr and skeletons began rising as Ruby held herself at the ready. Many pulled out sword or axes, while some took out bows and aimed them at her. Ruby jumped out of the way of a volley and arced her scythe through the two undead nearest her.

" **Su!** " she Shouted before using her Semblance to dash from point to point, quickly slicing undead after undead apart. An armored skeleton swung a greatsword around only for her to bend back under it and then swing up, smashing into the animated bones. Two draugr chopped at her, but she caught both on Crescent Rose's pole and then twisted, disarming one before shoving the other's weapon into it. She put the blade behind her and caught them into it.

" **Wuld Nah!** "

She sped across the room and then turned and decapitated a draugr archer aiming at her. Another stabbed, but was caught by her parry before she jabbed Crescent Rose's spear tip into its face. She turned and tossed the re-dying corpse into a crowd coming at her, and then spun with her Semblance propelling her as she jumped over them, slicing down and through several. As she landed, she saw that there were still more coming and took in a deep breath.

" **Fus! Ro! Dah!** "

The wave of force went out and slammed against the mass of undead, smashing many of them into the nearby walls or into decorative spikes or furniture. Most were broken by the Shout, but a few were able to get back to their feet. Ruby rushed in and quickly finished off the last of them, having to take a moment to catch her breath at the end. She looked across what had basically been her battlefield, and realized that she fought close to twice as many that had attacked her and Lydia earlier. Leaving the room behind her, she pressed on, going down another hall and coming upon an oval, tiered room, where a spectral light floated above the center with a vaguely human shaped shadow inside of it.

"Potema," Ruby muttered as she recognized the magical formation.

" _You've come far, mortal,"_ Potema announced to her, _"but can you stand against my inner council? Let's see."_

Coffins began bursting open and draugr started walking out. Ruby charged to meet them head-on, dodging around an electric spell coming out from Potema's form. One draugr ran at her only to be swiftly bifurcated while another summoned up an ice atronach. As the elemental creature went to attack her, Ruby dashed away and sliced a draugr's head off before it could fully stand, then used her Semblance to zip past the icy being while pointing Crescent Rose forward in spear mode. The draugr tried to defend itself with a ward spell, but she broke straight through it and impaled the undead before backing off and facing other incoming draugr. The atronach faded away with the death of its summoner, and Ruby shouted as she went into the fray. Some of the draugr were tougher than others had been before, but they still fell as Ruby cut through them. Suddenly the head coffin burst open and a draugr with a far more decorative helm and armor rose up, but Ruby nearly stopped in her tracks when she saw the weapon he took out.

The lordly draugr took up a scythe made from ebony into its bony hands, the blade curved outwards rather than inwards like hers and her Uncle Qrow's, but it was a scythe still. The draugr looked to her and growled as it came towards her, holding the scythe like how she recalled Qrow doing when he ran with it. The last of the other draugr were felled and then Ruby had to block a strike from the lord, but still felt the scythe hit her shoulder and partially cut into her dragon scale armor. She twisted away and jumped back, but the draugr was upon her again, swinging its scythe around it and at her, forcing her to back step. The draugr kept up its momentum and stepped forward while swinging up. Ruby jumped to the side and sliced at the undead, only for it to jab its scythe forward and catch hers with its head. The draugr looked back at her and almost seemed to grin.

" **Zun Haal Viik!** " it Shouted. Ruby felt its Thu'um bash against her own and focus upon her wrists. She tried to resist, only for the Shout to overpower her and wrench her scythe from her grip, snatching her left wrist violently and causing it to dislocate. Ruby cried out as Crescent Rose was flung across the room and stabbed into the wall. She looked back at her weapon and then towards the draugr, who laughed as he began approaching her. Ruby turned and ran towards her weapon, only for the draugr to Shout again.

" **Fus Ro!** "

Ruby was taken by surprise and went skidding across the floor before slowly pulling herself up. She saw the lordly draugr running at her again, like something out of a nightmare. Her mind hazy, she recalled the scroll she had on her person as she made it to her feet and jumped away, leaving the draugr slicing at rose petals. She reached into her pack and pulled out the enchanted scroll before unfurling it, wincing at the pain in her wrist as she saw the words written on it.

 _ **Tharn's Prison**_

While she wasn't sure what it would do, she was certain it would slow her enemy enough to buy her some time. She focused on the magicka within the scroll and held onto the spell it became as the draugr charged her again, then released it right as the undead was rearing back to swing at her again. The draugr was suddenly tightly surrounded by a magical, emerald colored barrier in a crystalline shape. It banged its fists against its prison while Ruby grabbed her hand and forced it back into place with another wince before focusing her own magicka into a healing spell. As the blaring pain was slowly abated, the barrier spell trapping the draugr began to crack apart.

As the spell shattered, Ruby drew Dawnbreaker and readied herself. The draugr seemed to tip its head before laughing again.

" **Zun-** "

" **Fus!** "

The one worded Shout wasn't particularly powerful, but it was enough to unbalance the draugr and interrupt its own Shout. Ruby then dashed in and kneed the undead's gut before bringing her holy blade down. It blocked the strike and tried to twist, but Ruby drew back and stabbed forward. The draugr bent to avoid the blade, but was still scratched on the shoulder as it did. Ruby kept close, hitting with the pommel of Dawnbreaker many times and stabbing to close up even the smallest distance made by her opponent. At this range, the draugr couldn't really use its scythe to great effect, and Ruby knew it. She kept up her assault until she managed to kick one of its knees with enough force to knock it out of place. Her foe now wounded, she dashed out and around, utilizing her Semblance to the fullest degree she could manage, essentially becoming a cloud of rose petals moving and closing in on the speed of sound. She came in close to the draugr and forced it up in a twister of petals before reappearing below it and jumping up with her sword held before her.

" **Wuld Nah!** "

She stabbed clean through the draugr and both she and it were launched up next to the spectral Potema. The draugr exploded in holy fire and the specter shrieked as Ruby fell back and landed on three points, Dawnbreaker held outwards and glowing. The spectral orb above her seemed to shift, expand, and collapse as it spread out, before it finally coalesced into a stream and launched itself through a door at the head of the room. Ruby stood back up and walked over to where her scythe was embedded in the wall. She sighed, noticing a faint crack in a segment of the steel blade. She would have to replace it. After pulling it loose, she looked over to the ebony scythe and went over to it. It was well-crafted, and like the ebony axe she found it had lasted the centuries in almost perfect condition. She decided to take it with her and carried it along into the next room. Ruby spotted a skull resting upon a throne with a circlet and figured it to be Potema's. She stepped towards it, only for the skull to rise and a ghostly figure to form around it. It looked frail and wholly unnatural, nothing like the other ghosts she had seen. They at least had recognizable features but Potema… She didn't even look human.

"A Revenant..." she muttered. Weiss had told her about the various types of undead, and with the exception of Vampires, Revenants were widely considered to be the most dangerous.

" _So you think you can stop me? Foolish child, you think you can replace me?! You'll never be half the queen I was!"_ Potema shrieked, the sound grating against Ruby's ears like nails on a chalkboard.

"Wasn't planning on it. I'm just here to stop you from hurting the innocent people of Tamriel."

" _There are no innocents! They all chose their fate when they decided to defy me! I am the rightful Empress, and no bastard blood is going to keep me from taking what is mine!"_ The ghost rose up from the throne and off the ground, seeming to summon magic unto herself. _"The Ruby Throne will be mine, even if I have to burn the world to reach it!"_

Ruby jumped out of the way of a lightning bolt then closed in on the ghost as she let the ebony scythe go. Dawnbreaker sliced into part of the ghost and she shrieked as she hovered up and away. A sustained stream of sparks came at the Huntress and she rolled away before jumping up and stabbing at Potema. This time a ward came up and tried to hold her back, but began cracking before she fell back to the ground.

" _That sword… Where did you get a blade like that?!"_

"Meridia's Kilkreath Temple!" Ruby said as she launched herself forward and sliced at the specter several times, shattering through a ward she put up before slicing down and into her incorporeal body. "I've already stopped dozens of necromancers with it! You're next!"

Potema sent a shockwave spell that knocked Ruby back, only for her to flip and catch herself against the wall before jumping off. She ducked down beneath a pair of lightning bolts. Ruby charged at her and jumped, but the ghost raised herself higher.

" _Insect… You will not defy me!"_

"I will! I am!" Ruby hopped up and then jumped up from there, going above Potema and then coming down with Dawnbreaker pointed at the skull within her ghostly head. The ghost sent lightning at Ruby, but the Dragonborn brought up her own ward, gritting her teeth as she poured everything she had into keeping up that defense. Potema tried to bring up a ward, but the point of Dawnbreaker was already beginning to break through. Her other hand started pushing out a repulsion spell, but rose petals began to fly up from Ruby as her Semblance pushed her forward.

" _Damn it! No! No!"_

"Potema Septim, your evil will not return to Tamriel!" Ruby announced as her eyes began to glow. "I, Ysmir, Dragon of the North, sentence you to Oblivion!"

Dawnbreaker broke through the ward and Ruby drove it down, into Potema's skull. For a moment the two seemed to hang still in the air, and then the ghost shrieked before she erupted into light.

* * *

Lydia stumbled out of the Temple of the Divines, Falk and Styrr looking at her worryingly.

"Where's Ruby Rose?" Falk asked in anticipation.

"She… She continued forward without me. I…" She swallowed. "I wasn't strong enough." Lydia closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, her shame evident.

"What do you-"

The ground beneath them began to rumble, then the windows of the temple began to shake violently. Light seemed to come up from the temple before a high-pitched shriek rang out. Magicka and energy rushed from the building, shattering several windows as it poured out and up into the sky. When the lance of magic hit the unnaturally brewing storm, the clouds suddenly parted and began to disappear, the sun showing itself for the first time that day. Citizens who had been panicking or on the verge of it had their attention stolen by this spectacle. For a long stretch of time, the city went quiet, nearly everyone going still and silent.

"She did it," Lydia said as she looked up. "By the Gods, I knew she could do it."

"By the Eight, we're saved!" Falk said aloud in total relief, not realizing he could be overheard. "Ruby really pulled through!"

The few who heard him quickly turned and spread his words. Soon the whole city was erupting with cheers and praises, some even beginning a chant for the one many knew to be a dragonslayer, and now knew to be their hero.

"Ruby! Ruby! Ruby!"

* * *

Blake was slightly reminded of the time she was running for her life after getting that note from Astrid, only this time she was fearful for someone else's life rather than her own. She had run all the way from Dragon Bridge to Solitude, using the Longstride spell whenever she felt she had the magicka for it, and gulping down at least three stamina potions. She had noticed odd clouds forming over the city some ways in, which did nothing to alleviate her worries. But about halfway through her run, the odd clouds seemed to instantly disappear, making her wonder if there was some sort of magic involved in that before she shook her head and pressed on. She only slowed when the gate of Solitude came in sight, dropping back down to a brisk walk and breathing deeply to catch her breath. She noticed several Khajiits packing up things to head into the city, none of the guards so much as batting an eyelash. As she wondered what was going on, a familiar cat hopped up onto the fence next to her.

"This one is glad to see you again."

"Jo'nir," Blake asked. "I didn't think your caravan was still around."

"Jo'nir and his kin did leave Solitude, but came back after Markarth. This one has heard many rumors, many sayings. Some say a girl matching your description destroyed the Dark Brotherhood. Some say your white friend had solved a number of murders. Now Solitude says the red girl has saved the world from an ancient necromancer."

"What? Necromancer?" Blake paused in her words as she wondered what exactly Jo'nir could have been talking about. Ruby hadn't mentioned anything about another necromancer.

"There is a big celebration being held. Khajiit will head into the city to sell wares directly in the markets today. Red Ruby is to be awarded at the Blue Palace very soon." Jo'nir revealed. Blake looked towards the Blue Palace, a bewildered expression on her face.

"What did Ruby...?" She shook her head. "Thank you, Jo'nir. After I get everything straightened out with Ruby, I'll come by and see you and the others."

"He will tell the others to set up near the fish stalls, so you will find us easier. M'thri will be excited."

The Alfiq-raht beheld a smug look as he hopped down and ran through the crowds with ease, dodging through steps and around legs like it was second nature. Blake pushed on through the crowded streets, though she did gain a little attention as several people recognized her. Some tried to move and make it easier for her to get by, but it was still slow going. Nearer to the Blue Palace, guardsmen were more numerous and keeping the crowds somewhat at bay, making sure people didn't pack up around the entrance to the auspicious building. Blake started to pass through, but one guard stopped her.

"Official business only today," he stated while keeping his shield at the ready.

"I'm a friend of Ruby Rose, and Thane of Whiterun. I need to see her." The guard, rather than believe her, merely rolled his eyes.

"Right. And I'm Jarl Igmund's twin brother." Another guard went over and tapped his shoulder.

"Actually she matches the description almost perfectly. Do you have a special weapon called, er, Gambling Shroud?"

Rather than correct him on the name, Blake just produced her weapon, taking it fully from her back and then pulling out the sword from the cleaver-sheath.

"Eeyup, that's it. Go on ahead, miss." The guards let her by and Blake quickly walked into the palace, stunned for a moment by how the noise was blocked out so thoroughly once the door was shut, then stunned by the splendor and decoration within. While every Jarl's lodging or palace she had been inside of in Skyrim was certainly a cut above an everyday man's home, the Blue Palace was perhaps the first that felt like a medieval castle straight from fantasy. Even Dragonsreach and the Palace of the Kings felt simply mundane in comparison.

As she headed up one of the sets of twin stairs, her ears began to pick up a soft, sweet voice.

"-for what you've done for Solitude, and Tamriel at large, we can never thank you enough, Dragonborn. For saving our lives from the depredations of the Wolf Queen, there is no such thing as too high a reward." Blake topped the stairs and watched as Ruby was knelt before the throne, wearing a red-scaled armor and having a black scythe set to the side next to her swords. "First and foremost, I hereby grant you the title of Thane of Haafingar and all the privileges therein. I also award you Proudspire Manor, one of the finest manses ever made on Skyrim's soil, to be your property, with Jordis Sword-Maiden as your housecarl. Last, but not least, I award you this."

A guardsman stepped forward, holding a polearm that was about five feet long, red leather and tassels tied to it in different places, with a foot-long, curved edge spear tip blade. He handed it to the Jarl reverently, who then turned and held it above Ruby.

"The Spear of Might, a weapon wielded by some of Solitude and the Empire's greatest warriors. May the sight of it strike fear into your enemies' hearts, just as it has since the days of Reman Cyrodiil."

As the Jarl lowered the spear, Ruby reached up and took it into her hands. The Jarl then let go and took a few steps back.

"Rise, Dragonborn Ruby Rose, Thane of Solitude."

As Ruby stood up to her full height, the six foot long spear held to her side, the crowd of nobles, dignitaries, and high-ranked soldiers began applauding. One man seemed stunned by something, and then Blake realized what the Jarl had just said.

' _Thane of Solitude, not just Haafingar at large.'_

Blake was sure there was some hidden context she didn't understand, but what exactly it meant she'd likely have to ask Lydia about. It was enough to catch an apparent Thane off guard, so it must have been fairly important.

After the applause ended, the ceremony seemed to be over for the most part. Ruby had regathered her weapons quickly and set her new spear on her back alongside the ebony scythe, and was talking with a woman in steel Imperial armor. Blake came up, catching her attention. She beamed and hugged the faunus, who immediately hugged her back.

"Blake, thank goodness you're back." Ruby then remembered who she was speaking to and stepped back, gesturing to the armored woman. "Oh, this is Legate Rikke. She's the second in command of the Imperial forces in Skyrim. Rikke, this is Blake."

"Honored to meet you, Blake," the soldier greeted with a salute. "I've heard a good bit about your exploits, including how you've helped the Penitus Oculatus dig out unwanted elements in the barracks."

"Thanks. I just did what I felt would keep the world safe." Blake nodded, both proud at her discovery and at the same time slightly worried. She only got that information from the Thieves' Guild, and something told her that when she finally went back to Riften they would not be happy with her. Frankly, she didn't care if they were, she held no regrets. She just hoped that nothing too drastic would come from it.

Blake heard something clack against the floor and turned to see a being with a bull's head and legs, yet a human-shaped torso clad in fairly nice clothes, standing close to seven feet tall, not counting the horns.

"Oh, this is Neriro. Neriro, Blake."

"Good to meet you, miss. A friend of Ruby's is a friend of mine." He reached out a hand and Blake shook it, even if it was bigger than her forearm.

"He smashed a hole in that one dragon's skull. Totally messed up the hammer he was using, but that's just how strong he is. I think someone said something about him calling on an ancestral power, but I don't really know what they were on about."

"Old legends, most likely," Rikke put in. "Some people say the different races all have something special about them beyond our little adaptations and differences, that each race holds a power within them that can be called upon. It's likely nothing more than overblown stories about feats of strength and valor. I've seen brave men quell the fear and anger of their fellows before, but I never saw someone quiet a room just by willing it. I should know. I've wanted to many times."

Neriro nodded, confirming what the Legate said. They then heard a series of footsteps coming from the stairs, and turned their attention towards the sound. The sounds belonged to a Nord woman wearing steel armor, along with a steel shield and sword holstered at the hip. She had no helmet, revealing her shoulder length ginger hair and sharp blue eyes. She had an air of authority towards her, but Blake couldn't help but notice a few directed glares towards the few Bosmer in attendance. The other elves she paid no heed.

The woman came up and saluted towards Ruby. "My Thane, I am Jordis Sword-Maiden. I'll be honored to serve you from here forward." Ruby looked aback. She hadn't expected Jordis this quickly, and was slightly unprepared. She quickly recovered and smiled.

"Hello, Jordis. Uh, I guess it'd be cool if you could show Lydia the new house before I head over there. I feel like Blake and I are about to have a talk soon."

"Your will be done. Where can I find this Lydia?"

Said housecarl stepped forward. "That would be me. Hello there."

The newer housecarl was taken aback, and Blake was reminded of Lydia's uncanny ability to sort of fade into the background. Yang had referred to her as a 'voluntary wallflower' at some point, but Blake didn't think that did her justice.

"Hello. I'll show you to Proudspire then."

"Lead the way. Stay safe, my Thane."

"I will. You two get along now."

Jordis raised an eyebrow at the comment, but Lydia simply shook her head with a good natured smile. Neriro chuckled a moment while Rikke's attention was caught by another soldier in similar armor to her own. After he waved her over, she left them to their own devices. As they sat down on a nearby bench, Blake crossed her legs and looked toward Ruby while Neriro merely stood.

"What's all this about you stopping a necromancer?"

"Potema Septim, actually." The name was unfamiliar to Blake, something Ruby picked up on. "She used to be the Queen of Solitude, and I guess Skyrim, but she was evil and wanted to take over the Empire, so she did all kinds of evil things ranging from blackmail, to murder, to raising a huge undead army. Some necromancers tried to bring her back, but we stopped them before they could bind her, then she tried to bring herself back to life. I went in and stopped her." She said it so matter-of-factly, more akin to revealing what she bought at the store than stopping some world ending event. This caused Blake to stare wide-eyed and Neriro to chuckle.

"You know, I never figured getting posted to Skyrim would end up being so exciting," Neriro commented. "Thought I'd just be churning out arms and armor, but so far I've been kidnapped and rescued from cultists, helped fight a dragon, and traveled with a legendary hero up until she went to fight the undead specter of one of the most infamous villains in Tamriel's history."

"Aw, come on, I'm not really legendary," Ruby bashfully pushed away.

"Be humble all you want, but it's true."

"Hehehe." Ruby rubbed her neck a moment before gaining a thoughtful look. "A weird thing happened down there though. I think Meridia might have done something, because I felt some kind of power. It wasn't the Thu'um, or my Aura really, but it helped me make the last push against Potema and drive Dawnbreaker into her dead skull. When I took it back for Styrr to purify, he said that it had already been purified."

"Makes sense. Meridia's said to hate the undead. She's one of the few daedra whose worship hasn't been fully outlawed. You having an artifact from her probably helped."

"I'm still a little…wary of that," Blake mentioned.

"It'll be fine. Half the time I forget I have it because I prefer my sweetheart. Gotta get her repaired, by the way. Think you can help, Neriro?"

"I'd be honored."

"I think I'd like to reinforce it with ebony. Can you work with that?"

"I know the basics of ebony. One of the reasons they sent me up here. Lot more of it in Skyrim than Cyrodiil, so they figured it'd come in handy."

"Nice!"

* * *

After a little more time in the palace, Ruby and Blake headed out from a side door and towards the Thalmor Headquarters. After confirming only one person was there through Ruby using a Detect Life spell, they entered and found Orondil looking over some documents.

"Oh, the new Thane! I'm surprised you'd come and visit me today of all days. And the young Miss Belladonna. Good to see you unharmed."

"Thank you, Orondil. But this isn't a social visit. I need to know anything you can give me about what Isael is doing right now."

"I'm…not sure if that would be appropriate."

"Look, you said it yourself that she's nothing but a detriment to the Thalmor. Besides, I'm doing nothing but avoiding her, for the most part. She's after someone and I'm going to protect them, no matter what it takes."

"Also, there's another guy that wants to stop her," Ruby added. "Someone named Ulquiorra."

"Ulquarrion."

"Ulquarrion? He's one of the more…well, successful agents. That can only mean the Aldmeri Dominion is actively investigating her." He hummed, thinking it over, and nodded. "If he's against Isael, then it's probably in my best interests to help. All right, I don't know what her eventual destination is, but she took her personal carriage to the Embassy. She said I should have someone…'feed the pet upstairs'. I _now_ realize the implications of what she was saying there."

"So she's going by carriage, and making a stop. Then I can still beat her."

"May I ask what exactly this is all about?" Orondil asked with strained curiosity.

Blake looked over to Ruby and let out a long sigh. "Maybe later. No more boats are leaving today so I'll need to catch one in the morning. I'll have time to explain somewhere in-between then. For now, we need to take some time to rest."

* * *

Yang's scroll rang and she took it from her pocket, catching the interest of her housecarl, Valdimar. The elder man's brows rose as she answered the call, just before Ruby and Blake's faces popped up.

"Hey Yang! Just calling to let you know Blake's safe and stuff."

"Hey," the Faunus greeted.

"Well that's good news. So what have-"

She was cut off as another screen popped up, showing Weiss in what seemed to be an icy cavern.

"Hey Weiss! How's everything?" Ruby asked.

"I met a Psijic monk who told me to seek out some sort of disembodied being for information. Also I've gotten another clue about… Yang, who's that?"

"Oh right. Guys, this is Valdimar. I became a Thane of Hjaalmarch after saving the town from a coven of evil vampires. He's my housecarl." After a moment of slight confusion, Valdimar nodded at the screen.

"Oh cool! I just saved all of Haafingar, and Jarl Elisif gave me a house, another housecarl, and this pretty cool spear!" She hefted the spear in question. Yang had to admit, it was an impressive looking spear. And yet, even though Ruby was beaming, the other two couldn't help but stare, Weiss in surprise, and Yang with a bit of jealousy.

"Wait, what did you save Haafingar from?" Weiss asked.

"Well, it's was probably the whole continent, but I saved everyone from Potema trying to come back to life."

"Potema Septim, the Wolf Queen?"

"Yeah, that one."

"She tried to come back to life?"

"Yeah, and she was raising the dead and stuff, had a couple vampires and dozens of zombies and draugr, planning on building an army. I stopped her and stabbed her with my holy sword."

"…Is anyone doing anything normal?" Yang asked.

"Blake's getting on a boat in the morning," Ruby pointed out.

"I should be able to get there before Isael. We've got it on good faith that she's going by carriage. Luxury carriage."

"Yes, you should get back by then." The sound of a magic lightning bolt resounded from Weiss' end. "Sorry, the Midden is full of discarded experiments. That was a six-legged ice golem. Did you find the passphrase?"

"I- I did. Don't…let M'rissi know yet."

"All…right?" Weiss seemed confused by the request, but decided not to pry any further. "Well then, while we're at it. Hello, Valdimar, I'm Weiss Schnee."

"Hi, I'm Ruby Rose!"

"Blake Belladonna."

"Good to meet you all," the man said. "So, you're…at the College of Winterhold right now?"

"I am actually," Weiss answered.

"Ah, I remember the good old days up there. Tell me, is Tolfdir still constantly losing his alembic?"

"It feels like it happens twice a week, at least. Did you used to attend here?"

"Back before the Great War. Had a decent talent for it. Still good, in my opinion."

"I have to admit, I didn't expect an everyday Nord to be a magic user. The only ones I've seen are a part of the College or Court Mages, but most of the ones I've met seem to despise the art." Weiss admitted, causing the veteran to scoff.

"Lotta folks wanted to act like Nords never had any business with magic, but they forget that it used to be all fighters were seen with honor, magic or blade. Gods above, magic saved a lot of my comrades years ago, and got me the recognition to be made a housecarl. Don't ever let 'em get you down, child. Whatever you're learning there is as good as any learning."

"Thank you sir. It's good to hear words of encouragement on occasion." Weiss smiled. Yang then decided to get in.

"So you got a second housecarl, Rubes? Didn't think to share with Blakey?" Yang teased. Rather than react, Ruby just looked confused.

"Uh, I don't think housecarls work that way. Besides, now we've got another big mansion in a major city in Skyrim, and we need someone to watch over it. Not to mention it's nicer in Solitude."

"You Valeans are just too thin-skinned to stand a little cold," Weiss teased the sisters. "But honestly, it's quite surprising that this happened. I feel like we're starting to make a pattern."

"I don't know. Haven't done anything major in Falkreath. Have I even been there?" Ruby asked, tapping her chin and looking up in thought. The others then heard a door open and close, and saw Ruby turned her head to the side.

"My Thane, we just got a letter," a female voice rang out. Weiss and Yang didn't know who it belonged to, but it was not Lydia. "Apparently it's from Jarl Sigmund of Falkreath."

"... Well, talk about timing." Yang muttered, surprised at this turn of events.

"Ruby, what did you do?" Weiss sighed. Blake just looked surprised and said nothing.

"Garsh golly gee," Ruby muttered, ignoring the question. "Just set it on the table Jordis," she called back. "I'll read it in a minute." The Dragonborn huffed while looking at her scroll. "Well, I needed to head down there for that Word Wall. First I'll need to drop off Jurgen's Horn, though. So, I'll link up with you in Morthal?"

"Sounds good, sis."

"And Blake'll be back in Winterhold soon. Hopefully we can buckle down and figure some things out before the next crazy, world-ending conspiracy rears its head. Speaking of, Weiss, what was that about a clue?"

"Oh boy. Well, what do you all know about the Simulacrum of Jagar Tharn?"


	33. Calling It Out

After the girls were caught up on the history of the Simulacrum, they sat in quiet contemplation for a moment.

"So," Yang began, breaking their awkward silence, "when Jagar used the Staff, he probably sent Uriel VII to Remnant."

"I don't think it was Remnant he was sent to," Weiss explained. "For one thing, he would have mentioned something about it if he had, but instead he kept everything to himself, as though deeply affected, perhaps traumatized. Him being sent to the Deadlands would perfectly explain that."

"True," Yang conceded with a nod before Weiss continued.

"Also, I think we would have heard something if he had come to Remnant. He might not have been the greatest fighter or mage, but he would have known the basics behind magic by virtue of royal tutors and the like. Even Lydia knows how to cast basic flame and frost spells for fire-starting and putting fires out." Ruby nodded as she recalled the times she saw Lydia use the low-powered spells to accomplish those very things. Sometimes it took her a minute to concentrate on using them, but she could do it. It just wasn't very useful for fighting at her skill level.

"Yeah, word would have gotten around if someone was able to show people how to use magic without Dust," Blake agreed.

"Problem with that," Yang spoke up. "I've been talking to Vald about magic, trying to get better at it, and he says that magic comes directly from Aetherius. More specifically, the big hole in the sky Magnus made when he nope'd out of there to escape Mundus' creation. We've already figured out that Remnant is outside of the Aurbis, and he says that anything in the Void is cut off from it. Ergo, no magic. So, it very well could be that he _did_ go to Remnant, he just couldn't use any magic.

"Even if that's not the case, it could be that he ends up in our future. Maybe _way_ in our future," Yang argued. "Heck, we might get back and run into him with how wonky the time stuff is. We _know_ Team JNPR was still at Beacon watching Zwei the day before we ended up at Solitude, and I'm pretty sure they would have mentioned stopping a demon invasion, so they poofed close to the same time or after we did. But apparently they popped up two hundred years ago."

"I'm sorry, what?" Valdimar asked. He had walked over when he heard Yang say his name. She smiled and waved him off.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Vald. We're talking about planar travel and how to get back to our world."

"…I think I'm going to go make sure the perimeter is secure."

As Vald hastily walked away, Yang let out a small chuckle. "He's a good guy. Pretty in shape, too, for fifty-eight."

"Back to the discussion at hand, it doesn't really matter whether or not Uriel ended up on Remnant for a time. Fact of the matter is, there's some sort of connection between Nirn and Remnant. It probably has something to do with how we got here, and the Staff of Chaos is our one physical clue." Weiss began to twirl a lock of hair while she contemplated different ideas. "Azura's clues point to Lorkhan, who's usually depicted as a serpent or a man. He was considered a Padomaic being, or a being of change, so something like chaos would be right up his alley. Sheogorath has some sort of relation to Lorkhan, and would also appreciate chaos and disruption. Neither of these are good prospects in looking for a way home, as Lorkhan is the 'Missing' God and Sheogorath is the Mad God."

"What if we got this Staff?" Blake asked. "If using it is what caused the connection, then maybe it can send us back."

"Not a bad idea, but the problem there is we have no idea where the Staff is, should it still exist." Weiss blew out a puff of air. "There are contradicting statements on the Staff's fate. Some say it was destroyed, but that's likely not an insurmountable obstacle considering Eternal Champion Talin was able to repair it once. Others say it was cast into Oblivion, and searching for it there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack if the haystack was the size of a major city and eternally on fire in some places. Even if it's only locked away in the deepest vaults of the Imperial City, they have no reason to give it to us and every reason to keep it locked up."

"So that's basically a dead end," Ruby concluded with a groan. "We're still only running on partial info. We've got to find something solid if we want to get home. Weiss, if another one of those guys comes up, you need to make sure he tells you everything. I'm not saying grill him, but do it if you have to. He said the connection has been around since forever, but the Staff only made it visible or something? How the heck do they know either of those things? If they know about us, do they know about JNPR? Do they know if anyone from Nirn went to Remnant? Are any of those people still alive? If they can figure out the thing about the Staff then surely they should know some of that stuff too."

"Yes, you're right." Weiss nodded and hummed. "I practically have a list already written up. I don't know if another Psijic will ever come up, but if they do, I'll try to get clearer answers."

"That's pretty much all we can hope for. All right. So, plans right now: Blake's getting on a boat first thing in the morning. Right after that I'll head down to Morthal to meet up with you, sis. Then we'll drop by Ustigrove so I can put the Horn back."

"Ustengrav," Lydia's voice corrected from the room over.

"Right. Then me, you, Lydia, and Valdimar will head back to Whiterun together."

"Awesome. Sounds like a plan."

"When I get a chance I need to meet up with you, Ruby," Weiss added in. "It's getting really annoying having this tick in my brain. Also, the Magna-Ge might be able to help us further as well."

"That's true. All right, after I swing through Falkreath we'll find a way to meet up. Everyone good?"

"Yeah."

"Yep."

"All right. Good luck finding that thing, Weiss. See ya later, Yang."

Ruby hung up, and Yang right after. Weiss sighed and placed her scroll back in her robes before looking down into the icy depths of the Midden. She walked down a small tunnel and saw a door before her, but when she reached to open it a voice echoed out.

" _Your perseverance will only lead to disappointment."_ Weiss went still for a moment, but then took on a resolute expression. She reached again and tried to open the door only to find that it was locked. _"Still you persist? Very well, you may enter."_

"That wasn't too difficult," she muttered before the door opened before her. There was a sort of large hearth-like structure taking up the center of the room, but the material within, rather than burning wood or the like, was some sort of gel-like substance that had a blue glow spread throughout it, giving it the appearance of embers. As Weiss approached, a transparent orb coalesced above the strange place. "You're the Augur of Dunlain?"

" _I am that which you have been seeking,"_ it answered. _"Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun. But those who have sent you halve not told you what they seek. What_ you _seek."_

"Story of my life," Weiss groaned. "Well, I was told to find you, and here I am."

" _Indeed. You have come, but you do not know why. Like others before you, you blindly follow a path to your own destruction. The Thalmor came seeking answers as well, unaware that they will be his undoing."_

Weiss eyes went wide at that revelation, the slight anger building in her from the Augur's accusations fading away.

" _Your path now follows his, though you will arrive too late."_

"You mean…Ancano was here?"

" _Yes. He seeks information about the Eye, but what he finds will be quite different."_ Weiss tried to think back if she had seen Ancano coming down to the Midden, but couldn't recall seeing him. Before she thought too far about what he could've come for, the Augur of Dunlain continued. _"His path will cross yours in time, but first you must find that which you need."_

"And just what do I need?"

" _You, and those aiding you, wish to know more about the Eye of Magnus. You wish to avoid the disaster of which you are not yet aware."_

"Avoiding disaster always sounds good."

" _Then, to see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff."_ Weiss blinked, wondering just what kind of staff he was talking about. _"Events now spiral quickly towards the inevitable center, so you must act with haste. Take this knowledge to your Archmage."_

"I will. You wouldn't happen to have any other information I could use?"

" _There are three other major events concerning you occurring at this moment. Follow the Marker's instructions, and lead the Red Intercendent along the path. More information will become clearer as you do this, though your actions in this path will lead to various consequences, great and small._

" _In assisting the Black Shadow, you must trust in her choices, however wrong they may feel."_ Weiss wondered just what kind of choice Blake could make to make her question helping her, then decided not to think about it just yet. _"Her reasoning will be founded, and the path she walks may yet brighten for her and the others who follow her._

" _You all wish to find your way back to your world. It is strange. I know nothing of this world, but others may yet know slivers of details. The Goddess of Dusk and Dawn predicts all shall return, yet there may be more far more to put back into place than yourselves. This is all I can know."_

"Thank you for that much then. I…suppose I'll go back now. Tolfdir said hello, by the way."

* * *

Yang smashed the Marshborn Blight against a spider's head, crushing and ripping off part of the exoskeleton near its many eyes. The creature hissed and chittered as it backed away and seemed to dizzily drop and pick itself up.

"Damn it," Yang muttered. "Yeah, I'm just no good with this thing. Vald, you wanna have a go?" she offered while holding out the mace's hilt to her housecarl.

"I suppose I'll try," he said while taking it. He took a few steps towards the dazed spider and then swung up, hitting its face and destroying the head. "Hm, good weight to it, actually. Mayhaps maces aren't your thing?"

"Guess not. I'll just stick to my fists and axes then." Yang spied another spider nearby, but then someone popped out from behind a tree and plunged a sword into the joint between the head and abdomen. Curious, Yang began walking over towards the stranger, noting it was an Argonian by the tail. They were wearing an old black robe that seemed more suited for a funeral than an outing, steel cuffs, and a hood, with scales that were a rust red color bordering on orange. The Argonian looked up at her as she came near and seemed to focus in like a predator as Yang stopped a few feet away.

"What you want, stranger?" the reptilian person asked in a feminine voice, cluing Yang in that this was a woman. "I have a date with the marsh, and the chaurus that call it home."

"Just giving a new weapon a test run. Supposed to be effective against pests and bugs."

"Pests, heh? Maybe you should be careful, or it'll hurt you too. At least the bugs don't talk to strangers."

Yang could practically feel Valdimar growing angry as he came up to stand behind her. She let it roll off her shoulder, though, and decided to leave it be.

"Sorry about bothering you. I was just hoping to be civil."

"And the politeness continues!" the Argonian exclaimed. "Perhaps I'm speaking to a noble! My apologies, my lord!" She made a raspy, somehow enunciated, laugh. "Don't worry travelers, I meant no offense. There are simply so many bandits here in Skyrim, and such few persons of character. As for my name, my clan once called me Anum-La, but fighting folk call me the Swamp Knight."

"Nice to meet you Anum-La. I'm Yang Xiao-Long. This here's Valdimar."

"Valdimar Bear-Feet," the housecarl greeted, his anger and tension slowly melting away. "I am huscarl to Thane Yang." Yang was slightly surprised at Valdimar's use of Nordic, but took it in stride.

"Oh, so I _was_ speaking to a lord. Or something close to one. The whole Thane thing seems quite confusing. At least Bretons and Imperials have a set system."

"Meh, I just killed a bunch of vampires and saved the town. They had to give me something." Yang waved it off like it was no big deal, and the Argonian laughed. "So, why do folks call you Swamp Knight?"

"Well, it's a short story. I carry a sword. I'm from the swamps of Black Marsh. Do you need me to continue or can you piece it together from there?"

"Come on," Yang goaded, deflecting Anum-La's sarcasm. "There's got to be more to it than you being an Argonian."

"You're a clever one! Saw right through my glib response." Yang smirked at the compliment, even if it was likely meant to be backhanded. "Alright, I'll tell you, but it's a long story, so you might want to sit down for this one."

"Well, we can walk and talk. You're going to Morthal, right?"

"Certainly better than sleeping in that old tomb up north." Anum-La began heading south, Yang walking alongside her and Valdimar behind them. I was hatched in a small, tribal village, lost in the swamps between Thorn and Helstrom. In other words, in the middle of nowhere. As the hatchling of a small and pitiful clan, I could afford to travel to the city and train under the guidance of the tribal guard."

"You would've had to go by boat, right?"

"Right you are. But few boats stopped by my village."

"Was it just that isolated?"

"There were visitors. In fact, every few years a recruiter from the city would come to the village and conscript those in the clan who showed promise." She made a sound that Yang figured was the Argonian equivalent of a scoff. "Only a handful of hatchlings were chosen. All of them males. Males I had bested in combat a hundred times over. I'd figured the only way to be a soldier was to train on my own. So one night I went out into the deepest swamps with nothing but a Hist branch."

"What'd you do?" Yang asked, a little fearful of where this story might turn.

"I committed myself to killing a feather serpent. I thought, on the second night, I'll vanquish three. By the first hour, my only goal was to survive." The Argonian woman shook her head. "Somehow, I managed. I labored through the bog and hid inside a hollowed out tree. I waited and watched for predators. And as I watched, I learned."

"What'd you see?"

"I saw how the serpent camouflaged itself into the foliage. How the leviathan waded effortlessly through the swamp, simply by refusing all effort. I saw how on bright days, the lizard used the hackwing's own shadow to scuttle around unseen, and how on dark days all creatures clung to the mist. By the time I was grown, I could slay five feathered serpents with a single slash, and do it with my eyes closed," she declared proudly.

"Nice," Yang drawled with a thumbs up. "Still, that just tells me why, but not how. Might've gotten Swamp Hunter or Swamp Fighter, but Knight?"

"True enough. The name came when I joined a company of fighters, many of whom were celebrated warriors from all over Tamriel. There were members who served as honor guards for tribal chieftains, and those who trained under guild masters and various regiments of the Empire. There were even retired assassins from the renowned Shadowscales of legend. But none knew of who I was, or why I was recruited to join the company."

"Really? How come?"

"The truth was I was never supposed to be there. I found the invitation on a courier while traveling west towards Gideon. Undaunted, I told them the story of how I trained to become a knight. I used the exact word. In truth, I had only heard the word "knight" in passing. But when travelers from strange lands used the term, their words spoke with a heavy tone with reverence. That's how I wanted them to speak about me."

"Wow! I think that's…the most primal reason everyone feels when thinking about knights or becoming one."

"Ain't it, though? Heh, well, the company, of course, laughed uproariously at my expense. They dubbed me "the Swamp Knight," and I've been that ever since."

"Well, not every origin story is sunshine and family outings. Sometimes it's swamp water and bad jokes. Gotta ask though, did they ever question you coming with them?"

"Oh they did, but Dalum-Ei assured them I was on the up and up. He was our leader, and the one who assembled the crew. I never asked him why." Anum-La shrugged with her hands held out. "Maybe he was just curious. Maybe he ascribed it to fate. Maybe he thought he could make a wife out of me." She made a couple of raspy laughs at that. "Poor fool never had a chance."

They came upon Morthal just as the sun was beginning to touch the tree and mountaintops in the distance. Yang looked over at the Argonian woman and nodded at her.

"Well, it was good to meet you. Maybe sometime we can bash some heads together. Probably not going to be my last time in Morthal."

"Maybe. Hope you're better with your axe than you are with a mace."

"Hey, you saw that?" Yang laughed. "You really are observant."

"And you're a good listener. Maybe next time, you can be the one to explain your life in ten sentences. Might even be interesting to hear. Have a moist- Wait, you humans don't like that. Have a good one."

"You too."

* * *

Ruby watched as Neriro sharpened up the last piece to a silvery, razor edge. He held it up and rubbed a thumb against it before humming and nodding, then set it on the table next to the others.

"There you go. You sure this will work?" He stepped back, allowing Ruby to step forward, Crescent Rose in hand.

"Worked with steel, it should work with pretty much anything." Ruby set Crescent Rose, bereft of its blade segments, on the table then began assembling the black pieces. As she quickly fitted each one into place, Neriro watched with interest that reflected Ruby's earlier curiosity. With the last, still warm component bolted onto the end, Ruby lifted her scythe then folded and unfolded it a few times. When there didn't seem to be any kinks or complications, she smiled, folded it back up and hugged the weapon.

"Good to have you back. Thanks Neriro. You're a lifesaver."

"It was some hard work, but worth it if it means you're back at full power."

"And boy was that hard." Ruby set Crescent Rose at her back, feeling the weight difference in the weapon compared to before. "I didn't even have to be that careful with malachite, and that stuff's actual glass."

"It wasn't that I had to be careful. It's just that beating away on ebony won't do any good. Hit it as hard as you can, it's only going to shift and change so much. The real key is patience. You work with ebony, expect to take a long time with it. We're just lucky you had that scythe and could make those molds."

"Yeah. Uh, feel free to keep the old pieces, by the way. And thanks again for helping."

"You're welcome. Take care, Ruby."

The young girl nodded and began heading back to her new house. More of a mansion, the place was large, three stories and a basement, with three main bedrooms, and another in the basement as a servants' quarters. Ruby barely knew what to do with so much space. She walked in to see Jordis cooking something and Lydia looking in a book nearby.

"You're sure it says a leaf of nirnroot?" Jordis asked, apprehension in her voice.

"It's pretty clear. I suppose it gets diluted by the tomatoes or something…" Lydia sounded confused, and scratched her head.

"Since when was cooking alchemy?"

"Whatcha makin'?" Ruby asked as she came up to sniff the pot.

"Hello, my Thane," both housecarls said at the same time before looking at each other in surprise. Lydia shrugged and Jordis turned back towards her.

"We're trying out a recipe from one of the Gourmet's cookbooks. We're…a little concerned about one particular ingredient."

"I think nirnroot is used in invisibility potions. Hold on." Ruby took out her scroll and texted to Weiss.

 _Hey is nirnrootsafe to eat in a soup?_

After a few moments, a response pinged up.

 _In very small amounts, I am told. It's supposed to add a 'zing'._

Another message pinged up a second later.

 _Onmund just explained that you're supposed to remove the actual plant after it's done cooking. He normally boils it separate in a small amount of water and then adds the broth._

Ruby tapped a message back.

 _Ty BFF! Ill let Lyd know33 ;)_

"You're supposed to boil it then remove it." Ruby put away the scroll, and the housecarls turned their attention back to the pot.

"That's what it says in the book."

"I'm still not too sure…"

"We can always make separate portions so that we can try it with or without," Ruby suggested. "That's what me and Yang used to have to do when she kept putting way too much pepper in our mac and CHEESE! WHY DOES SHE PUT SO MUCH DANMED PEPPER IN MAC AND CHEESE? IT'S SUPPOSED TO TASTE LIKE CHEESEY PASTA NOT PEPPERY!"

Jordis looked on with wide eyes before Lydia patted her shoulder.

"It's fine. She calms right back down."

"Phew! Sorry about that. Bad memories of me practically choking to death on some of Yang's cooking. Anyways,where's the pots and stuff?"

* * *

After trying both versions of the Tenth Province Stew, with and without nirnroot, Ruby found she liked the kick it gave, but not when so concentrated. So, she mixed a little of the 'with' into the 'without'. It was almost like eating spicy food, but more electrical than fiery. While eating, she noticed Lydia descending into a despondent look then pick herself back up, only to fall right back. Wondering how to approach the situation, Ruby pushed her empty bowl away and turned towards her housecarl.

"Hey, everything okay, Lydia?"

"Everything's fine, my Thane. Just thinking."

Ruby wasn't convinced. She looked over at Jordis, who seemed to figure out what was needed and stood up and began collecting the dishes before taking them down to the kitchen. When she was gone, Ruby looked back at Lydia.

"Seriously, what's up? Is this about when we were headed down Potema's tomb?"

The housecarl released a sigh. "It's just… I've been hurt far worse than that, before."

"I'm sure, but the thing was we weren't even halfway through. The next horde was way worse. _I_ almost got overwhelmed by them. If I didn't have my speed and Dawnbreaker, it wouldn't have gone half as well as it did." Ruby's tone was serious, and had Lydia's full attention. "And then there was the draugr lord. Whoever he was, he was a _skilled_ scythe wielder. He fought almost like my Uncle Qrow, but with a Thu'um of his own. Against a normal person, he would have cut them apart. Aura was pretty much my only advantage there, along with knowing how he moved. If you had come with me…you might have really died down there."

Lydia's eyes dropped at that, causing Ruby to feel a pang in her heart.

"Look, don't beat yourself up over it. You're a great fighter, and strong warrior, but… Look!"

Ruby reached down and grabbed Lydia's chair. Before her housecarl could make any objections, she lifted both woman and chair up into the air, earning a yelp from the Nord. Jordis came back in and stared wide-eyed at the scene before her.

"This is barely straining me," Ruby explained before she gently set the chair back down, Lydia's eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Between my Aura getting boosted with every dragon killed, the Sleeping Tree Mammoth's blessing, and who knows what else, I can throw you into the air in full armor. You're not weak, Lydia. You just got set with a girl who's almost freakishly strong."

Lydia looked over to her, questioning in her eyes. "Then how do I get that strong?"

Ruby opened her mouth to answer, before she realized she didn't really have one. "I don't know… I unlocked mine when I was really young. I spent years training before doing it." Ruby paused, and raised her finger idly in the air. "There is a ritual, of sorts, where one person with an unlocked Aura can unlock someone else's…"

"Can you do that, then?" Lydia sounded hopeful, but Ruby shook her head.

"I can't. I don't know how. I think Yang does. Weiss mentioned learning it." Ruby sighed. "But…Weiss and Blake are afraid of diving into this too soon. I can definitely see their reasoning, but I don't feel like we've made any progress determining whether or not we even can do it here."

Lydia nodded at that. "I see. What sort of…training was it?"

"Um, sort of a cross between exercise, art, and meditating. Kinda hard to explain. Everyone did theirs differently. Mine was a lot of running, singing, and looking through old photo albums with my mom in them. Yang's was more punching stuff and some dancing. I'm not really…a good teacher for this stuff. My dad could've probably gotten you set on some training regime a week after meeting you." Lydia looked down then back up and nodded.

"I understand. I'll try asking the others for help when I get the chance."

The door opened and closed the level below them. Jordis snapped back into the real world and went about her duties as Blake walked up the stairs.

"Hey Blake, we were wondering where you were. There's some stew left in the… Are you okay?" Ruby asked when she noticed the blank look on her teammate's face. Then she noticed that the black, red-detailed armor Blake had taken to wearing was fully displayed. "Where'd your over-clothes go?"

"Too much blood," she muttered. "Too much… Damn cults." She shook her head and then knocked on the side of it. "Sorry, Ruby. I only meant to take a walk, but then I came across a cave where a spriggan was dying. I went in and there were people planning to kill two others. I stopped them, but…" She sighed. "It was messy. On the bright side, the spriggans gave me an old helmet that happened to belong to some veteran." She shrugged and then headed over to the pots next to the fire. "There a difference?"

"Right side's spicy, left is plain."

Blake took up a bowl and began spooning up some stew into it.

"You're not still worried about the Thalmor woman, are you?"

"I'm going to be worried about her until we manage to stop her for good. It looks like things might come apart under her feet, so we've got that going for us, but we still need to avoid her until then." The Faunus sat down and took a spoonful of stew before nodding. "Spicy. I like it."

"...If I may ask," Jordis' voice was strained, "can one of you explain just what 'Aura' is? I am completely lost."

The others went silent, but before Ruby could speak up to answer, Lydia got out of her seat and escorted Jordis downstairs. As the tops of their heads disappeared beneath the stairs, Ruby looked at Blake, still eating her stew. She wondered how Jordis would take it.

"They're WHAT?!"

She got her answer.

* * *

After Ruby and Blake said their goodbyes at the docks and Blake took off back for the east side, the young Dragonborn headed back into the city, planning to stop by and say goodbye to Neriro as well. On the way there, she noticed Jordis giving an awfully hard glare at a couple of Bosmer hunters shopping at the hunting supply store.

"Uh, what gives?" Ruby's question caused Jordis to slightly jump.

"Huh, sorry my Thane, lost in thought." Jordis was admittedly a little jumpy upon learning her charge came from another world, but soon accepted it, just as Lydia had. Still, Ruby suspected her current disposition had nothing to do with that, with roots stretching back much farther.

"You were staring at those elves like they killed your dog," she pointed out. "Wood elves, specifically. You seem okay with others, but every time we go by Bosmer you get all stiff and start glaring."

"Sorry. It's just an…old habit."

"Staring at wood elves is an old habit?" Lydia asked.

"Look it's… It's a bit of a long story. I'm maybe a little older than you, twenty-eight."

"I'm twenty-six," Lydia answered.

"Right, so I was only a baby during the Great War. My elder brother was already grown by then. He was a housecarl to an old Thane of Haafingar. The two went to war, and the next my family heard, they were dead. My mother and father kept pressing them to return his remains, and after being dodged for months, they took the case to the High King. When he said the Legion should return them, they then explained what happened. They had been fighting a Bosmeri unit. Noth-," she choked up, biting back tears. "Nothing was left. They ate them, turned their hides to leather, and carved their bones into tools and arrows. All I could remember was…rage. My father nearly choked an elf to death the next day."

"Gods..." Lydia gasped while Ruby remained silent in shock and horror.

"It's been that way for a while. I try to remember that not every Bosmer is that way, that the ones living here in Skyrim likely had nothing to do with it. But every time I see one of them, my blood just boils at the memory."

Ruby saw the grief and shame on her face, and nodded. "It's okay to feel bad about it, just don't let it get to you, okay," she said in a soft tone. "At least you try to be understanding. I don't understand myself why so many Bosmer live like that, but we can always keep in mind that the ones here are usually pretty good people." Jordis didn't seem fully convinced, and then Lydia grabbed her shoulder and turned Jordis to look at the hunter's stand.

"If I might make a suggestion," Lydia put in. "Look at their bows. What do you see?"

"Um, strings and wood?" Jordis hazarded a guess.

"Yes, wood. If they have bows made out of wood, then they aren't followers of the Green Pact. Green Pact Bosmer will always have bone-made bows."

Jordis blinked and hummed. "I never thought about that. Sorry, but it's just hard to let go of this."

Ruby nodded and then walked into Castle Dour's forge. Neriro was currently placing something into the furnace, while another blacksmith, a Nord man, was over at a table going over something that looked like plans for a ballista. The Minotaur saw Ruby and beamed.

"Come to see me one last time, heh?"

"Yeah. Didn't want to go without saying goodbye. Any idea where you'll be?"

"Yes actually, I'll be attached to a contubernium heading for Falkreath. We'll join up with them in about two weeks, I believe. Until then, I'll be helping out around here."

"He's pretty good help," the other blacksmith said. "If he were a bit smaller, he'd be perfect."

Ruby and Neriro laughed before sharing a look. "Well, it was good meeting you, Neriro. If I'm ever in Falkreath I'll try to look for you."

"And I'll keep an eye out for you. Keep being a hero, Dragonborn. Never stop."

Neriro saluted to her and Ruby returned it with genuine feeling behind the gesture. She left soon after and Jordis headed back for Proudspire. As Ruby and Lydia rode away, Ruby looked back at the city and took in a breath of fresh air, glad to have made the place that much safer for the thousands living there.

* * *

Weiss looked over what she could only call a vanity with a crystal ball. A horn with a wire was connected to it, with a glass cone attached to a spring in a box connected on the other side. She sighed and crossed her fingers as she inserted a Common Soul Gem to a slot near the mirror, then hooked an enchanted com-piece onto the crystal ball's stand.

"If this happens to work…" she muttered. Numbers showed up on the crystal ball and she tapped them in an order she had memorized. There was a small trill from the speaker, and then the mirror glistened before an image of Inigo's face showed up.

"Wow, it worked!" the Khajiit cheered. The speaker was certainly low quality compared to what she was used to, but she heard him loud and clear. "Look everyone! I can see Weiss from the Hall of Attainment!"

The vampire held the horn up to her mouth. "Can you hear me?" she enunciated into it.

"Yes, I can. It was a little muffled, but I heard."

"M'rissi hears as well," the Khajiit woman announced as she popped her head up from under Inigo's arm. "Does this mean we can talk from anywhere now?"

"Mostly. I want to refine this and miniaturize it before that. Carrying around a full-sized vanity isn't exactly convenient."

"Alright, hand it here," Brelyna said before receiving the scroll. "So it really worked. That cone and spring contraption of yours is really making sound?"

"Yes. It's very basic, but it's working. Normally there'd be magnets involved, but it seems magic is able to skip that step." Weiss shrugged. "I'm not sure how a simple horn and wire is carrying my voice. I was ready to have none of you hear me and try to figure _that_ out next."

"Well, no need to worry then. Like you said, we just have to refine it."

"Yes. Alright, let's meet back at the Hall of Elements and see if we can figure out the next step."

"Meet you there."

Weiss nodded and pressed the ball where a red dot was. The mirror shimmered back to a reflective surface to where she could see herself. For a moment she focused on her own face, noticing how she looked like a starved model. She sighed, realizing she needed to drink some blood soon. Unless someone was willing to open a vein for a minute, that meant bottled, bland, animal blood. The memory of tasting fresh, mortal blood tingled her mind for a moment before she shoved the thought back. She reached under the vanity and pulled out a bottle of cow's blood, downing it quickly.

As she stood and went towards the Hall of Elements, she took out her map and looked once again where Mzulft was. She had yet to go into a Dwemer ruin, and the closest any of them came was when Ruby went through Shimmermist, but that was like pointing out Blake going into Whiterun's Hall of the Dead was her going through a Nordic tomb. She had heard stories, though, and they had her interest immediately. Maybe...

She shook her head. "I should probably work on the Marker's request first." At that thought, Weiss felt an annoying tug on her brain. "Ugh, definitely need to, just to get rid of this. It's almost like the stupid spirit cursed me."

Weiss slowed her steps when she saw Ancano walking by, muttering something to himself as he flipped through pages in a book. The Thalmor attaché had been more irritable than usual lately, and she wasn't entirely clueless as to why. Keeping in mind to be on the lookout for him, she continued on to meet up with her friends.

* * *

Yang stared at the Redguard 'blacksmith' for a long moment, making the man begin to shift uncomfortably.

"Whatever," she finally gave out. "Doesn't affect me in the slightest. My sis is going to be disappointed though."

"Well, she'll be able to get one someday. Just wait and see."

"Sure, sure," Yang waved off as she walked back into the town. Al'Hassan might have been lying about his blacksmithing business plan, but he didn't seem a bad guy to Yang. He even stood up for Falion, who seemed hated by most of the town on account of being a mage. The terrible rumors about him were the worst as well, especially the ones concerning Agni. Yang had knocked a man's jaw loose for those sorts of accusations, and then started healing him with magic, just to really rub it in.

Her scroll rang and she took it out to see an 'unknown caller'. Confused, she hesitantly answered it to find Weiss on her screen, holding what looked like a ram's horn with a string tied to the end up to her mouth.

"Yang, can you hear me all right?" she asked in a low quality.

"Yeah, but you're kinda muffled."

"Okay, that's good. Distance doesn't seem to be an issue then."

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"Calling from…let's call it a magic phone booth."

"Cool, so you were able to expand on the enchanted communication devices and make a fully independent system?" Weiss stared at Yang, not expecting her invention to be summed up so easily.

"That…is… Yes. I had to recreate a speaker from scratch, but thankfully I remembered the basics. If it can get this refined, then I can make a handheld version, and then we can communicate with anyone anywhere. It'll also improve the general quality of life in this land. We just need to be careful about how it distributes."

"Right. Don't want to knock the whole war off balance and have it _end_ ," Yang voiced flatly.

"Yang, seriously?" Weiss shook her head. "Alright, what side do you want to win?"

"I don't know! I just feel like we're stepping around eggshells whenever it comes to something like that. One wrong move and suddenly the Stormcloaks have Markarth and the Empire has Riften."

"That would be just ridiculous. How would the… Never mind that. I'm going to call Blake now. She should be at sea right now, and I want to test calls with moving devices."

"Tell her I said hi."

"I will. Goodbye."

"Bye." Yang hung up and then suddenly something hit her from behind and grabbed her around the shoulders.

"Hi," Ruby said from behind Yang before her elder sister reached behind herself and threw her over. "Wah!"

"Hey yourself," Yang greeted with a smile. Her sister smiled from her position lying on the ground, and Yang heard footsteps rushing towards them. She looked up to see Valdimar with the Marshborn Blight in hand.

"My Thane? Oh, is that your sister?"

"Yeah. She a bit shorter in person, isn't she?"

"Hey!"

Lydia walked up to them and nodded. "Yang, good to see your reflexes haven't suffered."

"Was that a joke? Is the world ending?"

"Probably. Dragons _are_ burning up the countryside."

"Okay, now it's creepy. _Two_ jokes?"

"Yang, Lydia can be funny when she wants." Ruby jumped up to her feet. "Anyways, let's get going."

"Already? You just got here."

"Yeah, but I really want to get out of Hjaalmarch, and I still have to drop off the Horn of Jurjen."

"Jurgen."

"Damn it! Thought I had that one."

"Well, I guess that's fine and all. I'll go get Lucky Day saddled up. Then you andme can finally have some adventuring together."

* * *

"Aw, what?" Yang complained as Ruby led her down the shortcut.

"I mean, we already killed all the stuff that didn't give up the first time, so there wouldn't be anything to do but walk." Ruby then squealed and hopped back. Yang caught up with her and looked to see a corpse with maggots dotting it and large bugs half the size of her hand ripping into it with sharp pincers.

"The heck are those?"

"I…think they're ant chaurus. They look just like the bigger ones except…not big." Ruby took a stick and poked at one. "Funny, I don't remember a body here." The insect turned and snapped at the stick, leaving tiny gouges where its pincer hit.

"Wow, you could lose a finger to one of those little guys."

"Yeah." Ruby tossed the stick aside and went deeper into the tomb. The two came upon the Altar of Jurgen and Ruby took the Horn from her pack and set it in the hand meant to hold it. Ruby looked at the setup proudly before streams of energy suddenly leapt out from the altar and into her. She froze for a moment as Yang stared in shock, then the lights ended and they were left as they were before.

"Uh, what just happened?" the elder sister asked.

"I…think I just got insight from Jurgen Windcaller," Ruby answered slowly. "It's going…to take a while for me to sort through it all. It happened so fast. It's like I'm remembering a hundred lessons all at once but I can't pick any one of them out. You remember that movie with the weird aliens and the memory syringes? The one scene at the end?"

"Okay, so like the dragon soul thing but without an actual soul?"

"Kinda. Yeah, there's nobody else in there."

"Wait, what?"

"I said yeah. Anyways, let's go on back up."

Yang found herself a little dumbfounded by what had happened, but decided that there was little she could do at the moment about it. The two emerged onto the surface to see their housecarls watching over the horses and conversing.

"So it turns out that Khajiits are harder to slow down than Bosmer, but Altmer are complete pansies when it comes to frost spells. I saw a Khajiit take three spikes to his gut before he went down fighting it. One spike into a high elf and he dropped like his head had been taken."

"Interesting..." Lydia nodded. Once the two noticed their thanes, they ceased their discussion and looked at them.

"All right, let's head down to Whiterun! Lydia, which-a-way we goin'?" Yang stretched out her fingers and rolled her shoulders.

"Ah, Valdimar mentioned he knows a way around the Labyrinthian's main way, so we can avoid the frost trolls. We should head south and stop at the Stonehills for the night."

"Still kinda bummed that we didn't get to do any adventuring together," Yang complained as she mounted atop Lucky Day. "Next thing you know, we'll be at Whiterun and you'll be readying up for your next adventure without me. Then I'll have to go to _work_."

"Your work is being a Companion Circle member. That's like a more Mountaineer version of your dream job."

"A Mountaineer?" Lydia asked. She hadn't heard the term before.

"Type of people where we come from," Yang answered. "Native to the mountains of northern Mistral. Basically Nords but more mountains, less coasts. My mom's one, and so's my uncle."

"And our friend, Nora," Ruby chirped in.

"Everything I learn about these girls paints a stranger picture," Valdimar said. "Well, if you really want some adventuring before Whiterun, you could always go troll hunting." He laughed at the idea, but both Yang and Ruby began to consider it.

"They are a bit of a problem," Ruby mused.

"Yeah, that could be fun. Heck, let's make it a contest. One who kills the most trolls wins."

"You're on!"

Valdimar looked to Lydia for help or answers, but his fellow housecarl seemed to be offering neither.

* * *

As the group settled in to the mining camp that was slowly turning into a village, Yang went for a short walk with her armor off, enjoying the weightless feeling she would get after having started wearing it regularly. As she stretched out in the dying light, Lydia came up alongside her, also out of her armor and in everyday clothes.

"'Sup, Lyd?"

"Thane Yang," she greeted respectfully. "I need your help. And a favor if possible."

"Well, all right. What do you need?" the young woman asked, curiosity taking hold.

"It's about Aura," the housecarl began. Yang understood where this was going instantly. "I know it lets you four do some amazing things, and survive blows that would otherwise be fatal. Just last night, Ruby lifted a chair with me in it. And while the Sleeping Tree may have something to do with that, you yourself held a dragon's mouth shut for several seconds."

"Yeah, uh, I did, didn't I?" Yang hissed in a breath while rubbing the back of her neck. "I think I know where this is going."

"Ruby said you might know how to unlock another person's Aura."

"I do. Learned it last year, actually. It's a very…intimate ritual-type thing."

"What do you mean by…intimate?"

"Well, that's the word my dad used when describing it. I mean, to use it, you basically have to touch souls. My soul would literally have to come into contact with yours and bring it forward. It drains my Aura a little bit in the process, how much depending on the size of the locked Aura. But, so long as we're not in active combat, I should be fine. It never takes more than twenty percent."

"I suppose that would be rather close. Then, you can do it?"

"I could, but…Weiss and Blake want us to careful about this until we know for certain that it's safe. If it were up to me, I'd give it a go. Especially with you. If there's any one person in Skyrim, or all of Nirn really, who we could trust to have their Aura unlocked, it's you." Yang smiled briefly, but it quickly faded away. "But right now, we're in a pinch. Blake's running against the clock ahead of some Thalmor goons, and apparently Weiss has some Magnet-genie thing to worry about on top of sort kind of magic orb. If we could just get things to calm down for a moment, I'd be harping on Weiss about hurrying up and figuring out whether we could or not." Yang briefly scowled, then shook her head.

"As it stands though, we don't know what it'll do. Ideally, we just unlock your Aura. But for all we know, I might accidentally rip your soul out. Or your Aura makes you explode from some kind of overload. Heck, you might become an actual god, which is apparently a thing here. Then Ruby came up with some weird theory that might have your whole existence erased retroactively, which… How would that even begin to work?" Yang finished speaking, but Lydia hummed in thought and looked as determined as ever.

"So even if I'm willing to take these sorts of risks…?"

"I'm still not going to go behind my teams back on it. Tell you what, next time we have a four-way call, you bring it up with Weiss and Blake and convince them. If they okay it, I'll do it. But…do be warned, I've never unlocked another person's Aura before."

"But you know how, right?"

"Oh, I know how. Just haven't done it. So, if we do, it'll be my first time." Yang's face tried to copy innocence, but completely failed thanks to her smirk. "Promise to be gentle?"

All the tension was immediately lost and Lydia shoved against Yang's shoulder as both broke into laughter. They started towards the tents and Yang threw her arm over Lydia's shoulder.

"Try not to feel so gloomy, 'kay? Everything will turn out just fine."

* * *

Blake hopped off of the boat as soon as the dock was within jumping distance. Argonian dockworkers stopped and stared when she almost ran into a woman with a quill and logbook.

"Sorry Suvaris! I'm in a hurry!" she called back as she ran over and began scaling the bridge rather than walking through the city.

"What could be bloody- What are all you lizards staring at?!" Some of them went back to working immediately, but one of them closer to her pointed at her chest. Worried, Suvaris looked down to see ink stains on her tunic. "Damn it this was my nice one!"

Blake hopped onto the bridge, much to two of the guards' surprise, then ran to the stables while pulling a few coins from her pocket. She handed them to the stablehand and then quickly saddled up Patches before leading him outside.

"I'll have your change in a moment, ma'am."

"Keep it. In a hurry." She hopped onto the horse's back and started down the road to Winterhold. The young Dunmer look at the coins in his hand and smiled.

"Praise Azura! My prayers really have been answered!" He set aside the coins owed to Ulundil and then pocketed the four denars and two malks extra.


	34. Still Eight Left

**Finally got the time to do this! BTW, I will soon be updating the Dragon Rose Chibi story. If you haven't checked it out, take a look.**

* * *

Ruby swung her scythe around her body and then up and into a frost troll's chest. The creature grunted once before going limp and falling forward, pulling the weapon down with it and out of Ruby's hands. She grunted in annoyance and tried to pull her weapon free, only to have to abandon it as another troll came at her swinging its claws. Dawnbreaker was pulled from her side and she sliced away at the beast's arm as it came at her, catching the limb on fire. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough of a distraction that she was able to jump to the side and then bury her sword into its ribs. As the troll sputtered its death throes, Ruby tried, and failed, to pull the artifact out of its body.

"Oh, come on!" she griped as she had to jump away from another troll attacking her. Before it could do anything more than roar at the Dragonborn's face, Yang came up behind the frost troll and swung down, cleaving into it and splitting apart its shoulder and chest. She yanked the axe back out as its enchantment set the dying beast on fire.

"Come on, sis! I'm not having that problem!" Yang taunted as she turned towards two oncoming trolls.

"They keep healing over my weapons even though they're dead! It's dumb!" As Ruby complained and tried to yank Cresent Rose free, Yang made a horizontal swing, hitting one troll directly in the gut. She then pulled the axe out and hit the other's leg, slicing it off. With one troll mortally wounded and another downed, she finished off the maimed one with an executioner's chop then turned towards the other and punched its face with a left hook, slinging its head around with a sickening crack and sending it to the ground where it lay still afterwards.

Yang smirked and looked back to the two housecarls, who had been watching the two girls closely. "How many does that make?"

"Nine for you, four for Ruby," Lydia recounted. As Yang pumped her fists in victory and whooped, Ruby grumbled as she yanked Dawnbreaker loose and cleaned off the blood in the snow.

"Stupid healing factor..." Ruby continued to clean the blade. Hearing a pair of heavy footsteps, Ruby stopped herself and looked up to see Valdimar's snow-covered beard.

"If I might make a suggestion," Valdimar started, "stabbing isn't very effective for trolls. You did good at hitting vital points, but most people won't hit the heart every time, and losing your weapon is a disaster in most cases. Slashing is better, but it'll take a thousand slashes to down most trolls. Thane Yang had a distinct advantage with her axe. Splitting the troll apart makes it nearly impossible for them to heal, at the very least not quickly. That's why she could more easily pull her axe free."

"So axes are best against trolls?" Ruby asked with a small hum.

"Essentially. Blunt weapons are fairly good, too, but like with slashing you have to _keep_ hitting the trolls until you smash something important."

"Thanks, Valdimar. That could actually be helpful in the future." As Ruby sheathed her sword, she looked around the ancient ruins and began to walk around, the snow crunching under her feet as she went. "This place is pretty old. How long has it been here?"

"Since the First Era, when Shalidor constructed it to test Archmage hopefuls," the older man explained. "I'd…suggest not going through the actual maze itself. I've only heard stories and whispers but...they aren't pretty." A tense silence hung in the air as they directed their gaze towards the large stone doors. They all knew that inside laid a massive ruin, filled to the brim with untold secrets, but at the same time felt something distinctly...wrong coming from its depths.

"Yeah... Let's not do that," Ruby said with a nod in agreement. With an unspoken command, she sheathed her blade and began to move. They all began to walk through the ruins, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. As the group walked on, Ruby felt something in the air. It was different from the earlier feeling. Less of a cold foreboding and more of a warm beckoning. Pausing, she looked over to one of the small barrows then began walking towards it. Seeing what she was doing, the rest of the group paused.

"Uh, Ruby?" Yang called out to her.

"Hold on a second. There's…something here." Ruby walked into the small barrow and gasped at what she saw before her. It appeared to be an ancient shrine, with a stone carving of a dragon's skull in the center, some humanoid carvings on either side of it, and two more stone dragon skulls on the ends. It must have been important, given how it was in the center of the ruin, yet the shrine was damaged and decayed, the dragon skull stone lopsided, and several of the humanoid busts outright missing. In front of the ruined shrine was a decayed and frozen corpse, likely one that had been there for years. In its ribs was a green dagger, which Ruby took out and looked over before she noticed an old leather sack off to the side and a wooden mask atop it. She picked up the mask and looked it over as the other three all walked in.

"Well, someone had a bad time in here," Yang commented as she looked around the body and sniffed at the scene. Valdimar was looking over the ancient shrine while Lydia went to her Thane's side. Ruby felt the mask in her hands thrumming with an energy both familiar and alien. She turned it in her hands, seeing that there were no clear holes for eyes. Feeling the weight of the mask in her hands and letting thoughts run wildly, something in the back of her mind told her to place the mask on her face. She lifted the mask and placed it on, and immediately the darkness it created disappeared and was replaced with the area in front of her, only the moment she let go, the scenery shifted completely. Ruby gasped and jumped back as her companions and the decay of the shrine disappeared, replaced instead by a pristine version of the shrine. Eight busts stood proudly, four on either side of the dragon skull stone center. Ruby walked over to them and touched them, feeling the stone on her fingers as real as anything.

She idly noted that the mask was still on her face and reached up to touch it before slowly taking it off. The bright and pristine shrine was then replaced by its decayed self, and Ruby heard shuffling behind her.

"Ruby! Oh my god!" Ruby turned just in time to be wrapped into a hug by Yang and have the air squeezed out of her.

"My Thane, you just completely disappeared!" Lydia shouted. "What happened?"

As Yang loosened up her embrace, Ruby pushed herself out of her arms and gasped in a breath. "Don't worry, guys. It was just this mask. I thought I was just seeing something, but…you're saying I disappeared?"

"You just vanished!" Yang explained as she backed up, still holding Ruby's shoulders, as though afraid she would disappear again at any moment. "Lydia started waving around, but you weren't there and invisible and none of us heard or saw anything."

"So, the mask must have transported me to…somewhere. Here, try it," Ruby offered while placing the mask on her sister's face.

"Ruby, wha-" Yang began to object before she seemed to fade into nothing.

"Whoa, that's actually pretty creepy from the other side," Ruby commented. A second later, Yang reappeared, the wooden mask in her hands.

"What the hell?!"

"See? It's weird, but kinda cool. I don't know what it's for though." Ruby looked back at the decayed shrine and hummed. "Maybe something to do with the busts. From the look of them, they can fit a mask about the same size as that one." Ruby gently took the mask from her sister's hands and went over to the shrine. She placed the mask on one bust and nodded. "Yep, definitely."

"So where the heck are we supposed to find a bunch of other masks like that one?" Yang asked as she looked over the old construct.

"Probably scattered to the four winds, I'd imagine," Valdimar put in. "If I'm not mistaken, that's the sort of design used for the masks of the Dragon Priests. So, either the masks are still in the tombs with their ancient masters, or some tomb raider has managed to find one or two."

"More tomb diving. Yay," Ruby groaned. "You know, just once I'd like for the ancient source of power to be up on a hill in a cheery forest."

"What, you wanna find them?" Yang asked, silently agreeing with her sister's grievance.

"Well…" Ruby started. "This mask was enchanted to transport people to…someplace. Imagine what some of the others might do when worn. Or what the shrine does when all of them are put on it. I mean, putting the Horn back gave me a connection to Jurgen's soul for a minute there."

"Okay, I can kinda follow that logic."

"Besides, we need something to do once we've saved the world from everything. Nothing like an adventure to discover missing artifacts for four friends to go on."

"Hehe, never lose that spirit, child," Valdimar complimented.

After the group filed out, Ruby looked at the mask in her hands then put it on again. Everyone went still, but nothing seemed to happen. Ruby just looked at her arms and then around at her surroundings before shrugging.

"Guess it only works in the shrine," Ruby said clearly, as though there wasn't a piece of wood covering her face. "Hey, Lydia, remember the failed helmets?"

"You mean the ones that either keep slipping to the back or spinning around my head?" Lydia dryly replied with a raised eyebrow. That was when they learned Ruby was far better at making weapons than armor.

"Yeah, those. Try this on." Ruby passed the mask over to her housecarl, who wore it after a moment's hesitation. She looked around and hummed thoughtfully.

"It's almost like it's not even there."

"And it stays on, somehow. Probably magic." Ruby hummed to herself, deep in thought, then nodded. "Anyways, I'll ask Weiss about looking into making a helm with some sort of enchantment making it invisible from the inside or something. Until then, you can keep that until we need it for the shrine and stuff. It's better than nothing, and it might actually help on the psychology side of battle whenever we fight people."

"Wow, that's pretty devious, sis," Yang commented.

"Oh, is it? Well, you don't have to wear it if you-"

"No, it's fine, my Thane. Better to scare off some thief than have to spill his blood." Lydia nodded. She knew Ruby would appreciate that answer, which was proved when Ruby's eyes lit up.

"Oh. Well, I guess it works out then."

"If you don't mind though, I think I'll set this aside for now," Lydia said as she took off the mask then placed it onto her belt. "Putting it on is easier than taking the shield from my back, after all."

"Guess that's true. So, where to after here?"

"Well, it's a while from the nearest village. Might have to sleep under the stars," Valdimar explained as he took his horse's reigns. "Not the worst sight to sleep under, by any means."

"Oh, hey, there's this pretty cool place with this forge. Maybe we could make a stop on the way," Yang suggested.

"Wait, what kind of forge?"

* * *

Hearing the thundering of a set of hooves, a young man stood outside at the ready as a woman rode her black and brown patched horse up to the stable, where she jumped out of the saddle, handing him a denar quickly.

"Blake Belladonna," she said, before running up into the town. He walked over to the mare and immediately felt his teeth beginning to grind at what he was seeing.

"That cold-hearted bitch!" he seethed. "Look at you! It looks like she's run you all the way from Windhelm! Gods, another few moments and…" Shaking his head, he lifted a hand and placed it on the horse's neck, letting healing magic flow from him and into the exhausted beast of burden. "Don't worry, girl. I'll give your owner a stern talking to, customer or not."

* * *

Blake rushed through the small town, dodging around pedestrians and then running up past Faralda before the Altmer could say anything. As she passed the gates, she let herself slow down and took a few deep breaths. A few students were walking by, looking at her with curiosity before she waved them down.

"Has there been any Thalmor agents stopping by?" she asked.

"Um… No?" a young woman around her age answered. "Unless you mean Ancano, but he's assigned here, so he-"

"Thank you, that's all I needed to know." Blake went off to the side, heading into the Hall of Countenance, hoping to run into Weiss or Riane first.

"Rude," one of the students muttered.

"Quite a beauty, though."

"Down Talia. You can go chasing women when we don't have a pressing project."

Shaking her head, Blake entered the tower and began looking around. However, on the first floor, both Inigo and M'rissi were sitting, Inigo reading out loud as M'rissi paid attention. They both looked up and saw her, M'rissi perking up instantly.

"You're back!" she declared happily, gracefully leaping out of her seat and running up to Blake. "Now she will know who she is, at last!"

Blake sucked in a breath through her teeth. She had been hoping to face this part of everything last, after informing the others about what she had found and getting advice on the situation.

"Okay, look, I got some good news and some bad news."

"Give her the bad news first! No, the good! Bad! Good!" M'rissi went quiet as she thought to herself for a moment in her indecision. "Definitely she wants to hear the good news first."

Blake sighed. "Well, I got the password, bu-"

"Hurrew!" the Khajiit woman cheered before leaping at Blake and wrapping her neck into a hug. "She gets to know her past and who she is! Thank you so much! She will go tell everyone the good news!" As she started to speed off, Blake reached out to her.

"M'rissi, wait! The bad news!"

"No no no no no! Not now! Don't ruin her good mood with your bad news! Tell her after she has remembered everything." M'rissi sped off up the stairs before Blake could speak again. She looked over to where Inigo had been sitting, only to see he was gone. She heard the door close behind her and went over to it and looked out the window, seeing him running and laughing as he headed into the Hall of Elements.

"I- This- This isn't how I wanted it to go." Blake began rubbing her eyes and forehead. "Damn it! This is already getting screwed up!"

As her teeth were clenched in frustration, she headed over to the stairs and began heading up, stopping halfway when she ran into Riane and an older woman in robes denoting her as a master and teacher.

"Ah, there you are. I almost didn't catch your friend's words, she was so excited." Riane smiled before her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, Madame Collette, this is Blake, Weiss' friend."

"Oh, yes. You're the one who brought that Khajiit girl here for her memory treatment and whatnot," the teacher said as she nodded. "I looked over it as well, and Riane got it right in one. Aldmeri Sarcophagus. Hard to craft, but not hard to remove, so long as you have the right passphrase."

"So, did you get it?" Riane pointedly looked at the nervous Faunus, oblivious to the pit forming in her stomach.

"Um, just a minute. I'll need to…" Feeling a bead of sweat forming, Blake reached back and touched the sheath holding the Ebony Blade. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Give me a minute to get it out of my notes."

"All right then. We'll be up on the rooftop. Less interference that way. And if I'm not mistaken, I think M'rissi's running around making sure the whole college knows what's happening."

As the two Restoration mages turned and headed back up, Blake gulped and leaned back against the wall.

' _What do I do? What do I do? Have to think about this…'_

" _It would appear you have two choices before you."_ Blake groaned, recognizing Mephala's voice immediately.

' _No, no. I don't need this right now.'_

" _And yet you called on my assistance to lie and deceive only moments ago."_

Blake took in a deep breath, making sure she was keeping herself firmly rooted in who she was as she closed her eyes.

' _It was a moment of weakness. It won't happen again.'_

" _It's so easy to see through the lies you tell when I haven't guided them."_

' _I…'_ Unable to think of a real response, Blake shook her head. _'Can't you help here? Do something crazy? Make me lie about getting the password?'_

" _I cannot_ make _you do anything, my dear Champion,"_ Mephala's voice gently told her. _"I have never forced your hand. I fed you feelings and emotions, and gave you insights. I have influenced you, tricked you, and sometimes simply convinced you. Not once have I ever_ made _you do anything. I will never make you do anything. The choice, in the end, will always be up to you. And here, I will not force you to make a choice any more than I ever have. Here, your options are to betray your friend and wipe the horrible memories away, to never haunt her again, or to betray her and let her once more see all the awful things Isael put her through, all at once."_

' _I… I can't. I don't want to betray her.'_

" _What we want is seldom what we receive. And yet, what she wants is something that may very well destroy her. Will you give her what she wants, and wipe your hands of any wrongdoing? Or will you spare her the pain, and deny her greatest wish?"_

Blake felt hot tears pour out of her eyes a moment as she winced, hard. Steadying herself, she wiped her face and took a deep breath. Once she felt stable, she began heading up to the tower's rooftop. Back outside, she saw that Weiss and her three classmates were coming from the direction of the Hall of Elements with Inigo behind them. There were a few other students idling about, but some had begun to watch the procession with interest.

"So, the thing to remember about Mnemonic magic is that it is a combination of Illusion and Restoration," Collette began as she broke out into lecture. "You can't have it with just one. Essentially, you have to use Restoration to create or hide memories, altering the mind for different purposes, but the way this altering works is through Illusion magic being used as a guide. Now, unlocking the Sarcophagus isn't difficult at all. In fact, I dare say Onmund could do it, but I think I'll leave it to Riane for now."

"Ah, there you are," the Restoration prodigy stated as she saw Blake. "You have the passphrase?"

"Yeah," Blake muttered, trying to hide her grief. "It's…'mercy'." Riane looked confused but shrugged. The lie took, and the pit in Blake's stomach grew ever deeper, and she could feel the satisfied hum of the Ebony Blade.

"Not a very Aldmeri sentiment. Would make it harder to guess, though. Still, only one word? All right."

Riane walked over to where M'rissi was waiting, practically bouncing in place as she waited. Blake felt her stomach twisting into knots and her heart threatening to come out of her throat. Riane began summoning yellow and green magic that became tinted by red around its edges before it seemed to fuse into a mauve color.

"Mercy!" she said before unleashing the magic directly onto M'rissi. For a moment, everyone stayed still, watching with anticipation. When nothing seemed to happen, Blake began to walk forward.

"M'rissi, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

"Of course she can hear you? Don't you see her beautiful fluffy ears?" The Khajiit girl made a confused expression as she rubbed her head. "But…she does not remember still?" Everyone looked at the Khajiit girl in confusion, then back at Blake. They were hoping for answers, but were only greeted by Blake's silence. After an agonizing moment, she began to softly speak.

"I… M'rissi, I'm so sorry."

"What? What is it? Wh-" Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she stared at Blake in disbelief. "You…told her the wrong word." Doubt slowly morphed into anger. "You…! The word was wrong and now her memories are gone forever! How… How could you do this to her?!" she screamed as tears began to pour from her eyes. "She believed in you! She trusted you! And you… You betrayed her!"

Everyone watched in silence at the unfolding drama as M'rissi struggled not to bring out her claws and rake them across Blake's face. Blake, for her part, tried to hold back her own tears.

"Please, M'rissi, I didn't want to hurt you! I only wanted to help! If you-"

"She doesn't need your help! She doesn't want your help! And she doesn't want anything to do with you anymore!" M'rissi practically ripped the steel sword and scabbard sheathed at her side and threw it at Blake before she began storming off. "She will make her own decisions, and she has decided she never wants to see you again! Take back your things and leave her alone you t-traitor!"

"M'rissi…" Blake muttered sadly as she watched her go. The rooftop grew heavy with silence as they watched the girl storm out, only to be broken by a deep and guttural voice in a low tone.

"What have you done?" Inigo asked quietly.

"I've…destroyed someone's entire life," Riane muttered as she looked at her hands in shock.

There was a deep growl, and everyone could see Inigo baring his teeth. "After everything we've done together! After everything you and her have been through! You…just stabbed her in the back!"

Blake's ears pressed down against her head as she started to shrink away from the crowd. Some of them were angry, others were confused. J'zargo had to stand in front of Inigo to try and calm him down as the other Khajiit began approaching Blake, anger evident in every aspect of his being. Just as the cacophony was about to drive Blake into running away from it all, a voice ended the noise.

"QUIET!" Weiss demanded, her voice carrying over the whole college. As the students and teacher went silent, she looked over at her teammate and took in a deep breath. Blake could see the disappointment in her eyes, yet a hint of understanding.

"Blake Belladonna, I've know you for close to a year now, and one thing I know about you is that you would never willingly do someone harm. You most certainly didn't allow something like this to happen without good reason." She crossed her arms and sighed. "So I'm asking, on behalf of everyone; why?"

Blake hung her head a moment before reaching up and brushing back her hair. "I found out…why Isael blocked her memories." She reached back into her bag and pulled out the casebook. "She…did things so horrible to her…" Blake began to choke up, and so walked forward and handed the book to Weiss, who took it and opened it up. She was greeted by a drawing of an unknown to her Khajiit female with two children held close.

"Who…is that?"

"The oldest one there is…M'rissi."

"But that's a Suthay?" Undeterred, Weiss began reading rapidly over the lines, occasionally reading important parts aloud for the ones unable to look over her shoulders. Her voice, once firm, grew more and more disjointed with every turn of the page. Hot tears pooled on her eyes, bile threatening to come forth, but she forced herself onward. Onmund, already dizzied by the great confusion earlier, was forced to sit down by the tumultuous churning in his guts. Brelyna was forced away by pure shock several times. J'zargo looked enraged, but Inigo had to stop himself from feral growling several times. The other student's faces were all ashen white or paled in abject horror at what they were hearing.

"' _The test subject's joints crackled while breaking out'_ ," Weiss murmured, feeling her own throat constrict. The sketch depicting what had been happening was horrifying and made her cringe at the thought of what kind of pain M'rissi had endured. As she continued on, she nearly dropped the book at a particular description. Just when she thought it couldn't have been much worse, Isael's writings proved her wrong " _'The thing M'rissi had been about to embrace contained, well, a significant_ … _portion of that_ … _male Khajiit whelp_ …" She put the book away and shut it. "I can't do it. I can't read any more of this." The only sounds now on the roof were Onmund's heaving and Inigo's snarls, now unable to control himself. He was no longer angry at Blake, for his anger had been redirected.

"Those are the memories that were locked away," Blake explained. "She was so traumatized from it that she became catatonic. Isael only locked them away so that she could…have more fun."

"This is…" Riane muttered in incredulity. "How could anyone…?"

"When the ghost described her as a daedra in elven skin, he was being too kind!" Inigo spat out. "If we ever run into her…"

Everyone went stiff as a scream was heard below. The whole group looked down into the courtyard to see three Thalmor justicars and two in Thalmor robes. Blake recognized one as the wizard who had the elder Khajiit woman imprisoned. The other however, was far more recent in her mind.

"It's her!" she shouted before drawing out Gambol Shroud.

"Blake, wait!" Weiss called out, but she was already leaping as hard as her Aura let her. As she came down at Isael with her sword ready to carve into the elf's hide, the pale Altmer turned and reached out her hand, hitting Blake at precisely the right moment with a repulsion spell that sent her skidding off to the side.

"Well, that was quite a surprise," Isael admitted, more amused than anything. "First you somehow escaped my trap, and now you're jumping at me from rooftops."

"Ma'am, others are coming," the wizard woman warned as she watched Weiss make a set of glyphs that the others could run down.

"So bothersome!" Isael complained as she lifted a hand and summoned up a dome around them. Blake pulled herself up and charged forward, making it inside just in time. As the others began hitting the shield with magic and blades, Blake took a fighting stance as she squared up against Isael. "Such a shame. I'd have liked to use you as one of my toys, but you're just too troublesome. Too much trouble to let you keep breathing anyways. You even went and destroyed all of those wonderfully horrible memories I spent so much time making."

"The only horrible memory is standing right in front of me. And I'm about to end it." Blake's voice dripped with venom, but Isael only laughed.

"Feisty little thing," Isael said as she charged up a lightning bolt and threw it at Blake, only for it to pass through a clone and for the real thing to charge at her from slightly to the left. As both of Blake's swords began swinging for her neck, Isael's other hand rose up, a lightning bolt readied in it. The Thalmor released the spell, hitting Blake right in her center. The bolt sent Blake up and back, filling her with the pain of being zapped by electricity as it ate away at her Aura. She screamed in agony, then felt the protection of her Aura fade as she hit the side of the dome, the lightning still coursing through her. Blake's body spasmed and twitched as she experienced the worst pain she had ever felt in her life, then she collapsed to the ground, unable to move. As the world began to fade to black, the Faunus could see M'rissi looking at her, struggling against the justicar holding her arms behind her back.

"Blake!" a feminine voice yelled out, and then everything went black.

* * *

PAIN! Excruciating pain was all she felt. Slowly, it began to fade and numb, until all she could feel of it was hot needles in her gut. That too began to disappear, and then she could finally focus on something else.

Blake opened her eyes, wincing at first, and then slowly pulling her eyelids apart. The Restoration Master was next to her, alternating between different spells in her hands, each one hovering over Blake and flowing into her. Several were able to help relieve the suffering she was going through, and for that, she was grateful.

"Ma'am, she seems to be waking up," she heard Riane say from the other side.

"She's been awake a minute now. Might not be able to speak much though." Collette replied before looking back down on Blake, a faint and reassuring smile on her face. "How are you, dear?"

"…hurts," Blake managed to get out, her throat feeling dry beyond belief. Riane seemed to recognize that and pulled a potion from one of the shelves and uncorked it.

"Here. This should quench you a bit and help with the pain." She cradled up Blake's head and slowly gave her the potion, sip by sip. The Faunus felt helpless, and the thought of being like that nearly made her break into tears. However, quick testing showed that she retained control of her limbs, they were all simply weak and sore. She then noticed Onmund nearby, looking over a table with an alchemic setup, bags under his eyes and two potions in his hands. Blake recognized the color and smell. They were magicka potions, and Weiss had told her before that the Nord was the best among their group in alchemy. She had a sinking suspicion that he had been making them for quite some time, without rest or sleep, at that.

"I got a couple more," he groaned out as he came over and handed them both to Collette, who stopped casting for a minute to drink the two concoctions. She grimaced and shook her head, but then went right back to casting. After a few more moments, she stopped.

"That'll be it for now," Collette revealed, her hands twitching from constant use. "She's stable enough that there's no worries about losing her. See if you can find Weiss and let her know her friend is up. Poor girl could use some good news."

"Yes, ma'am," Onmund smiled and nodded, turning towards Blake, still smiling.

"What happened?" Blake finally got out as she sat up. The blanket covering her fell from her neck and halfway down her chest, causing Onmund to yelp before he sped out of the room. Blake wondered what that was about before she felt a draft of cold air hit her skin, letting her know that the blanket and bandages around her abdomen were the only cloth on her. She looked down to confirm that he hadn't quite seen anything, but had come dangerously close.

"You got hit bad, that's what happened," Collette grimly replied.

"That lightning spell that woman used was unlike anything I'd ever seen," Riane began. "I've never seen so much destructive power concentrated so."

"I have, unfortunately." Collette shook her head and sighed. "I'd say it was about five seconds worth of a Lightning Storm all focused right on your guts. Now luckily for you, we've been able to fix almost everything in the days you've been out."

"Days?" Blake's eyes went wide in shock and horror.

"Yes, days. As it turns out, nearly dying isn't something you generally walk away from." Collette tried to inject some humor into the situation, but no one laughed, making her slightly blush in embarrassment. "As I was saying, everything's fixed up enough to function properly. You can eat, drink, and someday have children, though expect complications if you don't get a checkup now and again. Everything has passed, so there should be nothing residual stuck anywhere. Again, we'll need regular checkups to be sure."

A knock came at the door and Riane went over and let Weiss in. The heiress looked at her teammate and made a small smile as she walked over.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said as she gently hugged Blake from the side. The Faunus leaned into the sign of affection for a moment and then the two separated. "Listen, I let them know about Aura, so…"

"So?" Blake replied, surprised at Weiss' decision. "I thought we agreed to not let anyone know about it?"

"Blake, you nearly died, _with_ your defensive Aura up." Weiss bit back tears and pressed on, while Blake's eyes widened further. "That woman ripped through it like wet cardboard and nearly fried you. I… I thought you were actually dead when we got to you."

"What about…" Blake's voice hitched as she contemplated her brush with death. "Did they get away?" Weiss went silent. It was deafening.

"Weiss. Tell me," she demanded, her fist clenched. After a moment, Weiss spoke up.

"They teleported out right after. We tried to get through, but we were only starting to crack the shield when they left." Weiss' voice was soft, and hot tears began to pool in Blake's eyes. "Inigo went chasing after them, figuring they were at the other side of Winterhold, but we realized it would be suicidal to go up against them as this point, so Brelyna turned him into a turtle for a while. Heh, finally got _something_ good out of that experiment…"

Blake groaned and clenched her teeth. "It's all my fault."

"Blake, no, we-" Blake silenced her by slamming her fist into the mattress. The act made the sore limb hurt slightly, but Blake fought through it.

"Weiss, if I had just…taken a second to think it through, or put my foot down and made everyone listen, this wouldn't have happened. M'rissi wouldn't have run off, then we could have seen Isael coming. People would have still gotten hurt, but we could have outmaneuvered her cronies and killed her then and there. Instead, I- I let myself fall into the trap of thinking there was nothing I could do." Blake covered her face with her hands. "I ran from the problem instead of facing it, like always."

Blake felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Collette looking down at her.

"Listen here, child, what you did wasn't running away. If anything, you ran headlong into the problem. Now, that can be trouble on its own, but you didn't pick the coward's way out. Knowing what we know now, you were willing to sacrifice everything you had with her to spare that girl the pain. True, you should have taken a minute to think it out more, or just had a talk with someone about it, but you're going to make mistakes in this world. You're going to mess up again and again. The important thing is what you do about your mistakes. Do you just leave things a mess and go on like always, or are you going to try and make things right and strive to do better?"

For a long moment, things were quiet in the room as Collette's words were absorbed. The silence ended though, as Blake let out a little giggle.

"Did you seriously just quote _Journey of the Heroes_ at me?"

"Whatever gets the point across," Collette said flippantly while waving a hand. "I've personally found Johannes to be a great inspiration. That book is why I got into Restoration in the first place."

"My god, you're a total geek." Blake laughed again, this time with Weiss joining her and Collette even giving a chuckle of her own. She remembered that quote. It was during the Siege of Cheydinhal, with Johannes - Jaune, she now knew - going on his own to lend his assistance. He ended up going into the Deadlands to save the Count's son, who'd gotten all of his men killed in a foolhardy attempt to close the Gate. _That_ subsequent berating was a sight to behold, with Jaune reducing the noble to literal tears, only to then bring him back up. She didn't know Jaune all that well, but it definitely seemed like him, given time to mature. When they finally stopped laughing, Weiss nodded and sighed.

"Well, what do you think we can do now?" Weiss asked.

"There's only one thing we can do. Save M'rissi," Blake declared, deadly serious.

"As much as I agree with that sentiment," Riane said, "how are you going to do that?"

"I had help before, when I got stuck in a magical trap. Do you have my bag?" Riane turned and pulled the bag out from a corner and passed it over to Weiss, who offered it to Blake. Taking it, Blake began rifling through it. "I was teleported out of the trap after being stuck in it for who knows how long. I reappeared next to a table with a note on it. All I know is that it's from someone named Ulquarrion, and that he's a Thalmor looking to topple Isael." She found the note and handed it over to Weiss, who read over it and hummed.

"There's some sort of magical… Oh, this is an enchanted scroll! Well, I guess enchanted note is more apt." The vampire closed her eyes and seemed to focus on the piece of paper. "Teleportation scroll. But I can't say to where, exactly."

"Looks like someone wants to meet you," Riane stated.

"Could have said that it was enchanted somewhere on the note," Blake mumbled.

"Whatever the case, we have something to go on," Weiss began as she observed the scroll a little more. "I think… It's meant for one person, but I can probably get it to transport three. I know at least one person raring to get back at Isael for what she's done, aside from you."

"I don't think I could keep Inigo away from this if I wanted to." Blake shook her head. "He looked ready to attack me when he thought I'd hurt her."

"Those two are close. He probably thinks of her as family at this point."

"To be honest, so do I." Blake's eyes were hard as steel. They promised nothing but pain to the woman responsible for this.

"Right then. We have a plan. The moment you're ready to walk, we'll head up to the labs and refine that plan, as well as get some gear. Looking at what we're up against, we've been working on things to help us."

"First, let's see about changing those bandages of yours," Collette suggested as she started undoing them from behind Blake. They unwrapped the strips of cloth from her body and Weiss winced at the sight underneath. Blake lookeddown, and saw that on her belly, between her navel and chest, was a starburst lightning scar, almost like a twisted snowflake had been branded onto her skin. As Collette cleaned away the dried blood, Blake let the image be seared into her mind as she realized just how close she really had come to dying.

* * *

"Here you go. Hours of painstaking labor and a lifetime of practice." Brelyna handed the four rings over to Blake, who began fitting them onto her fingers. Each one had a feeling that seemed to connect to her very being, and each one of them had a slight glow to them.

"And take this," Onmund said, offering an old, ivory amulet. "It's the Saarthal Amulet. Phinis looked it over and it turns out it has a twenty percent chance Spell Absorption. That basically means one out of every five spells used against you will just fizzle out on contact and get absorbed into your magicka. You…need it more than me right now."

"Thanks, both of you," she expressed while accepting the amulet.

"You may not need them, but J'zargo has made some easy to use scrolls," the Khajiit mage said as he handed over a few of them to Inigo. "It is not this one's specialty, but he branched out and made a scroll of Ironflesh, a scroll of courage, as well as a scroll of Lightning Cloak." Inigo looked the parchments over for a moment, a little unsure. "No worries. They are voice-activated, something Weiss and J'zargo have been looking into. Open them, read the words, and they will use themselves. Even the most magically inept can use them. We've tested them. Harder to make, easier to use."

"Thank you, my friend. I will put them to good use." Inigo nodded to his fellow Khajiit.

"Okay, got it ready," Weiss declared as she walked away from the table she was working at. "Blake, since you're the one he wants to meet, you should be at the center, just in case this doesn't work. And, if it doesn't, you can always use your scroll to contact us. Inigo, you and I will be holding these Soul Gems." At that, she passed over a filled Greater Soul Gem to the blue Khajiit. "Blake, I need you to reach out both your Aura and magicka to them, but don't try to push into them. That will make them explode."

"What?"

"Not like a bomb explode. More like an old vase with a firecracker in it."

"How do you-?"

"Ruby."

"Ah."

"Indeed. Now, is there anything anyone needs to do before we go?"

"I am as ready as I can be," Inigo stated. "Armor, enchanted baubles, and my sword and bow are all here."

"I'm ready," Blake affirmed.

"All right then. Inigo, just follow my lead." Weiss held up her Soul Gem and grabbed one of Blake's shoulders while touching her arm with the gem. Inigo did the same on her opposite side, and Blake took the note and focused on the magicka infused into it. The spell burned up the parchment and released itself upon Blake, then hit the Soul Gems and expanded across the other two. Everything went bright, then dark, and then the scenery changed into another room. The three looked at the stone masonry around them, as though trying to glean their location from the walls, with Blake focusing on the familiar malachite disk under them once she noticed it. They all froze in place as a door opened. An Altmer in Thalmor robes walked in and looked at the three.

"Well, it's about time. I was starting to wonder if you'd ever show up for our little meeting. Still, I wasn't expecting you to bring friends. Suppose I can't blame you." The Thalmor shrugged.

"Wait, you… You were the one looking for M'r- that Khajiit girl in Riverwood."

"Yes, I was. By now though, you've probably realized I wasn't doing that to hand your little friend over to Isael. Also, I _did_ try to delay her to buy you some time to get her and get away."

"I was barely there for half an hour before she showed up."

"And she would have been long gone had I not insisted that she take care of some of her duties before leaving. You _really_ underestimated how the Thalmor travel." He shook his head in slight disappointment.

"So you're Ulquarrion, right?" Weiss asked. "Why exactly did you help Blake?"

"For a plethora of reasons. Most of which are better explained with the help of my associate." As though on cue, the door opened and a man fully decked in ebony plate armor walked in. He was tall, but no other features could be seen past his armor and the dark leather and mail connecting each piece. "Commander, you're just in time. Our help has arrived, at last," Ulquarrion said with a hint of sarcastic flair as he indicated the three.

"We were expecting just Belladonna," the ebony clad man began in a slightly distorted voice as he walked over to a table, "but I won't complain if we have two of the Dragonslayers and one of their companions. If anything, this helps to ensure our success."

"How do you know me?" Blake asked cautiously.

"Between the exploits of you and your friends, and your work with the Penitus Oculatus, it's hard for my people to not know about you." He leaned against the table and looked dead at her. "You've done good work in the past. All I'm asking is that you help us to help you. You'll get to save your friend, and we'll put down a threat to all of our well-beings before it has a chance to fully manifest."

"You're both looking to kill Isael," Weiss noted.

"Not that I am complaining," Inigo began, "in fact, I am jubilant inside to receive help for this goal, but why do you two want her dead?"

"Simply put, Isael presents a grave threat to the already shaky stability that we have," Ulquarrion explained as he walked and stood beside the table. "You may not know this, but the Aldmeri Dominion does not want the Great War to begin again, at least not yet. We more intellectual Altmer realize that our nation needs time to regrow as well. And the civil war may be strife-filled for Skyrim, but, to be honest, it's not taking that many resources from the Empire as a whole. Isael's plans, however, are basically to torch everything west of Whiterun, thinking that will weaken the Empire, when, in truth, it will turn the Empire right against us, and anything remaining of Skyrim afterwards will be on their side by default."

"All of that is unacceptable to both of us," the Commander continued. "Isael is unstable at best, and you've seen how bad her deprivations can be. Knowing how cruel she can be to a single being she's invested in, how callous do you think she'd be to the faceless masses? However, that instability has proven useful in getting through her defenses. Elenwen is already considering having her reassigned or…liquidated as it were. If she were to die in a retaliatory assassination from some unknown faction or such, any investigation into the matter would only be done as a matter of policy."

"And you want us to kill her for you?" Blake guessed.

"You won't be alone. We can't realistically expect you to break in and subdue the entire guard station, her personal guards and servants, and Isael herself. My men are in place to assault the Embassy, giving you an opening. Ulquarrion's loyal agents will ensure you can get through smoothly. After that, it's just a handful of Isael's men, and the woman herself."

"It won't be easy, but for the woman who killed the majority of the Dark Brotherhood's upper ranks, it should be doable," Ulquarrion noted as he reached into a pocket. "However, Isael's magic is very strong. You'll need assistance is you're to survive another encounter with her."

"I've geared up with magical resistance charms."

"Oh, that will certainly keep you from going down in a single strike, but you need something a little more specific." He took out a jeweled amulet and handed it over to her. "We don't want you getting stuck again."

Blake took the amulet and looked it over. It was a small, but intricate piece, and she couldn't tell what exactly the enchantment on it was, meaning it was likely as specific as Ulquarrion said it was.

"So, when can we be expected to make this assault?" Blake asked.

"We're not far. It can be done tonight, if you're ready." Blake and the others went silent and looked at each other. After a moment, she looked back towards Ulquarrion.

"Before we do, I want to know something."

"Ask away," said the Altmer.

"Why work with the Oculatus? Why work with the Empire? Don't the Thalmor have their own internal investigators?" Ulquarrion went silent and looked down. His fist was clenched, and he looked back up to her.

"Let's just say that this entire situation has revealed many truths about the people I served, and I no longer trust them to do what needs to be done."

"Care to share more details? Before I help you assault the Embassy, I've got to know I can trust you." The Altmer sighed.

"You are very difficult, you know that?"

"I've been told that. It's a gift."

"Heh, I bet." He laughed before stopping. "What she did to that girl was...it was monstrous, vile, and evil. We do have internal investigators in the Dominion, and when I first discovered what Isael was doing, I went to them. Told them exactly what she had done, demanded that she be sent back to Alinor for reeducation. They refused."

"What? Why? I thought the Thalmor hated Isael?"

"Elenwen does, and she tried to have her shipped out, but the Dominion overrode her, saying that she was too valuable an asset to remove from Skyrim. Of course, this was before she started getting even worse, but even then, despite my protests, they did nothing."

"That explains why you're trying to kill her," Weiss chimed in, "but not why you decided to turn traitor." Ulquarrion grit his teeth in anger, but not at Weiss.

"Because when I investigated deeper, I found out the _real_ reason why they didn't stop her all those years ago. They were _supporting_ it." Blake, Weiss, and Inigo's eyes widened in shock.

"What? Why?" Inigo demanded to know.

"They were hoping to use her research to develop a network of spies. Blend them in within the circles of the Dominion's enemies, including the Empire. Some even hoped to use the research to remove "impurities" among the lesser races, make them more Altmeri. Being a top agent of the Dominion, I'm privy to many secrets, but others were kept from me. Even still, as I investigated deeper, I found more and more projects akin to Isael's, each more horrific than the last. Finally, a few months ago, I had enough, and reached out for outside help. The Oculatus answered, and I've been working with them ever since."

Blake and the others went silent, their eyes wide in shock, disgust, and horror. They knew the Dominion was bad, but this...

"I trust that satisfied any doubts?" The Oculatus agent asked, and they numbly nodded. "Then are you three ready?"

Blake looked at Weiss and Inigo one last time, then back at the agent.

"I am." The other two agreed with her almost instantly.

* * *

The Faunus looked at her wrist where she had tied the Saarthal Amulet like a bracelet, then touched her scar. She winced, it was still tender, but she paid it no heed before reaching up to the amulet Ulquarrion had gifted her.

Masser was nearly a sliver in the sky while Secunda was nowhere to be seen. Blake, Weiss, and Inigo followed the Commander in grim silence as dozens of soldiers in ebony or black leather silently marched forwards. Their numbers surprised the three, and their professionalism apparently reminded Inigo of his parents clueing Blake into just what these people were. The Embassy came into view, and the black-clad soldiers began their assault. Arrows flew through the air and hit Thalmor justicars, taking several down. Many of the guards began rushing towards the tree line, but most were unable to see their foes due to how well they blended into the darkness. At least eight Altmer were cut down without even knowing that their enemies were right in front of them, from what Blake saw transpiring. As more Thalmor rushed forward, screaming for reinforcements and magical assistance, one Altmer turned and made sure the gate remained open.

"Go," the Commander ordered them. Immediately the three rushed forward, hidden under cloaks that matched the snow covered ground. They paused at the doorway where a young Altmer stood, perhaps around Brelyna's age. She looked the three over then turned and unlocked the door before leaving to the side. Blake went forward and headed inside, Weiss and Inigo right on her tail. Immediately, two justicars came in from an adjoining room, decked in malachite armor rather than the rank and file's moonstone.

"These two are mine!" Inigo declared as he pulled out his ebony sword in one hand and M'rissi's steel sword in the other. He charged forward to meet the two in combat right as Blake heard something behind her. She turned in time to see a lightning bolt, but when it hit her she felt only a tingle as the spell seemed to dissipate into a bluish mist and then flow into her. The woman who had captured the elder Khajiit was there, gritting her teeth at her failed attack.

"I've got her!" Weiss shouted as she raised Myrtenaster and aimed. Ice streamed out and nearly hit the wizard, who barely leaped aside and prepared a dual casted lightning spell. It fired forward and crashed into Weiss' ward, strengthened by her glyph. "Just go figure out where M'rissi is!"

"Isael will have your heads," the wizard calmly stated as she summoned magic into both her hands. Blake nodded to her teammate and ran up a nearby set of stairs. As the others clashed below, the Altmer that had become the subject of her ire walked out of an adjoining room, then scoffed at the sight of Blake.

"Such amusing unexpectedness!" Blake growled as she readied herself to attack. "I mean, imagine my surprise when the insect I crushed beneath my heel not only managed to walk again, but came to confront me."

"Oh, just Shut UP!" Blake screamed as she pulled Gambol Shroud from her back. "I'm tired of hearing your gods damned voice, you bitch! Just die!"

Blake roared and jumped at Isael, who just smirked as she pulled out a red and black jagged dagger and readied a spell.

* * *

Weiss danced around a shower of electricity and then jabbed forward, stabbing maybe an inch into her foe's chest as she backed away. Inigo suddenly stabbed clean through one of the justicars with M'rissi's sword, shattering parts of his armor and pinning him to a column. The other slashed at him, but was blocked by Inigo's ebony sword before he clawed at his face. The Altmer screamed and backed away, clutching his wounded cheek.

"Justiciar Eleria, we need to retreat!"

"We can't let them get to Lady Isael," Eleria objected as she summoned a wall of lightning between her and Weiss and began throwing fireballs. The vampire dodged around them and jumped over the last. She pointed a hand forward and began hitting the wall of lightning with her own sparks. As the wall collapsed, Inigo came in and slashed downwards, breaking apart some of the justicar's armor. Weiss let loose a stream of flames and closed the distance with her opponent. Her slash was blocked by an ebony dagger, but Weiss reached forward and grasped Eleria's face before sending electricity directly into her. As the wizard screamed in pain, Inigo kicked his foe away and into her. Weiss spun out of the way of the collision as the two fell upon each other, then stabbed Myrtenaster into the floor before sending a trail of ice that hit the two Altmer and began quickly freezing them, causing ice to form on them and their gold skin to turn blue. As the two struggled, Weiss raised up her hands and charged them with lightning before combining the two and then firing it out at her foes. Both screamed in agony as part of the ice began evaporating or popping apart. Suddenly the justicar's head exploded from one side and the justiciar's body began twitching silently. Weiss ended the spell and looked at the steaming results of the two's deaths.

"Oh… Oh god!" she gagged before setting the corpses on fire.

"That was…brutal," Inigo gasped out as he caught his breath. "Good job. Let's do something similar to Isael."

"Give me a second to catch my breath. I put a lot into that one."

"All right. I'll catch up with Blake. You catch up with us."

"Sounds good." Weiss poured more flames into the fire she'd made, thankful for the stone floors and walls.

* * *

Blake dodged around a fireball that seemed to destroy everything behind her then dashed forward and sliced across Isael's guard. It had become apparent to the Faunus that while the psychopath was an unbelievably powerful mage, she was only fairly decent at melee. Already she had landed several wounds on her that would have been mortal had it not been for her magic armor and ward spells. Still, Blake could tell that she was pushing the woman, and the idea made her elated.

"How does it fell being on the receiving end?!" she yelled before slicing across Isael's left arm with the cleaver-sheath. The Altmer shouted and grimaced before reaching out a hand. Blake was ready to dodge a fireball or lightning bolt, but didn't expect ice to come out and hit her left weapon and suddenly coat it. She was forced to drop it before her own hand was iced over, and Isael laughed.

"By Auriel you are a feisty little- Argh!" The woman stumbled to the side as what she had thought was Blake disappeared and the real one buried a dagger into her side. Blake twisted and ripped the Blade of Woe out of Isael's hip and then leaped back to dodge her retaliatory flames. She dodged out of the way of a more massive lightning bolt and smirked as Isael stumbled and grasped her side. She charged forward, a roar in her throat as her sword was aimed at the Altmer, but Isael just raised a hand and unleashed a spell that locked onto Blake and held her in place.

"I don't know who you think you are attacking me in such a manner, but I'm going to teach you a valuable lesson in respecting your betters." The pale elf giggled as yellow magic flowed around her hand near the deep wound. "As brutishly strong as you are though, my magic far outdoes anything you might have up your sleeve."

Blake's elation was suddenly gone as she struggled uselessly against the magic binding her in place. She began to feel panicked, until she felt the amulet Ulquarrion lent her going cold. Slowly, she began to feel control of her limbs coming back, but made no indication that such was happening. From the corner of her eye, she saw Inigo come up and then silently pull out his bow and notch an ebony arrow.

"Ah, but you did make tonight exciting. Almost as exciting as that time I helped scour the Imperial Library. Why, it feels like it was only yesterday that I was torturing that young librarian to find all the information on those little upstarts and destroying it." Blake's eyes widened at that, recalling what history said about those who had destroyed all the information pertaining to the Five Heroes. She growled. "The time after that wasn't so fun, but this time, when I'm tormenting you slowly in front of your beloved little feline friend, watching her hope diminish more and more until she has none left, that will be-"

Inigo's arrow flew straight at the Altmer's face, but she seemed to have heard it in time and raised her hand to summon a ward, but the arrow pierced through it and through her hand. Isael was stunned for a moment and dropped her dagger to clutch her wrist as Blake felt the last of her spell holding her fade away. The Blake in front of Isael disappeared, catching her attention as the real Blake fell upon her from above with a red tinted daikatana. She tried to raise her hand to stop her, but Blake only sliced through her forearm and then down into her shoulder and through her chest, stopping right before cutting though the last rib.

"I…told you," Blake seethed, "to just shut up and die." She pulled the Ebony Blade free and Isael looked at her mortal wound not in anger or pain, but odd confusion. She reached towards it, and then fell backwards. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, even as she seemed to try and heal the wound before she finally expired. Only then did Blake allow herself to breathe. It was over.

" _And Ulquarrion's betrayal of his mad leader is complete."_

Blake flicked the daedric sword out of reflex, and then sheathed it to her back. Inigo ran up to her side and looked at the corpse with disdain.

"Too quick for the likes of her." He spat on the body and placed the bow at his back. Blake searched her and found a key and several denars in her pockets. Not caring about robbing her, of all beings, she took everything of worth, even picking up her dagger from the ground.

"Now, M'rissi…" Blake focused on a Clairvoyance spell and followed it to where it led. She had to use the key to unlock one door and then walked through a hallway until she and Inigo came upon a room that the spell turned in to. Blake quickly put up her hand to stop the Khajiit. "Wait a second!" Blake rushed in to where M'rissi was chained to the wall, bereft of clothing and completely silent. She went to check her pulse, but instead felt a leather collar around her neck. M'rissi looked up at her through disheveled hair, almost as though she couldn't believe what was in front of her.

"M'rissi," Blake choked out as she brushed back her hair. "It's okay, I'm here." When the Khajiit girl offered no words, Blake felt as though her heart was being slowly squeezed. "M'rissi? Please, say something." For a moment Blake's stomach churned at the thoughts of what Isael could have done to her in the past few days, then she reached for the collar and quickly took it off. M'rissi coughed a moment, as though choked.

"Aah…hah… Blake…she hoped so much!" The girl's cheeks were stained with dirt and grime, trails of tears streaking down.

"It's okay, M'rissi. Everything's going to be okay now. Here, hold on." She took the key from her pocket and began unlocking the shackles at her wrists.

"You really came! You came to save her even after the awful things she said to you!" She rubbed her wrists after they were freed and stood to her feet unsteadily.

"M'ri, are you okay?" Inigo asked from out in the hallway.

"YES! Inigo, you are here! Wait, you are here?! Inigo, do not come in!" M'rissi covered herself before going over to where her clothes had been tossed aside and began putting them on. "She is not decent!"

"I…will wait."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Blake asked. "Did she do anything to you?"

"She…is fine," M'rissi insisted as she pulled on her shirt. "She was very scared though. That…vile woman. She doesn't remember her name or what she did, but she knows it was bad and she hurt her." She looked at Blake after pulling on her pants with some sorrow. "Her past is gone from her, but she remembers enough now to know that she doesn't want to remember. That's what…you were protecting her from. She is sorry. She did not understand before, but she does now."

Her ears suddenly shot up. "Oh no! That wicked elfess! We have to get away from her!"

"It's okay M'rissi, she's dead. Inigo and I killed her to save you."

"You…did?" A smile stretched itself across M'rissi's face. "Then…she is finally free and safe. Ah, Inigo, it is safe now!"

The blue Khajiit came in and sighed in relief at the sight of M'rissi safe and sound. He walked forward and M'rissi went up and hugged him. Blake smiled at the sight, but then the girl turned and hugged her as well. After separating from them she sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you both, so much. Her past…is gone, but all she knows from it is pain and sorrow and suffering. She can be who she chooses to be instead of what her pain made her. And she thinks she prefers it this way."

"Whatever you want, that is what I want for you," Inigo agreed. "If today is the first day of the rest of your life, then I'll be there to help you all along the way."

"Same. Whatever you want to be, I'll support you."

"Thank you. Both of you. Now, we should steal all of the dead evil elf woman's things so that if she makes a ghost it will be poor." As M'rissi grabbed a bag and began throwing potions, jewels, an assortment of items into it, Blake could only shake her head and smile at the act of spite, laughing when Inigo happily joined in. Having no qualms about doing the deed, Blake picked up a bottle from a shelf and read the label to see that it was Summerset Black wine. Deciding that might make a good gift or celebratory drink, she stashed it away and a few more bottles with it. Her eyes were then caught by a book that she picked up and leafed through, recognizing Isael's handwriting. While part of her wanted to burn it, she immediately became interested in what was written. Rather than colored by psychotic ramblings, it was purely scientific, describing a summoning spell and altering it. Then, on the last page, Isael described how she had finally managed to bond the spell to M'rissi's 'aura', different than the Aura she knew. This appeared to be referring to her actual soul.

"Is everything all right?" Blake heard Weiss ask as she came into the room.

"Yeah, we're just looting the place. Can you take a look at this really quick?"

"What is it?" the heiress asked as she passed her the book. Weiss hummed as she read through it then began waving her fingers around as she mouthed some of the text. A spell formed in her hand and was then released, and suddenly M'rissi appeared in front of her as if teleported.

"Wha!" the Kahjiit girl cried out as she reached for something no longer in front of her. "What just happened?"

"I…summoned you," Weiss tried to explain as she wrapped her head around the concept. "This Isael was some sort of mad genius to be able to figure this out!"

Blake took the book back and tried to envision exactly what it was saying. She felt the spell forming, then turned and cast it, summoning M'rissi directly in front of her.

"This is a very strange feeling," M'rissi complained.

"Oh my god! I didn't even think it was possible to summon something from Nirn _to_ Nirn! It might be less summoning and second-hand teleportation, but even then that's hugely remarkable! And it did it with very little magicka expended!"

"That is really amazing!" Inigo agreed. "I wish I could be summoned. At least now if we lose track of M'rissi we can easily find her again."

Suddenly, M'rissi gasped. "Oh no! She forgot about the other one!"

"What? What other one?" Blake asked.

"Quickly, down in the dungeon!" M'rissi ran out and down the hallway. The others quickly followed her and headed down a stairway leading to a dungeon. In one of the cells, Blake saw a familiar being chained up to the wall. Quickly, Blake unlocked the door and rushed in to help the elder Khajiit up to her feet and unlock the shackles binding her.

"Hey, you okay?"

"This one thanks you," the woman groaned as Blake helped her out of the cell and onto a nearby bench. "S'ahara had no way of knowing that help would come, but she dared to hope." She looked over to M'rissi and smiled. "Oh, kitten, she is glad to see you well."

"M'rissi is happy to see you okay too. Don't worry. Her friends have come to get us out of here."

"I'm so sorry," Blake apologized. "If I had known you were here…"

"You had no way to know. You are no fortune teller. This one is still alive and well, and soon we can be out of here." Ears popped up as footsteps were heard coming in. Blake and the others turned to see the Commander coming down the stairs and stopping at the bottom.

"Good job. I knew you'd get it done," he congratulated them. "After a little clean and cover, Ulquarrion's going to take over Isael's position as the Head Justiciar in Skyrim as our agent, and Isael's death is going to be played out as an assassination that occurred during a Stormcloak raid." He nodded at that. "The peace treaty with the Thalmor won't last forever, but we did good here today."

"I could care less about the politics," Blake admitted. "I was just here to save my friend."

"Ha, you're more devoted to your friends than some Imperials are to their wives." Blake smiled at that and nodded.

"And you, are you part of the Penitus Oculatus?" she asked.

"We're part of _an_ Oculatus. The Penitus look for threats within. We take care of the threats from without, whenever a more delicate touch is needed. I'd appreciate you keeping our existence unmentioned, however."

"My lips are sealed."

"Appreciated. Your little group's importance has been taken into account. We may work together again in the future. Hopefully, stakes will be less personal then."

"Hopefully."

"Anyways, we're ready to leave when you are. Gather whatever you need and quickly."

Blake nodded and turned back to help her friends.

* * *

Weiss shuffled through notes, sketches, and pages in a notebook as she searched for anything useful in all of the scattered data Isael had kept around.

"Everything good?" Blake asked her teammate.

"Remember how I said she was a mad genius? Well, it's still true, but she was somehow horribly disorganized. I have been able to figure out a few things, though. It seems Isael wasn't informed of M'rissi's parentage until _very_ recently. As in, there was an unopened letter that had just arrived earlier in the week mentioning it. Ra'sadir is apparently under the impression that all three of his children are still alive and well in Alinor, under Thalmor care. They're already deathly afraid of having to inform him about the younger two's deaths, and they didn't want Isael causing yet another huge problem by breaking or killing his last living child. Perhaps his last living relative."

"Damn," Blake muttered.

"The little girl would have been twelve by now. And her brother would have been eight. And now they're…gone, because some woman was bored and wanted entertainment." Weiss sighed and leafed through a few pages. "M'rissi herself is twenty-two, which is admittedly surprising. Thirtieth of Hearthfire, so she'll be twenty-three is just three days."

"Just a few days, huh? We'll have to plan something for her." Blake looked over to where S'ahara and M'rissi were talking and then sat at the mouth of the tent. "The Commander mentioned some Khajiit recently coming from Elsweyr. He said they didn't look like a caravan, and they traced them back to Mirrsha lands."

"You think they're looking for M'rissi?"

"I don't know what else it could be."

"Are you going to let her go?"

"Not my choice. I'm letting M'rissi decide what she wants to do. If she wants to go, then she can go."

Weiss set the notes back into a sack and crawled up to sit next to Blake. "Is everything all right, Blake?"

"Yeah." The Faunus nodded. "It's just that after everything, we beat the person hounding her. It's incredible. I can barely believe it."

"I think I know what you mean." Weiss sighed and laid back. "At least one thing's been done. I still need to link up with Ruby and look into this Magna-Ge situation. Then there's the thing at Mzulft. Well, at least I got a shortcut."

"I'll say," Blake laughed, before her ears went up and she looked back at her teammate. "I just…remembered something."

"What's that?"

"Didn't Delphine mention something about needing information from the Thalmor Embassy?"

For a long minute the two were silent, the only noises being the wind and the crackling of the fire. Finally, Weiss took in a huge breath.

"Damn it!"


	35. The Blood Between Us

**The team has expanded! NaanContributor is now working** directy **with me and xTRESWHOx on the story!**

 **Btw, if you haven't checked it out yet, take a look at Dragon Rose Chibi for some laughs and giggles.**

* * *

"I bet I could fix it right up, given enough time," Ruby boasted as they walked into Whiterun. The four of them had spent the previous night at the Lunar Forge, and while no one could deny the stars were beautiful, Ruby ended up spending most of her time on the Forge itself. She even crafted a few steel weapons, intending to sell them to Belethor. In fact, Lydia and Valdimar were heading over to him at this very moment, and Ruby watched as the two housecarls entered his shop. She wondered what price they would get this time against the money-minded merchant.

"The best smiths in Skyrim have looked at that thing and can't get it working," Yang argued, breaking Ruby from her Weiss-like state.

"Yeah, but I'll be a fresh perspective. Maybe we could get some Khajiit to help. They know a lot about the moons and stuff."

"Not sure that's how it works, little sis." Yang smirked and ruffled Ruby's hair. She angrily pushed her hands away and moved to retort, only to spot a familiar greatsword behind Yang's back.

"Oh look, it's Zora," Ruby pointed out. "I'm going to go talk for a bit. You good?"

"Yeah," Yang answered as she accepted Ruby's quick subject change. "I need to talk to Kodlak for a bit, let him know about the mission and stuff."

"All right. I'll meet you at the house for supper. Lydia's been trying out this cookbook written by some guy who calls himself 'The Gourmet', but most of the stuff needs a full kitchen to pull off. But it is _so_ worth it..." At the thought of The Gourmet's recipe for sweet rolls, Ruby began to drool, but quickly recomposed herself. Yang merely laughed.

"Well then, have Lydia save me some! If some food can get you to do that in public, I have to try it."

Ruby smiled and nodded. As Yang went up to Jorrvaskr, Ruby walked over to Zora, who was looking at the selection of fruits and vegetables at Carlotta's stall.

"Hey Zora!" Ruby's high pitched voice caused Zora to turn around in confusion. Once her eyes rested on Ruby's, she smiled.

"Ah, if it isn't the little Ruby, all dressed up in the scales of dragons." She began to wag her finger. "You know, try as you might, you're too adorable to be frightening."

"Ah, come on!" Ruby stomped her feet and pouted. "I'm not trying to be scary. Qahpeyt's just really good armor. Heck, I've blocked swords with my arms! Couldn't do that before." In the back of her mind, she even wondered how well Qahpeyt would stack against bullets, but pushed it away for the time being. There weren't any bullets left to test it against, anyway, save her last she was holding onto for a rainy day.

"I won't argue its effectiveness. I'm just saying that most people would probably mistake you for a child in a costume. In which case, that's a clear advantage. You can kill them while they're giggling."

"Nah, I prefer to swing my scythe around and scare them away like that. By the way, I got an upgrade." Ruby took Crescent Rose from her back and unfolded it, scaring several passers-by.

"Whoa, hey, little red," Carlotta said, getting Ruby's attention. "Can you do that a little further away from my stall?"

"…Sorry, ma'am," Ruby sheepishly apologized as she and Zora walked a few steps away. Zora observed the new blade of Crescent Rose and hummed in appreciation.

"Ebony. Very nice. You always go for the best, hey? No simple leather armor or orichalcum blades, only the finest dragon hides and god's blood weapons. How'd you get this, anyway?"

"Well, I rescued a Minotaur blacksmith, and he owed me a favor. Then I fought a draugr lord thing when I went to stop Potema from reviving herself, and he had a ebony scythe. My baby got cracked during the fight, and I needed a new blade, so I figured 'why not?' And now Crescent Rose has ebony blades." Zora went silent for a few moments, as well as a few bystanders who couldn't help but overhear. Finally, Zora spoke up.

"Gods above, so it really is true!" Zora exclaimed. "You really go on the craziest and deadliest of adventures. Don't do anything by halves, yeah?"

"It's mostly coincidences." Ruby folded her scythe back and then set it behind her. "Exciting stuff can happen to anyone if they look for it. My sister went and saved a town from evil vampires while I was fighting Potema's revenant." Ruby hummed. "Hey, speaking of which, I never did ask what your sister's up to. Uh, not trying to be nosy or anything. Just, I was thinking about my sister, which reminded me of your sister…"

"No, no, it's understandable. We don't see each other too much. She…doesn't come to Riverwood too often." Zora shrugged. "But she sends a letter now and then, just to let me know she's alive. She can take care of herself, but that does not mean I don't worry."

"Oh, well where does she live?"

"Oh, I think she moves around. She can't really live in the city. She's kind of a witch."

Zora's nonchalant reveal caused Ruby to raise an eyebrow. "Was that an expression or… I mean, how did that happen?"

The Breton tapped her chin. "Hm, it is hard to say. She's always been a bit different, and good with magic." Zora reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't want to say she was born a witch, but at the very least, she's not your typical mage."

"Well, as long as she's not doing evil stuff." Ruby shrugged and shook her head. "When was the last time you guys spoke, anyway?"

"Eh, two years? Three? I am very poor with time." Zora shrugged with a small smirk. "As for her last letter, well, that…has been a very long while. Too long. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm quite worried. Maybe I should go down to Riverwood to check?"

"Well, I'm heading down to Falkreath soon. You can come with, if you want," Ruby offered, receiving a smile in return.

"Aw, thank you. You're such a sweet girl. Never lose that innocence. Unless it's to the right man, but be sure about it."

"Ew!" Ruby blew a raspberry at Zora, who laughed at her expense. "You're worse than Yang!"

"Oh, I was only joking. Honestly though, thank you for the offer. Let me know when you're ready to go. A week, maybe?"

"A few days at the most. I kinda don't stay in one place for very long. Actually, I think the longest I've stayed anywhere in Skyrim was a week while training with the Greybeards." Ruby scratched the side of her head. "Geez, I have, like, three houses if you count Weiss', two of which are mansions, but I'm livin' like a hobo."

* * *

"So, with the vampires dead, Hroggar was freed, along with that woman, who turned out to be a career hunter," Yang finished.

"Gods above, that's quite the tale!" Kodlak exclaimed. "A whole nest of vampires, waiting to invade a town! If we hadn't sent you, they could have taken control of Morthal, and we'd have been none the wiser."

"Why Morthal, though? There are other, wealthier provinces than Hjaalmarch," Yang wondered aloud, mostly to herself. She was interrupted from her thoughts by a soft cough. A quick look confirmed it to be from Vilkas.

"Morthal might be small, but outside of the marshes are some of the most fertile grounds in the province," Vilkas stated. "Not nearly as big as Whiterun Hold's fields, but with richer soil. Then there's the malachite mine at Dunparwall, and the summer route to Haafingar. Those vampires would have had control over all of it, with the smallest population to watch over."

"Meaning they'd have control over the province's rich resources and few people to enthrall. Less risk," Yang finished, with Vilkas nodded in agreement.

"We can only guess at all their plans, but, in the end, they were stopped." Kodlak nodded at their youngest member. "Well done, Yang. You've done us proud."

"I'm a little worried about this Dawnguard though," Aela brought up. "I'll admit, vampires are becoming a bit emboldened as of late, but we all know how history likes to repeat itself. This time the shadow chasers seem to be a bit more organized."

"And better equipped," Yang added. "Durak had special anti-vampire weaponry and armor. Silver Hands might have silver weapons, but they aren't enchanting them half the time. He said something about his axe being 'rune-forged'. Any idea what that is?"

"Rune-forging is an old technique, stretching back to the days of Atmora," Kodlak explained as he began to stroke his beard. "It fell out of use with the rise of modern enchanting, but there are still practitioners of the craft, often doing it out of tradition. They may have contracted one of them to make their weapons."

"What'd modern enchanting have that runes don't?" Yang asked, genuinely curious.

"It's easier, for one." Kodlak nodded at that and then leaned back. "And cheaper, too. Much easier to fill a Soul Gem and use it to bond a spell to a weapon. Rune-forging has to be done during the smithing process, which is a very delicate procedure. Less of a magical skill and more a smithing skill. Coupled with the fact that a good enchantment can be stronger than most runes, it's little wonder why the practice died out."

"Huh, sounds like everyone made the right call in switching. Wonder why Durak used them?"

"Likely because of their versatility." At Yang's raised eyebrow, Kodlak continued. "Runes are, especially in the beginning, more potent than enchantments, but the end result for both relies on the skill of the crafter. However, only one enchantment can be placed, usually. Master Enchanters can place two with great effort, but once an enchantment is made, another cannot be added. Rune-forging has no such limit. Some items of legend have had five or more effects. Each one diminishes the power of the others, but again, the more skill the craftsman puts into it, the more power, so it can offset. Once more, runes don't run dry. Once a rune is on, the weapon permanently has the effect until the item is destroyed. There is no need to recharge using Soul Gems."

"How come you guys don't use them, then? Seems like they'd be right up your alley?"

"Eorlund knows a bit about them, but he never delved too deeply into the craft. He said it wasn't that he didn't want to know, but the time put into runes was time taken away from the blade's edge."

"All this talk about vampires and weapon making is making me hungry," Farkas complained just before his stomach audibly growled. "Sorry, Kodlak, but I've gotta go grab a bite or I'm gonna start eating this table." The others all nodded, and Kodlak did as well.

"Well, we're done here anyways," the Harbinger declared. "I'll write up a letter to this Isran. It'd be best if we were on friendly terms. Also, by that gleam in your eye, I'm guessing you think we ought to order a few vampire killing tools."

Yang smirked and rubbed her neck. "You got me. I just figured we ought to have them in case we need them. Those vampires weren't too tough, but I've got no idea how tough they can get. I had a Turn Undead axe on me, and that might have made the battle way easier. As fast as that guy was, I could keep up, but someone else, some _less gifted_ than us, might have more than a bit of trouble with something like that." Yang's eyes briefly narrowed. She was going to bring it up again with Weiss and Blake next time they talked. Just as soon as it appeared, Yang went back to her cheery self.

"Good point. I'll be sure to mention that in my letter. Well then, let's go and see what's been made for supper." As the Circle members began to leave, Yang reached out and patted Kodlak's shoulder, catching his attention.

"Hey, can I ask for a little…'off-time'?" she asked. "Ruby just went through a bunch of stuff and me and her haven't had much time-" Kodlak raised his hand and stopped her.

"Yang, you needn't ask for some time for yourself and your family." Kodlak chuckled a little. "Just let us know so we don't end up slotting you for a very important task in the meantime. Go ahead and spend some time with her. Family's always important."

"Thank you, sir."

"No need to 'sir' at me, Yang."

"Sure there is. I respect you, and that's a way of showing respect."

He chuckled. "All right then."

* * *

With the waning crescent moons shining overhead, Ruby swung her scythe around her body then twirled with an uppercut. As her cloak came to a stop, she felt as though someone was watching her and looked to three of the Whiterun guard looking directly at her.

"Guys," she whined, "I didn't come out here for an audience!"

"Uh, sorry," one of them went before rubbing his neck. "Just…trying to figure out how you do it like that."

"Like what?" Ruby cocked her head in confusion.

"The twirly-whirly with that massive beast of a scythe," the female guard to his right answered. "You remind me of those Redguard warriors with the curved swords."

"You mean a scimitar?"

"Aren't those the horsemen from Valenwood?" the man on the left asked.

"You're thinking of Centaurs," the middle one answered

"The special Imperial guards?"

"Sentinels," the woman huffed.

Ruby laughed at the scene, a little glad that she wasn't the only one who had trouble with words, and then she heard a scream hit her ears. Looking over to a nearby farm covered in the darkness of twilight, she quickly ran towards it with the guards right behind her. She took a ready stance as she slowed down, and then saw the likely perpetrators. Two men and a woman were dressed in red, segmented leather and had deathly pale complexions, while three men were wearing ragged iron armor and holding dead looks in their eyes. Two of the dead-eyed men dragged out a woman and child while one of the pale men held a man by his hair, his face bloodied. Ruby focused and saw fangs in his grin. Quickly, she pulled out her scroll and hit the speed dial.

"Yang! We've got vampires attacking the farm past the stables!"

"Be right there!" she heard as she hung up.

"Stop right there!" she yelled as she went back to charging into the fray. The head vampire looked at her and laughed.

"Take care of the little one, my children! I'll get to work here." Suddenly he stabbed a dagger into the man's neck. The family screamed in anguish and horror as the lifeless body fell to the ground, a pool of red blood staining the yellow grass.

"No!" Ruby screamed as she met one of the thralls. She ducked under his lifeless swing and then smacked the top of her head into his chin. Enough to daze him, the thrall was sent stumbling back. The female vampire sent out a red beam of magic and Ruby jumped out of the way of it before bringing her scythe over and up. The vampire tried to dodge, but Ruby pulled just enough to hook her arm and remove it just below the elbow.

As the female screamed in pain, a pair of arrows were knocked out of the air by her male counterpart as the guards fired on them. Ruby heard a spell cast and then looked back to see that the vampire was raising his victim as a zombie. The wife and child were crying in sorrow, and he was beginning to turn his attention to them. Ruby's eyes turned into slits, and she growled.

"Get away from them! **Wuld Nah!** " Ruby dashed through the distance then pushed her Semblance at the end, shoulder-checking her foe at the very end of it. The vampire was sent flying off to the side, and then a previously unseen creature jumped at Ruby with its jaws open wide. She knocked it aside with the back of Crescent Rose then got a good look at it. It looked like what one would imagine a dog might if they had been roasted over a fire and overcooked. The beast got back to its paws, but an arrow hit one of its eyes, killing it. Ruby then turned as she heard metal sliding out of a sheath, then swung around and pulled, slicing through the bellies of the two thralls that had let go of their prisoners to sneak up on her. The zombiefied man began to attack her, but she kicked him away and looked to the two civilians.

"Come on! We've got to go!" Ruby ordered, using her scythe to parry a downward swing from a gardening hoe. She then kicked the zombie farmer away.

"Papa!" the little girl, maybe only five years old, cried. Her mother picked her up and began to tote her while following Ruby, but then something dark flashed by them and skidded to a halt in front of them, revealing the head vampire. The mother and child screamed, while Ruby readied Crescent Rose.

"That hurt, you little skank!" he hissed before spitting to the side. Something white flew out with the bloody spit, and it looked to Ruby like a broken fang. "Now, you're going to hurt!" Ruby readied herself as he curled his fingers and arms, but was surprised when his entire body seemed to become covered in a layer of blood. His shape seemed to change to something more amorphous, then the bloody layer seemed to explode out, revealing a creature with his face, but with blue-gray skin reminiscent of a corpse, large claws and clawed feet, and a pair of short wings above his shoulders. Despite their small size, he flapped them once and began to hover above the ground. A red ball began to form in his left hand as he chuckled in a deeper voice.

"Now, face my TRUE power!" he shouted as he unleashed the spell. Ruby quickly realized it wasn't aimed at her. Instead it was aimed right at the family. Without hesitation, she jumped forward in front of it, taking the full brunt of the attack and being knocked to the ground. The force of the impact made her skid to a stop, a small trench forming behind her. Slightly dazed, Ruby could feel the bruise forming on her chest, but ignored it and propped herself off her back with her elbows. The woman looked on in horror as the beastly vampire turned his attention back to her, and Ruby growled as she looked up.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** " she Shouted, knocking him away by several feet. She heard a groan and looked back to see the zombiefied man coming at his still living family. "I'm sorry! **Yol!** " The corpse was set alight and collapsed as it burned to ash, stumbling and breaking the woman out of her horrified trance.

Ruby jumped back to her feet as the woman began running again. The other thrall had been felled by the guards, but the other vampire male was knocking them around and the woman had gone over to the corpse and used magic to raise it back.

As the girl went to assist them, something hit the ground in front of her before swirling up in black and red energies. She jumped back and a creature with claws, horns, and wings emerged and roared.

"Gargoyle, kill her!" the head vampire commanded. The gargoyle then leaped at Ruby, clawing at her. She blocked the beast then turned and struck out. Her scythe hit its body, but rather than flesh, it felt as though the whole thing was made of stone. Her arms felt jarred, but she managed to pull back and then make a downward pull and swing up, catching its claw before she leaped over it and yanked. The hand went flying, but it was hard cutting through that thin part. She tried to jump towards the vampire, but the gargoyle had leaped at her again, forcing her to dodge it and then be hit by another red blast. She went flying back and heard a scream. She took a moment to look and saw one of the guards being savaged by two of the thralls turned into zombies. Five more guards were headed to where they were, and she could see Lydia and Valdimar among them, but the vampires were already turning everything around and seemed confident against the everyday men and women.

Ruby stepped back as the gargoyle attacked her and the vampire threw another magic blast. He laughed at her distress and began charging up something in his other hand.

"Yes! Your corpse will make a fine-" A golden blur crashed into him, interrupting his bragging and smashing him through a waist-high stone wall. The golden-furred werewolf growled and then roared to the heavens as he tried to pick himself up. The other vampires were surprised, but went back to their own battle. Ruby felt elated at seeing her sister, even in a different form.

"Ya- You!" she caught herself in time.

"Filthy beast," the vampire groaned as he stood up and brushed dust from his chest.

"I was thinking the same thing," Yang growled out in her deeper, but still feminine voice. "Bring it, bat boy!"

Hissing, the vampire lunged for her and the two began exchanging blows with their claws. Free of one problem, Ruby refocused on the gargoyle still chasing her. She turned Crescent Rose around in her hands and began to swing the scythe backwards, smashing the blunt end against the stony thing. Pieces began flying off with every hit, slowly chipping the beast away. After several rapid strikes, Ruby managed to break off an arm. She turned and leapt, then brought her scythe down on its head, smashing it down to the ground and cracking its face all over. Not quite thinking, Ruby brought up a foot and slammed it down with a shout, shattering its stone skull and shaking the ground. With that, she quickly sheathed Crescent Rose then drew Dawnbreaker. She sped towards the nearest zombie and impaled it through the back. The undead groaned, then exploded, the holy energy going out and hitting the other zombies and vampires. One zombie burst into flame before slowly crumbling away while the other two seemed to turn to run in fear. Taking advantage of the situation, Lydia lopped the head off of one while the more distant and closing in guards loosed arrows into the back of the other. It still stood, although wobbly, until an icicle, courtesy of Valdimar, skewered its head, felling it. Stricken by holy magic and seeing their plan fall apart, the male vampire looked at Ruby with bared teeth while the female seemed ready to make a run for it.

"Stupid girl!" he shouted as he ran at her with a steel axe. Ruby blocked his chop then twisted. She sliced up, leaving a burning cut all the way up his arm. As he cried out in pain, she thrusted forward, barely missing him as he spun out of the way. He swung from the side, but Ruby dashed forward in a burst of rose petals then turned back.

" **Su!** " she Shouted before charging back at him. Dawnbreaker swung through the air rapidly, carving apart his arms before he could get a chance to block. As he stood and cried out in pain, Ruby spun and, with all her might, brought her sword around and sliced through his middle with a shout. As his top half fell bereft of arms one way, his waist and legs fell over to the other.

* * *

As Ruby battled the small army of the dead, Yang squared off with what her sense of smell told her was a vampire, but eyes told her was something even more nightmarish. He went to claw at her face, but she blocked him then brought her other arm up, clawing across his chest and sending him back. She retaliated with bared fangs, but just before she could sink her teeth in, he disappeared into a cloud of bats, one of which was caught in her jaws, while the rest went behind her and reformed into the whole vampire.

' _Not fair,'_ she thought as she turned back and brought a set of claws around with the full momentum. He blocked, but his feet slid back with the force. His other claws came up and smacked her in the face. Yang stumbled a bit, and then ducked under another swing before jumping forward between his legs. She kicked back, knocking him off balance long enough to turn around and double claw his back, leaving eight red gouges crisscrossing each other over his spine. He jumped up and began hovering as he turned and threw a ball of magic, but Yang pushed through it and jumped up at him with her right arm outstretched and already swinging downward, hitting him full force and throwing them both across the way and into the side of a windmill. As stone buckled beneath the force of her jump, she reached back and went to slam a claw into his face. He managed to dodge it, letting Yang smash her hand through the stonework. He kicked her off and brought himself higher, but Yang climbed back up and jumped off the wall and at him, digging her claws into his sides and biting down on his shoulder. The vampire roared out as they both fell to the ground and rolled. They kicked off one another and Yang saw him look at the battle happening nearby. Yang dared to glance and looked just in time to see Ruby bisecting one of the vampires with her sword, burning piles around them. She grinned, but then jumped out of the way by pure instinct.

The vampire scoffed as his claws hit only dirt and Yang bared her teeth. The two charged each other and began grappling, both trying to rip the other into pieces. Yang came out the most successful in this, as the vampire had yet to even break through her Aura and begin damaging her directly. Her foe seemed to realize he was losing and tried to push away, but Yang grabbed on and held him in place. He tried to push her incoming maw away, but the werewolf settled with biting down on his arm, flipping him onto his back, and ripping what she could away. Flesh and sinew was shredded, ruining his arm and eliciting a agonized scream. He converted into a cloud of bats that flew away several feet, but Yang was already on them this time. He reappeared, just as injured as before, and Yang pounced, grasping his throat in her jaws and then clamping down. She ripped away, tearing apart his neck and letting him fall to the ground. The vampire gurgled and struggled, but in the end succumbed. His body seemed to melt into blood, revealing beastly bones and a black heart, but then those too dissolved into ashes.

Yang howled into the night sky above her defeated opponent's remains, and then her ears caught the sound of feet running away. The last of the vampires was heading for the hills, some arrows chasing and missing her. With the instinct of the hunt and the high of besting a worthy foe flowing through her, Yang took off after the one-armed vampire without a second thought. Her jaws clamped onto the woman's side and bit through, destroying ribs and organs within a second. The vampire screamed in pain and fear, but she was dead by the time she hit the ground. Seeing as it didn't dissolve, the werewolf began to devour its kill, only to stop at the rancid and ashy taste. She spat the corpse out and went to bite up some grass, but stopped as she heard the stomping of metal boots and pulling of a bowstring.

"Wait!" she heard her sister's voice call out. Her ears flickered up and she turned around to see Ruby watching and the guards all behind her in different states of readiness. One's knees were shaking, and a guard next to him looked over at him. Yang recognized the guard immediately, and cocked her head.

"Hey, Hrolfjar, is that the one?" a guard asked, cautious amusement filling his voice. The other man, Hrolfjar, apparently, said nothing. This only seemed to encourage the guard further, and now he broke out into a full smile. "Then go say hello."

"Shut…up…" The guard replied through chattering teeth. Yang cocked her head again. Why was he scared of her? She didn't hurt him. She had licked him actually. Maybe he needed another one to let it sink in. That would be a sign of friendship and calm everyone down.

' _No! NO!_ ' Yang screamed at herself internally, but it was too late. She began to walk up to the shivering guard, and the others immediately went silent and still. A few took slow, cautious steps back, leaving Hrolfjar's by himself and at the mercy of the beast. The man stared at the yellow werewolf with wide, fearful eyes, only for a pink tongue to sweep over his face a few times. The werewolf then stepped back and cocked her head again, and the guard finally fainted.

"...yep, that's the one," the first guard replied after a moment.

Yang, still slightly confused, turned to look at Ruby's expression. It wasn't one of fear or disappointment, but more of surprise. Yang's ears went back a moment as she whimpered, then she turned and charged towards the nearby forest. After a moment, she began tracking the scent of a wild hog, hoping to wash the rotten taste of vampire out of her mouth and focus on something else for a while.

* * *

"Poor Hrolfjar's never going to live it down now," Lydia said as she took a seat at the table. "First he gets the rumor about him having a werewolf lover after telling people about his encounter, then, when it's finally died down, everyone witnessed…that." She waved her free hand around while nursing a bottle of mead in the other.

"I'm surprised you knew," Ruby directed at Valdimar.

"Your sister explained her…secret fairly early on," Valdimar spoke softly, carefully picking his words. "I have no problem with it. Used to know a very cultured man who was traveling all over Tamriel. A kind fellow, if a bit air-brained and unthinking, despite being in a thinking profession. Turned out to be a werebear. I think he was trying to find out more about them at the time. No idea what happened to him. Last I heard he was at Solstheim."

"You know, I'm starting to think people in general would be okay with it if they knew," Yang went through a mouthful of poached eggs. She swallowed and began forking up more. "I mean, there's a book that's basically a how-to on being a productive member of society while having Lycanthropy. Even if it's not for everyone, look at me."

"A fiery, furry, undead-slaying beast of beauty!" Ruby hammed up, earning a chuckle from the older man and her sister. Lydia just smiled and shook her head.

"Speaking of undead though, this vampire problem is getting _way_ out of hand." Yang ate up some more of her eggs and looked up in thought. "Going by the bits I've been told, that was a vampire lord. A pure vampire with a purposefully made lineage. He, and every vampire before him in his line, accepted vampirism from another vampire lord, stretching back to a Daughter of Coldharbour."

"A daughter of what?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow. Yang lightly chuckled and rubbed the back of her head.

"Sorry. Durak gave me a basic rundown. The first vampires were made by that evil Daedric Prince guy, Molag Bal, when he did…horrible things to young women." Her body winced and shook. No elaboration was needed, and Ruby paled while Lydia and Valdimar morosely nodded. "They died and came back as vampire lords, and they turned other people into vampire lords, or spread their strain's disease through biting, which turns people into lesser vampires. Except for, like, one strain, all of them came from that."

Ruby hummed at that. "So those guys had to have always known. Still, I gotta agree that the vampires are becoming a bit of a problem. It's not like they can't live peacefully, either. I mean, look at Weiss and those Duskfall guys. They're vampires, but they aren't going around killing people." Ruby paused. "I mean, Weiss kind of is, but... Never mind. Point is, I'm betting there's something emboldening them. Something beyond the dragons returning…" She suddenly slammed a fist on the table. "What if it's one of those Daughters?!"

"I think all the Daughters of Coldharbour are long gone," Valdimar stated.

"People thought the same about Movarth, then he showed back up," Yang pointed out.

"Even if they are, what's stopping Molag Bal from turning someone into another one?" Lydia pointed out, a distant nightmare from youth playing in the back of her mind.

"The Dragon Barrier…" The Nordic battlemage then rubbed his beard. "Although, it is not absolute. You may be onto something here."

Yang went to speak, only to feel her scroll vibrate. She took it out of her pocket, and smiled once she saw it was Weiss calling. "Well, speak of the daedra. Hey, Weiss is calling, sis." Ruby suddenly zipped around, leaving rose petals in her wake. "Okay, then. Was going to ask to be excused, but…"

Yang answered the call and was prepared to beat Ruby to greeting their teammate, but both sisters paused when they saw Weiss' tear-stained, fray-haired visage.

"Yang," she choked out before sniffling and then rubbing her eyes. "Ruby. You… It's bad. It's really bad," she whimpered out.

"Weiss, take a breath," Ruby advised. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

"No. No, it's not. It- It's Blake. She…took a bad hit." The heiress sniffed again, as Yang suddenly went as stiff as wood. Ruby gasped and covered her mouth, and both their housecarls stopped everything they were doing. "All the Restoration experts and masters are watching over her, Collette especially, but everything sounds touch and go. Her… Everything between her sternum and belly button…" She sobbed a moment, barely stopping herself.

"How…?" Yang finally got out.

"The woman after M'rissi, Isael, hit her with a lightning spell, but that one bolt…held more voltage than her Aura could handle. I don't even know… I don't know how she did it."

"Weiss," Ruby got out gently, "it'll be okay. Stay strong." The heiress winced, but nodded. "Listen, we're not there, but you are. You need to watch over Blake for us. Let us know if anything changes." The young leader looked over at her sister's near-catatonic face and then gripped her shoulder with a reaffirming squeeze. "It's okay, you guys," she said to both. "Blake's strong. She can make it."

"Yes," Weiss barely got out before she seemed to be wracked by quiet sobs. "I'll keep you… I'll let you know."

Yang managed to nod, then slowly reached over and pressed the hang-up button. As she closed her scroll and began to stand, everyone stayed silent lest they say the wrong thing. The young woman headed towards the door, pulling it open and walking through almost robotically.

"I'm going out," she said in a dead tone.

* * *

Jaws clamped down on the deer's neck, snapping its vertebrae. The beast immediately began ripping away, gobbling up meat as it clawed and bit, doing as much damage to the corpse as it could as it ate.

" _You're not going to get much in your belly like that."_

Yang paused and turned around to see the grey-furred form of Kodlak. The older werewolf soundlessly walked over to her as Yang's ears and snout drooped.

" _That's not really…"_

" _Ruby came by and told me what happened,"_ he explained before sitting near her. _"I am sorry, Yang. I understand how it must feel right now."_

" _Can you really?"_ she groaned out as she left the side of the carcass to go drink from a stream. Kodlak silently followed

" _Yang, I'm an old warrior. I've lost many friends growing up, and even more growing old. I've seen loved ones hurt and slain. One was quite recent, if you remember."_

The girl stopped lapping up water and looked up and back at her mentor. The memory of seeing Skjor dead came back to her, as well as Aela's reaction upon discovering him. She recalled how sorrowful all of the Companions had been when they couldn't even return the body, just a few bones to give to the Temple of Arkay. Kodlak had held strong the whole time, but Skjor had been a pupil to him, maybe even like a son. If his grief wasn't seen, it wasn't because it didn't exist. It was because the pain had become familiar.

" _Kodlak, I'm sorry."_

" _Don't apologize to me, pup. Your heart is still young and tender. I'm not asking you to harden it to the suffering of the world, but learn to expect and accept it for what it is. The ones we love and care for may one day leave us, but they aren't always gone."_ The older werewolf walked over to her and pointed a claw to her chest. _"A part of them will always be with you. The lessons they taught and shared, and the care they showed you, it can never be fully banished from your being. What was once a part of them, they gave to you, and now they are within you, your memories, and your heart. The greatest thing you can do is to live a life that gives what they gave you to others, and who they were will persist."_

For a long moment, the two stood silent by the stream, then Yang lowered her head and leaned forward, resting her head against her elder's chest. Kodlak let out a soft laugh and patted her shoulder.

" _It will be all right, Yang. Blake is still alive, and if there's one thing I remember about Collette, she's tenacious. Skittish sometimes, but never willing to back down. If she's seeing to your friend, she won't rest until she's healed."_

" _Thank you,"_ the young woman mumbled before backing up. _"I just can't help but worry."_

" _Worrying is fine, but don't let it run your life."_ The older werewolf began stretching his legs. _"Now, I feel like some wild goat, and I smell some nearby. Mind hunting with this old wolf?"_

" _Yeah. Promise I won't be so messy."_

* * *

After coming back from her impromptu hunt, Yang kept her scroll within sight at all times, usually leaving it face-up on a table. Even as she was working on some slight armor improvements, she kept glancing towards the device. Eorlund took notice, but Ruby explained what was going on while the two hammered out some swords. He understood immediately and offered condolences. Apparently, his family went through the same thing recently. His son, Thorald, was lost in the war, and it hit the Grey-Manes hard, but his wife, Fralia, took it the hardest. She'd apparently convinced herself that Thorald was still alive and merely captured, and that the Battle-Borns had something to do with it. At this point, he'd stopped trying to convince her otherwise. After a while, just when Yang was beginning to feel like she was getting somewhere, she saw the light blink on her scroll while it shook. She hurried over and picked it up before opening it to see a new message.

 _I just got word from Riane. She said they've been able to repair everything internal, and now they're working on purifying her blood from all the toxins that may have been released from her damaged intestines. She's not quite stable, but they're saying she has a far better chance now than before._

Yang sighed in relief and set the phone back down. Ruby walked over and peeked at the message really quick.

"Well that's good. I told you Blake would make it."

"Yeah, I know." Yang slightly smiled and went back over to her table, with Ruby right behind her.

"So what are you doing?"

"Working on an idea I had. Turning…" She paused and looked around before concluding that no one who wasn't supposed to know was in any kind of earshot. "Turning into a werewolf without undressing first will tear the clothes someone's wearing apart, unless they have something five sizes too large on in the first place."

"Or stretchy stuff."

"Yeah, but Tamriel hasn't quite invented elastic waistbands yet." Yang smiled before placing another armor piece onto the table. "Transforming will also tear off armor. Eorlund makes all the Circle's armor so that it comes off easy and can be repaired pretty easily as well, but I'm trying to make something that expands to fit. I'm going off the old lessons in fold-frames, but we don't have the same kind of gear for making them like back at Signal."

"Oh, like what you did with Ember Celica. But since we're not back home, you're having to make almost every piece from scratch," Ruby guessed while picking up a thin piece of steel. "Bet that's taking some effort."

"It is, but I think I've just about got something good." Yang lifted up and pulled on the armor, then reach over and unhooked straps near her shoulders and sides. Ruby watched as it expanded similar to the last time, only now rather than the two halves of the armor being connected by only four thin pieces of metal and leather, they were connected with extending, slotted bars set side by side. Ruby looked over it all and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, that'll work for back to front, but what about width?"

Yang looked around herself and sighed. "Knew I was missing something." As the elder sister took off the armor and pushed it back into place, Ruby looked over the extending pieces.

"I think you'll have to give up on it having solid sides if you want it to work. The whole thing will have to be sectional. Also, what about when you shrink back down?"

"I figured once I got the expansion part down, I'd install a pull cord type thing. If I have to replace the back and front with expanding segments… Wait, what about an interwoven metal link with spring connections?"

"That could work, actually. It might be hard to do on a macro scale, though." Like a lightbulb turning on, Yang's head shot up and she smiled brightly.

"Scale! Yeah! I'll need strong interlocks to keep it from being broken, but sections of scalemail ought to help that out a bit." Yang looked over her work so far and toyed with the connecting pieces for a moment. "Something a bit tougher than steel, but not too hard to find."

"Maybe we could get some Dwemer metal?" Ruby suggested

"Yeah, but we'd have to go through their ruins to get enough. Also, that stuff's hard to make into new shapes. We need something we can work with."

"You could always go learn orichalcum," Eorlund said from beside them, going through a box for sword hilts. The two girls turned to look at him, thinking he might further explain. "Orichalcum has a wider range than steel. You can forge it hard or flexible depending on how you temper it, but, like I said, you'll have to learn it from an orc."

"So where do we find an orc smith to show us that?" Yang asked him.

"I learned from a forgewife in Dushnikh Yal. That's way over in the Reach, though. You two were saying you were heading south to Falkreath?" Yang and Ruby nodded. "Well, I don't know of any orcish places there, but there is a stronghold in the southwest of the Rift, along the mountain range. There's also Narzulbur, east of Kynesgrove. The last one I know of in Skyrim is Mor Khazgar, on the northern end of the border between High Rock and Hjaalmarch, but I've heard rumors of one more in Eastmarch somewhere. You might be able to convince them to teach you, but orcs don't trust just anyone. Don't be disappointed if they turn you away. If they give you a chance, though, take it like it's your last. It just might be."

"Well, I did want to learn how to work orichalcum," Ruby mused. "Maybe we can stop by that orc place on our way back from Falkreath?"

"We'll look into it, Yang said to him with a nod. "Hopefully it works out."

* * *

As the group readied for the trip to go further south, Yang checked her scroll for any more messages.

 _Things are looking better. Collette said she's almost certain that Blake's going to pull through. She still has to keep healing her, but there's extensive scarring on her belly where she was hit. Riane mentioned that her reproductive system wasn't hit. I didn't ask, but she seemed to think it was worth mentioning._

Yang breathed out a sigh and went back to making sure Lucky Day's saddle was on securely but not too tight.

"So you ended up getting a housecarl as well," Zora pointed out as she walked over. "You young girls make me feel like I've been sitting around."

"Weren't you captured by, like, a dozen different necromancers at some point?"

"Yes, but I do that more for fun. I've had the key to the cages in that place for years now. None of them have bothered to change the locks once. It's almost like the easy setup is a trap for them."

"Oh," Yang intoned slowly as she realized what Zora meant. "Clever."

"Alright, down to Riverwood first!" Ruby announced as she climbed into the saddle. Zora walked over to her while winking at Valdimar, who seemed confused by the action, then climbed up behind Ruby, the small woman and small teenager not making for too much weight for the horse. As they began riding, Yang's housecarl pulled a little closer to her.

"Does she ever wash the warpaint off?" he asked quietly.

"That's…not warpaint," Yang slowly pointed out, but judging by the expression on his face, he was still confused.

"A tattoo? A hand over her mouth of all things?"

"Vald, it's a burn scar," Yang explained. His eyebrows rose and then he squinted.

"Oh, I feel just terrible now."

"Eh, don't worry too much. She seems to let everything roll off her back."

* * *

"And I wonder if I'll ever brighten up my weather, whenever I'm in New Cydonia. And I know you won't remember memories in ember, lighting up New Cydonia in my mind,~" Zora and Ruby both sang as they rode into the town, Ruby strumming along her lute's strings while Zora kept beat by clapping. Yang was actually surprised by how quickly she was able to learn the new songs Ruby was teaching her on the way. Valdimar seemed positively entertained, while Lydia was just used to it.

As they pulled into town, Ruby and Zora went to the Sleeping Giant, hoping to find something from Joselyn. Sven was off in a corner, singing Ragnar the Red. Embry was sloppily drinking in a stool, and Orgnar was cleaning a glass back behind the bar.

Zora went right over to the man, ignoring a few stares from some non-local patrons, Ruby right behind her.

"Orgnar, have you heard anything about Joselyn?" she asked, but the man kept cleaning dishes. He did slow to a crawl, however, which perked the girl's interest.

"Yeah," the man got out slowly, "I've seen your sister. Walking out the door, at least."

"Really? You know she doesn't like to be seen in Riverwood. Why did she come?"

"Don't know, but some of the Jarl's men came by and left this bounty letter. Rogue wizards, down in Falkreath."

Orgnar handed the letter over to Zora, who quickly looked over its contents.

"Do… Do you think they found her? I'm starting to get worried." The woman looked over to Ruby, and the two walked away from the bar and to a more isolated part of the inn. "This is grave news, little gem. Bounty hunters will not spare a known witch. If my sister has fled to Falkreath, she may try to cross the border."

"She might get through safely, if she goes that way. I think the Empire is more concerned about things going through the Rift's side."

"That might be, but the Jerall Mountains are not an easy climb, especially traveling alone. She might have been turned back. We should hurry to Falkreath," Zora suggested as she gestured. "I want to check the barrack's jails. If by chance she was caught and yielded, we might be able to save her."

"Okay, we'll head out first thing in the morning, I promise. I'll let the others know. We just need to get some good rest tonight."

"Thank you, Ruby. Come, we can go get everyone settled." Ruby wondered where Zora was headed as she led her out of the inn, and nearly smacked her head as they headed towards a small house closer to the foot of the nearby mountains.

"Oh, I almost forgot you live here," she muttered.

* * *

"The walls are still standing," Valdimar observed as Yang pushed open the gate to Helgen. They had debated going through the village ruins on their way to Falkreath. It was, after all, the fastest route, but it held bad memories of when they first arrived in Skyrim. All the death and destruction, and the first time they met Alduin. Zora understood their dilemma, and even said that she didn't mind taking a different path. In the end, though, Ruby and Yang decided it was time and that they were ready. Inside, he looked side to side at the burnt buildings and rubble. "Still a few places left up. The fort and tower are in decent condition too."

"You think people could resettle Helgen?" Ruby asked him as she rode into the ruins and slightly winced. She could still smell the burns.

"It looks like they already have," Zora pointed out as a group of men and women came out from around a corner. The five pulled their horses to a stop as weapons were drawn, dented swords and axes and old hammers readied. Bows were aimed, but not yet pulled back as a Nordic man with an odd complexion walked forward.

"All right," he called out to them, "you know how this goes. Give us your goods or get skewered." He was certainly acting all high and mighty, expecting his newfound victims to cower before him and his crew. He was shocked with they instead ignored him and turned to talk among themselves.

"His teeth look pretty big," Ruby pointed out, drawing confusion from the bandits. The leader began to rub his bottom teeth at the insinuations, while the other bandits looked at them in a familiar light.

"Just the bottoms," Yang explained. "He's probably part Orsimer." At this the bandit began to sputter.

"Orsimer and humans can have kids?" Ruby asked before he could get a word in.

"Pretty much any kind of elf and any kind of human can interbreed," Valdimar explained as he started to gesture. "It's very common in High Rock. In fact, just about every Breton has elvish heritage. Sometimes you'll see Bretons with sharper ears than normal. Several noble families even plan when to have heirs marry Altmer in order to breed more magical talent into the bloodline, but still stay predominantly human."

"Whoa, that's a little extreme!" Yang exclaimed. Finally, the bandit leader had enough.

"Hey!" he yelled at them. "I said, give us your gold and goods, or else!"

"Or else what?"

"Are you daft? We'll kill you!" He looked incredulous as he waved his weapon at them.

"No, you won't," Ruby argued. "Have you guys been living under a rock or something?"

At the bandit's angry but questioning look, Ruby sighed. "I'm the Dragonborn."

"Yeah, right," one of the bandits scoffed. "And I'm Martin Septim's grandchild. The Dragonborn's supposed to be a powerful warrior, not a milk-drinking little girl."

Ruby said nothing. Instead, she had Chocolate Hooves walk forward then turn around. Several of the bandits took ready stances or drew their bows, but when Ruby took in a deep breath some of the bandits relaxed.

" **Fus! Ro Dah!** " Ruby Shouted, putting just enough power behind her Thu'um to send all of them backwards by over a dozen feet. The leader yelped as he rolled, came upon his feet, and then fell back dizzily. As some of the bandits started picking themselves up, they cowered when they saw Ruby riding towards them.

"You guys should really find something else to do," she suggested, but to the bandits it was more an order. "If I come back and you're still here trying to rob people instead of something productive, it'll be fire instead of force."

The group rode through Helgen and emerged from the other side, the bandits only daring to move once they were clear of the town.

* * *

It was near dusk when the group finally came up to Falkreath. As they walked into the town, Yang looked up towards a hill covered in grave markers and saw a couple grieving at the head of a group, a tanned Nord with his arm over a coppery Imperial woman's shoulders. An Altmer in priest robes was speaking to them, though she couldn't hear the words. A whiff of something hit her nose and she took in a deeper sniff, catching the wolfish scent that had become familiar to her, only this one wasn't one that she had put a face to.

' _Werewolf?'_ she thought to herself, wondering exactly what was going on. As Ruby and Zora headed towards the barracks, she looked back up to the funeral. She decided to walk towards the procession, waiting just outside of it until the crowd began to disperse. When the priest walked away and only the couple remained, Yang walked over slowly. She looked at the freshly dug grave just before them and felt her teeth clench. The grave was small, shorter than either of the people standing before it. When she came near, she could smell the scents of freshly turned soil, carved wood, and embalming fluid. But just beneath them were the scent of old blood and a werewolf.

The man looked up to her and saw her armor.

"Greetings, Companion," he offered somberly. "I wish I could offer you a warmer greeting, but not right now. Not today."

"Companion?" The woman looked over to her and looked her up and down, only her eyes seemed to settle on the axes on her back and belt. "You and your guild…you bring criminals to justice, don't you?"

"Indara, please. Go take a seat," the man suggested. The woman went to say something, but stopped herself and nodded, her voice seeming to get choked up when she went to speak again. As she left the Nord let go of a long sigh.

"What happened?" Yang asked, hoping she wasn't crossing any lines.

"Our little girl was…murdered," the man got out, and Yang's breath hitched. "She hadn't even reached her tenth winter."

"Murdered?" Yang muttered while she looked at the gravestone, seeing the name 'Lavinia Corpselight' etched upon it, her year of birth being one-ninety-three of the Fourth Era.

"She was…" he went on before pausing. "He ripped her apart. Like a sabrecat tears a deer. We…barely found enough of her to bury."

Yang had to forcibly halt a growl in her throat. However, she couldn't stop the enraged look upon her face.

"Who did this?"

"Sinding. He came through as a laborer. He seemed a decent man. He's stewing in the prison's pit while we figure out what to do withhim, if you've got the stomach to look at him." He looked back at his daughter's grave. "What could drive a man to do something like this?"

* * *

Ruby walked down into the jails with Zora right behind her after explaining to a guard that they just wanted to see if anyone they knew was in the cells. Zora looked into each of the cells one by one, while Ruby stood off to the side, waiting.

"A visitor!" she heard someone say excitedly next to her, and she turned to see a man leaning against a wall. "Don't mind me though. Just think of me as dust on the wall."

"That's too bad. I was hoping to ask you something."

"Well, milady, I can answer questions if you'd like. Can't say I'm a font of knowledge, of course, no matter how much mother argues my intelligence is higher than most."

"So what are you in for?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was framed? I guess it wouldn't matter much if you did, unless you're the new captain of the guard." He laughed a little at that. "No, I'm just your average horse thief. I suppose my presence here proves I, uh, ain't a good one."

"Well, even the best of us stumble a bit every now and then," Ruby joked.

"You're too kind, milady. Of course, if we're being completely honest, I may have stumbled on purpose, right into the guard's arms."

"I meant the thieving stuff, but what did you do that for?"

"It was fear, plain and simple. I was at the Sleeping Giant when I got approached by two shifty folk with hoods covering their eyes. The first one sits beside me and orders a drink, while the other stands in a corner. He goes, "I hear you're the man to see about a horse." I tell him, "Sure milord, I am." He tells me he needs two, one for him, one for his sweetheart. I'm guessing a Breton girl, by the size of her." At this point in the story, Zora had come close and began listening in as well. Ruby also grew curious about the coincidence.

"Was there anything…distinctive about this girl?"

"Well, she made me _real_ nervous, always whipping her head around to see if anyone was looking. But it was her hands that caught my eye. She had calluses tough as a goat hide, and all the dirt in Skyrim under those fingernails. She wasn't built like no adventurer, and she wasn't some college mage living in the city either, if you catch my meaning. I think she was a witch."

Ruby figured that was a harsh generalization to make of someone, but she looked back to Zora to see her nod at her.

"Okay, so you think those two were on the run?"

"Yes milady. I figured that's why they needed me, since I used to work the stable for the Ashwoods near Helgen. Except the gate was too heavily guarded. Falkreath was off the main road, but safer for a witch, I take it."

"And you agreed to steal the horses?"

"Well, truth is, I was so sore at the Ashwoods I probably would've stolen the horses for free. But that's no way to make a living." Ruby raised an eyebrow at that, thinking that stealing horses wasn't a good way to make a living either. "I told the boy I only needed one other rider. The girl could wait for us at Peak Shade Tower, and I'd collect the rest of my fee there. Except, when the job was done, it wasn't the boy waiting for me at the clearing. It was the witch." Ruby wanted to roll her eyes, but resisted. "The whole ride west I had that witch at my back, with all kinds of bad thoughts running around my head. I don't know what it was that set me off. Maybe it was just the wind. But I laid my heels into that horse and rode as hard as I could into the city. Didn't take long for the guards to figure out the horse wasn't mine, but by Ysmir's beard, at least I'm still alive."

"Wait," Zora requested of the man. "This mage's name… Was it Joselyn?"

"As a matter of fact, milady," he answered as he rubbed his chin, "I think it was. You're not acquainted with her, are you?"

"She's my sister."

At that the imprisoned man seemed to almost stumble in place.

"Oh, uh, pardon my language, milady." He gave off a nervous laugh as he rubbed his neck "I… If it's any consolation, I'm sure she made it to Cyrodiil."

"Somehow I doubt that," a nasally voice said from behind the two, causing them to whip around in surprise and see an old woman wearing black robes. "My girls were waiting for her there for quite some time. Evidently the snowstorm brought her back, and with it, my property." Zora began to glare at the woman, which only earned her disdain. "Now don't give me that look girl. I don't care whether your sister lives or dies. Meaning, I'm more than willing to let her live, if it saves me the trouble of dealing with you. I simply want what is rightfully mine."

"And what is that, exactly?" Zora asked, masking the venom in her voice.

"Girl, this is hardly the place to talk of such things. Come to the graveyard after dark. At least the dead share no secrets."

As the woman left and headed up the stairs, going by Yang on her way down, Zora turned to Ruby.

"I don't like this one bit. Joselyn would not steal."

"Well, a creepy old witch is not the best source of information."

Zora's hard expression softened as she laughed at that. "Right. Leave it to my little hero to put things into perspective. Yes, we should only trust her as far as we can throw her, and my arms are quite tired."

"Hey guys, what's with the sour old lady?" Yang asked as she walked over to them.

"Oh, just some witch who may know a useful thing or two."

"Lydia and Valdimar getting our rooms?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, but I came down here to…" The blonde paused as she sniffed, then turned her head and walked over to a cell at the other end of the prison. Rather than a door, this cell had raising spikes cutting it off from the rest of the room. The three looked in and saw a man sitting at one side of a water filled basin of a room with an open ceiling. Ruby smelled something that faintly reminded her of a wet dog, then realized that Yang was picking up on the scent even more.

"You!" Yang angrily called out to the man, who looked up at them with bags under his eyes. He stood up and walked closer, and Ruby could hear her sister growling before her lips curled back and her eyes turned red.

"What is it? Have you come to gawk at the monster?"

"They told me what you did." Yang growled at the prisoner. "They don't know, but I can smell it on you."

The man looked Yang over a moment and then sniffed the air.

"I see… Then, maybe you could understand, at least…"

Yang's hands slammed against the bars, rattling them as a more bestial growl rolled out from her throat.

"Understand!?" she screamed. "You killed a child! Tore her apart!" The jail was quiet, and not a sound was heard

"Zora," Ruby whispered to the frightened Breton, "head upstairs. Please." The woman looked at the two sisters questioningly, then wisely began to back away before heading up the stairs. The horse thief at the other end looked out from his cell in curiosity, but a glare from Ruby made him go back.

"Believe me, it wasn't anyt'ing I ever intended to do," the man explained sorrowfully. "I just…lost control."

"Oh, you lost control. Well, that explains everything." Yang pounded the bars again. "How did you let yourself just lose control like that, Sinding? If you can't control yourself then you should have known better than to be in a populated area!"

"I t'ought I could. I was wrong. That little girl is dead because of that mistake, but it's all because of this blasted ring." He showed them his hand, and on one finger was a silvery ring with a wolf's head shape on it.

"A ring?" Ruby examined.

"This is the Ring of Hircine. I was told it could let me control my transformations. Perhaps it used to, but I'll never know. Hircine didn't care for my taking it, and t'rew a curse on it. I put it on…and the changes just came to me. I could never guess when. It would…be at the worst times. Like…with the little girl."

Yang took in a deep breath as she gripped the bars hard, then released it and let them go. There were noticeable indents left where her fingers gripped the steel.

"So you took the ring because you couldn't control yourself?" Ruby asked him.

"I may look like a man, but I still feel the animal inside of me, as strong as ever." Sinding walked towards the bars and rested his arm on them.

"And you attacked a little girl?" Yang bit out, anger still lacing her voice. Sinding looked down in shame.

"I had just come into Falkreath. T'ey needed some help working the mill, and I t'ought it would be somet'ing safe. Somet'ing I could do. When I saw the little girl, I was just… I could feel it coming on. I could taste the… I needed to hunt. But this pitiful, limited body wasn't meant for hunting. Slow. No claws. Weak, mashing teeth for chewing cud. I held in my rage as long as I could but it boiled inside of me." He held his arms out, as though holding something between his hands. "She looked so fragile. Helpless prey. And then…" He shook his head and began to claw at his hair a moment before his arms went limp at his side.

"I… I feel terrible about what happened. About what I did. Maybe it'd just be best for everyone if I was gone. But I don't want to just…give up, and roll on my back like an old dog."

"Why didn't you leave before then? Before you had a chance to harm her or anyone else?" Yang demanded to know. The man had no answer, and she shook her head in disappointment, then continued. "If the ring made it harder to control yourself, then why didn't you get rid of it?"

"I wanted to, but the curse… I can't take it off." Cautiously, he held out his hand. Yang looked at the ring on his middle finger then reached through the bars and grasped it. For a moment the ring didn't even budge, then it slipped off easily. Sinding fell back into the pit with a splash while Yang looked at her hand. Rather than in her palm, the ring had somehow slipped itself onto her ring finger.

"What the…" She tried to pull it off, only to find that it was completely stuck. She even went so far as to put the finger in her mouth and try to pry it off with her teeth.

"The ring! It…passed to you." He seemed astonished, not to mention relieved.

"How?" Yang asked, ceasing her attempts to liberate her finger.

"I don't know, but I've an idea. That ring is Hircine's, t'rough and t'rough. If you're a werewolf, then maybe he'd prefer it be yours."

"I don't need a ring for control! I already have good control!" Yang protested, and Ruby put her hand on Yang's shoulder.

"Yang, calm down!" Ruby tried, only for Yang to turn to her with her teeth bared, causing Ruby to jump back. A second after, she stopped, and had a horrified expression on her face.

"No, no, no! There must be a way to get this thing off!"

"I've tried, but the only way I could see is to commune with Hircine directly."

"Well, how, exactly, do I do that?" Yang asked.

" T'ere's a way to gain his audience. I've been looking for it, myself. It's why I came to Falkreath in the first place. There's a majestic and huge white stag roaming these lands. It's said that Hircine will commune with whoever slays it. I tracked it to these woods, but then I had my…accident with the child."

Yang looked at the ring balefully and then back up at Sinding. She let loose a deep growl, and Ruby was certain she saw fur sprout along her face like mutton chops for a moment, only to recede.

"You're sure that'll work?"

"Almost certainly. Seek out the beast. He wanders these woods. Bring him down and…well, the Lord of the Hunt should smile on you." He began to back away, letting the dim moonlight cover him. "I wish you luck, but I should leave here while I still have my skin."

"What are you-?"

Both girls watched as reddish brown fur sprouted out of the man's body as his shape changed to that of a werewolf. Yang's eyes widened when she realized the lycanthrope was much bigger than almost any other she had seen save for Farkas. The beast let loose a short roar before jumping up and grasping the edges of the wall. The girls heard guards running down and moved out of the way as they went up to the cage, looking up the pit to see Sinding as he topped the cell.

"By the gods," one muttered before making the symbol of dragon wings over his chest. The others immediately ran back outside, yelling about an escaped werewolf.

* * *

Yang looked at the ring on her finger and felt the beast within her raging about. She definitely had a grip on it, though she could see how someone might have had their will overtaken by something like this. It didn't excuse him, though. It just explained it.

' _A wild werewolf on the loose, a cursed ring stuck to me,'_ she thought before looking over to where her sister and Zora were talking about having to go up to someplace called The Bloodlet Throne, where apparently Zora's sister was trapped within a crystal. _'A witch, who can't say one nice thing about anyone, leading us to a den of vampires.'_ She picked up her scroll, only to see that no new messages had come. _'And no news.'_

She put the device away as Lydia came up to where she was sitting.

"Are you all right?"

"Not really. I've got a mess of problems, and the one I want to fix the most I can't even help with." She folded her arms and then looked up at the waning moons. Secunda was nearly gone, but Masser still had a fair amount of crescent left.

"When my father was dying," Lydia began, "he used to stay up most of the night, groaning in pain. He wouldn't be able to fall asleep until well past midnight." Yang looked over to the housecarl, who was still watching over her charge as Ruby and Zora tried to get through Marigoth's near-constant barrage of insults in order to get the information that they needed. "I tried all kinds of things. I'd buy medicines. I would make some herbal drinks. Nothing ever really helped. Eventually, I would just stay by his side and talk him through it, just let him know I was there." She shook her head at that. "When he finally did pass, he looked more peaceful than he had in over a year. It wasn't until I felt how cold he was that I realized that it wasn't because of a good night's sleep."

Yang sighed. "Thanks for trying, but I don't know how that's supposed to help me."

"All I'm saying is, there's nothing we can do sometimes. Sometimes a disease can't be cured, and we have to just do our best. Sometimes we don't have the skills to heal others, and so we have to trust those who do. Whether you're here with us, or up in Winterhold sitting right next to her, whatever happens will happen, and there's no changing that."

For a long moment, the two stood in silence. Yang nodded and looked out over the town.

"It's not gonna stop me from worrying."

"I know. Just don't let it control you."

A moment later, Yang felt her scroll vibrate. She took it out and opened it to see a new message from Weiss.

 _Onmund just said Blake's woken up. I'm going to go see her. Will call you in a moment._

Yang almost cried out, but caught herself as tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes. She suddenly spun around and threw her arms around Lydia's neck. The housecarl stood stiff for a moment, then awkwardly hugged her back and patted her shoulder.

"…There, there."

* * *

"You know, I take it back. If anyone's a mannequin it's your stiff of a bodyguard," Marigoth grated as the group went uphill. Lydia just rolled her eyes while everyone else internally sighed. So far, the only one she hadn't insulted was Valdimar, and no one was quite sure why he was spared her biting abuses. Lydia personally thought it was either fear or attraction, possibly both. She could definitely understand both. "Are you even leading us the right way, child?" she suddenly shot at Ruby.

"Wait, shouldn't you be leading us there?" Yang asked.

"I've never been there. I just gave your little sister the directions my girls gave me."

Everyone turned to look at Ruby, who bashfully looked away while pushing the tips of her fingers together.

"I thought I had it this time," she bemoaned.

"Ruby, you know how terrible you are with directions." Yang sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"I know, but I tried really hard this time! I went over the directions three times, even though trench-face over here kept talking about how dumb I was, then I went to the Jarl's loghouse and double-checked with the Legion's cartographer, and studied the path for close to an hour."

"Well, we are on the right mountain," Lydia pointed out.

"As opposed to what? The ones leading to Orsinium?" Marigoth griped. Yang growled, but Ruby stopped her.

"Well, maybe someone can help us out. There's a house right ahead," Ruby pointed out while gesturing toward a small wooden house just a little higher than them, sitting right next to a waterfall. She walked along the small stream fed by the falls, leading up to the house with the procession just behind her. However, she stopped dead when she came level with where the house was. Everyone else caught up to her and saw it as well. What they thought was smoke from a small fire turned out to be a pair of smoldering corpses, blackened beyond recognition and still hot in places. Ruby walked over to them and looked them over, but there was nothing that could be told other than that the two had been cowering in fear at the time of their deaths.

"Well, someone hasn't had a good day," Marigoth observed. Yang walked up and looked into the house, which had been mostly spared from whatever had burned the people, save for some scorching on the side. She saw a note on a table and picked it up to read it. After taking a sniff of the air, she nodded grimly.

"Dragon," she told the others while handing the note over to Lydia, who then passed it to Zora after reading it.

"He thought it would leave them alone if they left it alone. Apparently, the dragon did not feel the same way."

"All the more reason for us to get out of here then," the witch argued, but Ruby had already taken the note and then looked further up the mountain. She started walking, and everyone followed after her, though Marigoth did so begrudgingly. "Don't tell me you're seriously planning to look for the damned thing!"

"I know where it is," Ruby said with confidence.

"And what? You going to whack it with that box of yours?"

In response, Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and fully unfolded the scythe, causing the witch to stumble back with a yelp.

"Don't call her a box." As she placed the weapon back, the group came upon a set of ancient steps that reminded a few of them of the steps around ancient ruins and even those leading up to High Hrothgar. These instead led past an ancient stone arch and then to the mouth of a cave, which Ruby stepped into fearlessly, not even pausing as she cast a Candlelight spell. Immediately they could all see piles of bones and skeletons decorating the place. Yang took a sniff of the air and gagged.

"Troll ahead," she warned.

Ruby went ahead and readied Crescent Rose, then, recalling their time at the Labyrinthian, she set the weapon to its warscythe mode, the blade pointed parallel to the staff. As they went around a corner, they saw a large, blue and white troll gnawing the flesh off of a bone. As it took notice of them, Ruby dashed forward and sliced her scythe across its belly. As the troll backed up and roared in pain, she turned and brought her weapon around, chopping into its mouth and slinging its face around. As it turned back towards her with its jaw hanging loosely on one side, a fireball came up and smashed into the creature, sending it across the cavern while immolating it. Ruby turned to look back at Marigoth, who was still wearing her ever-present sneer.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Nothing," Ruby responded as she continued on, exiting the cave onto a snowy mountainside. As she dispelled her candlelight, several goats walked up to look at the humans passing through before going back down the mountain. More stairs led from the cave, letting the group know that the placement of the others had been no accident, and this time they led to a clear area where on the far end a curved in wall stood with ancient writing upon its surface, and a dragon perched upon it, seemingly asleep. The dragon was mostly green with a blue underbelly and a single, large horn on its nose.

"Dragon!" Ruby shouted out, frightening everyone with the sudden outburst. Both Marigoth and Valdimar seemed nervous, while Zora was watching the dragon with wide eyes. The creature shifted and looked up before growling.

" **Bah! You trespass, mortals! How did you come upon this place?"**

"I saw those people you killed! The ones just on the other side of the mountain!" Ruby called out without a shred of fear.

The dragon shook his head and shifted his footing. **"They became too bothersome. Too close to hofkiini, and now you are too knowledgeable. I must destroy you all. Krosis."**

"You aren't sorry. Not yet. **Nunon fen kos**!"

The dragon's neck arched back as he looked at Ruby in surprise. **"You…are Dovahkiin?"** For a moment, he nervously shifted his feet, but then his eyes narrowed. **"But you cannot yet be too powerful. Yes, this may be a perfect opportunity."** He stood up and spread his wings out **. "Dovahkiin, you face Krahfaassik! Luv ahrk oblaan!"** The dragon leaped up and took to the air. As he began to turn around, a block of ice and ball of fire flew from the hands of the battlemage and witch, both exploding against him as they impacted. The dragon roared out and then looked down at the group of fighters as though second guessing himself.

" **Fo Krah Diin!"** he Shouted at the mages. Both summoned up magical wards to block his breath attack, but both were pushed to the limit. A pair of arrows flew out and hit his cheek, cutting off his Shout and making him look to see Lydia and Zora with a pair of bows taking aim. However, the mages were already back on the offensive as well. He turned mid-air to dodge another Hailstone, but Marigoth's fireball then exploded against his face, sending him careening back down.

"Hit the deck!" Ruby yelled as she and Yang jumped out of the way. The dragon's forward momentum caused his crash to keep pushing him forward, digging a trench in the mountain's frozen ground. As he began to pick himself up, Yang took out her axe and charged towards his head.

"Take this!" she screamed before bringing the dwarven axe down on his neck behind the skull. He hissed out as his flesh was split and tried to drag himself away from the woman. "Not so tough against people who can fight back, huh?"

" **N- niid! I was only protecting myself!"**

"From what? A couple of farmers? A set of hunters?" Yang asked and ripped the axe from the serpentine neck. Krahfaassik, rather than attack, attempted to back away.

"Your soul is as your name, Krahfaassik," Ruby growled out as she approached. "I can already see it in your eyes. You're the one who feels fear, skulking in the dark, cold to the suffering of others. You were afraid they'd inform people of how to get to where you hide, but I only came up here because of them." Ruby spun her scythe and held it behind her before getting into a runner's crouch, her pupils turning to slits. " **Luv ahrk oblaan!** "

The dragon seemed to back away in fear as the humans closed in on it. He looked about and then unleashed a fiery breath at them before taking off towards the mountain behind the wall. He started clawing up the mountain diagonally, heading towards the top. Ruby immediately sped after him, catching up within a second and then hooking her scythe under his throat. As the dragon looked at her in fear, another fireball exploded against his back and Ruby clamped on before turning.

" **Wuld Nah**!" she Shouted, shooting forward and dragging him off the cliffside while cutting into his neck. He smashed against the ground again, this time with Ruby stabbing her scythe into his shoulder.

"Yang, left flank! Lydia, jump pad! Zora, the roof!"

Dazed, the dragon went to pick himself up, only to feel Yang chopping into his left leg, severing muscles and tendons. As he tried to turn, Ruby twisted Crescent Rose, causing further pain in his right shoulder. He roared out in agony, and Zora stabbed forward with Lydia giving her a boost from her shield held at an angle. Her sword pierced into the roof of his mouth by several inches. He pulled away, but the blade was lodged in and was yanked from Zora's grasp, preventing him from closing his mouth.

"Pin it down! **Fo!** "

A pair of frost spells and the Frost Breath of the Dragonborn hit his neck as Yang and Ruby shoved his head down. Ruby then jumped over and held her foot down on his bottom jaw, with the only action Krahfaassik had left being to move his left wing.

" **Aa- aaz,"** he begged pitifully, struggling to speak with his mouth forced open. **"Aaz. Gahvon."**

" **Ni aaz fah munax!** " Ruby spat out. His eye began to open wide as Ruby took a deep breath.

" **Fus! Ro! DAH!** " she Shouted directly into his open maw, sustaining the last word as her foot pressed down. His left wing whipped around frantically as the top half of his head was pushed back and his right leg kicked up dirt, scrambling to pick him up, but before he could gain any purchase his head was forced back too far and suddenly lurched back with a sickening crack. His body went still, and then conflagrated before being absorbed by Ruby, who stood in place for a long moment before lifting her boot from out of the dead dragon's skull. She looked back at Marigoth, who was watching her with wariness and possibly more than a little fear. Silently, she walked towards the Word Wall and looked upon the Dovahzuul inscription, reading it to herself. As she did, the word **Raan** , animal, stood out to her.

"Rest well, Savirra," Ruby respectfully bowed as she took in the tale of the noble steed. She then walked back to the others, stopping right in front of Marigoth.

"Where is the place, again?"

* * *

The group finally came upon the old, abandoned Imperial fort a little ways into the afternoon. As they pushed through the door, Yang smelled the air and winced.

"Yep. Vampires. Also, a lot of corpses. A…lot of them," she got out before gulping, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Yang, are you all right? You look- Gah!" Ruby was suddenly wrapped into a hug before Yang started nuzzling her with her face. "Stop it!" she squeaked out. "Now's not a hugging time!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry, but…I-" Yang winced, and Ruby saw her canines all growing while the rest of her teeth went sharp. "Really…want out!"

"What in Oblivion are you doing?" Marigoth demanded after she walked in to see Yang holding Ruby in a crushing grip. The blonde let her sister go and turned towards the witch, who backed up as Yang's body began expanding.

"I'm…getting really tired of you!" the werewolf deeply growled out as her fur began to show up. Zora, who had been a little ahead, turned around and gasped, and then the two housecarls walked in.

"What's going on?" Valdimar asked before stopping as he took in the sight of Yang's transformation. He stared in morbid fascination as her limbs stretched, her bones cracked, snapped, and lengthened, and her muscles expanded dramatically. To him, it looked agonizing, but Yang seemed to power through it.

"I think it's that cursed ring," Ruby explained. "It's making Yang transform."

"Hey, who's up there?" a voice called out. Yang turned her attention to the voice just as her armor fell off and her underclothes were ripped away. She growled, and, the moment a pale-skinned woman came around a corner and looked up at the balcony they were on, she pounced.

"Yang!" Ruby objected, before recalling how she had smelled corpses on top of the scent of vampires. While she would have preferred waiting until guilt was proven, there was nothing she could do to stop her sister from mauling the vampire. As the others walked down, Yang hacked up what she had attempted to eat, and then started licking some moss as if to get the taste out of her mouth.

"Uh, little gem, has your sister…always been a werewolf?" Zora nervously asked.

"No, it's pretty recent," Ruby explained. "But she has been as long as we've known you."

"…Well, we certainly have our fair share of odd relatives, then."

"I'm pretty sure having a witch for a sister isn't _quite_ the same as a werewolf sister." Yang suddenly started sniffing around, walking over to a fireplace and stopping right before a pair of statues. She growled at them, and then one suddenly burst out, revealing that it had been a gargoyle the whole time. The group scattered as it tackled Yang backwards and the two started grappling, then a trio ran out from further into the keep, two readying spells and one holding a sword. Valdimar and Zora both threw on magic armor before engaging, the housecarl hitting his foe with a blast of frost before going in swinging, while Zora went in with a heavy chop from her greatsword. Lydia blocked a firebolt with her shield, then Marigoth sent a bolt of lightning into the one that threw it. Valdimar smashed the head of his opponent into a wall while Zora skewered hers before tossing him off of her blade. Yang finally managed to stand and held up the gargoyle by its legs before tossing it over and slamming it into the ground. Ruby then came in and smashed its head with the blunt side of her scythe.

"Okay, that was a little crazy," Ruby admitted with a sigh. Yang, however, began sniffing around again. "Ugh, what now?"

"Faint scent," Yang got out. "Familiar. Vampire lord…from the other day."

"Wait, so this is where they came from?" Ruby looked forward, down the hallway that the vampires and their thrall had come from. "Okay then. Definitely evil. Let's go in and put a stop to this group."

"Strange though," Valdimar commented as they began, following after Yang as she led the way like a bloodhound. "The vampires have been mostly concentrated in the northwest."

"This could be their attempt at an expansion," Ruby guessed. "They might have sent a group here for a forward base, planning to move out from the north and the south. If they got a lot of Falkreath under their control, then they'd have one of the main routes to and from Cyrodiil."

"And a chance to get thralls and childers from the ranks of the Legion as they're coming in," Valdimar finished. "Diabolically clever."

"I'm not sure what you're worried about," Marigoth spoke up. "It's not like vampires will be able to keep control for very long if they do succeed in their endeavors. They never do."

"The problem is what happens while they're trying," Ruby pointed out. "They've already killed hundreds of people. Entire families, whole villages, just gone. If they keep going, Skyrim's going to be hurt far more than it already is. Maybe even all of Tamriel."

"Right. And you're the hero, so you have to save the day."

"You're damned right I do!" Ruby declared, surprising the witch. The group then came into a kitchen area, likely where their dead foes had come from. On two plates was a set of unfinished meals that mostly appeared to be uncooked meat soaked in blood. Past the kitchen things became predominantly more frozen. As they came into an open cavern, likely somewhere inside of the mountain, Zora looked up and nodded.

"Don't worry, Joselyn, I'm coming," she whispered.

"Do you think she can hear you? Of course you do. You're a fool!"

' _I am so close to punching this witch in the face!'_ Ruby thought to herself, but remained in control.

Ruby saw two vampires stand up from a table, surprised to see the group coming in.

"Intruders!" one called out as she sent a ball of blue magic at something nearby, which turned out to be an Ohmes-raht Khajiit corpse. As the body became a zombie under the vampire's command, others began to appear from above. A couple of thralls began firing down arrows, while three more vampires and two thralls ran across a tightrope bridge and began heading down the ramps to the lower level. Ruby and Yang both jumped over and went up to meet the incoming forces while the others went to battle the two vampires and the zombie.

Ruby took a second jump, leaping over the five enemies, then twirled around and brought Crescent Rose in an arc that sliced one thrall in half. The other came at her as Yang smashed a vampire into the wall and then smacked another off the ramp into the icy floor below. As Ruby disarmed the last thrall, Yang bit down on the final vampire's head, ripping it off and then spitting it out to the side. Ruby blocked a punch and then kicked the man back. He was then caught by Yang, who bit down into his neck and began ripping into him.

"Yang! No eating people!" Ruby objected. Yang paused and then let the corpse fall to the ground below.

"Hey, watch it with the bodies!" Zora called up before an explosive fireball took out the two archers.

"My bad."

They pushed forward through the icy caves, stopping by a gated in section to quickly loot it. While mostly finding average coins, a few potions, and some scrolls, Ruby also came across a pair of boots with the name "Springheel Jak" carved into the leather on the side.

"These feel enchanted," she stated while handing them over to Valdimar.

"Hm, slowed fall, or something similar, as well as a slight speed boost," he observed.

"So you'd fall slower and run faster?"

"Basically. I'd test them before counting on them to help you outrun a wolf or jump off a cliff."

"Hehe, sure thing," Ruby said as she took them back and then stuffed them into her pack.

They went on, and came upon what looked like a small gladiatorial pit filled with bodies covered in bite marks. Several raised spike cages surrounded them, while a pair of vampires sat above, one looking like an older man while the other was a scantily clad young woman, holding onto his arm and caressing it.

"Look, master, a werewolf!"

"So it seems. This should be interesting." He pushed a lever and then the cages opened, letting out several death hounds. Yang caught one in her claws and immediately ripped it in half. The vampire shot out of his seat at that and then Yang jumped up and roared. The woman fled from her, but the master stood his ground as his form became covered in blood. He burst out into his vampire lord form and the two started battling while everyone else fought off the hounds. Ruby sliced through one and saw her housecarl and Yang's working together to bring down another, and so she jumped up to see if she could assist Yang in some way. Instead, she had to block the sword strike of the other vampire who then fired out her red magic. Ruby felt it draining at her Aura, and so she shoved her back and then kicked out. Ruby then rushed her and brought Crescent Rose around, hooking and slicing through her neck in one motion.

Yang was finding that the older looking vampire lord wasn't any weaker than the one at Whiterun. If anything, he was tougher, but she was still able to beat him around, and his hovering didn't do him half as much good in the enclosed space of a cave. Just as she brought him down and began scratching at his arms while he tried to fend her off, she felt something slowing her down and making her feel weaker. She noticed her arms getting shorter and her fur beginning to disappear. Just as she realized she was turning back, the master vampire grasped her by the throat and came back to his feet. He held her up as she shrunk back down, her feet dangling in the air. She was finding it hard to breath, and the vampire began to laugh as his eyes lecherously traveled up and down her form.

"Well, what a waste. You'd have made a lovely addition to our little family," he said as he lifted his other claw. "Too bad."

Suddenly a black blade sunk into his neck, causing him to drop Yang and fall to his feet. As he was dragged to his knees, his hands futilely reaching for the ebony blade, Yang saw Ruby behind him, pushing down with Crescent Rose impaled through his neck. The younger girl then placed a boot to his back and shoved through, severing his spine. Seconds later, the vampire lord melted away into blood and ash.

"Stay away from my sister," she spat. "Yang, are you okay?" Ruby asked in concern as she threw her cloak around her sister.

"Yeah. I just never turned back that quickly before. I was about to snap his elbow though. Was thinking about shoving his own arm down his throat." She laughed a bit before looking at her hand to see the Ring of Hircine still firmly on her finger. "This thing is just the worst. Rubes, if you see me about to eat someone's heart when this thing pushes me to change, please don't complain."

"Wait, what?" she asked in confusion as the rest of them came up the ramp, Valdimar taking off his pack and passing it to Yang. The blonde opened it up and pulled out a set of yellow clothes.

"Backups, yay!" she cheered sarcastically. "Thanks, Vald." The man nodded and looked away so that she could pull on her clothes, but Zora ended up getting a full view and looked down at herself with no small amount of grief.

"To be blessed with light weight, is to be cursed with a small size." Ruby patted her shoulder in sympathy, while Lydia shrugged.

"Not like they'd do you any good," Marigoth snapped.

"Far more good than _anything_ would go for you."

Once Yang was dressed and wearing Ruby's looted Boots of Springheel Jak, which were only one size too large, they went in further, but found no resistance, likely the last of it being with the master vampire. They then exited out of the caverns and back into a room of stonework, where a large chest sat with a Soul Gem basket podium next to it. Ruby picked up the gem inside of it to see that it was no ordinary Soul Gem. It had energy within it, but not in the way that most Soul Gems did.

"Is that it?" Zora asked. "Is that the crystal?"

"Of course it's the crystal," Marigoth chastised her. "I didn't come all this way to watch you fools tangle with bloodsuckers."

"Bloody hag…" the scarred woman muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. It was my stomach grumbling. I think I might be getting hungry."

"Okay, skipping forward!" Ruby called out. "You said something about getting us inside the crystal to get Joselyn out?"

"Yes, but I can only send two of you. Any more and we risk the crystal shattering, which I don't want. You also don't want it either, as anyone within will end up dead. Maybe worse."

"Yeah, don't want that. Okay, Zora's going, definitely. You want me to go with you?"

"Of course. No offense to anyone in the room, mostly, but you are the one I trust the most, my gem."

"All right then, you both stand still," Marigoth announced as she concentrated on casting. "I'll use the old magic to send you both inside the crystal. As for what you'll find inside, it's anyone's guess. Young people are idiots. Children even more so."

"Wait, what?" Yang asked before Marigoth cast her spell.

Everything went black for a moment before the world came back, only this time Ruby wasn't inside of an old ruined fort, but out in a field in a valley, cotton growing all around, whiter than any she had ever seen before. Amazed, Ruby reached out and touched some of the white, fluffy material. It was softer than any fabric she'd ever felt before. Feeling a little giddy, she began picking a few pieces and held them up to her face before she saw Zora walking next to her.

"By…the gods…Joselyn?" Zora called out to a person that was before them. Ruby looked and saw a young girl, and quickly pocketed the cotton in her hands bashfully.

"Welcome to Zora's Field, sister," the little girl greeted.

"Joselyn…you made this for me?"

"Remember that time mother said it was too warm to go sledding? And I cried, and you cried, and then father got the idea to throw cotton all over the house instead? Then you said we should plant cotton all over the tundra, so that we'd never have a day without snow."

"I remember, sister," Zora answered slowly. "Every day."

"Well, here we are Zora. This is our home. We never have to leave. We never have to cry."

"Joselyn, I-"

"Come on, sis! Let's go play!" Joselyn then turned and ran off into the field, her hand brushing atop the cotton plants.

"What was she talking about?" Ruby asked as she eyed Joselyn. Zora's eyes went soft as she swam in old memories.

"It was so warm that winter," Zora said as Ruby walked over to her and Joselyn ran and giggled. "Riverwood didn't see an ounce of snow. It all seems so foolish now, when Skyrim is so cold. The truth is I never really cared much for snow. I love bright colors. I only pouted because it meant so much to her." Joselyn stopped and looked back at them, seeming to notice Ruby for the first time. "And maybe part of me wanted to be that sister again. The one who pretended to care about nothing, to protect the things that meant everything." Zora looked over to Ruby with a sad smile. "The day we met…I lied to you. I was on my way to the tundra, but it wasn't for Zora's Field. It was always for Joselyn.

"Now I know why she joined that coven. It was all for this. She wanted to be a child again. She wanted that feeling of home, but in a place where all the bad memories don't exist. Somewhere far away from Riverwood. This place… It's perfect…"

"Zora," Ruby began choking on her own words before she cleared her throat. "We can't stay here. It's not…" She looked out over the field and took a deep breath before releasing it, seeing the dragons flying around the pillar in her soul. She took another breath, and centered on something deeper.

"The real world hurts," she said plainly. "It hurts us all the time. Whenever we slip and scrape a knee. Whenever we push ourselves too hard and pull something. Whenever someone says something unkind. Whenever someone hits us." Zora reached up and touched her scar. "It all hurts, but it's also real. No one wants to hurt. Everything we do in life is to try and minimize our own pain, but sometimes it's not the pain others give us, but the pain we put ourselves through that's the worst of all." She looked out across the field at an increasingly panicking Joselyn.

"The idea for this came from a good place, but also a wounded one. Joselyn wants the best for you, but in trying to make an ideal world, she's cut herself off from everything. And maybe that means no one outside can ever hurt you, but that also means you'll miss everything. If there's only you and her in the world, then that's really it. And if it's only her… Dreams may be pleasant, but they're temporary, fleeting, and easily forgotten. You both remember that day, but it became special not just because of the cotton and your promise, but also the sadness you felt before it all ever happened."

Zora winced, a tear leaking from her eye. She began to walk forward, and stopped a few feet away from her sister.

"Joselyn…dear…I know at times I've been a bad sister. I should've been there for you when all I cared about was myself. And I know you're sorry about what happened that day. This field, this place… You want to go back to when all of our memories were beautiful." Zora took in a shaky breath at that. "But sister…we can't. As much as we treasure them, those days are gone, but so is every day we grew apart. I love you, Joselyn. Please, come home."

The child seemed to shake as she clenched her fists. "No! I'm not leaving! You're not leaving!" She began to float as fire formed around her. "You're not my real sister! You're someone else!"

She suddenly disappeared as flames began to sprout up, revealing fire atronachs, only with black handprints across their face similar to Zora's scar. The Breton quickly took out her sword while Ruby drew Crescent Rose. As most of them focused on Zora, she burst through the flames, a resolute look on her face as she went through unscathed before swinging for one of them. Ruby sliced through one, then jumped away, remembering what Weiss had warned her about concerning atronachs. As her opponent exploded, she went after another one and took it down. Zora fought furiously, but there seemed to be a sort of desperation to it. Recalling where they were, Ruby realized that Zora's sudden fireproof ability might have been the effect she was having on the world, and thus herself.

With the last one down, they heard a gate open and looked to see one had appeared at the far end of the field.

"Joselyn!" Zora cried out as she ran towards the structure while sheathing her blade. Ruby ran after her, tucking away her own weapon as she entered into what looked like the inside of an old building. At the end, Zora was leaned over the form of a woman in ragged clothing lying in the fetal position on top of an altar. The woman looked up and blinked.

"Zora?" she asked.

"Don't worry, sister. I'm here," Zora comforted the true form of Joselyn.

"I'm so sorry," she cried. Zora reached forward and brushed her hair back.

"Don't be." She smiled, and after a moment, so did Joselyn. The younger sister nodded, and slowly began to sit up.

"Thank you for… for coming to get me. Give me a moment… I can take us home. Our real home."

"All right." Zora nodded. "When you're ready."

Everything went black almost instantly, as though every possible light source had been cut off, and then Ruby's feet hit stone as the half-cave half-room came back.

"So does that mean they're all… Oh, hey!" Yang called out when she noticed their return.

"Joselyn, are you okay?" Zora asked her sister, who had reappeared in a black robe. "Can you walk?"

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"Are you sure, girl? Are you sure you're not better off crawling around like a newborn babe? Isn't that the life you prefer?"

"Oh. My. God! Read the room, Marigoth!" Yang shouted at the witch.

"Marigoth?" the mage asked in surprise as she started cowering behind her sister. "Zora, w- what's going on?"

"Don't worry, my foolish apprentice, your whetstone of a sister hasn't betrayed you. You're the only traitor here. All I want is what's mine."

"Suddenly, I'm feeling hungry for some goat roast…" Zora said while looking over at Ruby, who sighed, even as Yang silently begged to be let loose from behind the witch's back.

"Maybe later, Zora," Ruby said as she lifted up the crystal from the place she picked it up from last time. "Take it and get out of here. I don't want to ever see you again."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," she said as she took the crystal in hand. "I'll gladly take my leave of the lot of you. As for you, my foolish apprentice, be thankful you're alive. But if I ever see you again, you won't b-UrGK!"

The woman fell to her knees and clutched her belly after Ruby's fist left it. After a futile moment, warm bile erupted from her mouth, specks of blood visible among the sea of green.

"Maybe I should be a bit more clear," Ruby hissed out before she picked the witch up by her throat. "If you _ever_ threaten anyone me or my friends care about, I will drag you up the nearest mountain and Shout you off the side. And that's if I happen to feel patient." She dropped the woman, who quickly found her footing and scurried away. "And If I _do_ ever see you again, I'll make sure your face comes out matching a topographical map of High Rock." Without saying another word, Ruby turned around and left, the others not far behind. They could hear the whimpering of the witch grow fainter behind them until it finally disappeared.

"Nice hit, sis," Yang complimented Ruby.

"Thank you," Ruby replied, still fuming.

"Your friend is….scary," Joselyn whispered to Zora as they exited the fort together.

"Oh don't worry. The little gem will calm down in a moment."

* * *

After climbing back down the mountain to Falkreath, the group sought out different means of getting some much needed rest the next day. Yang was still on edge, between being worried about the next ring-induced transformation and Blake's health, and so gave Valdimar a set of orders to limit her and got herself some mead from Dead Man's Drink. Suddenly her scroll vibrated, and she took it out and smiled to see that the call was from Blake's scroll. She answered and smiled brightly when she saw her partner.

"You rang?"

"Hey, Yang. Sorry I didn't call earlier. We, uh, got sort of busy." Blake looked guilty. Yang supposed almost dying would do that to a person.

"The only kind of busy you better be is busy resting." When the Faunus didn't answer and looked away, Yang raised an eyebrow. "Blake?"

"Well, the good news is we saved M'rissi and Isael's come down with a bad case of death."

"While those are very good things, I'm going to assume that you went and put yourself in the line of fire for it, and that does not make me happy."

"Look, I'm totally healed up and everything. Collette herself gave me a clean bill of health. I still need some checkups to make sure everything's okay, but we're almost certain it's all behind me."

"It's not behind me. Just a couple days ago I was worried sick you could die at any moment." Yang paused. "Wait, hold on. You said that was _the_ good news. What's the bad news?"

Blake went silent and began to fidget on screen. "Well, we….may have forgotten to…check for that information…while we were in the Thalmor Embassy."

Yang pressed the bottle to her head and sighed. "I can't believe you sometimes," she said before taking a big draught.

"One more for this hour," Valdimar reminded her as he flipped a page in his book.

"Yeah, yeah, I know Valdi."

* * *

 **Bah! - Wrath! (A way of expressing annoyance or anger)**

 **Hofkiini - My home**

 **Nunon fen kos! - But (you) will be!**

 **Luv ahrk oblaan - Weep and then perish (Alternatively, Cry and die)**

 **Aaz - Mercy**

 **Gahvon - Surrender**

 **Ni aaz fah munax! - No mercy for (the) cruel/merciless!**


	36. It's a Dog's Life

As Ruby waved goodbye to Zora and Joselyn leaving for Riverwood, Lydia looked over to the elder sister, who was stretching out in the sunlight. Taking a deep breath, the housecarl walked over to her.

"Yang?" she asked, nervousness apparent in her voice.

"Hey, what's up Lydia?" Yang replied, already suspecting what the question on the housecarl's mind was.

"Do you think you can call up Weiss and Blake? I want…to see if they'll be okay with you unlocking my Aura."

Yang turned fully to her, a ghost of a smile on her face.

"All right. Let's go get Ruby and call them up." Yang walked over to get her sister with Lydia close behind. After a few minutes of preparation, Yang dialed Weiss' number, and she and Blake quickly appeared on screen.

"Yang? What's up?" Weiss asked, Blake peering over her shoulder.

"We have a question for you. Or actually, Lydia does. Lyd?" Yang handed the scroll over to Lydia, who took a deep breath.

"I want Yang to unlock my Aura." Lydia declared with absolute certainty. Both Blake and Weiss' eyebrows shot upward and they looked at each other, a nervous expression on their faces.

* * *

Weiss and Blake couldn't really argue with Lydia's points or Ruby's about how if anyone could be trusted, it was her. In the end, they conceded and said that they were fine with unlocking Lydia's, both so they could confirm whether or not it could even be done, and, if it could, to allow her to better help and protect Ruby.

"Okay, so, this is a bit of a big moment," Yang said as she side-jumped a few times and limbered up her arms. Ruby blinked with an annoyed expression as she held up her scroll, the camera pointed at her sister and Lydia, both of their teammates on the other end of the call, ready to observe.

"Really?" Blake asked in a flat, unamused tone.

"Hey, cut me some slack! I've never done this before," Yang defended herself.

"It's not like it's a strenuous physical activity," Weiss countered.

"Well, according to Pyrrha, it can be tiring."

"When did that happen?" Ruby tilted her head.

"I overheard Pyrrha talking about it with Jaune back in the first semester after the whole 'Cardin' thing." Yang revealed as she lunged forward. "Decided to butt in, and in that little talk, I learned more about the technique than in three years at Signal. No idea why it came up in the first place, but I'm not complaining." A silence descended over the group.

"Are we…?" Lydia tested before Yang stopped and took a deep breath and clapped her hands.

"Alright. Let's do it!" She pumped her fist, and Lydia nodded.

Yang walked over to Lydia, reached out, and placed one hand on her temple, and the other over her heart. For a minute everyone stood still and remained silent, as Lydia tried not to fidget at the intimate position.

Suddenly Yang's pupils dilated before she closed her eyes, and a slight glow enveloped them both. The sounds of nature faded away around them as a pressure exerted itself upon the world. Yang spoke, even as her voice only sounded as a whisper, yet somehow heard loud and clear. Lydia then realized that her shield-sister's words were reverberating from _within_ her.

" **For it is with dedication that we find our purpose,** " Yang began to chant. " **Through this, we become guardians of the innocent and a beacon for all. Infinite in strength and unbound by fear. I uplift your soul, and by my hand, illuminate thee.** "

The glowing stopped, and Yang took a step back as the ritual ended. Lydia stood in place a while longer, looking at her arms while clenching and opening her fists.

"Did it work?" Ruby asked. Yang took out her own scroll and hovered it over Lydia, grimacing as she did.

"I'm not getting a reading." Yang shook her head, her eyes turning blue.

"I… I certainly feel different," Lydia objected. "You did _something_."

"Maybe Yang didn't finish?" Ruby suggested.

"Sheesh, I know I made the "first time" comparison, but I didn't think it'd be that similar," Yang muttered while rolling her eyes. She tapped her scroll a few times and hummed. "My Aura did dip, so I did something in there."

"Yes. I'm telling you, something's different. Like a muscle I never felt before being touched."

"That could be a placebo effect," Weiss suggested before shaking her head. "Regardless, we would get a reading if an Aura was unlocked."

"Maybe Auras on Nirn work different?" Lydia was reaching at this point, and Yang frowned.

"Well, there's one way to test it."

"How-?" Yang suddenly punched Lydia's shoulder. "Ow!" the woman cried out as she reached up and rubbed the sore spot. "Could have at least given me some warning…"

"Yeah, nothing seems too different. Well… I guess that's that. At least you didn't explode." The housecarl didn't seem comforted by that, and remained silent for a moment. "Hey, it's okay. Tell you what, after I figure this ring situation out we'll go training together. You might not be at our level, but you're still plenty badass."

"Thank you, I suppose."

* * *

Ruby could feel the sadness rolling off of Lydia all the way to the old Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary and back. With Lydia depressed, Zora and Joselyn headed back to Riverwood, and Yang gearing up to hunt the White Stag, Ruby was beginning to feel a little lonely. Just as she started thinking about doing something to get Lydia out of her funk, a guardsman patrolling the road waved her down.

"Excuse me, have you seen a dog on the road?" he asked.

"Uh, I don't think so." Ruby looked at Lydia, and she shook her head as well.

"Drat!" The guard kicked at the ground. "Starting to think that mutt's long gone."

"Did somebody lose their dog or something?"

"No." He shook his head. "Local blacksmith saw one while he was out. He's offering a reward for anyone that can bring it to him."

Ruby hummed and then looked back down the road. Twirling her fingers, she felt the magicka temporarily weave itself under her instruction.

"Where's the blacksmith at?"

"You can find him easy. Just follow the hammer sounds, ask for Lod."

"Thank you, sir." Ruby waved at the guard as she and Lydia headed back into the town, the beginnings of a plan coming together. Surely, a simple mission to find a dog would help distract her housecarl from her worries. After all, who doesn't like dogs? Well, Blake didn't, but in Ruby's opinion she was weird like that.

* * *

The noontime sun burning overhead, Yang followed the scent of the White Stag, having found white tufts of its hair from before. Valdimar had decided to abstain, as hunting wasn't really something he was good at, and remained behind to work on a few things like gathering supplies and crafting some potions with the vampire dust they recovered. Apparently, the ashes and dust that came from the crumbled hearts of dead vampires were useful in making invisibility potions and could even be used to make a cure for the vampiric diseases. At least until the disease fully incubated, afterwards it was about as effective as water.

The woman stopped as she saw fresh hoof prints in some of the softer ground. She sniffed at the air and quietly walked forward before peering around a bush, stopping dead in her tracks. The creature she saw was perhaps the largest deer she had ever laid eyes upon. A few does were nearby as well, as was a younger buck that was probably only a spike a little earlier in the year. The White Stag towered over all of them, its shoulder higher than Yang's head. It was beautiful, majestic even.

 _'_ _Time to kill it_ ,' Yang immediately thought. _'_ _Geez, I feel like one of those Atlesian dentists hunting in Vacuo._ _I see a magnificent creature and the first thing I think is how to kill it. Oh well._ _'_

Slowly, she pulled up her bow and drew back an arrow. Ears flickered about as the deer all seemed to hear her movements, but she already had the arrow ready by the time any of them began to move. She released it, and for a split second time seemed to slow as it flew at her target. However, the White Stag seemed to sense it and reared up, the arrow flying beneath his chest and into the woods. The small herd scattered, and the White Stag charged out of the clearing at breakneck speed.

For a long moment, Yang stood in stunned silence. When she finally snapped out of it, she looked toward where the Stag had run off to and growled.

"Oh, you are not getting away from me that easily!" She took off after the Stag's trail, bow in one hand and arrow in the other, going as fast as her legs let her. She saw the deer ahead, which turned to look at her. She drew and fired the arrow quickly, but the Stag turned out of its way and ran in a new direction. Growling, Yang tried to fire again, only to lose sight of it in the underbrush.

"Okay! You wanna play like that!" Yang tossed the bow and quiver aside and was about to let her transformation take hold, only to pause and look down at herself. Thinking a little clearer, she went over to a tree and hung up her pack on a low-hanging broken branch. She undressed, constantly checking to make sure the impossibly low chance of someone stumbling upon her didn't come to pass, then packed away her clothes. She focused on changing, stumbling only a little as her legs shifted form. The full process went quickly this time, and then Yang was ready to pursue her prey once again. She scratched a tree nearby and rubbed her face against it to ensure her scent stuck around, and then took off after the White Stag's trail.

This time, she caught up to the beast within moments, but the Stag took off again with her on its tail. As she gave chase, she felt elation within her when the distance seemed to close, only for the Stag to suddenly change direction. Yang slammed into a tree, breaking up part of it before pushing herself off and then going back on the chase. Again she was able to close the distance, but then the Stag ran up a hill and jumped from the top. Yang pursued it, only to trip over a large, rocky gap just past the hill's top. She regained her footing and went back at top speed. Wiser to the Stag's tricks, she watched the path in front of it as much as her prey itself. She saw it heading towards a rocky wall before turning, and Yang jumped up, hitting against the wall with her feet and jumping back off.

So much closer now, Yang salivated at the thought of catching the Stag. She nipped at its heels, trying to catch them, but then received a sudden kick in her face. Completely taken off-guard, Yang stumbled for a moment before finding her footing and taking off once again. Rage and a competitive spirit shouted in her mind as she ran after the White Stag. It started going through rockier ground, but, playing to her advantages, Yang jumped up at the side of a tree and pushed off of it, heading towards another that she pushed off of as well. Using her clawed hands to gain grips and her powerful legs to send her forwards, Yang was able to circumvent the whole of the rock-filled portion of forest and close the distance even more. As she leaped at her prey, fully convinced she had it at last, the deer turned and aimed its sharp antlers up at her. Thinking quickly, Yang shot her hands forwards and grabbed onto the antlers while her feet shot around and dug into the Stag's neck.

Letting out a pained bellow, the White Stag slung its head to the side, throwing Yang off. The werewolf rolled to her feet and jumped back at the Stag, clamping her jaws around its neck and grasping with both of her claws. The White Stag struggled, trying to kick her away with its front hooves, but Yang only dug in even further. White and gold fur was stained with red as her claws ripped open part of its side and she brought it to the ground. It still tried to wiggle free, but then the Huntress' claws stabbed into its ribcage. The Stag struggled only a moment longer, and then Yang backed up and howled in victory. As she thought about feasting on her prey, something rose up from the slain deer and formed into a translucent version of the White Stag. The werewolf stood at the ready as the ghostly Stag took a step forward, only to hear a deep laugh.

" _Well met, huntress!"_ A deep voice bellowed from the ghostly stag, sending Yang aback.

" _Wait, what?"_ Yang responded, realizing a moment later both she and the ghostly deer were speaking in werewolf. _"Didn't I just kill you?"_

" _And skillfully, too!"_ It seemed way too happy about it for Yang, creeping her out, but she said nothing. _"I've been watching you for ages, it seems. You have the makings of a fine hunter. With all I have seen, and what I have glimpsed of you, I believe I can proudly make you my champion!"_

" _That's great and all… Wait, you've been watching me?"_

" _I watch over_ all _hunters, especially those bearing my Gift. And you have been exceptional, proving your worthiness even before having gained it."_ The spirit laughed again. _"One part of me even pushed past Vaermina to see to your change. That aspect of me is the welcomer, who greets those with great potential. And you certainly have it, even more than the others. You all call yourselves Huntresses, but while the others train to defend, you've pushed to go forward. You seek the thrill of the hunt! Truly, you are worthy of my gift!"_ At once, Yang understood exactly who she was talking to. This was no stag.

" _So, you_ are _Hircine,"_ Yang declared, and the apparition bowed its head.

" _I am the spirit of the hunt, just one glimpse of the glorious stalker that your kind calls Hircine."_

" _Phrasing,"_ Yang muttered before holding up her hand. _"Okay… Lord Hircine, I ask for your assistance. Please, remove this ring._ _"_ She held up her paw, the silver Ring of Hircine shining on her ring finger. Idly, Yang noticed that the Ring had enlarged itself upon her transformation, but moved on. _"I have control over my form, and wish to live as both a hunter and a member of society."_

" _Hm, I may consider it,"_ the Daedric Prince harrumphed. _"But you must first do a service for my glory."_

" _Hey, I'll take down a wild mammoth bull if it means I don't have to worry about turning in the middle of supper."_

" _While an_ excellent _proposal, it is something to be saved for later."_ Hircine shook his head, actually sounding regretful. _"No, the one who stole this ring has fled to what he thinks is his sanctuary. Just as a bear climbs a tree to escape the hunt, but only ends up trapping himself."_

" _Yeah, that happened once or… Wait a minute."_ Yang felt a creeping horror as she realized what Hircine was asking of her.

" _Seek out this rogue shifter. Tear the skin from his body, and make it an offering to me. Fly, my hunter. There are others who vie for my favor. A bit of competition. Don't dally while the prey flees."_

Before Yang could accept or reject the proposal, the apparition disappeared into thin air. For a long moment, the golden werewolf stood stock still, looking down at the corpse of the White Stag she had worked so hard to take down.

' _Suddenly, I don't feel hungry.'_

* * *

Ruby whistled into the woods before clicking her tongue. "Come here, boy! Come here!" Lydia followed after her with the meat Lod handed them to attract the dog as Ruby followed the trail her Clairvoyance led them on. Ruby had caught glances of her maybe smiling once or twice as they searched for the animal, and she silently congratulated herself for finding something to take Lydia's mind off of the whole Aura failure.

Suddenly, Lydia stopped and looked over. Ruby followed her gaze and smiled. A dog was coming towards them from out of the woods, a Northern Shaggy Hound from the looks of it. It walked up to them, its tail wagging and tongue panting.

"Looks like we found it," Lydia said.

"We sure did. Hey there!" Ruby greeted the animal as it came right up to her. "Hey there, boy? You lost? I bet you're happy we found you, aren't you?"

" _Yep! You are exactly what I was looking for!"_

Both girls went still as the voice touched their minds, the dog now sitting in front of them.

"Lydia?"

"Yes, my Thane?"

"Did the dog just talk?"

"I'm afraid so."

" _There's fire-breathing dragons in the sky, whose souls you've been eating on occasion, and you're surprised about a talking dog?"_ The dog tilted its head. _"_ _Geez, talk about priorities._ _"_

"It's not like I _wasn't_ surprised about the whole dragon thing. Wait, you know I'm the Dragonborn? You were looking for me?"

" _Yeah, you're basically just what I need."_ The dog then went over and started sniffing the meat in Lydia's hands. _"You see, my name is Barbas, and I have a problem I think you can help sort out."_ He started eating it right out of Lydia's hand. _"Mm, how'd you get walrus this far south?"_

"Wait, what kind of problem would a dog need help with?" Ruby asked, wondering if it was something she might have caught or some side effect of all those dragon souls making her hear a dog's voice in her head.

" _My master and I had a, uh, bit of a falling out. We got into an argument and it got rather, uh-eeh, heated."_ Barbas whimpered at that. _"He's kicked me out until I can find someone who can settle our disagreement. That's where you come in."_

"Oh, okay. Not sure what you'd need me specifically for… Then again, I've gotten way better with words the past couple months. Okay, let's go find your master, and I'll talk some sense into him."

" _Thanks a ton. Uh, little warning though, it's kind of a long way there. Luckily, I know a shortcut. Follow me."_

Ruby and Lydia followed after the telepathically talking dog into the woods. At a very large tree, Barbas paused and barked at it before something seemed to open up on it like a mirror, only showing a rocky, snowy area. Cautiously, the two stepped through, and Ruby immediately began to shiver from the cold. Lydia was, once again, unaffected, and Ruby cursed her Nordic heritage.

" _Thank you, again. Now, since he banished me, Vile's been rather weak. He can't manifest far from one of his shrines. There's a cult been worshipping him at Haemar's Shame. We should be able to talk to him there."_

"Your master's name is Vile?" Ruby asked, finding the name weird. Lydia, on the other hand, stopped dead.

"Wait, Clavicus Vile is your master?!" Lydia asked in shock and surprise.

" _What, you didn't know that? What're they teaching kids these days?"_

"Is he important?" Ruby asked.

"Clavicus Vile is the Daedric Prince of power and deals," Lydia explained, subtly placing herself between Ruby and the dog. "People usually make contracts with him for their own gain, but often he tends to turn their wishes against them for his own amusement."

"Wait, so he uses all the room in a wish to make it backfire? Like a monkey's paw?"

"A what?"

" _Yes, like an unlimited, talking monkey's paw. He made that thing to really dig in at that monk guy, but we lost track of it somewhere near the K Signs."_

"Oh, so he _made_ the monkey's paw. Wait, but how did we get that story on Remnant? No, wait, probably makes sense in some way Weiss can figure out. Let's just go on and get Clavicus to take you back."

" _Thanks again. Now, if this works out, I'll make sure you're rewarded. Just don't trust any offer_ he _makes you. Okay?"_

"Careful of the fine print, got it."

As the two followed the dog, Lydia the more reluctant of the two, Ruby began to wonder about where they were headed.

"You said there's a cult. Are they baddies?"

" _Eh, it's all a matter of perspective, really. Though, I should warn you, they're vampires."_

"Bad vampires?" Ruby inquired, and the dog actually paused.

" _Never thought I'd hear a mortal ask that in this century. To be honest, they're hoping Vile will cure them. They've been trying all kinds of offerings, and some of them are starting to wonder if they can offer him mortal sacrifices. A lot of arguing on that point, last I heard."_

"Wait, but if Vile does the whole wish backfiring thing…"

" _Well, they'd stop being vampires if they became something else. And some people consider a stab in the heart a decent cure."_ He walked over a boulder and looked back at the two. _"Alright, we're here. Now, how do you two want to do this? They can't really hurt me without the right tools, but you guys…"_

"I'm gonna talk to them."

"Are you sure that's a wise course of action?" Lydia asked as Ruby started heading over to the cave's mouth.

"Maybe, maybe not. But, if they're really looking for a cure they can't be that bad." She headed inside, seeing the icy caverns around her, reminding her somewhat of the ones under the Bloodlet Throne. As she began to wonder whether or not vampires had an affinity to ice, she came out into a more open space, where a woman in thick furs was waiting at the top of a balcony. She drew an arrow along her bow and aimed right at Ruby.

"Hold, stranger!" the woman demanded. "Master, there is an intruder!"

"I told you, Anne, stop calling me that," another woman's voice came from an adjoined tunnel before a pale blonde showed up. Ruby saw the yellow in her eyes and realized quickly that she was a vampire. "You, what are you doing here?"

"I was bringing something to the shrine of Clavicus Vile. It's kinda important." Ruby gestured with her empty arms. Anne, however, still looked suspicious and turned towards the other woman.

"Should I send her to Sovngarde, Elza?" she asked, only for Elza to narrow her eyes and hold up her hand.

"No, hold on a moment." She pointed to Ruby's torso, indicating Qahpeyt. "That armor, where did you get it?"

"Eorlund Grey-Mane and my sister made it for me."

"From a dragon's hide, correct?" At Ruby's nod, Ezra looked back up to the archer. "Put that bow away, before you get us all killed! We have a guest for Lord Enrik."

"At once, master!" Anne saluted and ran off.

"And stop calling me master! We're sisters, for Mara's sake!" Elza called after her, but Anne said nothing. She sighed. "I apologize for her. Ever since we got turned, she's been like that."

"Sisters. What can you do?" Ruby smiled and shrugged, as did Elza.

"Indeed. You are free to join us."

"Cool. Let me just grab my housecarl and dog."

"Of course, dragonslayer."

* * *

"Wow, so you guys are from all over Tamriel?!" Ruby asked as she followed the sisters deeper into the caverns.

"Indeed, we are. Anne and I are from Skyrim, Jasmin over there from Hammerfell," the Redguard woman in question waved, "and Ella came from Cyrodiil." The blonde Imperial curtsied, a glass dagger dangling off her belt, and Ruby happily repeating the action. Elza smiled. "We have a wide variety of people here. Good people."

"Cool!" Ruby exclaimed as they walked further into the cave, Lydia remaining on of the vampires were watching them warily, but a handful of people were looking at them with dead expressions.

"You have thralls?" Lydia asked, feeling anger rising up.

"Bandits and skooma addicts," Elza explained. "We do try to stay away from decent folk, but we have to feed somehow. If anything, their lives are better off now than before. Lord Enrik has us release them and find replacements every once in a while. They wake up in a field with no memory and enough coin to get through the month, completely cleaned of their poisons and healthy as oxen."

"Arora's bloodline has some sort of mind magic that helps with the memories part," Anne added, pointing to a long haired Nord woman in the corner, currently chatting with a short haired Imperial with black hair. One could easily see the Akaviri in her blood. "Murien's helps us find new ones. Besides, most of the time we just drink animal blood to stave off our thirst. The only mortal blood we drink is the blood of bandits, and no one's going to miss them."

"And how-" Lydia moved to protest, but Ruby's glare stopped her. She sighed, then looked at the vampiric sisters. "Okay, then. Just so long as no one innocent gets hurt."

"We would never dream of it."

The group came up to a room with a large statue at its center. A Breton man stood up from a bench, decked in steel armor lined in bronze. His eyes were actually an icy blue, but seemed to glow with a yellow aura in the low light. Beside him, an elven woman stood, her own eyes mostly a milky color, but with visible green beneath. Her skin was also pale and milky, making Ruby wonder if she was an albino of some sort.

"Greetings. So, you're the Red Dragonslayer we've heard so much about," the man began. "I was expecting someone…taller."

Ruby unconsciously puffed. "Sheesh, I'm not done growing yet."

"The famed dragonslayer is but a child?" another vampire asked. "How frightful can these things be if you're the one bringing them down?"

"Hush, Philliphus," Enrik commanded the other man, who looked away at his glare. "We know how dangerous the dragons can be. Besides, you of all of us should understand that size isn't everything."

Several of the vampires began to laugh, but one did pat Philliphus' shoulder in a comforting gesture, earning a grumbling smile from him. Enrik laughed and shook his head.

"Do not take offense, my lady. It is simply how we've heard the tales." He waved his hand in emphasis. "You'd think yourself a half-Giant that eats dragons for breakfast and kills necromancers for exercise hearing them. I do wonder though, why are you here?" Ruby walked forward, the talking dog trotting beside her.

"I came to see Clavicus Vile. I'm returning his dog." She gestured towards him, and he barked in reply.

"Barbas, the Balance of Power? The Voice of Reason?" Enrik looked over at the dog sitting next to Ruby.

" _Yep, that's me!"_ To his credit, Enrik didn't lose his composure like Ruby and Lydia did. In fact, he actually seemed to grow hopeful.

"Then maybe…not all is lost. Please, young lady, feel free to speak to the Prince of Power." He gestured towards the statue. "Just…see if you can get him to notice us."

Ruby nodded and walked over to the shrine. Slowly stepping closer to the statue, she began to hear a voice letting out a long-winded sigh.

" _Here I was, hoping for some entertainment, but instead everyone's getting along almost perfectly."_ For a moment things were awkwardly silent. _"Wait a minute, I was only trying to speak to you! Why is my voice carrying out?"_

" _That would be her soul, master,"_ Barbas explained as he came over. _"It's sort of…within and without, at the same time."_

" _Well, that's interesting. Don't think I've seen anything like that for a few centuries. Why it seems like… Wait, Barbas, what are you doing here?"_

"He led us here. Mr. Vile, could you please take Barbas back by your side?" Ruby requested, looking up at the statue with her eyes wide and lip at a slight pout, recalling Yang's lessons on how to use her expressions to convince people.

" _Request denied. No deal,"_ the Prince said simply, sending Ruby aback in shock. No one had ever resisted her puppy dog eyes. _"I'm glad to be rid of him. Even if it does mean that I'm stuck in this shrine, in the back end of…nowhere, listening to_ careful _vampires…begging me…for a cure…"_ Vile went silent.

" _Well, perhaps there is a way he could earn his place back at my side. Maybe. But no promises."_

"Okay." Ruby nodded, happy to at least be getting somewhere. "So what should we do?"

" _There's…an axe. An incredibly powerful axe. An axe powerful enough for me to have quite a bit of fun, indeed. If you bring it to me, I'll grant you my boon. No strings attached. No messy surprises. At least, not for you. As I recall, it's resting in Rimerock Burrow. Barbas can lead you right to it. The little mutt might even earn his place back at my side."_

"An axe?" one of the vampires went. "Then maybe…we could be the ones to bring it to him?"

"Hold on, he gave that request to her," a Dunmer woman began.

"So what? If _we_ bring it back, then we should get his boon. We can finally be cured!"

"Did he mean for the no strings thing for whoever, or just me?" Ruby asked Barbas.

" _Knowing my master, it was just you and you alone."_

" _It's not like I can even cure vampirism anyways,"_ Clavicus said before laughing, causing the vampires to all gasp and/or freeze in place. His laughing stopped abruptly, and Ruby could almost feel his metaphysical eyes resting on her.

" _What… Damn your soul's strange construction!"_

"He cannot cure us?" a vampire asked. Vile let out another long sigh.

" _No, of course I can't. At least, not alone. See, your vampirism is Molag Bal's territory. Now, if I went messing with his things, how do you think that's going to affect me? No, I'd rather not risk_ his _ire. You're better off speaking with dear cousin Meridia, or maybe my thorny big brother himself. Tell you what, stick around and I'll give you a way to speak to him directly."_

For a long moment, no one in the cave said anything, then one near the back fell to his knees and started crying. Another man bent down and started patting his back, trying to comfort him. Lord Enrik gripped his face in sorrow.

"We…were so close… After all this time…it was for naught."

The milk-pale elf made some signs with her hands, catching his attention.

"No, I'm afraid not, my dear. I fear…we may never." The pale elf looked crestfallen yet put her hand on his shoulder, attempting to comfort him. He absentmindedly took hold of her hand. Across the room, the other vampires were in similar states of sorrow, and it broke Ruby's heart. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered something.

"Hey, don't be down, guys," Ruby said to them all. "I think I can still help you out."

"How?" a Suthay Khajiit asked. "This one searched all of Elsweyr and Cyrodiil. The Blood Salts were destroyed. The Fountain of Purification was filled with sand. The Healing Hand is lost to time. Dealing with Bal may cure us, but what he has us do may damn us to Coldharbour as well. Ugin would rather live in his curse and avoid the Rape King's hands."

"Do you, perhaps, know a cure?" Anne asked, her voice filled with hope.

"I don't know a cure. I'm sorry." Ruby shook her head, but before Anne could become deflated again, Ruby continued. "But, I have a friend, who has a friend… Or acquaintance? Doesn't matter. But there is someplace you can all go. I don't know where it is, but my friend has an idea." Ruby took out her scroll and brought up Weiss. After a moment, the heiress answered.

"Hello, Ruby. How is everything?" Weiss' voice carried across the cave, shocking everyone. A few got closer out of curiosity, especially the pale elf. Ruby smiled, then turned her attention back to the scroll.

"Hey, Weiss. Is anyone around?"

"I'm actually by myself at the moment." Weiss revealed, the howling wind sounding behind her. "The caravan's setting up camp near the Stonehills. Apparently, the Labyrinthian was mostly cleared of frost trolls and so they're taking advantage of the fact to get to Whiterun sooner. I'm going to assume that was you and Yang when you were passing through, so thank you. What's up?"

"Well, I found a bunch of friendly vampires." Ruby turned the scroll around so that its camera and screen were pointed at the lot of them. "Say hi, Weiss."

"Uh, hello…everyone. How many are there?" Weiss narrowed her eyes, wondering exactly why Ruby was calling her about this.

"There are…twenty-eight of us," Enrik answered as he looked over the scroll in interest. His face scrunched as he recognized the tell-tale vampiric complexion Weiss currently held. "You're a vampire as well?"

"I am. What exactly did you call me for, though?"

"Remember that guy you told me about with the super-secret vampire hideout?"

"Jarmak and Duskfall Haven, yes. Why… Oh!"

* * *

"Today was a good day! I helped a lot of people!" Ruby happily marched out of Haemar's Shame, Barbas and Lydia behind her.

" _Pretty sure it was a capital offense in most provinces."_ Barbas pointed out, to which Ruby stuck out her tongue.

"Well, they can stick it! Those were good people. Desperate in some cases, but still good. Besides, you could just look at them and tell they were like a family. And did you see how much Ariel cared for Enrik? It was adorable!"

"I'm still surprised a Maormer came this far north," Lydia stated.

"Wait, what's a Maormer?"

"The sea elves, or tropical elves, depending on who you ask. They live on the island of Pyandonea, south of Tamriel proper. I hear they have a sort of rivalry with the high elves, but not much new has come out of there for some time. Not since the War of the Isle back in the Third Era, at least."

"Oh, that's neat. I wonder what might be on that island." Ruby tapped her chin in thought.

" _Thunder lizards, toothed birds, and greater toothed birds."_ Barbas answered, directing Ruby's attention.

"What's a toothed bird?"

" _Imagine a bird, but anywhere from the size of me to a little bigger than a mammoth, that doesn't fly. Now give it a mouth full of sharp teeth instead of a beak."_

"Wait, you mean a dinosaur? There are dinosaurs on Nirn?"

"I'm going to assume they're the same thing," Lydia said. "But yes, he is correct. A few species of toothed birds even live in the jungles and forests of Elsweyr and Valenwood. A caravan even brought one around in a cage when I was around your age. Never got to see it, though. Apparently, it was _extremely_ intelligent, and it broke out somewhere in the Rift, but no one's seen it since."

"This sounds like something straight out of Cretaceous Carnival."

"What's that?"

"Movie about an Atlesian industrialist who runs a genetics company and he clones dinosaurs to open a theme park, but things go terribly wrong. Actually spawned a whole franchise, but only the first one was really good. The fourth was _kinda_ good, but that's in comparison to the others, which were okay, but, eh."

"Huh. Sounds interesting." Lydia nodded, thinking that one of these days she'll need to watch these movies Ruby keeps talking about. They continued on following Barbas, a comfortable silence over all of them, until the dog stopped in front of a large boulder and barked at it, opening a portal on its surface.

" _Alright, got us a shortcut! We should be at Rimerock in no time."_ He happily barked and walked through the portal.

"And then we'll get the Rueful Axe and you back to Vile," Ruby said as she stepped through after the dog. "What is this thing anyways?"

" _One of Clavicus's little jests_ _,_ _"_ Barbas began to explain. _"A wizard named Sebastian Lort had a daughter who worshipped Hircine. When the daughter became a werewolf it drove Sebastian over the edge. He couldn't stand to see his little girl take such a bestial form. The wizard wished for the ability to end his daughter's curse. Clavicus gave him an axe."_

"Wow, your master's a real jerk! I guess this axe is silver or does extra damage to werewolves or something like that?"

" _A little bit of both. And yeah, he can be a real stinker sometimes. Still, when people are smart about it he can really help 'em out. And I try to keep him from going too far or giving them an inescapable clause."_

The three came upon a snow-covered wooden bridge and carefully walked across and headed into the cave at the other side. Ruby sighed as she summoned up a Candlelight.

"Always with the caves and the tombs…" she grumbled, and Lydia patted her shoulder.

The group stopped when they spotted a flame atronach up ahead. Ruby watched as the otherworldly being hovered from one end of the room to the other, occasionally landing on its feet for a moment before going back on its patrol.

"Okay… Hey, Lydia. Let me see your bow for a second." The housecarl passed over the weapon and one arrow. Ruby took it up and drew it back, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out before releasing the arrow. The steel-tip pierced the atronach's head, and the elemental fell over. Ruby figured her stealth was secured, but then the fires from within it exploded out.

"Wha…" they heard echo out from the other side. After a moment, a man came from further inside the cave and began investigating the explosion. Ruby, Lydia, and Barbas hid behind some large vases and an overturned table while the man looked over the scene and put out a few fires with frost magic. As he started looking around, Ruby made signal to Lydia, who nodded. As he passed by where they were, Lydia shot up and put him in a headlock. The man struggled for a moment, trying to freeze her arms, but soon his struggling slowed until he went limp in her grasp. She gently laid him down onto the ground then took the dagger from his belt.

"You okay?" Ruby asked, eyeing the frost on her gauntlets.

"He mostly just chilled my armor. I don't think he was much beyond a summoner." Lydia looked down on the unconscious mage and picked him up. "I'm assuming that you don't want us to kill him."

"Not if we can help it, no. Is this Sebastian?" Ruby asked the daedric dog.

" _That's him. I remember the balding spot. The axe should be around somewhere."_ Barbas began to sniff around, seeking out the axe. They headed up the nearby ramp, Lydia carrying the man over her shoulders. Ruby started searching around, but immediately found a silvery axe lying on a stone altar next to some other random things.

"Is this it?" she asked while hefting it. She looked it over in awe, noticing the howling wolf motif on both sides of the double-headed blade and the pure sharpness of its edge. "Oh, this is so cool," she muttered. "Yang could really chop through a troll with this thing."

" _Listen, that axe isn't the only item dear old Clavicus has,"_ Barbas explained. _"Give him the Rueful Axe and once we're reunited, the Masque of Clavicus Vile will be yours."_

"A mask? His boon's a mask?"

" _Yep. This masque is a real thing of wonder, and way more useful to you. Wear it, and you'll find people way more agreeable when you speak to them. Your ability to charm people and convince them to your viewpoint will be doubled."_

"What's the catch?" Ruby immediately asked, and Barbas chuckled.

" _It's a little heavy. Clavicus really went overboard in its latest iteration. Honestly, I liked it better when it was just a simple mask that covered the eyes and cheeks."_

"But what's the real catch? Does it make it impossible to sleep? Do I have to keep it on all the time? Does it choke me every time I blink?"

" _The Masque itself doesn't do anything negative. Well, to the wearer. Anything negative that comes from it is purely through the way it's used. Clavicus originally made it for a disfigured noble girl. She went from being silently abhorred to loved and praised by everyone overnight. She got married to a baron, and a year and a day after the marriage, Clavicus took the Masque back. The baron kicked her out, even though she was way into her pregnancy, but years later their daughter got revenge on him. Vile got a kick out of the whole thing."_

Ruby was a little skeptical on accepting an item from the being who quite possibly spawned the saying 'be careful what you wish for', but at the same time the Rueful Axe was just another one of his tools and might have been worse. Besides, returning it was the way to get Barbas back to him.

"Well, let's get this back to Clavicus then." She looked back to see Lydia coming out from the tunnel.

"I set him in a bed. Looks like he lives here. You sure it's all right?"

"Well, if he's a problem we'd have heard something, I'm sure. We can write a letter to Solitude asking them if there's any trouble in the area. Ready Barbas?"

" _Sure, just give me a minute to find a shortcut."_

The trio left the cave and Barbas began sniffing around before stopping near a sheet of ice. He barked at it, and another portal formed. Ruby and Lydia stepped through, back at the mouth of Haemar's Shame. Heading inside, they saw that the vampires were packing up what they could and preparing to leave. Several of them looked in the three's direction as they passed by, and the few near the shrine watched as they approached.

"You have it?" Enrik asked as they came back. "That was swift."

"Barbas knew some shortcuts," Ruby simply explained as she walked up to the statue.

" _Ah, you've got the axe! And my dog. Splendid."_ He laughed a little bit. _"Excellent work. A young heroine and her faithful companions, retrieving the ancient artifact for the prince. It's almost…storybook."_

"Hopefully not very old fashioned. Those usually ended up with crippled stepsisters and dead mermaids."

"I know that..." Ella grumbled. Ariel nodded in response to it as well.

" _Quite. Ah, but it almost seems a shame to give a weapon like that away, doesn't it? I suppose I could be persuaded to let you keep it…"_ Ruby pursed her lips in interest at that. _"But only if you use the axe to kill Barbas. Simple as that."_

Ruby's mouth gaped in shock as she looked back up at the statue while Barbas began to whimper and backed away with his tail between his legs.

"What? You want me to… He's your friend!"

" _Oh, it's not like he'll stay dead. He'll just sorta…black out for a few hundred years while he pulls himself back together. In the meantime though, I can get my power back while he does so, and you get the axe! No real loss, and everyone wins in the end, eventually."_ Ruby frowned and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, no. Request denied. No deal. You take this axe like we agreed and take Barbas back, you mean jerkface!" Lydia gaped and the vampires gasped in shock, while Barbas wagged his tail happily.

" _Fine,"_ the Daedric Prince groaned. _"You're no fun at all. Guess I'll have to make my own fun elsewhere. And with the pup back, I'll be restored to my full power,"_ he seemed to realize while growing excited. _"There's a whole world just waiting for me!"_

Barbas happily barked with his tail wagging as the axe disappeared from Ruby's hands. _"I knew I could trust you!"_

" _Yeah, yeah, dog gets master, master gets cosmic axe. Just get over here, mutt."_

" _Don't worry,"_ the daedric dog reassured Ruby as he began to fade. _"I'll make sure he sees the light. I trusted you, now you trust me."_ As he fully disappeared, the statue seemed to change. Rock seemed to grow from the ground and shaped itself into that of a dog exactly like Barbas.

" _Ah, that feels so much better,"_ Vile said in relief. _"You forget how nice supreme power feels until you've been stuck in a cave for a few years."_ He let out a sigh. _"It's a shame you wished for something so dull as me taking back the mutt. Quite the lack of imagination on your part."_

"Hey, I can imagine stuff! This one time I made a play about a girl whose grandma got eaten by a wolf and…." Ruby trailed off as she realized something. "Wait, when did I ever say that was my wish? _You_ were the one that wanted the axe, and Barbas wanted to be back. I just helped, and you said you'd reward me for it, no strings attached."

" _Are you talking back to me? Why I… Oh, I guess you're right. Huh, well. Fine then. Here's my boon."_

A purple, swirling orb appeared in front of Ruby and something fell from it. Ruby caught the object and lifted it up to see that it was, indeed, a decorative mask. In fact, it matched the one in the statue's hand. Ruby looked back up, however, and saw that that mask was gone.

" _There's your reward. And, I suppose, I could be convinced to strike up a deal with you for something else. Now that I'm back at full power, I can do almost anything."_

"We probably shouldn't," Lydia suggested.

"I know, but at the same time… Hold on. Let me talk to a friend of mine for a minute, and we'll be back with that request."

* * *

"Gods, its cold," Blake shivered in the freezing night air, despite being draped in thick fur. There was a certain irony in the fact that she was wearing sabrecat fur, but she didn't care.

"You're such a baby," Weiss chastised, still wearing her mage's robes, albeit a thicker set. Blake glared at her, unamused. Weiss saw her, and smugly smirked. "Don't get jealous."

"I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous of you being able to survive in this cold? We shouldn't even-" Blake was cut off as Weiss' scroll began to ring. Quickly, Weiss pulled it out to see it was Ruby calling yet again.

"Yes?" she answered, holding the scroll up to her ear in private mode, likely to keep the nearby Khajiit from overhearing. "Hello, Ruby. What's the occasion? … You did what? You do realize just how dangerous it is to mess with them, right?"

"What happened?" Blake asked, not hearing Ruby's voice over the speaker. Curse Weiss and not putting her phone on speaker.

"She helped out Barbas and Clavicus Vile, the Daedric Princes of Bargains." Weiss returned to her conversation with Ruby while Blake's eyes widened. "Uh huh... Uh huh... You want me to _what_? Why should we... Right away. Give me an hour. Bye." Weiss hung up and walked back to the camp, a confused Blake coming along behind her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Ruby asked me to make a wish contract for Clavicus Vile, and I'm going to make it ironclad. _Heh heh heh..._ " Weiss cackled to herself as she grabbed a pen, inkwell, and a roll of paper while Blake stopped dead in her tracks.

"...What did I _miss_?"

* * *

It was night by the time Yang sniffed out the cave Sinding had gone to. His trail was light but it was still there. She'd even seen his massive paw prints just outside of it. Masser was completely gone, but Secunda had returned a sliver. However, as she stepped into the cave and came out to a grove on the other side, the sky seemed to change completely. Hanging above the open skylight of the grove was a moon unlike the others. It was middling in its size and blood red, casting a crimson tint to everything around. Yang could hear the baying of hounds and shouting of men. At one point, she heard a deep howl and then a scream. Sinding was already being hunted, but he definitely wasn't defenseless.

Looking at the ring on her hand, she took in a deep breath and weighed everything that had been on her mind the whole way here. She had no doubts that Hircine would leave the Ring on her for the rest of her life if she didn't do as he said. Maybe she could pass it on again, but she didn't think she could do that to someone. Sinding had killed a child, and in most cases that was enough to have someone executed immediately. There was even a punishment to rip out someone's soul for a crime so abhorrent, and part of her felt he definitely deserved it. At the same time, she knew he didn't want to. It was all an accident. A horrible, terrible accident that resulted in the death of a little girl, but still one all the same. Like driving a beat-up car knowing the brakes might give out any moment, and then they do, right as a child goes out in the road.

She shook her head and kept moving forward, stopping as she heard pained breathing and smelled blood. She went past a boulder and saw, leaning on the other side, a Cathay-raht Khajiit bleeding all around, a blood pool having formed beneath him. A large chunk of his side was torn out, and she could see the white of his bottom rib in the light of the bloody moon.

"Hey, hold on!" Yang said as she knelt by his side. The Khajiit, however, held up a hand.

"No need. This one…is done for," he said, amazingly clearly for someone bleeding out and approaching their last breath. "Hehehe, it is a big beast. Lord Hircine was right when he said it was a great trophy. This one should have known better than to hunt a manbeast with only a bow and claws. But she was a good bow. Made it bleed. Someone will get it, surely. Maybe you? Maybe another hunter? Maybe one of those Silver Hand looking for glory? He hopes not those."

"Silver Hand? Here?" Yang's eyes widened.

"A few. They… Oh, this one cannot see anymore. Ah, he hopes that he can hunt with the Lord. He has…hunted well…"

The Khajiit's head leaned over and his body stilled. Yang sighed, closed the Khajiit's eyes, stood up, and looked into the grove before marching in. The baying hounds were distant, but her sense of smell let her know that her target was close by. The lupine head of Sinding appeared from over a cliff, and then he looked over and down at her.

"Never thought I'd see you again," he said, his voice almost matching his human form's perfectly. Yang was astonished, but kept it to herself as she swallowed the knot forming in her throat.

"I was sent to kill you, you know," she revealed, a tone of regret filling her voice.

"And I would deserve it, wouldn't I?" A low whimper rose up from his throat. "I can't stop you if that's what you want to do. But, neither do I want to die. Not the man nor the beast in me want to just roll over and let it end. The beast wants to fight it and win, to be the true hunter it's always craved being. The man in me wants to fight, even if it means losing." He looked up and whimpered again. "I've been running…for so long. Years I spent running from the trut'. Even more I spent running from it while looking for a cure. Now, I'm on the run again, from real hunters this time. I don't want to run anymore, lass. I refuse to run away from this. I'm going to make my stand here."

"Even if it kills you?"

"Especially if it kills me. No more running away. From now on, I'm only running forward. I know you can beat me. Strong as I am, yer stronger still. But if you can find it in your heart to spare me, then I can be a powerful ally to you, and I would promise…to never return to civilized life." He shifted his footing, seeming to stand taller. "I know now that I can't live among people."

Yang stood there for a moment, looking at the silhouette he cast against the red moon. She looked back down at the Ring and took in a deep breath.

"I'll never forget what you did," she began. "But maybe I can forgive you. I haven't decided yet if I will. What I have decided, is that this…just isn't fair. All of this, for one werewolf." Yang smirked as she tossed off her pack, feeling the fur trying to sprout up from her skin. The idea of a hunt against fully prepared prey in such numbers while next to another werewolf sent tingles throughout her body as the beast inside howled. "Let's even up the odds, shall we?!"

* * *

"There's two of them!"

"It's the Golden Wolf! She's hunting with him!"

Yang leaped forward and smashed a man wielding a silver sword into the ground. She roared at the others around her, who all came with their own weapons, some regular steel, others silver as well. One Bosmer aimed at her with his bow, only for Sinding to grasp him in his giant claw, lift him up, and rip off his head. Yang pounced upon another Silver Hand and ripped his throat away before jumping back out of the path of a hammer.

"We need to get out of here!"

"If anyone runs I'll- GAH!" The man went down as Sinding smashed into him, crushing him up against a rocky wall and staining it red. A woman with an axe charged at Yang, only to be backhanded off the nearby cliffside with a bloodcurdling scream that ended in a wet squelch. An Altmer went at her with a rapier, but she blocked it with one arm and then clawed out with the other, gutting him. The hunters began to run for it, and Sinding pounced on one who hadn't yet started running. Just as he was about to go after the others, Yang put a claw to his shoulder, gripping it tightly.

" _Stop,"_ she commanded. _"They're beaten."_ He looked at her then at the fleeing hunters. After a moment, he looked back to Yang and nodded.

" _Right,"_ he uttered as he turned back toward her. _"Thank you for your help. I will make my home here, away from anyone I might hurt."_

" _Just keep in mind, if I ever hear about a werewolf terrorizing people in Falkreath Hold, I'll be the_ first _one down here. Don't make me regret this."_

" _I won't, I promise."_ The larger werewolf suddenly licked the side of Yang's face, and the woman shoved him off.

" _Whoa, hey bucko! Not on the first date!"_

" _Uh, er, sorry… There was a little blood there and instincts… I think I'm going to start cleaning up."_ Yang watched as the werewolf quickly walked away and then jumped up and started climbing up one of the ledges. She shook her head and let out a small laugh before leaving the cave. On her way out, she picked up her sack and carried it with her, all her belongings inside it. She started wondering how she would have to adjust to a new life of random transformation. It could have probably been played off as an uncontrollable part of her Semblance back on Remnant, but in Tamriel werewolves were a very well-known subject.

' _What am I going to do?_ ' she thought to herself. As she exited the cave, a voice rang out beside her.

" _Well met again, Huntress."_

Yang spun around so fast her bag went flying out of her mouth. _"Hircine? I… Look, I didn't kill Sinding…and-"_

" _I am aware! And astounded! And greatly pleased!"_ As Yang stared blankly at the deer spirit in complete shock, he began to chuckle. _"By bringing down and routing my other hunters, you turned the chase inside out. And they were no base prey. As for Sinding, he's finally stopped acting like a meek little rabbit, and embraced himself as an apex predator, much like yourself."_ The Daedric Prince laughed again. _"You continue to amuse and impress. Go forth, with my blessing!"_

His nose touched the Ring of Hircine, which turned from silvery to white. The spirit disappeared, and then Yang felt something strange within her. She focused, and suddenly she shifted back to her human form, quicker than she ever had before. She looked at the Ring and cautiously took it off, placed it back on, and took it off again. She put it back on, and after a moment of focus, the fur sprouted from her skin again as she transformed. She shifted back to human form, feeling a little dizzy by the sudden perspective change, and looked over herself again.

"So this is what it can do," she muttered in wonder. Looking in the direction of Falkreath, she hummed before transforming back into her wolf form, picking up her pack, and then taking off towards the town.

' _This'll be useful.'_

* * *

"-furthermore, the lifespan will be a minimum of twenty years with all of them being happy, healthy, and free of-"

" _Oh for Sithis' sake, just put the list under the Soul Gem! I will go by everything you've written down!"_ Clavicus cried out. _"I know your dragon part's main weapon is words but I never thought they could be used so brutally."_

Ruby snickered, as did the vampires around her, and set the contract-like list down on the altar and underneath the Greater Soul Gem one of the vampires gifted her.

" _Your friend is something else,"_ Barbas complimented. _"These conditions are pretty airtight."_

"Yeah, Weiss kinda made us all promise to always let her go over any contract before signing anything after Yang and Nora's last bet." Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I still don't know how she got that Ursa mannequin into our dorm room."

" _You know, you really didn't have to go to these lengths. I was_ just _going to grant it while making it ugly."_

"Good thing we made sure that 'cute and/or adorable' was mentioned on page three," Ruby happily pointed out.

" _I am_ painfully _aware of that. Now, stand back! Creating life can be messy work."_ Ruby took a few steps away from the altar and watched as the dozens of pages went swirling through the air around the Soul Gem as it hovered in place. Everything seemed to fuse together, shining brightly as it did, and then the finished product plopped down into the snow. Ruby gasped and then picked up her granted wish in joy.

"AWWW!" several of the vampire girls, and even a few of the men, cried out. Lydia bit her tongue to prevent herself from joining, but still smiled brightly.

"Yes! She's perfect!" Ruby squealed as she hoisted her wish up high.

" _What?! But I gave it tiny little legs and a round body! It's useless as a guard dog or a hunting companion!"_

"You don't know corgis then," Ruby said as the corgi pup started furiously licking her face. "Ah, stop it! Ha ha!"

" _Told you she'd like it, master,"_ Barbas stated.

" _You told me in such a way that I thought it was sarcastic!"_ Clavicus protested. _"Oh whatever. I can't win with this girl."_ Ruby smiled in victory, while the corgi looked at the statue with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

"Well, thank you either way, Clavicus Vile. Seriously though, try doing things that _just_ help people without messing them up. That can be just as fun, too."

" _Sure, sure. Can you leave now?"_ He sounded irritated, and internally Ruby was elated. It quickly turned into embarrassment, however, and she awkwardly laughed and scratched her cheek.

"Uh, about that… I have no idea how to get from here to where I was. Barbas made portals and stuff." Ruby looked anywhere but the statue, and she could _hear_ Clavicus roll his eyes.

" _Fine, then I'll teleport you and the mutt back to the outskirts of Falkreath."_

"Is this a trick?" The question immediately came out.

" _You'll teleport, and end up outside of Falkreath, safe and sound. No appearing halfway inside a tree. No coming up a hundred feet off the ground. No getting there but you're inside out."_

"Those were all _very_ specific. Barbas, what do you think?"

" _I think it's better if I do it, but he really means that he's not going to hurt you in any form or fashion by teleporting you."_

"Okay. But if you do something mean, remember who I am and stuff." The corgi pup barked as though in agreement.

" _Of course. Off you go."_ Ruby then disappeared in a swirl of purple magic, Lydia left behind as she went. _"Whoops, it seems I forgot something. Maybe I can-"_

"I'll walk, thank you. I have more trust in the vampires." Lydia turned and walked out of the cave without saying another word, the last of the vampires following after her.

" _Suit yourself. I can always give these scrolls of greater jumping to someone else,"_ Clavicus replied as Lydia disappeared from view of the statue.

" _Yeah, someone who won't die on impacting the ground,"_ Barbas suggested, but Clavicus merely chuckled.

" _No, someone with a lot more friends to share them with."_

* * *

Ruby came back into existence with the puppy securely held to her. Looking around, she began to happily skip into Falkreath before pausing and turning a one-eighty.

"That sneaky son of a horker! He didn't 'port Lydia with me!" Ruby glared in the general direction of Haemar's Shrine, as did the corgi, as if sharing her irritation. This perked her right up. "Ah well. Let's get you to Lod, little lady."

The puppy happily barked at that.

* * *

 ** _I **have** a now. Donating to it earns nothing, but enough donations mean fewer hours at work, means more hours at my computer, means more story. Simply look up Jesse Aaron Kirk._**


	37. Pride and Green Justice

"The kitchen hasn't been stocked in a while, but we've had it modestly filled enough for you to last for a few days," Weiss explained as she escorted S'ahara through Breezehome. An awed look covered the Khajiit's face, but Weiss paid it no heed for the moment. "On top of everything, I'll make sure you have a weekly stipend, essentially your pay. Anything we or our associates use will also be covered, just write them down for later review."

"This is…so much." S'ahara turned towards the vampire, still beaming with joy and relief. "This one thanks you for all that you have done and are doing for her."

"Oh, it's no trouble," Weiss waved off with a smile. "I had been meaning to hire someone to take care of this place, anyways." Weiss stopped and developed a thoughtful look. "This just turned out to be good for us both. However, with the way things are going, Blake may need to set up another base of operations in Riften, and you might end up wanting to go there."

Blake nodded. "There's a home for sale in Riften that I've been looking at. If I end up getting it, you are more than welcome."

S'ahara smiled then nodded. "Yes, she would greatly wish to be close to the kitten. She is…the closest thing to family S'ahara has left."

"And she is glad to be important to you," M'rissi said as she hugged the older Khajiit and rubbed a cheek against her. Both of the catfolk purred, forcing Weiss to stifle a giggle. Inigo just looked on at the scene with a bright smile while Blake made a softer one.

"We're happy to have you as part of our…group, S'ahara," Blake declared with a smile. "I promise we'll come back and visit once in a while."

"And you will come back to a clean and warm home. May your road lead you to warm sands." S'ahara bowed with her hands clasped together.

Blake nodded and the four slowly left the house. None of them were sure how long the Mirrsha clansmen were going to be in Skyrim looking, and so they were in something of a hurry. While they were sure they wouldn't miss them because of a few hours or so, they didn't want to test their luck with it. S'ahara waved at them as they left, waiting at the door of Breezehome until they were out of sight. M'rissi looked back a few times, even after they had left the city gates.

"Are we sure the elder will be okay?" she asked in a worried tone. Inigo put his hand on her shoulder to soothe her, while Weiss began to speak.

"She's not that old. Besides, the guard captain has been informed and has already told all of his men not to mess with her," Weiss explained. "Took a while to set everything up, but she's essentially an unofficial citizen of Whiterun at this point. I heard more than a few… _complaints_ in that regard that they thought I couldn't hear, but nothing major."

"People are still on about that?" Blake asked, annoyed.

"Less every time I'm here, but it hasn't fully gone away. Racism isn't going to go away so quickly." The group slowed down as they walked through the caravan stalls, taking a last look at many of the items for sale. Some were purchased in other holds while others were the last of their exotic wares from their homeland. At one stall, Jo'nir's wife, S'ren was bartering with a man over the price of the skull of Paalduzaam. The man, Ulfrid from what Weiss could recall, was definitely giving it serious thought.

"Ah, this one sees that you are much better," they heard and turned to see Ko'ari. "A little pale still, but we are very north."

"Yes, thank you so much for the help you gave me," Weiss said, recalling how they had to end up selling all of the medicine to Arcadia in the end. It certainly helped with sleeping, but she was afraid she was becoming dependent on the substance and so cut herself off before it got out of control. "I certainly feel much better now."

"She can see that. Ah, and you have new companions." She began speaking in a language neither Weiss nor Blake understood, punctuated with halted syllables, rolled r's, and a lot more use of the buzzing z sound. M'rissi actually seemed to perk up and answered in the same language. After two back and forth exchanges, they then looked at Inigo, who began to sheepishly rub his neck.

"Uh, sorry. I never did learn much of Ta'agra. My father tried to teach us some, but it usually flew over our heads."

"Ah, that is a shame." She shook her head. "Perhaps this one's brother has a book on it. She will try to bring it on her next trip to Skyrim ."

"Oh, are you leaving?" M'rissi asked, slight disappointment evident in her voice.

"We must. Winter comes and may seal the Pale Pass with its deep snows. This one promises to chill the land deeply. We are to leave within the month."

"She can't wait until you come back with many more pretty things from our homeland."

"This one as well. Skyrim is a cold land, but one that could use a touch of beauty." Everyone paused a moment to see Ulfrid walking by, hefting up the heavy dragon skull back into the city. Ko'ari laughed a little once he was well past them. "Of course, the profits don't hurt either."

* * *

"This…is not what I expected," Lod admitted as he held the small pup, whose tail was wagging rapidly.

"Well, the dog you saw actually already had a master. I helped reunite them, and then convinced him to give me this puppy for you," Ruby happily explained, and the puppy barked in reply.

"Thank you, lass, but are you sure about this little thing?" He bent down and set the pup on the ground and began petting it.

"Absolutely!" Ruby declared as she pointed up to the sky. "Corgis are one of the best breeds of dogs ever! In my homeland, they were bred as the loyal and loving companions of kings and queens from the best bird and small game hunting dogs! They're some of the gentlest, most caring animals on the face of the world! Amazing with children, and steadfast protectors of their families! They may seem small, but a corgi's true-"

She stopped as she heard Lod laughing and looked to see the puppy had hopped into his arms and was licking his face. The man was tickled pink by the loving action and was holding her close for a moment before setting her down and standing up again, a huge smile dominating his face.

"You let that little runt turn you into a butter-hearted woman for a moment there, Lod," an old man in a rocking chair said after viewing the scene. The pup ran over and up onto the porch, stopping right in front of him and looking up, panting with her tongue out to the side. "Nope! Not working with me." She raised up onto her back legs and reached a paw out in something so closely resembling a human gesture. The man held his face for a moment before releasing a sigh and patting his leg. "Come on, then." Happily, the puppy hopped up into his lap and began receiving pets.

"Now who's the soft-hearted one, Gunnar?" Lod laughed.

"Compared to this, how she made you react ought to make you my sister now," the older man said, even as he kept petting the small dog.

Lod just laughed some more and turned towards Ruby. "Well, it wasn't what I expected, but this might be a little better. Not sure I can keep up with a rambunctious little puppy these days, but the children in town won't mind running around with her, I'm sure."

"She won't be too much, I can promise you that."

"Somehow, I'm more than willing to believe you." Lod went over and started scratching her right behind the ear. "I think I'll call her…Dreita."

As Ruby looked over the scene, she suddenly had to move out of the way at an instinctual reaction, narrowly dodging a surprise grab from her sister.

"Darn, almost got- Oh my god!" Yang squeed when she saw Dreita in Gunnar's lap, kicking out one leg as her ear was scritched. "Where did you find a corgi!?"

"Long story, I'll tell you later." A serious look enveloped Ruby's face, and her voice dipped low. "Did you find that…deer thingy?"

"Oh, yeah. I did," Yang revealed then thumbed back towards a nearby stand. "I actually took its hide to the tanner. Figured natural white fur like that would suit Weiss, or it might be magical and help with my project."

"Yeah, but then there'd only be one."

"I'm sure they've got unicorns or something." At Ruby's horrified glare, Yang laughed. "I'm kidding. Mostly. Knowing our luck that'd be the one thing Tamriel doesn't have."

"I'm not too sure about that," Ruby shook her head. "There's a lot of weird stuff here. Heck, I just found out they have living dinosaurs here."

"Wait, what?" Yang double-taked at Ruby's revelation. "Really? T-rexes, velociraptors, and all of that?"

"You do realize that actual velociraptors were the size of chickens, right? But yeah, Lydia said they're called toothed birds and thunder lizards."

"Oh gods, toothed birds!" Gunnar suddenly yelled scaring Dreita and his brother a small bit. "Damned man-eaters!"

"You okay?" Yang asked in concern.

"Sorry, just…remembering bits from the war. Wood elves came riding in on some of those bigger toothed birds. We thought it was funny at first. Looked like they were riding big, scrawny chickens. Then they got close. Those things are a weapon themselves, tearing men apart with their teeth and claws. Makes a wood elf much more dangerous, whether he's close or far away." He shuddered. "The wild ones were worse. Much, much worse. They were a lot quieter, only attacked in numbers, and were a lot smarter doing so."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Ruby apologized, but Gunnar waved her off.

"Don't be. You had no idea. Besides, when they aren't trying to kill you, they are beautiful creatures. Deadly, but beautiful. Like a poisonous flower."

"I bet." Yang shook her head. "There were actual dinosaurs in the war. Here I was thinking it couldn't get much crazier." She shrugged, and Ruby patted her shoulder. The younger girl looked up at the sky to see the morning sun beginning to rise then turned back to the old brothers.

"Okay, well you guys, I hope you have a happy life together. Bye, Dreita!"

The pup barked, as though telling them good-bye. As the sisters began walking down the street, Yang looked over at Ruby questioningly.

"So, about the little pupper there…?"

"I ran into Barbas, who was basically Clavicus Vile's dog."

"Wait, who?"

"Daedric Prince of bargains, wishes, and stuff." Yang threw her arms into the air at that.

"Okay, seriously? I run into the Prince of hunting and you run into the one that's basically a genie?"

"Well, he doesn't _just_ grant wishes," Ruby clarified. "He also makes deals. And I think he created the Monkey's Paw. They said they lost track of it, in something called a K Sign, and Weiss thinks it somehow ended up on Remnant way long ago. Basically, he's an unlimited, talking, thinking Monkey's Paw."

"And you somehow wished for a corgi," Yang deduced.

"Weiss wrote up all of the fine print. He was actually really frustrated about it."

"And you're sure it's not actually a daedra?"

"Clarified on page one. 'It must be a real, flesh and blood animal, not a transformed daedra.' Weiss thought of everything and then some."

Yang let out a short raspberry. "Never underestimate the contract experience of a CEO's child. So, where's Lyd?"

"Oh, well, we had to teleport around to do all the stuff. It would have taken _days_ otherwise. Just full of walking all the way back up to Haafingar, then back in Falkreath Hold. So Barbas made portals. It was…weird how he did it, though. I think they were only in certain spots or something. Might be worth looking into, actually. It was useful. Anyways, Clavicus then teleported me back to Falkreath from his shrine at Haemar's Shame, after Barbas assured me he wasn't going to do anything tricky, like making me appear in the sky or halfway underground, but he didn't teleport Lydia."

"Wait, so she's back at the shrine? How far is it?" Yang asked in concern.

"It's all the way at the eastern edge of Falkreath Hold, beneath the foothills of Hrothgar. We looked at a map for it with the vampires there, and Helgen's about halfway between us and them."

"Wait, vampires?"

"Oh yeah! There were a bunch of vampires looking to see if they could get a cure from Clavicus Vile. They were nice. He…couldn't _really_ cure them, though. Or maybe he could, but doing that would get Molag Bal's attention, and he doesn't want to risk it."

"Well, that's an option gone. And I _do not_ want to deal with Molag Bal of all daedra."

"Yeah. Let's avoid him. Forever." Both girls paused then shuddered. After a bit, they continued on.

"So, what are we going to do? Linking up with Lydia seems obvious."

"Yeah, but on the way… Oh, forgot to tell you. I talked with Weiss about it, and she approves. Siddgeir wanted to name me as a Thane of Falkreath, but to do that I had to own property in the Hold. It was kinda fishy, but he offered a piece called Lakeview Manor for five thousand septims."

"Five thousand! Wow, he must be having trouble getting anyone to buy land at that price!"

"Yeah, and we'll have a place to go outside of any cities or towns. It's also lakefront property. I almost felt bad about accepting it, but Weiss said it's not our fault. So, I've just gotta drop off the coins and the deed is ours. We can go up and check it out and then head to Helgen to see if Lydia went there."

"And another Thanehood to you."

"I mean, all I literally had to do was chase off some bandits that we already chased off before getting here!"

"The ones with that failure of a rock trap?" Yang smirked and Ruby smiled at the fond memory.

"Zora was laughing so hard at that they almost got a free shot at her. Thank goodness for the Stoneskin spell."

* * *

"What in the world?" Ruby muttered at the sight of a large, empty plot of land.

"This is…Lakeview Manor," Rayya, her new housecarl explained as she gestured at the land. "The…actual manor part burned down years ago. Many years ago."

"And they never changed the name?" Yang asked as she looked out across the land, seeing the lake glistening against the sunlight. "Well, it's still a nice view. Maybe we could put something here. A little hut with a bed and fireplace shouldn't be too much."

"Yeah… Or, I could make a decent sized house," Ruby started as she went around and observed the place at different angles. "Yeah, maybe two stories. Bet I could dig out a cellar. Might have to. Ground's a bit soft in the middle. Ooh, there's plenty of stone nearby! And I could get some clay from the lake! Cutting too many trees too closely won't be good, but I could get them from Riverwood." Ruby continued to mutter to herself, ideas spewing from her lips like bullets from a machine gun. Once she started talking about putting in a forge, Yang decided that was enough.

"Rubes, snap out of it," Yang called over to her sister. Ruby promptly ignored her and moved beyond Yang's view, and she sighed. "I swear, once she gets an idea in her brain, it's like her head's in the clouds."

"She does have a point though," Valdimar pointed out as he went towards some off-color rock and cast a spell at them. "Hm, iron ore, and on the surface. It's almost like no one ever came here to really take a look at this place. You have almost everything you could possibly need to build a good house here."

"Well, that's cool and all, but I doubt we have that kind of time in the foreseeable future. Maybe after Weiss follows in her ancestor's footsteps and ends up with a majority stake in the world." Yang laughed. Soon after, Ruby skipped back up to them, a smile on her face.

"Okay, I think I have a decent idea of what to do. Also, we have a neighbor."

"What neighbor?" Yang raised her eyebrow.

"The witch lady who was putting stuff together over that way. I think she's making a golem out of rock and clay."

"Hey!" they suddenly heard from the side. Yang looked over to see a woman in black robes. "Do any of you have some wolf or bear fur?"

"Sorry, no. Just deer," Ruby replied.

"Won't work. I need something omnivorous."

"Sorry!"

"It's fine! Have a good day."

"You too!" Ruby called back with a wave. "She's pretty nice."

"As long as she doesn't conjure up an army of undead for the eighth time this month, I guess I'm fine with it," Yang joked.

"What?" Rayya asked.

"It happens more often than you'd expect," Valdimar explained.

* * *

In Helgen, several men and women hid within the abandoned homes, shaking in their boots as, just outside, over two dozen vampires and their thralls set up camp along with a face several of them recalled belonging to one of the Dragonborn's fellows. For a moment, some of them dared to hope that these beings had run afoul of the Dragonborn and would face her wrath, freeing them, but it became apparent that the woman was moving about under her own free will, and was hoping to meet back with her powerful traveling companion.

For Lydia and the vampires, they were just waiting in the half-burned town, hoping that Ruby would come by soon, barely noticing the squatters cowering from them. For instead, they were engrossed in their own conversation.

"She's definitely one," a heavily tattooed vampire said to another. "Ruby has to be."

"What?" Lydia asked, looking over at their conversation.

"He means she's a "storybook princess"," the Redguard, Jasmin if she recalled correctly, explained.

"Think about it. She's kind to everyone she meets," the tattooed vampire began to count on his fingers. "Traveling great distances on a grand journey. And now she has an animal companion."

"I think the pup was a gift for a friend," an extremely long-haired Nord woman went. "Besides, the animal companion thing is recent."

"Yes, but it's a staple at this point. A trope made everlasting."

"She's not even a princess."

"No, but she's a Thane of Solitude. That essentially makes her Skyrim's equivalent of a baroness. Then there's the whole thing about Dragonborn being of the blood of Akatosh."

"And what, you think she's going to swoop in and save the prince or something?"

"Well, maybe she's not _that_ cliché."

"I heard the Jarl of Hjaalmarch has a son nearing the end of his childhood," someone suggested.

"And Laila Law-Giver has a son already grown, but still fairly young."

"Men might not be her thing though," a Khajiit woman suggested. "She could be the princess to get another princess."

"I don't think she has…any interests either way," Lydia tried to put in. The vampires went quiet for a moment, then the first one pounded his fist into his upright palm.

"Ooh, I know! She's the perfect person to rescue a princess from a dragon! How's this sound? Rescuing an _elven_ princess from the clutches of a wicked dragon, clearing the Empire's name and paving the way for peace?"

"Sounds like a fantastical dream. Might as well say she saves a vampire princess from Bal."

Lydia sighed as the vampires continued to argue about how a story about a _living person_ that she _personally knew_ should go. Still, she couldn't help but quietly concede that Ruby had some storybook qualities. Being a princess wasn't one of them, though. She was the one who threw herself into the jaws of danger, all to help the weak and innocent find something as simple as a little more comfort, or even to save the world.

And she'd keep doing it, over and over again. That was what Lydia feared. She could remember how her father used to put it.

" _Person like that… He's just doom-driven_." Lydia feared for her charge, knowing that Ruby very well could bring about her fate that much quicker. Still, the housecarl would be with her every step of the way.

As she sat and waited for dinner to finish, the beat of a drum started being heard along with lyrics being sung out, growing clearer with every passing moment. As it came, Lydia began to recognize the voices, one of which she heard singing on many a trip.

"Forever!~" the duet crescendoed before one cut and began singing lower.

"One among infinity, witnessing the majesty. Calm in this humility, witnessing the majesty. Hope as far as one can see, witnessing the majesty. Witnessing the majesty. Witnessing the majesty. Standing on the edge of forever!~"

"Gods, that is beautiful to hear," one vampire muttered.

"Another point in the storybook case," the one who kept arguing for it said as Ruby and Yang came into view, the elder sister beating a drum and the younger slowly plucking strings on her lute. Lydia noticed a woman in steel armor and wearing a grey desert hood while having two scimitars at her side.

"My Thane," Lydia greeted with a bow. Ruby hopped off her horse and went over to hug her. At this point, Lydia was used to the gesture and simply patted her head before Ruby separated.

"Glad we guessed right." Ruby smiled then turned her head to the side. "Oh, hey, those guys are still here." At once, everyone's heads turned towards the now panicking former bandits.

"W-we have a plan! We're thinking of starting up a quarry! It's plenty productive!"

"Oh that's cool! Good luck with that!" she said with a thumb up.

"I see you have another traveling companion," Lydia indicated with a gesture towards the Redguard.

"That's Rayya. Siddgeir made me a Thane of Falkreath Hold and she's my housecarl from here on. At this rate, I'm going to end up with nine of you guys." Ruby shook her head. "Anyways, she's not one for traveling, and we're starting to think all of this horse-riding is taking out Valdimar's back, so we called up Weiss and Blake, and Weiss got this idea to rent out the spare rooms in our places. We've got a maid at Breezehome now, so that one's pretty much all set. We're sending up Valdimar and Rayya to guard the place and her. Rayya's also got landscaping experience and Valdimar knows how to fix up a house."

"That sounds reasonable. What about us?"

"Well, me, you, and Yang are heading to Larshbadger."

"Largashbur!" Yang called out over to them.

"Right. Hopefully the orcs will show us how to work orichalcum. If not, we'll have to try somewhere else, and that can take a while. So we'll have to present something really nice to them."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we have the fur from the White Stag. I still got several amulets and nothing to do with them. And I bought a daedra heart."

"Why did you buy a daedra heart?"

"I needed to test out the Masque."

"And?"

* * *

" _Hey, how much for that heart thing?"_

"That _is a daedra heart. It's going to be a minimum of three hundred septims."_

" _Really? Hm, sorry, guess not." Ruby left the store, and then placed the Masque on her head. Indeed, it was heavy, but it also had the same see-through effect as the Wooden Mask, though it was shaped much more like a helmet. She stepped back into Grave Concoctions and Zaria smiled much brighter than before._

" _Welcome, please, feel free to browse."_

" _Actually, I am in the neighborhood looking for something specific for a potion of mine. You wouldn't happen to have any daedra hearts?" Ruby found it much easier to hold back her giggles, and the voice she was going for was almost effortless._

" _You're in luck. I have one in stock. Normally I wouldn't go so low, but… How about two hundred septims?"_

* * *

"So yeah, it works. And if I put it on out of sight, people sometimes won't even recognize me. Kinda creepy."

"It could be very useful in diplomatic situations."

"Yeah, I could see that. Oh, so it'll be much better for a helmet for you until Weiss figures that enchantment out. Here, try it on."

Ruby took the Masque from her belt and handed it over to her housecarl. Lydia looked it over for a moment before cautiously placing it on her head.

"Whoa, whatisthisIdon't even. Know. What?" Ruby blinked a few times and shook her head. "Okay, this thing definitely is working on some hypnotic level."

"What is it?"

"Well, it's like…seeing a picture of delicious food, and your brain wants the food, but you know there's no actual food. It's like my brain is saying you're one of the prettiest people I've ever seen and that your movements are the most graceful thing, but I know it's just you wearing a thing over your head."

"…Thank you," Lydia dryly responded. Yang began to hold back giggles while Ruby's eyes widened and she began to flail.

"Uh, not that you aren't pretty without it. And you are graceful, but in a warrior kind of way. But when I say you're pretty I mean like someone would definitely want to date you, but to me you're, like, an older lady. Uh, not that much older. Less than ten years older, but that's a big enough gap to give someone my age issues and it would be really awkward for everyone involved-"

"Ruby, breathe."

The young Dragonborn did so, but at the same time they heard a plop like a bag falling to the ground and saw one of the former bandits looking up to Lydia from a prone position as though he was looking upon a goddess.

"Is there…anything I can do for you?" the awestruck ruffian beseeched her.

"Removing the daedric helmet now," Lydia declared, hoisting the masque from her head in an instant.

"Yeah, that's fair."

* * *

Blake's teeth clenched as she rushed over and kicked an orc away from the door he was trying to break down. The raider hopped back to his feet, only for Inigo to flip down and swipe his head clean off. Weiss was currently focusing on putting out fires and sending any orcs coming at her flying with her glyphs. Some managed to get by her defenses, only to find she wasn't helpless in melee. Their luck only held up thanks to their armor, but Weiss was beginning to learn the chinks to it and wounding them more and more. At the same time, their armor wasn't saving them from heat and lightning.

M'rissi leaped out from behind a stable and released three arrows in rapid succession, hitting two orcs and setting them ablaze, the third one ducking under her shot and then charging her. She quickly put her bow aside and took out her sword, parrying aside a wild axe swing and then cutting up into the orc's inner thigh. He seemed to ignore the pain, however, and chopped down, missing her by scant inches. She spun and brought her sword around, knocking the orc back a few feet. Inigo released an arrow into his chest, but the raider just let out a bellowing warcry and made for his opponent. M'rissi vaulted over him and extended one hand, letting out a stream of electricity into his back. The orc stumbled as he turned, but M'rissi hit him with a fireball, sending him backwards into a wall.

"M'rissi! We're trying to stop the fires!"

"She has it!" Concentrating a spell in both hands, M'rissi released it just as the orc tried to get to his feet. Water came at him in a high-pressured torrent, splashing off of him as it slammed him back again. He tried to push against it, only to lose half his hand in the attempt, followed by the stream cutting through his neck. He collapsed, soaking wet and the fires near the area put out. M'rissi picked up her sword and brandished it as she turned back to where the battle was going. Orc raiders began retreating, one of them yelling at them for cowardice, only for one of the villagers to spear his back with a pitchfork. As the scene of carnage began to calm, many of the simple woods folk began to laugh and cry in relief. As embraces and checks for survivors commenced, the four started to settle down.

"I didn't think your friend could fight like that," Weiss got out as she put out a small blaze.

"She is very capable," M'rissi boasted. "You should remember that."

"That you are," Inigo agreed. "Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

"She killed a man and a dog with nothing but her claws when there were two others to back them. She's… Tough isn't enough to describe it, but it's a start," Blake said.

"Don't forget how well you killed those grabby men when they talked about making her a pet and things. They were so mean!"

"Wait, you mean-" Weiss began, looking horrified.

"They never got the chance," Blake cut the heiress off. "It's a good thing I found her when I did, though."

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say. Like with these raiders." Inigo kicked one of the bodies, and an orc woman walked up to them, dressed in common leathers.

"Thank you, strangers, for helping us. Our little piece of Skyrim might have been erased before we ever got a chance to name it if it wasn't for your skills."

"We're glad to help," Weiss began demurely. "But if you don't mind me asking, what exactly was this? I've never seen bandits comprised solely of one race before."

"Not bandits. Not exactly. See, due to the way Orsimer used to live –which most of us have abandoned outside of a few traditions– tends to lend itself to a raider's mindset. This lot here were probably all second sons who didn't want to live in the shadow of their stronger brothers, so they gathered up. Unfortunately, when all the males are taught only how to dig and fight, there's not much else they can do."

"But why do they not want to live with their big brothers?" M'rissi asked.

"Because in the old ways, only the strongest could become chief, and only the chiefs can have wives. They say it keeps the next generation strong, but, to be honest, I think it only thins our blood. Nords are plenty strong, and every Nord from scrawny farmhands to the freaks of nature that swing warhammers with one hand can all get a wife and have children. And yet, sometimes that scrawny farmer's son can wrestle mammoths to the ground."

"Genetics are far more complicated than 'strong parents equal strong offspring'," Weiss agreed. "But this mindset really has caused this?"

"Well, their options are to beat the chief, serve under the chief, or strike out on their own. Get enough of them to leave the stronghold and run into one another, and you've got a small army of orcs, all male."

"And then they start raiding, capture women and resources, and soon you've got another stronghold that eventually falls into the same, stagnating traditions as those before them." The group looked up to see a man with a scar over his eye and orc-like tusks, despite his Nordic complexion. "We'll send some messages to the Jarl, so he can take care of this before it becomes too big of a problem. Bunch of rowdy orcs turning into an army is the last thing we need. At least bandits are mostly self-preserving."

"Are you sure they won't come back?" Blake asked.

"We sent them running, which means they'll take time before trying again. We also killed a good few, which means they'll want to build back their numbers. By the time that rolls around, we'll be ready, or the Hold will."

"As long as they don't come back while our backs are turned, it should be fine." Weiss nodded at that. "Well, if you have everything handled here, then we should be on our way."

"Thank you, again, for helping us," the woman said, nodding her head. The village people, with members of several races, also offered their thanks as the group made their way out of the budding community and back on the trail.

"This land can be awful sometimes," Blake got out as they left.

"Maybe, but at least there's some rebuilding going on. It might be because Whiterun is still the go-to neutral zone in the civil war, but it's something."

"And we saved them, like great heroes!" M'rissi cheered.

"More of an average hero feat, but it does feel good to help people like that." Weiss felt her scroll vibrate and took it out. "Oh, Ruby took some pictures of the property we purchased."

"Still can't believe he sold it for only five thousand," Blake muttered, recalling the prices listed off for different houses in different cities and towns she had been in. It was basically a steal.

"Ah, as lovely a view as I imagined. The altar just beyond the bounds is slightly concerning, but as long as nothing profane is going on… Wait." Weiss tapped out a message and then waited for the response. When it came, she sighed in disgust.

"What's the matter?"

"It turns out that the manor part of Lakeview Manor has been gone for decades. We just bought an empty plot. That Jarl swindled us."

"Oh, well… Can't win them all, I guess."

* * *

After bidding farewell to the vampires, seeing Valdimar and Rayya off, and traveling through Falkreath into the Rift while making a short stop at Sunguard in the afternoon, Ruby, Yang, and Lydia had come upon a mill on the shores of Lake Honrich. The lady of the house, Grosta, let them stay the night in exchange for a helping of their food and some assistance with a stubborn, gnarled log. Her son Gralnach, coaxed Ruby into playing hide and seek, which Lydia was unable to prevent before they sped off.

"Every time..." Lydia sighed and shook her head, feeling pity towards the young boy. While she kept a watchful eye on her charge, Yang toiled away at the gnarled log, working up a deep sweat.

"I don't know much about wood, but I'm pretty sure trees aren't supposed to be shaped like this," Yang complained as she continued to hack at a knot with a hatchet.

"Certainly the worst I've ever come across. If Leifnarr were here…" Yang paused along with Grosta's words.

"What happened?" she asked cautiously.

"Said he was going east, toward the border with Morrowind. That there were some folks wanting to trade for our grain and wood up at Broken Helm Hollow." She groaned with annoyance. "I waited and waited, and he never came back. Probably shacked up with some elven whore. Good riddance to him I say."

Yang stood up and wiped the sweat off her brow. "He wasn't the faithful type?"

"Well, I'd rather not get into it too much," the woman admitted before going back to sharpening the saw blade. "It's not important. All that really matters is that I'm not going to be able to keep this place going on my own for long. Going to have to sell the old place at this rate."

"Well… If I do say so myself, I'm pretty good at tracking people down. I have a good…hound with an unbelievable sense of smell."

"You want to track him down, be my guest. Just tell him that Grosta said he can go straight to Oblivion."

Yang sighed and nodded, understanding where Grosta was coming from. She began to hack away at the log once more, her powerful, heavy blows making a thud across the entire mill. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Ruby come around, looking about the mill and the stacks of logs in one of her red and black casual outfits made by the Radiant Raiment sisters. It looked good on her, honestly, and Yang promised herself to commission a set of her own the next time she went to Solitude. After coming up frustrated, Ruby stomped a foot down and sighed.

"Okay, I give up!" she called out. Gralnach then popped up from behind a tree. "What the- Where were you?"

"That's my secret!"

* * *

"It's unnatural, I tells ya! No one's that good at hide-and-seek!"

"Ruby, just accept that, sometimes, you're going to lose," Yang told her younger sister. Lydia said nothing, an amused smirk on her face.

"Once or twice, but he beat me every time!" Ruby protested before the ground rumbled. "Huh, was that an earthquake?"

"Fall and bleed, damn you!" they heard a rough voice yell from up ahead, immediately answering her question.

"Gorun trrr'kal!" Another guttural voice yelled, causing Ruby's eyes to widen in recognition.

"That sounded like a Giant!" Ruby said as she took out her Giantspeech amulet and put it on while hopping off Chocolate Hooves. She sped forward, and came across a scene of battle, an orc's broken body landing not far from her. Three Giant men were fighting against six orcs, four males and two females, right next to a wooden palisade wall. While most of the orcs fought on the ground, one stood on a watchtower within the walls, firing spells at the Giants as they tried to crush the orcs with either their clubs or stomping feet.

"Wait, stop!" Ruby called out, gaining the attention of one Giant for a moment before he laughed.

" _More to crush later,_ " he gleefully cackled. An orc male tried to catch him off guard, only for the Jo'Tunn to backhand him, turn, and then bring his club up and around. The orc was sent flying through the air and hit the nearby mountainside, a splatter of red coming out from around his landing point. " _Squash the green boys and then take the rest!_ "

"What's going on?" Yang asked as she ran up.

"They're under attack. I-" Ruby looked the scene over before narrowing her eyes. "We need to pull at least one of them off the others. Yang, get the blond one's attention. I'll get the skinny one away from them."

"Wait, are we fighting Giants?"

"We've done it before. This is just like then, only more." Yang looked forward and nodded, and the two sisters ran forward. Yang hit the blonde Giant with a firebolt, gaining his attention immediately, while Ruby jumped as she took out Crescent Rose, hooking onto the slim Giant's raised club and swinging around it, putting him off-balance and causing him to stumble back. He grimaced and reached out to try and grab her, only for Ruby to jump back while knocking his hand away. The Giant let out a surprisingly high-pitched yelp for his kind, then started swinging at Ruby. Noticing their respite, the orcs focused in on the remaining Giant who had spoken up. As Lydia rushed into the area, firing arrows from her bow, Yang had already bruised the knuckles of her opponent by meeting his punches with her own, and Ruby had led hers on a chase. The other Giant was beginning to be overwhelmed, and was downed by an axe chop into his patella, bringing him to his knees, where the female orc that brought him down then swung her weapon into his throat, cleaving through and sending the head rolling across the ground. The other two looked back and the blonde yelled.

" _They killed_ Magni _!_ "

" _You bastards!_ " the skinny one then yelled. " _Run for it,_ Modi _!"_

As the two Giants retreated, the orcs yelled in victory, stopping a moment later as the three humans came back towards where the gate was. The men looked more confused than anything, but the female warrior immediately set herself with a snarl.

"You have no business here, outsiders! Begone!" she ordered. Ruby and Lydia stopped and looked between themselves in confusion, while Yang stared right back.

"Wow, you're really thankful!" she bit out. The orc mage on the watchtower, however, leaned forward to speak.

"Ugor, no! They may be just what we need!" the mage shouted, directing the warrior's attention to her.

"We need nothing from outsiders!" the warrior yelled up at her fellow. "Yamarz will provide for us."

"We can't continue on this way! You know that we are doomed if we don't do something!"

"Yamarz charged me with keeping outsiders away from Largashbur. Would you have me disobey him?"

"You were charged with keeping us in the walls. Have faith, Ugor. I only wish the best for our tribe," the mage insisted, and a heavy silence descended between the two orcs.

The warrior woman harrumphed. "Fine. It's your neck." She looked towards the others and jerked her head. "Bring in the bodies. You, outsiders, keep your noses clean. Go see what Atub wants." She turned and pushed open the gate before going inside, Ruby, Yang, and Lydia cautiously walking in after her.

"What did we just walk into?" Lydia asked.

"Some kind of war, it looks like," Yang answered. As they came to the foot of the watchtower, the mage woman stepped down from its stairs to meet them.

"Forgive Ugor's harsh words. She's merely doing what she's been told," Atub apologized. Yang looked back at Ugor, who continued to glare at them suspiciously.

"Geez, what crawled up her and died?" Yang asked, not backing down from Ugor's glare. After a while, the warrior nodded back, seemingly in respect, then turned back towards the keep gate.

"These past weeks have been hard on us, and she is on edge. We all are, and we are getting desperate."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked in concern.

"We are cursed. Our chief, Yamarz, was once a proud and strong warrior. Now he is stricken, cursed. He is weak, and so our tribe is weak. The Giants from the southern Velothi sense this, and intrude on our territory. Now they assault our very home. Yamarz refuses help, but I can sense you may be just what we need."

"Okay," Ruby said. "Well, what can we do?"

"Because of Yamarz's demand that we stay inside the walls, we cannot leave. I must petition Malacath for relief. We must lift this curse. But I cannot travel to his shrine, and the materials I need are not here. I beg of you, can you bring me troll fat and a daedra heart?"

"Uh, how much troll fat do you need?" Yang asked as she reached back into her pack and pulled out the jar Valdimar and her had nearly filled with the stuff from all of the frost trolls at the Labyrinthian. Atub seemed to blink rapidly for a moment while Ruby dug through her own pack before taking out the jar with a daedra heart in it.

"I _literally_ just bought this before we came here." Ruby scratched her head at the irony presenting itself.

"I really was right to ask for your help." Atub shook her head and smiled. "Come, you're a part of this now. You must be present for the ritual."

As the orc mage took the two jars, the sisters looked at each other and shrugged. They followed the woman as she led them over towards the longhouse, pausing a moment to set the jars down on a primitive looking altar along with some lavender and some armor pieces before heading inside. They waited and listened at the door.

"It is time, Yamarz," she said to the orc sitting in a chair by a fire, bags under his eyes showing even against the red face paint over them. He looked at the humans and grimaced.

"You bring in outsiders," he growled out, "and now insist that I call on Malacath for help, when he has clearly forsaken me. You try my patience, Atub."

"Doing nothing will not grant our tribe relief from this curse. We must try."

He growled a moment while rubbing his eyes. "Fine, let's get this over with."

The girls moved out of the way as the orcs came out. A few others gathered near the altar to observe what was going on, most of them showing signs of stress. Atub took the daedra heart and set it in a bowl before scooping out some troll fat and setting it on top. With one hand she began sprinkling some dried lavender onto it while another took a small, burning stick and touched it to the odd mix. The contents all set aflame, burning within the bowl.

"Great Malacath," she called out, "we beseech you, aid us in our time of need!" At first, nothing happened, and Yamarz began to look both irritated and relieved.

"Why are we bothering with this?" Yamarz muttered.

The flames suddenly turned green and Ruby could almost swear that the heart started beating.

" **You pathetic weakling!"** a booming voice suddenly yelled from seemingly nowhere.

"What's that?" the chief went in surprise.

"Malacath has heard my pleas!" Atub announced happily. "He speaks to us!"

" **You dare summon me, Yamarz!"**

"What?" the chief began in fear. "What is this?"

" **You don't deserve to call yourself an orc! You're weak, you're small, and you're an embarrassment! You let Giants… GIANTS overrun my shrine! Bring me their leader's club as an offering, and I might release you from this curse."** The fire died away, leaving nothing but smoke in the wind. Silence enveloped the keep, and Yamarz looked increasingly nervous and afraid.

"So it will be," Atub said as she folded her hands together. "Malacath has spoken, Yamarz. Your path is clear."

"Very well," he grumbled. "Outsiders, come here. I want a word with you." Shrugging, Yang walked over to the chief, Ruby and Lydia following her. "This is all your fault, you know. I'm stuck fighting Giants now thanks to you, so you're going to help me."

"We were just trying to help out," Ruby protested.

"Then keep helping. Help me get to that Giant so I don't have to worry about it when I have to fight him. Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while."

"Okay, in that case-"

"After we get his club. Until then, I'll lead you to Fallowstone Cave, you clear the way through, and I fight their leader."

"That's…fair, I guess. We did start, might as well finish."

"Yeah, but if you start mouthing off or getting ideas, don't be surprised to find yourself tumbling off a cliff," Yang warned the chief.

"Huh, sure you're not an orc?" Yamarz laughed for a second before stumbling back and then rubbing his forehead. "Give me a minute to get my armor together. I'm assuming you've got riding beasts."

"A horse for all three of us," Ruby pointed out. "But we don't…have a fourth with us."

* * *

"Wow! I never saw a pig that big!" Ruby said in admiration as the giant boar that Yamarz, now in full battle regalia, rode towards them just outside of the stronghold.

"I believe orcs raise them as battle mounts," Lydia pointed out. "Can it take you the distance?"

"Toggle's a good boar. He'll get me there. He could charge halfway across Skyrim without getting tired, and rip up everything in his path on the way."

"You're a good piggy, aren't ya?" Ruby cooed at the monstrous swine while petting it behind the ear. The giant boar actually leaned into her a bit.

"Don't spoil him," the orc objected. "Let's just get this over with."

"Okay, fine," Ruby groaned as she went over to her own horse. "Which way are we headed?"

"East first, then up along the mountain range."

"We can get on the road to Morrowind," Yang suggested. "I need to check for something that way while we're at it. Shouldn't take too long."

The orc groaned, but said nothing in protest as they rode along.

* * *

On approach to the spot on her map, Blake made a sudden realization.

"This is the place with the ghost shack."

"I'm sorry?" Weiss asked from behind her, irritable from being in the sun for so long.

"Sorry. It was some old shack where a member of the Mirrsha clan was at before he died. His ghost hung around though, and told us about M'rissi being Ra'sadir's daughter and warned us about Isael before suggesting we go to Winterhold. Going by the items, I think maybe some alchemist lived there before."

"And the Commander pointed you here?"

"He said that the Mirrsha were in this area. I guess it makes sense."

As they came upon the old shack, M'rissi hopped off of her and Inigo's shared mount and began looking around. The others all dismounted, securely tying their horses to the nearby fence. Weiss began going through the small garden outside, taking a mental note of the different vegetation before looking into the shack where the Faunus and two Khajiit were walking in. Suddenly, the specter from before reappeared, looking at the three familiar faces with a kindly smile.

"Hello again," Blake greeted him.

" _Ah, here you are at last. This one has been waiting for you,"_ the ghost happily greeted.

"We were told a group of Khajiit from Elsweyr would be in the area."

" _This one knows of those you speak of. This one was able to communicate with them as they passed nearby. They are searching for the ring you carry. Its importance to the Khajiit cannot be known to one who does not walk the dunes of Elsweyr."_ He looked over to M'rissi, a small frown appearing on his face. _"But now, you must talk with the kitten. It may be the last time that you do."_

As he faded away, Blake looked back towards M'rissi, whose ears had slumped while her tail swished around anxiously. Seeing how this was important between the three of them, Weiss silently backed away, leaving the Faunus and Khajiits to themselves.

"You okay?"

"She… She's scared. She doesn't know what to expect," the Khajiit admitted. "She wants to stay, with you, Inigo, and S'ahara, but she would also like to see her homeland…"

"The choice is yours to make. No one else can make it for you." Blake reached over and held her shoulders. "If you want to go, I'm not going to stop you, and if you want to stay, you can keep traveling with me for as long as you want. And if you change your mind and want to go see Elsweyr later, we always can go there. It might take a while, but if you really want to see it, I will take you there myself if I have to."

"The same goes with me," Inigo said as Blake lifted her hands away. "I wouldn't mind going there myself, and it would be great to see our ancestral home. But, with you there, it can only be that much better."

M'rissi smiled at their words, and, as tears began to show at the corners of her eyes, she jumped up and hooked her arms around them both, bringing them both in for a group hug. Startled for only a moment, the other two hugged her back, Blake touching her forehead to hers as they did. A moment later, they separated, and Weiss began to see something coming.

"I think the Khajiit are here," she announced as she went around the shack. Seemingly half a dozen Khajiit wearing sand-colored leather and cloth were headed their way. Two of them were Suthays, and another was a tall Ohmes-raht. The one leading them was a large Cathay-raht, with Senche at either side of him, laden with packs and leather armor. He approached, and Blake walked out to meet him.

"Ah, here is the one we were told of," he said as they came close. "Black hair, remarkably human face, a faint scent. You have the ring, yes?"

"M'rissi?" Blake asked, holding out her hand. She took the ring from her finger and gently handed it over. Blake rolled it in her fingers and offered it over with the gem face up to the Khajiit, who took it with reverence in his eyes. He looked up at M'rissi.

"And…the daughter of Ra'sadir?"

"Whether she goes with you or stays here, that's her decision." Blake put her hand on M'rissi's shoulder in support.

The leader looked back at his group, who all had uneasy expressions. An equally uneasy feeling filled Blake's soul until he looked straight at her. He made a signal with his head and walked over towards the trees, Blake following him.

"Between you and I…" he whispered lowly, "Ra'sadir is not popular in our homeland for his actions. Understood, maybe, but not liked. That with her new appearance and…smell…may make her time there miserable. In truth, this one only needs the ring."

"Okay, but," Blake paused as she realized everything about the situation with the Mirrsha clan. "You can't just tell her all of it like that."

"True. This one does not want to cause unneeded pain. What would you have this one do?"

Bake looked over their party, noticing a lack of bags shared amongst them. She almost reached back to touch the Ebony Blade's sheath, but stopped herself and clenched her hands a moment before opening them back.

"You've got limited supplies and money, right?"

"Ah, this one sees what you mean. Give him a moment." He walked over to the young woman Khajiit and cleared his throat. Blake expected him to start explaining himself, but instead he began talking in his native tongue. M'rissi responded back with a little sadness, but his next words seemed to perk her back up a little at least. When they were done speaking, he turned back to Blake and bowed his head. "This one will go now. He is sorry he cannot do more."

"Maybe just a little. Can you let Ra'sadir know that…she's okay? She's alive and happy, and that's what matters."

"This one will make sure the words reach his ears personally. At the least his broken spirit may heal a little. Farewell."

The leader walked away, and the group began to follow him. As they did, Blake went back to M'rissi, who seemed to be slightly depressed at the state of things.

"She cannot go back home now. They cannot take her."

"It's okay. I promise to take you there one day, even if I have to fight an army to get there."

"And she will be there to make sure you do not fall in a trap and get stuck." Blake stuck her tongue out at the Khajiit and she stuck hers back in response before breaking into giggles.

"And I'll be there as the voice of reason. I am not joking. You're both somehow worse than me."

"In your dreams, Inigo." Blake laughed, as did the others. At this point, Weiss came back to the group, a smile on her face and a dispelling hearing spell in her hand.

* * *

Yang started sniffing at the air, pulling Lucky Day to a stop as she looked down towards the south. Ruby and Lydia stopped as well, but Yamarz kept Toggle going a little longer before turning to look at them.

"What is it?" he asked, irritated at the sudden pause.

"Uh, nothing. Let me check my…" As Yang looked over her map, she looked at the way the road split. "Okay, that Broken Helm Hollow place should be nearby, but that…" She sniffed again then hopped off her horse and headed toward a rocky outcrop. The wind changed direction, but she was still able to follow where her nose _had_ been leading her. Suddenly, a familiar black-haired man showed up, and Yang smiled.

"Oh, so it is you," she declared. "Hey, Farkas."

"Good to see you, Yang," the large man greeted, not surprised to see his fellow Companion, just as Aela came up.

"Yang."

"Hey, Aela. What are you two doing down here?"

"We think we found where a Silver Hand lieutenant is hiding out around here after busting up one of their camps," Farkas explained. "Been tracking her, but we're not too sure where she is. If she's smart, she'd have run into Morrowind and started up a new life. But you don't become a Silver Hand leader by being smart."

"At the very least, she'll be almost all alone, maybe one or two of her underlings with her." Aela growled. "Might even be trying to start up another cell. We can't allow that."

"Ah, understandable. Doesn't help stuff when your enemies just sprout right back up." Yang nodded, holding back her worry that Aela was taking things too far. It had been weeks since Skjor's death, yet Aela was still hunting the Silver Hand down. She hoped nothing bad came of it.

"So what are you doing here?" Aela asked. "Heard you were going to Falkreath and possibly an orc stronghold."

"Did 'em both. Actually, I met someone special." Yang raised up her hand showing them the Ring of Hircine.

"That's the…" Aela began, only to have her breath hitch.

"Wait, did some Imperial propose? Isn't that how Imperial's propose?" Farkas asked, tilting his head to get a better look at the ring, until Aela slapped the back of it.

"You dunderhead, that's the Ring of Hircine! It's supposed to be a legendary item, allowing complete control over…" She looked up to see the nearing group and cut herself off. "Nevermind, I'll tell you later. And _that_ is a story you need to share when you come back."

"Oh, definitely. There's some details you guys need to know anyway. Anywho, we're taking this chief guy to a cave so he can beat a Giant and regain his honor from Malacath or something. There's a lot of stuff there. Also, I'm on the lookout for a place called Broken Helm's Hollow. A lady's husband disappeared and that was his last known location."

"I know the place," Aela admitted. "Small corundum mine, but it kept flooding whenever they dug, so now people just use it for shelter. We can lead you there."

"Cool." Yang turned back towards the others. "Y'all'd rather sleep in a cave, at the Riften inn, or outside?"

Yamarz let out a gruff. "I'd rather just get some sleep."

"He looks grumpy," Farkas pointed out.

"Guess that happens when you get cursed."

"Is the cave really wet or dry?" Ruby asked.

"Guess we'll figure out when we get there." Yang started leading Lucky Day as they headed down the road, turning off at a dirt path going uphill towards a waterfall. As they went, arrows suddenly flew out. Aela dodged one and Ruby deflected another with her gauntlet. Yang quickly went into combat mode, but Yamarz suddenly charged through the trees, Toggle catching one of the archers against his tusks. The other seemed dumb-struck, letting Aela easily fire an arrow into him. As the orc brought his boar to a stop and it tossed their other attacker aside, Yang went over and picked up the broken arrow Ruby had blocked.

"Silver," she announced as she tapped the jagged tip. "Looks crude, like they just hammered a ring flat and sharpened it."

"What are the odds?" Ruby muttered as she looked at it, dismounting.

"I'm not questioning it," Farkas said. "We've finally found them."

"Good, then let's put an end to them."

The Companions led the charge, busting into a door that was already in shambles. Farkas cleaved through the first person to meet them, the man dropping his silver mace. A woman got up, but Aela's arrow found her heart as soon as she stood. Another had been lying down and was knocked unconscious by Yang's foot. As they began checking their perimeter, Ruby came in and looked around, grimacing at the sight.

"Not sleeping in here, nope." She looked up with a hum and noticed someone moving around on the ledge above her. "Hold still and we won't hurt you," she warned as she jumped up, ready to draw either Dawnbreaker or Crescent Rose depending on the room she had. As her feet touched the ground, she saw a woman in full plate hefting a silvery battle axe. She took out Crescent Rose, hoping that the sight of its ebony blade would halt the Mohawk-sporting Redguard. When it didn't and the Silver Hand charged her, she side stepped and sliced up through the axe's hilt. While the woman was still reeling from surprise, Ruby focused in on herself.

" **Su**!" She dashed around the Silver Hand, slicing out in very precise movements that could barely be avoided. She came to a stop, stabbing her scythe into the ground and then swinging on it like a centrifuge. Her feet smashed into the woman's chestplate, knocking her through the air and into the cave wall, where her armor came undone from all of the cuts on its straps, barely hanging on her and useless. The two Companions both came up, and saw their target unarmored and holding what amounted to a silver stick.

"Please don't kill me," she whimpered out pitifully. Aela sneered at that.

"The only thing saving your life right now is how absolutely pathetic you are."

"I'll get something to tie her up with," Farkas told them as he went back down. Aela kept an arrow aimed at her as Ruby went by. Yang was still on the ground level, sniffing around at one wall, where her eyes were then caught by a rusty chain hanging from the wall.

"What are you looking at?" her sister asked.

"There's something about this thing that doesn't…feel right," Yang admitted before reaching up and grabbing the chain. She pulled at it and, feeling it give, pulled harder until something clicked. Surprised, she backed up and watched as a portion of the wall opened as a secret door. Yang stepped inside, a little cautious at first, but then the scent of old blood reached her nose and she went forward. Inside of the room there were tables and baskets of bones next to them. A few wolf skins were laid out over at one side and a skull too large to be a regular wolf's hung from the wall. Seeing the gruesome scene made her lips rise in a growl, and then she turned and saw a fully intact corpse. She went over to it and then felt a tinge of recognition. She sniffed deeply and realized that it was the same scent from some of Leifnarr's old things Grosta had showed her, including an old hat of his she handed her to let her 'hound' gain the scent from. Ruby came in and gasped at the sight.

"He… He looks…"

"Just like Gralnach," Yang finished for her. Looking over him, she saw an arrow sticking up from his gut and the nearly dried blood around him. Grimacing, she pulled out the arrow and saw that it was another crudely made silver-tipped one. As she set it down, her eyes nearly widened. This wasn't some random act of violence. She looked back at the wound and saw that, while painful, it wasn't mortal on its own. She took a deep whiff and then found it.

"Werebeast," she muttered. "Not a werewolf, but…something."

"They killed him…because he was a werebeast?"

"It's what they do, Rubes." Yang stood up and shook her head. "I don't know how badly silver can hurt, but the way they left him here…. He had to have been in here like this for days. The wound was healed over, he only recently died but he's been missing for weeks… He was tortured by this stuff." Yang grimaced. She had touched a few silver items after contracting lycanthropy, mostly out of curiosity, and the metal always had a slight stinging, sometimes burning feeling to it. That was with her passive Aura up. She couldn't imagine having it embedded into your body for weeks on end. Death really would be a mercy.

Ruby let out a small whimper before Yang reached over and pulled her close by her shoulder. The two left the chamber to see the others hog-tying their prisoners. When Ruby's eyes rested on the woman, they turned into reptilian slits. She snarled and walked forward, leaving Yang's side before she kicked out, hitting the woman's chest and sending her across the room.

"Ruby!" Yang objected as she rushed forward and caught her sister by the arms. The Dragonborn struggled for just a moment as she glared daggers at the Silver Hand.

"He was a father and a husband! Do you even care you… you…" She took in a few breaths as the Silver Hand woman looked back up at her, anger in her eyes.

"No, you don't. **Krii Lun**!" the wave of power rushed forward, frightening everyone else and hitting the Redguard. She cried out in pain as a venomously purple aura veined around her and sunk into her skin. She started spastically twitching around and groaning as she curled up into a fetal position. She alternated between pained groans and screaming.

"What in Oblivion…?" Aela muttered. As the Silver Hand screamed, blood flew out from her mouth and stained the ground.

"Ruby, stop it!" Yang yelled while jostling her sister. The Dragonborn seemed to shake her head, her eyes turning back to their human shape. She silently stared at the twitching woman before raising a hand and letting a bolt ofmagic leap from her to the tormented Silver Hand. The purple seemed to rise back up and dissipate, and her screams died down. For a long moment, everyone stood still, shock and horror on all their faces, then Ruby fell to her knees and began weeping.

* * *

After handing the two prisoners over to the Riften guards, Aela and Farkas had gone into the town proper to make sure their crimes were understood. Aela had promised to deliver the news of Leifnar's fate to his family as well, as she understood Yang had more pressing concerns at the moment. Ruby sat away from the camp, further up the hill from everyone else. Yang looked in her direction and walked over. The moons had been slowly waning back, letting their pale light cast against the ground.

"Ruby," Yang tried, catching her sister's attention for a moment before she turned back and rested her head against her knees. "Ruby, please. It's okay. You got a little worked up and went overboard. We've all done it."

"It's not that," the younger girl muttered. "I…did that knowing fully what I was doing. Yang, I wasn't just lashing out in a heated moment. I _wanted_ her to suffer."

"Everyone wants them to pay for what they-"

"No, Yang! I wanted her to suffer! I wanted her life to be slowly snuffed out in waves of pain! I wanted her to know fully that she was dying even as the life was ripped from her, just like she did to him! Because that's what those words are. Krii is to kill. It is to end someone's life with the full intention of doing just that. It's…"

"Ruby," Yang said softly. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. Yang, these feelings… I'm trying to keep them down, but there's only one of me and six dragons. They're possessive. They're brutal. They're proud. And I'm…starting to act like them."

Yang threw her arms around Ruby and pulled her up. As the two stayed like that for a long moment, Ruby winced, feeling her inner self, just as she had been doing for a while now. The dragons within still circled, but there was something different with one of them. For a moment, she thought to focus in on that one, but instead looked back outside and hugged Yang back.

' _Briinah,'_ her thoughts consoled. Within her, without her even noticing, the form of a green dragon, with horns that curled up and then down, slowly seemed to crumble away, the flakes of its being floating over to the pillar and sinking within it. Eventually, seemingly no trace of it was left. All Ruby felt was the comfort of her sister's embrace.

* * *

"Are you feeling better, my Thane?" Lydia asked as they all woke up in the morning and gathered their things.

"Much better, Lydia. Thank you for asking." Ruby smiled, feeling a sense of peace she hadn't felt in ages.

"Good for you," Yamarz groaned as he packed away his own things.

"Sorry. If I knew a Shout to help people sleep I would use it to help you."

"Don't worry about it. The sooner we can get this curse lifted, the sooner I can get a good night's sleep." As they all began to ride away, Yang looked back down the road towards Morrowind.

"You know, if we ever run out of stuff to do, I'm sure there's things we can head over to Morrowind for. Aela told me she and her father used to go there to hunt cliff racers and cliff striders together."

"The big flying things? I thought that Dunmer dude wiped them out centuries ago?"

"That's a common misconception. He just killed off the aggressive breed that had infested Vvardenfell, the island heart of Morrowind." Lydia clarified, a wistful smile on her face. "My father and I would go with Aela and her father on those trips, sometimes. Hunting those cliff racers and striders were how I learned how to shoot a bow, actually. And how to rapidly swing a sword at an enemy that's charging straight towards you. They always did that." The two sisters looked at each other, Ruby deep in thought, before she smiled in realization.

"You know, now that we know about the dinosaur stuff, those sound a lot like pterodactyls." Yang pursed her lips then nodded.

"Huh, so Aela's a dino hunter. Kinda fitting."

"Pterosaurs were completely different from dinosaurs, Yang. But it would be kinda neat to have a dinosaur hunter as a friend."

"What in Malacath's name is a dinosaur?" The three woman all looked at the thoroughly confused orc chieftain and laughed.

* * *

"We're here," Yamarz announced as the group all pulled up to a cave, the entrance to which was littered with fresh bones and several Giant-style carvings.

"These guys aren't exactly the cleanest bunch," Yang observed as they dismounted.

"I think these guys are the Giant equivalent of bandits or something," Ruby admitted. "It doesn't look like they're ranchers or farmers. And this is way more meat than the Giants we know would eat in just a few weeks."

"Someone _was_ saying something about Giant bandits," Lydia pointed out, while Yamarz huffed.

"Bandits, Giants, whatever. Just get me to their leader. He's likely in the grove at the other side, and there's going to be a lot of things between us and him."

"Sure. Yang, take point. I'll back you. Lydia keep on overwatch. Yamarz…do your thing."

The four entered the cave, weapons at the ready, in Yang's case that was Ember Celica, deciding to forgo the use of her axe. She felt like punching something today. At first the caves were dark, but then brightened as they emerged into the wide open grove within, large holes in the cave ceiling letting in sunlight that fed the sparse trees, ferns, and bushes dotted about. A stream flowed through, fed by a waterfall and running until it dropped into another off a ledge and then split in two at a small body.

"Wow, this place is nice," Ruby breathed out as she admired the scenery. Her eyes then caught sight of three Giants near a large bonfire, two of them familiar-looking. The group quietly walked over towards them, hoping to get through to the cave tunnel that led further in.

" _Listen to me Buld, it's not worth going after._ "

" _We have to eat something._ " The Giants then looked up and saw the incoming humans and orc.

" _Stop them!_ " the third one shouted as he charged forward. Ruby and Yang jumped out of the way of his club while Lydia fired an arrow, hitting his shoulder.

"To your left," the housecarl called out, and Ruby looked over to see a tree leaning over. As the skinny Giant came at her, she jumped over and ran along the tree before jumping off. Her feet met his face, knocking him back. Yamarz was dodging around the other's swings as Lydia kept pelting him with arrow after arrow. When he tried to change over his attention, Yamarz came in and chopped with his orichalcum war axe, cutting deep into the Jo'Tunn's calf.

Ruby ducked under the grasp of her foe and swung up. The Giant yelled as his arm was cut. Behind him, the blond Modi was knocked onto his back by their own, smaller blonde.

" _These small folks are freaks, Tor,_ " he said while rubbing his chin. They heard a yell and looked over to see their fellow's temple being split open by the orc chief's axe.

" _Let's get out of here!_ " Tor yelled as he picked Modi up to his feet and the two started running.

" _What about Shagrol?_ "

" _Shagrol can handle his own! We're going far away from here!_ " The Giants' footsteps echoed in the cave as they ran. Eventually, they turned into dull thuds before going silent.

"Wow, that Giant was not brave at all," Ruby mused as she looked over to Yamarz, who was leaned up against a wall to take a breather. "You okay?"

"I'm tired."

"Okay, that's fair. Back in formation, ladies. Let's move in."

They went forward, down the stream-led tunnel further into the cave. After leaving behind a pond and climbing up, they began to hear something shuffling up ahead, and then a bestial roar.

"Cave trolls!" Lydia warned, seconds before a pair of them popped up. The trolls attacked, and the group scattered a bit. Yang drew her fire axe and knocked one upside the head to daze it before bringing it around and down, chopping most of the way through the monster's body. It roared out and struggled, but the flames ended up consuming it. Meanwhile Ruby had switched Crescent Rose's blade back and began using it as a halberd. As the other troll tried to claw her, she smacked it away and went to cut the beast. While the blade wasn't getting caught, she wasn't doing too much mortal damage. Yamarz then came in and brought his axe down on its head, splitting open the skull. As it fell dead, Ruby looked at the trolls in confusion.

"Wait, why were these in here with the Giants?"

"Probably kept as pets," Yamarz answered as he flicked blood and grey matter off of his weapon.

"You can make trolls into pets?"

"Anything's a pet if you can make it think of you as its boss. If anything can keep a troll in line, it's a Giant. Or a particularly brave orc."

At the other end of the tunnel, they emerged into a grove that was practically a valley. Huge trees were everywhere, and they had to walk past several through the snow to their destination. Up ahead they saw a Giant larger than most decorated with an array of skulls from all manner of beasts, mortals, and even one from his own kind. Most surprisingly, his hammer's head was made up of orichalcum rather than rock, bone, or any other material.

"There he is. All right, I'll go kill this Giant." He looked towards the humans. "Unless, of course, you want to make some extra gold."

"Seriously, dude?" Yang asked incredulously, crossing her arms.

"Look, I haven't slept in weeks," he explained. "And I helped kill the Giant at the front and the trolls. You kill this Giant, we take his hammer back to Largashbur, and tell everyone I did it."

"Isn't someone watching us right now?" Yang suggested, trying to not point out the huge statue of Malacath on the other side of the Giant's fire. Yamarz moved to protest, but Ruby stepped forward.

"Look, Yamarz, this Giant took over your people's shrine and sent others to attack your home," Ruby began.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"And you've been cursed because of this stuff, unable to get any real rest. Now, the key to your freedom and forgiveness is right there, in his hands. Your vengeance and salvation!"

"It- It is."

"You're a strong, powerful orc chief! You're the strongest out of I don't know how many orcs! This is some show-off Giant who doesn't even have a real tribe! Are you going to let him get away with what he's done!?"

"No!" the orc declared, his spirit heightening as his yell drew the attention of Shagrol.

"Then down this stamina potion, get over there, and show him what a real chief is!" Ruby yelled at him while handing over a vial of the green potion. Yamarz bit the cork and downed it in one go before charging forward with a battle cry. As he neared Shagrol with his axe raised, the Giant flicked his arm around and spun it, going faster than Ruby had ever seen a Giant go, smacking the orichalcum head against the orc and sending him back across the way, the flight path only stopping when Yamarz crashed against a rock face. His body stayed in place for a long moment as the three looked on in disbelief and the blood spatter leaked from around him.

"Oh…my god," Yang muttered just before the body fell out of the indention it had made, looking flatter in some places.

"I didn't think that was going to happen," Ruby got out quietly. As the ground rumbled, they looked back to see the Giant coming for them. Yang went one way while Ruby and Lydia went the other.

"Springboard!" Ruby yelled out, and Lydia raised her shield up. Ruby jumped up and off the shield as Lydia pushed up, sending her higher. Ruby's feet landed on a branch and she turned to see Shagrol coming right under where she was. "Tundra Dragon!"

Yang ran over to where Lydia was with her fist reared back. Yang first punched a leg, knocking the Jo'Tunn off-balance before Lydia spun on a heel, swing her sword around and slicing through the front of his calf. Ruby then jumped down and landed on his shoulder before lowering her scythe and then jumping back, aiming the blade at his throat. Shagrol caught it in time and slung her around and forward, throwing her right into Lydia with a yelp. The two rolled in a ball of steel, dragon scales, and ebony for a moment before they stopped to see the Giant charging at them, his club held high. Yang ran in front and held up her arms, catching the club as it came for them. The ground shook and much of the snow near them was blown back, but Yang stood still as her hair began to glow and flames appeared around her. Shagrol looked on in disbelief before Yang tossed his club aside and then smashed her fists together.

"You asked for it!" she yelled before reaching around and behind her, drawing out both of her axes at once. She gave out a battle cry as she rushed the Giant, knocking his hammer away with one double swing and then jumping up and sinking both into his body. He cried out in pain and reached to yank her off, only for Yang to pull her weapons free with a kick and then land back in the snow, which melted around her. As he clutched his burned wound, she threw her battle axe, hitting him just above the eye. He cried out again, and this time Yang went forward with both hands on her fire axe, swinging it so hard she chopped cleanly through one of his legs. He collapsed, and then she brought it back around and down on his neck. As she yanked it free, her Semblance began to power down and her red eyes went back to their regular violet.

"You guys okay?" she called over to Ruby and Lydia.

"Fine. A little sore and tangled up, but we're fine."

"I now know what dragon scales taste like. This is not how I imagined making that discovery."

Yang laughed as she sheathed both of her axes then picked up the hammer. "Man this thing's heavy. Too bad about Yamarz."

 **" _Yamarz was a fool,"_** the humans heard from the direction of Malacath's shrine. They looked over to see that the fires in the braziers had turned green. **_"Always trying to scheme his way out of responsibility. Well, the Giant took care of him, and you took care of the Giant. Two problems solved at once._ _At least he acted like a true warrior in the end, thanks to you._ _Now, take Shagrol's hammer back to Largashbur, and we'll see about whipping the rest of them into shape."_** The fires slowly returned to their natural color, and the sisters and housecarl all shared a look.

"You know, I'm not saying I _didn't_ expect the Orc God to be a little mean, but that was just…"

"There's nothing we can do about it, Rubes. No one expected the Giant to have a swing like Panther Groves."

"Well, maybe we can at least drag him over to the shrine." Ruby tugged at his arm, only for it to come off and then slide out of the gauntlet, which was amazingly intact. "I guess not."


	38. Smashing Bad News

"Hey, have you seen M'rissi?" Blake asked Weiss as she walked to her room, seeing the heiress packing away her things.

"She said something about looking around the Geir Island," Weiss absentmindedly mentioned as she buckled her bag and slung it over her shoulders.

"The what?"

"It's the island inside of Lake Geir, just a little ways away from the western shore of the lake. She was listening to someone rambling on about secret treasure there, so she took Inigo and went to look into it."

"Great," Blake sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "How far is it?"

"Literally just outside of the village, a little southeast. We're headed in that direction, anyways, so I figured no harm, no foul."

"Right." Blake nodded and shrugged. "Do you know where this Sunguard place Ruby texted us is?"

"Smallish town built in and around an old fort, a little ways up the Treva River. It's on a big curve in the main road, going by what I was told." As the two headed down towards the lake, Weiss gained a thoughtful look.

"What's up?"

"Just thinking about our renting plans. We can fit four tenants in Hjerim easily, and I think we can get a similar amount in Proudspire from how Ruby described it. We can only have two or three in Breezehome depending on how well the cellar cleans up. I'm still estimating how much rent we'll potentially receive every week, but it should be quite a substantial sum of money."

"You're really going in for that, huh?"

"Well, we do need more income, both now and…long term." Weiss paused, letting the implication sink in before shaking herself out of her stupor. "I also have some experiments planned, and they've been chewing through our funds with their material costs. One I've been drawing up will total a small fortune for a fully functional piece, and I'll need two pieces for it to properly function."

Blake eyed her teammate wearily. "...May I ask?"

"I'm trying to remake the Wayshrine network." Weiss was met with a blank stare from Blake, and she sighed. "Back in the second era, during the Three Banner's War, the Wayshrines could allow individuals to traverse long distances with ease, had the individual been to the respective Wayshrine to begin with. Not very good for transporting armies, but for certain individuals, it was quite the effective tool. But, the events of that war also destroyed that particular characteristic of the land, and the knowledge has been lost ever since. I've been working with Savos Aren to try and rediscover it, but at the moment all I have are theories."

"So...you're trying to make a teleporter?"

"...Yes, I'm making a teleporter." Weiss grumbled, annoyed at her detailed explanations flying over everyone's heads.

"Do you…have to do that?" Blake asked, already seeing the astronomical cost such an endeavor would bring.

"I'm hoping it helps us make some headway on getting back to Remnant. If it doesn't then at least travel will be easier. I'm thinking of placing them inside our various houses and properties, thereby making travel between them almost instantaneous while also justifying any future properties we may acquire. I have to admit, Isael's notes have actually helped a lot in that regard." Blake bristled a little at that, but Weiss just shook her head. "I know, but despite who she was the things she discovered can still be used for good. Imagine if all of us could teleport the others to our side instantaneously in the midst of combat, or if we needed to get from Solitude to Windhelm right away?"

"I've got no problem with you taking her magic and making it ours. Hell, we took a ton of her stuff. I just hate thinking about _her_ specifically." Blake rubbed her stomach, feeling the ugly scar beneath. She shuddered at the memory of being hit by that spell and the pain that had coursed through her for so long. Weiss noticed and tried to avert her eyes, acting as though she hadn't.

"Sorry. Well, onto other things, I see the boat they used." Weiss pointed across the waters to a rowboat pulled up onto the island's shore. "Not sure where they got it from, and I'm afraid to ask. At least we don't need one." She arced her hands around and then pushed them forwards, hitting the lake with a frost spell that quickly froze much of the surface. She started walking across, Blake right behind her, taking careful steps on the ice as Weiss continued making their bridge. As they walked, Blake almost slipped a few times on the ice, while Weiss was completely unaffected by the lack of friction, annoying the panther Faunus to no end. As they came to the other side, Weiss ended the spell and shook her hand, bits of ice falling from her fingers. Blake looked back and saw the bridge slowly breaking apart and beginning to float away in chunks.

"Couldn't your glyphs have gotten us across?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They could have, but I wanted to see if I could do that. Also, it was a little fun." Weiss smirked before turning around and looking inward to the island. "Well, let's see… I'm guessing that cave over there would be a good place to start."

"Yeah, I'm not seeing any sign of them up here." Blake followed the vampire towards the hill cave and they both walked in to see M'rissi looking down a hole. Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps, and she looked back up at them.

"Blake, please do not be mad at her, but she has made a mistake!" M'rissi called out with a fearful expression. Blake calmly held out her hands and walked towards her at a quicker pace.

"It's okay. What happened?" Blake asked as she walked up to the hole, peering downward. It was dark, and she could hear the sounds of water striking rock.

"She lost Inigo." Blake's head whipped towards a sheepish M'rissi, a flabbergasted Weiss looking at her then the hole in horror.

"It is okay!" they heard from the hole. Both girls looked down to see Inigo swimming in the water at the bottom. "My head softened the fall!"

"What happened?" Weiss repeated, peering over the edge of the hole and activating a night vision spell. True enough, she saw Inigo swimming around in the pool of water, none the worse for wear.

"We were looking for treasure, but all we found were skeevers, a dead man being eaten by skeevers, and a very big hole. I just got here, so you are all caught up. Wait, I see a door. New update, there is a door down here!" Weiss couldn't help but laugh at his tone, and Blake let out a smile.

"Okay, so he tripped and fell. Sounds like Inigo. Throw in a part where he narrowly stopped himself from falling only for a loose rock to take him down, and it'd be perfect."

"Blake, you are scaring her with the scary good guesses," M'rissi replied with absolute seriousness, causing Blake to chuckle.

"What is a door doing down in a natural…" Weiss paused when she saw something amidst a bunch of loose stones nearby. "Wait, that's an ancient Atmoran style dragon head carving. Okay, so maybe this place has an underground ruin beneath it. That would be interesting."

"She knows that tone. She does not want to jump into the water, even if there are coins and jewels in it for her."

"I can get us down there without getting us all soaking wet," Weiss said as she raised a hand and began concentrating. A glyph appeared a ways down the hole and then she hopped down onto it. Blake and M'rissi followed her, tentatively in the case of the Khajiit, and then she made another below them and dissipated the one they were on so they could fall to it. The girls were then able to jump from the glyph and onto solid stone. Inigo climbed out from the water, dripping wet, and shook himself, causing the others to sputter and run away.

"Brrrr! I'm so cold and wet I think my fleas are going to get the sniffles."

"You won't have any fleas a week from now if those drops work," Weiss muttered.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about those, actually. They taste awful. Do you think you can work on the flavor, make it taste good or at least palatable?"

"What- You're not supposed to eat them! You rub them into your fur and on your skin!" Blake shook her head and pushed open the old, iron doors in the wall. Immediately, a dog-sized frostbite spider turned around and looked at her. Weiss shouted and hit it with a lightning bolt, throwing it back and killing it. Another spider came to investigate, but Blake pulled out her bow and fired, hitting it in one of its eyes. As it chittered in pain, M'rissi came around and put another arrow into it, killing that one as well.

"Maybe we shouldn't wander into every grave, mrr?" She glared at Weiss, and Blake shrugged.

"Maybe, but we're already down here, and Weiss is the only way back up."

The girl in question was already looking into every vase, urn, and pot for anything of value and pocketing all she could. Groaning, M'rissi followed after her, pausing in her steps when she saw a raised flagstone. "Watch for the dart trap."

"Got it," Weiss answered before she moved on. The four came into a flooded room with corpses laid into the walls like in past tombs. As Weiss looked at the pillar, one of the draugr began to shamble up, only to get a black arrow embedded in its skull.

"Gods, I hate those walking corpses!" Inigo got out before turning to see a few more. They were swiftly put down through their combined efforts, but, at the end of the hall, an iron gate stood in their way. M'rissi tried to pull the lever, but it didn't work.

"Oh, one of those puzzle doors!" she realized. "Quick, let's solve the puzzle!"

"I believe the solution was up at the front," Weiss told them as she looked around an altar, picking up a Soul Gem and some corroded coins. As she took the gem, the plate underneath it rose, and she heard something to her side. She hopped back as a mammoth's skull came swinging down, nearly hitting her with its massive tusks.

"Okay, points for style, although I'm scared of what an actual skull indicates about what they were using for materials." The Khajiits went by her, and groaned in frustration before going back again to the other end, turning the pillars as they went. "Blake, do you think it's possible to raise a full mammoth as a zombie, or its whole skeleton maybe?"

"I honestly don't know, Weiss." M'rissi and Inigo went by them again, turning the last pillar and flipping the lever, only to come up negative again. When they went back to the front, Blake looked over at her teammate. "You wanna pitch in on that?"

"Let them figure it out on their own for now. I'll go when I'm ready. Ah!" Weiss took out an amethyst from one of the draugr's pockets. "Nice!"

"Would that happen to be a flawless amethyst?" Blake eyed the gem intensely as Weiss appraised it. She hummed in approval once she finished.

"By flawless you mean without impurities? Yes, actually. Why?"

"Because there's a guy in Riften making a wedding ring and he asked me to be on the lookout for those. You mind me taking it?"

"Well, if it's for love." Weiss handed the jewel over. "What kind of wedding is it?"

"Argonian Saxhleel wedding. I think he's been talking to the priests at the Temple of Mara to set up the wedding with traditional Argonian elements." The Khajiit sped by again, M'rissi letting out a frustrated sigh this time. "It's the couple that runs the inn, the Bee and Barb."

"Interesting… See if you can get me an invitation. I'd love to see a traditional Argonian wedding. The idea of an entirely different culture's take on marriage is actually intriguing." The Khajiit ran by again, looking at the solution at the entrance with more scrutiny before trying again. Weiss walked back up that way with Blake and looked at the carvings on the wall very carefully. "You know, I can't help but wonder what their gender roles are like."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, traditionally amongst men and mer, men are the big strong ones and women are the pretty ones, though elves try to have their males look pretty as well. While women can still be warriors, soldiers, and leaders, there's a distinct notion that men are just better at it overall, while women are overall better at domestic issues. It's wrong, of course, we're living examples of that. Unfortunately, while it's more apparent here than in Remnant, it's a little visible everywhere. However, Argonians have the pattern in which the 'fairer sex' is opposite. The males sport crests, fins, and even colorful feathers, while females sometimes have horns, though never as long or decorated as the males. Then there's their coloration, brighter colors on the males and duller, more earthly colors for the females."

"Males still look like the fighters though. They're usually more muscular," Blake pointed out.

"True, but how many other things are different? Being a fighter doesn't necessarily mean you're in charge."

"Maybe we could look it up in that big library of yours?"

"Maybe, if only to satiate my curiosity. Honestly, for me at least, it feels like I'm learning something new every day. It's _amazing_!" Blake nodded in agreement.

"She gives up!" M'rissi called back. "Nothing is working!"

Calmly, Weiss walked forward and began turning the pillars around. When they came back to the door, she pulled the lever and it opened up.

"Wha? How?" M'rissi looked at Weiss in shock, and Weiss merely smiled.

"It was the order in which you see them."

"What, but-"

"I don't know either," Blake admitted. "Let's just go forward and try to get out of here. I need to change my socks again."

At the end of the tunnel, there was a large column and a stairway built next to it. A draugr saw them and drew its greatsword as others came up. Blake dashed forward past the greatsword wielder and went for one with a sword and shield. Weiss squared off against one that was firing frost magic, and M'rissi began exchanging arrows with the last. Blake successfully got around the shield and cleaved the head from her foe while Weiss sent hers into the air. An arrow pierced the skull of M'rissi's opponent, and Inigo slashed down his.

"You are dead, again," he announced while brandishing his blade.

"All right, nice and exciting," Weiss said as she climbed up the stairs, pausing as she saw the altar that a body rested on and a piece of ancient paper set on a pedestal before it. Curious, she picked up the paper enchanted against the ravages of time and read it.

"' _Lord Geirmund_

" _Archmage of Windhelm_

" _Lord Battlemage to King Harald_

" _Magus keep thy vigil eternal._

" _Serve now in death as you did in life._

" _By these seals our realm preserve._

" _From traitors three and their charm of strife.'_ "Weiss' eyes widened in realization as she finished reading the passage, and she excitedly brought the paper closer to her face.

"Amazing! If I'm remembering correctly, Geirmund was the one who stopped the Gauldersons. This must be his tomb. That explains why it was hidden. More importantly, one of the Gauldersons are interred in this place."

"Why's that important?"

"Because that means so is his fragment of the Amulet." Weiss held up the charm of her amulet. "The sons spilt it in three pieces, and went mad with power. I can kind of see why, too. The only thing I've ever found comparable to it is the Necromancer's Amulet, which was the jewel of Mannimarco. Still wrapping my head around the fact that Jaune was the one who finally killed him, but regardless, I found mine in Saarthal along with Jyrik's staff, axe, and some kind of object called the Eye of Magnus. That's where we found the amulet Onmund lent you as well."

"Okay, so it should be an impressively enchanted artifact. That's neat."

"More than that, this place is a piece of lost history. I'll need to call back to the college about this. Onmund will be ecstatic!"

"You know," Blake said as they began to move, "I can't help but wonder how Oobleck would react to all this."

"Field trips, if I had to guess." Weiss suggested. "Could you imagine?"

"Yes, yes I can."

The group went forward, unlocking the door in front of the altar with the key placed in the corpse's hand. A draugr was immediately put down by a combined strike from Weiss and Blake before they pressed on. Another got struck down by Inigo right before they came up to a drawbridge. Weiss reached for the lever and pulled it, but then something told her to dodge, and so she jumped out of the way before a series of spikes could spear through her. Almost losing her balance at the edge, Blake reached over and pulled her back up.

"Okay, booby-trapped." Weiss looked past Blake and saw another lever. "Um, try that one real quick."

M'rissi looked up and saw the lever, hidden within an indention made by the architecture. She reached up and pulled it, and the drawbridge came down. They walked across it and found another lever next to another drawbridge. A little dubious about levers after nearly being impaled in several places, Weiss gingerly pushed the lever, only for the drawbridge to lower with no trouble, save for a couple of draugr waiting on the other side. Inigo went at one swinging, cutting it down, but then the other brought its greatsword around. He blocked but was shoved aside and nearly fell off the bridge, saving himself by clinging on with his claws as his feet lost purchase.

"Inigo!" Blake yelled as she charged forward. The draugr got in her way, but M'rissi rushed past both and pulled the fellow Khajiit back up while Blake ran her sword through their enemy and the tossed him aside.

"I am fine, though that was a bit of a scare. Thank you, M'rissi."

"She did not want you to fall so far. She doubts landing on your feet would have saved you."

"Maybe not. Today has been filled with lots of falling it seems."

They progressed to the next chamber, and immediately began hearing a sound that brought groans from those who recognized it. The group came upon a narrow hall filled with swinging pendulums. Weiss and Blake began observing it while M'rissi noticed and pointed out another flagstone.

"Okay, I can probably stop these with strong enough glyphs if no one wants to run through it," Weiss suggested, silently wishing Ruby and her Semblance were here to take care of this. She hated those pendulums.

"Yeah, I really don't want to risk that, Aura and Semblance or not," Blake added dryly.

"And I do not look forward to my fur being shaved off," Inigo put in. "I don't think I can run fast enough to get anything less."

"Right, then I'll-"

"M'rissi can do it," the Khajiit announced before rushing in right after the blades swung by.

"Wait!" Blake yelled as she ran over. She heard the pendulums swing by again and her heart seemed to skip a beat, only for her to see M'rissi having stopped in the exact right space and pull herself in, even her tail, so that they went right by her, after which she dashed the last bit to the other end. She smiled back and waved, but then immediately moved out of the way as Blake felt herself sink a little. She looked down and realized that she had stepped on the flagstone trigger, only for it to turn out to have not been enough pressure to activate whatever it did. Suddenly, the pendulums stopped, and the others crossed over.

"She told you she could do it," M'rissi bragged. "What would you do without her to help you?"

"Have less heart attacks," Blake deadpanned, only to receive a stuck out tongue from M'rissi.

"I think we're near the end," Weiss announced as she went forward. "Okay, if this is anything like Saarthal, expect a very powerful draugr or one with a trick up his sleeve."

"What kind of trick?" Inigo asked. "The kind with the diem behind the ear, or the kind with the booby-trapped lever?"

"Booby-trapped lever, but worse."

"What could be worse than a booby-trapped lever?"

"Two booby-trapped levers?" M'rissi suggested.

"Ye gads, you're right! Two booby-traps are always worse than one booby-trap!"

"Stop saying booby-trap," Blake told them before she hopped across the more flooded floor to a raised platform and then over to the place where a coffin sat with a circle of water surrounding it. She took a few step towards it, but when one foot crossed the water line, the tomb shook as the lid to the coffin was busted off. A draugr wearing an ornate helm rose up as candles lit themselves all around his resting place and near the glowing sigils on the platforms. He pulled out a bow as Blake readied herself to face him, but then disappeared in a burst of purple magic. The Faunus' ears swiveled as she looked around, but then caught three distinct sounds like that of the teleportation spell at once. The draugr and two others had appeared, one on both the platforms and a third on the dais across the floor. Immediately the group had to dodge their arrows. Blake took out her bow and aimed at one, hitting it a moment later. It disappeared, making her wonder what exactly it was as she continued to observe. Inigo's arrow hit another, causing it to fade as well. The last one took a lightning bolt and only seemed to stumble a moment. An arrow from M'rissi then hit it, and the draugr teleported away again. Three more appeared, this time one right in front of Blake. She kicked it and it faded, then she noticed a detail.

"The fakes don't have helms!" she called out.

"They have arrows though!" Inigo warned them after one barely missed him. M'rissi charged towards the middle while loosing an arrow into the clone and then aimed at the real one, only for it to teleport again. She blinked, and then it reappeared with two more clones, all aiming their bows at her.

"M'rissi!"

The arrows fired, but the Khajiit bent back, ducking under them all before springing up, pushing herself from the ground. As she went through the air, she fired an arrow at one fake, then spun and brought her claws down on the other as she landed. She quickly turned, blocking another arrow with a ward and blasting a fireball at the real draugr, causing it to stumble on fire for a moment, and Weiss nearly hit it with another before it disappeared again. The three swirls of magic returned, and this time the group thought they were prepared. However, rather than readying his bow, the draugr and his clones were taking a breath.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** " each of them Shouted, knocking back Weiss and Inigo and blowing M'rissi across the room and onto the level Blake was at. She stopped herself by planting her claws to the ground, making a loud scratching sound as she did.

"Ouch!" she cried out as she shook her hands. Blake tried to take down the draugr in front of her, but it seemed to be preparing another breath. She thought to brace her feet, but the moment the words came out she knew she had miscalculated.

" **Zun Haal Viik!** "

The Shout struck the unprepared Faunus. Blake tried to keep her grip on her weapons, but she couldn't fight the force of it for long as they were ripped by what felt like the strongest pulls she'd ever felt. As her sword went one way , trailed by its fluttering black ribbon, and the cleaver went the other, the draugr took aim at her. She ducked under his shot, however, and charged forward while yanking the other end of the elastic length. Her Aura flowed down the connection and folded the errant blade into its sickle form, the kusarigama spinning through the air to sink into the mummy's chest. With no bullets to remotely trigger and dislodge the embedded grapnel, she decided on another course of action.

"Get over here!" she yelled out and pulled the ribbon, her strength lifting the draugr off its feet as she reached behind her back. With the draugr still flying towards her, her arms emerged from her side, now clutching her backup weapons. In her right hand she had the Blade of Woe while the left held the daedric dagger she'd taken from Isael. As the draugr neared, she sliced upwards with both, cutting through mummified flesh and bone with their incredibly sharp edges, completely taking off the undead's arms. As it stumbled back, she brought back her weapons and swung them both, taking the head off the draugr with a double-slice. It fell back, and from its neck stump an amulet fell, almost identical to the one Weiss had, but with the broken, jagged edge on the opposite side.

The clones quickly dissipated as Blake caught her breath and the others all picked themselves up. Blake picked up the amulet and felt the power coursing through it. Biting her lip, she placed the amulet on and immediately felt different. It was as though she could move faster, jump higher, maybe even bend further, and had all of the energy in the world to do it. As she rolled her shoulders, feeling more flexible than she ever had, Weiss walked up to her and checked around the draugr, pulling up a glowing page.

"' _Be bound here Sigdis, murderer, betrayer. Condemned by your crimes against lord and realm. May your name and deeds be forgotten forever, And the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward.'_

"It sounds about the same as the one for Jyrik." Weiss folded the paper and pocketed it. "How's the amulet feel, Blake?"

"Like nothing I've ever felt before." Testing it, Blake made for a backwards, one-handed tumble, and did so almost perfectly. "Nice! Been trying to get that for a while now!"

"Blake, she got your sheath weapon, but she has bad news," M'rissi said as she came over. The Faunus balked at what had become of the cleaver half of Gambol Shroud. The whole thing was bent at the middle at nearly thirty degrees. She looked it over, seeing where it must have impacted something when it was sent flying. Inigo then came up and hissed in a breath at the sight.

"Oooh, that's not a pleasant sight." He winced then looked at Blake, a shocked expression on her face with a touch of regret.

"Not good," Weiss said as she looked over the sheath. "I don't think there's any going back for this thing."

"…It's fine. I've got plenty of backups." Blake sighed as she sheathed her daggers and took her sword back. After looking around, she took the belt from the draugr corpse and fastened her sword to it. She also picked up his dark bow and began looking it over, seeing the inscription _Gaulder Blackbow_ on its side. It seemed to be enchanted with something to do with draining, and for a moment she wondered if it was like the Blade of Woe.

"Weiss, can you tell what this is?" Weiss touched the ancient bow and nodded. She looked it over for a moment then handed it back to her.

"Magicka drain. Basically, hit someone with it, and it will take their magicka and feed it into you. Good for mages fighting mages."

"Hm, think I'll keep it. Unless… M'rissi, you've been using magic more and more. Want a special bow for that?"

"She does like the style," M'rissi mused as she took the bow in hand and looked it over. "And she would have less fire-related accidents with this. Okay, she will take the Blackbow, and you can have her Burnbow." M'rissi offered the enchanted bow over in exchange and Blake accepted it.

"Why did you get her a fire-enchanted bow, anyways?" Weiss asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I…think Ulfberth made a mistake."

"Right… Well, let's take everything of value and not nailed to the floor and head back up to the surface."

"So, business as usual, then?"

"Yes."

* * *

"Okay, so we have good news and bad news," Ruby tentatively began as she walked up to Atub. The orcs looked around the human women, noting the lack of a certain individual.

"Where is Yamarz?" Ugor demanded, her voice strained.

"He…was killed by the Giant leader. We avenged him though, and brought the club in his stead." Ruby indicated the large club in Yang's arms. Toggle had hefted it all the way from the cavern, though he seemed to constantly be looking around the whole way back, as if trying to find Yamarz as well. The sight broke Ruby's heart.

"I see," Atub said, grief in her voice. "Did he…die well?"

Ruby resisted the urge to wince at that as Yang spoke up. "He…went down swinging."

"Ah, that is good to hear then."

" _ **Yamarz was a coward and a weakling,"**_ Malacath's voice rang out from his miniature shrine, causing the Huntresses to wince. _**"It took the convincing of a human waif to get him to act like an orc. His deceitful ways have cost you all greatly."**_

"I am not a waif, whatever that is..." Ruby grumbled and Yang patted her shoulder, while Atub closed her eyes, as did the other orcs. After a moment, she opened them and gazed at the shine intensely.

"So he has been punished?" Atub concluded. "And what of us? What fate shall we suffer?"

" _ **You'll have to prove yourselves, but I'm willing to give you a chance. Gularzob's in charge now. Let's hope he's a better chief."**_ One orc, likely Gularzob, seemed to stumble back at this revelation. _**"You, golden-hair,"**_ Malacath then called out, causing Yang to stand to attention, _**"place that hammer on the shrine. You're about the only one proven worthy in all of this. Your little sister and her bodyguard were vying for second."**_

"Wow, I guess if you're getting all the Thanedoms, I'm getting all the tough-guy gods' favors," Yang muttered as she went over and gently set the club into the antlers of the deer skull. The weapon then seemed to shift before her very eyes, the head becoming more box-shaped and the hilt going from thick wood to thin metal. When it was done, an almost wicked-looking warhammer, with a red glow emanating from within the head, had taken the primitive weapon's place.

" _ **Keep this hammer, Volendrung. It will beat your enemies to paste while it withers them away. The weak stand no chance against a strong pair of arms hefting this weapon."**_

Yang took the hammer down from the shrine and felt its weight in her hands. She spun it a bit, and laughed at how well she seemed to be able to grip it. Ruby began looking it over, in awe of its structure.

"This thing has spikes in every direction. It's like a giant meat tenderizer."

"Even if hammers aren't my thing, this'll make a good present for Nora. Not until after I hold it in front of her and taunt about having the bigger hammer first, of course."

"That reminds me, I should probably pick up a copy of that book..." Ruby absentmindedly murmured to herself.

Atub and the male orc walked toward the sisters, who looked to see what they had to say. "Thank you both, for helping us lift this curse. Yamarz might be dead, but it's for the best. At least the tribe shall live on."

"I don't know why Malacath chose me, but I will do my best to lead the tribe," Gularzob spoke up, and Yang smiled.

"Hey, if he picked you, then it must mean you're capable, dude," Yang said to him as she hoisted Volendrung onto her shoulder. "Just do your best."

"I will. Thank you."

"And I will send word about you to the other strongholds," Atub added. "As far as I'm concerned, you two are bloodkin to the orcs. Please, let us know if there's anything we can do for you."

"Well, originally we came here hoping to learn how to smith orichalcum," Ruby pointed out. "We want to make a special armor, and Eorlund said it would be the best fit for it, but…"

"But he couldn't teach you. Well, Garakh certainly can. There's an oath to take before we do, but it's nothing no one else wouldn't have to do."

"Also, what about Toggle?" Ruby pointed to the boar in question, currently being tended to by Lydia.

"Yamarz' boar? Hm, normally the chief's boar would be passed down to the next chief, but Gularzob has his own." Atub looked over to the new chief who hummed.

"Well, no harm in letting you keep him if you've gotten attached. We actually have plenty of great boars. Though the Giants may have gone for them next. Besides, with Frostfall here we would end up culling them a time or two."

"Thanks! I know the perfect keeper for him!"

"As for learning orichalcum," Atub began as she gestured for the girls to follow her, "we'll get Garukh started on teaching you."

* * *

Yang took the strip of armor she'd just finished and bent it in her hands before letting it go and watching it spring back into place. It was a tough material, but more flexible and lighter than steel of similar size. Currently, Ruby was waiting for some ore to finish melting down, but it was a long wait, due to how orichalcum worked, and one of the biggest reasons it wasn't used as often. It needed to be smelted at a _very_ low and consistent temperature, otherwise the resulting metal would end up getting brittle and risk cracking apart. Garukh made sure to hammer in that detail, as well as dissuading them from trying any shortcuts like adding iron as a bonding agent, something she referred to as "lazy". Thankfully, the mineral itself had few impurities within it, and so the next steps came pretty quickly. Molds were made, and then the different items were planned. Weapons needed to be more rigid, so the metal underwent a slightly different process during the forging from armors. They needed to be heated quickly, then quenched in icy water, then hammered near a heat source, while armor pieces were hammered as they cooled naturally over time.

Under the orc woman's guidance, the sisters toiled for several hours, first making a broadsword, and then a shield with some of their own touches to it. Then the two started working on a set of armor, going by the sizes Ruby had managed to procure. Segment after segment was made, and then set together, bolted to leather, and strapped tightly. When they finished, the full set of armor was done, the shield and weapon sitting beside it on a table. The girls took the bandages off of their hands where they had drawn blood to make the oath, seeing the wounds fully healed, and then looked at their finished product. Lydia had come back inside to view it as well, having spent most of the time they worked tending to other matters or accepting some training from a few of the orcs.

"It looks very good," she complimented the two. "Every time I see your works I'm astounded by it."

"Glad you like it," Yang said with a grin. "Now try it on."

"…What?"

"We made it to your measurements," Ruby pointed out happily. "It's going to be hard getting through this stuff. It's almost like a polymer with how flexible it is, and it's lighter and stronger than steel."

Carefully, Lydia bent down and picked up the main piece, looking it over a moment before looking back at the girls. She smiled, and set it down before taking off her steel armor. With a little help she was able to pull on the orichalcum armor and immediately felt the difference. She strapped on the pauldrons, gauntlets, and greaves and then stood up and walked around a moment to get a feel for it. As well as being lighter, she could move about more easily in it. She flexed an arm and then picked up the sword. Shaped like her normal weapon, the green blade felt good in her hands and she could see that it had a fine edge, one that would last much longer than regular steel from what she'd heard.

"You're lucky to have these girls willing to go through such hard work to protect you," Garukh told the housecarl with a nod.

"I am, thank you. And thank you for teaching them."

"It was easier than I expected. They're naturals, almost as quick to learn as my own daughters. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were part orc." Ruby then came forward and handed Lydia the shield.

"We did something a little extra here. Know how you tend to bash things in the face?"

"Yes, I do that sometimes."

"Well, see that spike in the middle?" Lydia nodded. "Okay, and see that thing next to your handle that looks like a bike brake?"

"A what?"

"Never mind. Just reach with a finger or two and squeeze it." Lydia did so, and the spike on her shield shifted, opening a little and flicking out a pair of blades about the size of a dagger. "Tada! We put knives in your shield, so now you can stab someone when you block or bash." Garukh just laughed and shook her head, as though it was a particularly silly prank. The other orcs, in contrast, looked upon the shield in awe. Lydia gazed at the knife-shield silently before laughing as she retracted the blade.

"This is all really amazing! Thank you so much for making this for me!"

"No problem," Ruby beamed. "You do all of that burden-bearing for me, so the least I could do is make sure you're protected too."

"And Eorlund was right! This stuff is the perfect material to get us started on that interlock armor. I tested it a few times, and no matter how long it's bent a certain way, it always goes back to how it was before, unless you heat it up to metal melting levels, but not even my Semblance's fire gets that hot." Yang took out a piece that she'd made and pulled at it, showing how it seemed to stretch out, but it was actually just interwoven pieces of orichalcum. "It works kind of like hinge springs, with overlapping segments. First version's going to be thin, but we can work with it." She brought her hands back, showing how the pieces automatically pushed themselves back into place. "Of course, this is harder to make than any chain or scalemail could ever be. This piece wouldn't be enough to protect half a hand, and it took me an hour to put together."

"You'll get better with time," Ruby encouraged her. "And maybe even figure out how to mix it with other metals. Only the springs need to be orichalcum, but the main pieces could be anything from Dwemer metal to dragon scales."

"That sounds good and all, but wouldn't it pinch you when it shrinks back?" Lydia pointed out. The girls looked at her then back at the piece again as Yang pulled at it a few times.

"Huh, you might be right," Yang said as she looked it over. "So… Need to find something to act as a buffer layer. Maybe the White Stag hide?"

"I don't know how magical it is. How do we test that?"

"One thing at a time, I suppose."

* * *

"Wow, okay, this doesn't sound nice."

"What is it?" Weiss asked, looking over Blake's shoulder.

"Reading a book of tales. Apparently, some Chimer guy named Ornarol tried to hedge his bets against some Daedric Princes, but they just ended up tearing his soul into three parts." She looked a little further along. "More concerning is that it's believed his soul pieces act as keys to the gateways of part of their realms, including Hircine's Hunting Grounds, Peryite's Pit, and Hermaeus Mora's Apocrypha. Hm, might take a look at those when I have the chance."

"Goodness!" Weiss shivered. "Any more ghastly tales you want to share with us?"

Blake rummaged through the book in her hands. "Well, there's one about a sorcerer who made a deal with Clavicus Vile, but then hid himself and his tower inside some pocket realm when he tried to take his soul as payment. A tale about a giant sea serpent that got so big they needed the King of the Giants of Atmora to bash him on the head so he'd stop stirring up the sea. A story about a devious dragon with gilded horns who fooled a small army into walking into a death trap, only for one brave boy to hit him with an arrow in his eye, which ran him off, saving the remaining half of the army. There's a story about some Nordic island called Falskaar and some big war that happened there long ago, but I haven't reached that one yet."

"I think I heard about that place, but it's very far north and past some icy waters. Most people don't even know about it." Weiss looked at the book for a moment before recalling something. "Speaking of stories, are you still working on…that book?"

"Um, yeah…" Blake admitted bashfully. "I'm…trying to do more research on Pelinal, but the things people write about him are contradictory most of the times, and he's… Well, to put it bluntly, he was an insane war criminal."

"What kind of war crimes are we talking about?"

"Killing civilians. Targeting civilians. Killing prisoners of war. His whole existence was based around killing elves, no matter who they were. He even killed several Khajiit, thinking they were some kind of elf offshoot. It's hard to feel connected to a character like that." Blake breathed out a sigh. "What about you?"

"What?"

"Your dream journal. Anything new?"

"Well, yes, actually. There was something about some Nord woman's jewels, but it didn't seem very important. What was important was that there were slaves being held in the camp, and the person freed them, at some place near Caldera called Shushishi." Weiss nodded. "Yes, I'm almost certain now, after seeing him in combat. This person Azura's giving me visions of is from Remnant, and he was in Morrowind."

"You could tell from how he fought?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, his sword style was very peculiar. Very fast and fluid, much more so than anyone from Nirn, yet also choppy. Also, I don't think I've seen anyone that angry at someone since we ran into the Orphan Rock coven. He yelled a lot at the Khajiit in charge of the bandits planning on selling the slaves about being a traitor to his kind. "

"They were doing _what_?" Inigo growled and Blake scowled. Weiss nodded remorsefully.

"From what I could tell, the Khajiit in question was doing it for quite some time. The Huntsman found his operation by chance trying to find those jewels and he was...furious is too light of a word. I was wondering what he was going to do after he cut him down." Weiss shrugged. "Eventually he caught his breath, freed the slaves, and left, taking the Khajiit's tanto, and that's where the dream ended."

"Huh? How was his style peculiar?" Blake asked, regaining her composure.

"Almost like he wasn't used to a normal sword. He used one edge most of the time, and a lot of distractions, like throwing a dagger or rock at someone's head to close in with them. Very athletic, and fast, to be expected of a Huntsman type of warrior."

"Why would a Khajiit capture and sell other Khajiit?" M'rissi asked, an innocent gleam in her eyes.

"Money can make people do awful things, M'ri," Inigo answered. "It can make a cat sell his soul sometimes."

"There was actually a time, back on Remnant, when we came across a Faunus who was luring others and selling them to traffickers. Human and Faunus, but mostly Faunus." Blake's ears turned toward the angry position, but then turned back towards sadness as she frowned. "My…mentor got so angry… He just stood there for a long time after killing the slaver. We were scared to approach him."

"What happened after that?"

"He freed just the Faunus then left without a word." Blake looked down remorsefully, her ears flat against her head. "Ilia, a friend of mine, and I freed the humans. At that point, they didn't care what we were, they were just glad to be out of there."

"It's sickening, what some people are willing to do to others." Weiss shook her head before humming in thought. She looked up and out across a field, now brown and with bales being rolled up from the farm's vegetation. "Winter's just about here, it seems."

"It's literally Frostfall. Well, back home it'd be October. Pretty soon everywhere north of Riverwood's going to have at least twelve inches of snow, and maybe all of Skyrim." As they rode up toward the gates, both noticed something very peculiar. Just outside of the stables was a giant boar, larger than some of the horses. It was eating from a trough, likely whatever scraps they could find for such a beast. A familiar red cloak went by, and paused.

"Hey guys!" Ruby greeted the group as they began to dismount. "Just feeding Toggle, but this is the biggest bucket I could find for the scraps the inn's letting me take to him." She held up the bucket of partly eaten foods and leftover soup. "This should be the last he needs, though. Come on, let me introduce you guys."

Following their team leader with no small amount of apprehension, the group walked up to the boar and watched as it raised its head to let Ruby fill the trough back up. It smacked its mouth a few times and let out a snort and an oink towards them as though acknowledging their presence before going back to eating.

"Why do you have a giant pig?" Inigo asked, the first to finally regather his senses.

"He's a great boar. Remember how we were helping the chief go fight a Giant bandit?"

"... Yes..." Weiss slowly said, leaning back away from the boar and nervously noticing the peculiar look Ruby was giving her.

"Well, he's dead, but the tribe let us keep his boar since all they'd end up doing is either eating or culling him to keep the other boars fed. They're better as battle mounts than food, anyways. Speaking of which, Weiss, let me formally introduce you to Toggle, your new mount."

The boar paused his eating a moment to let out a happy squeak.

"I'm sorry, are you saying you want me to ride a giant pig?" Weiss rubbed her forehead. "Ruby, there are so many things wrong with that idea."

"He's good! I rode him a little bit on the way from Larshbarter, and it's way smoother than any horse ride. He can also carry half a ton of weight at one time, and pigs are some of the smartest animals in the world."

"Ruby, there's no way I'm riding a big, smelly pig." Weiss tone was final, and Ruby pouted. At the same time, Toggle suddenly went up from his meal, turned, and then ran into the nearby tree line.

"Toggle! Weiss, you hurt his feelings!" Ruby accused, making Weiss balk.

"What?! No, I didn't! It couldn't have understood me no matter how smart it was."

"Then why'd he run off when you called him smelly?" M'rissi glared at the heiress, to which Weiss threw her arms into the air.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah! And he's not smelly. A little musky, but he rubs up against a lot of pines and usually smells like that," Ruby continued to defend Toggle. The great boar then burst out from the trees, carving through one small pine with one of his tusks and felling it on his way out. "Like that. Hey boy, are you okay?"

Weiss yelped as the boar came right up to her, pointing his giant nose at her face and letting out a series of oinks. She tried to back away in disgust, but Toggle walked along with her, shaking his head up and down until Weiss noticed something in his lips. Pausing a moment, she reached forward and grabbed the object, and Toggle let go and backed up a few steps. She saw that in her hands was a small, leather sack. Cautiously, she opened it to find several septims and malks.

"Did you…find this?" The boar let out a snort and then began rubbing his head against Weiss' leg. Tentatively, she reached out and patted his head. "Well, alright, I'll give it a go."

"Of course. As soon as the pig brings you money, you change your tune." Blake stared at Weiss with lidded eyes, but Weiss purposefully ignored her. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I knew he'd be perfect for you!" Ruby cheered. "The other day he found a surface lode of iron ore. I think Yamarz trained him to find metals, including coins."

"Don't suppose you have a coin sniffing piglet?" Blake asked, to which Ruby laughed.

"No, sorry, just the one big piggy." Weiss began scratching the boar under his chin, which made him started tapping a foot rapidly. Ruby tilted her head. "Huh, thought only dogs did that."

* * *

As Weiss looked appreciably over Lydia's new armor and Yang's prototype armor piece, Ruby received _Journey of the Heroes_ from Blake, and started flipping through a few pages.

"It's hard to believe how famous those guys became," She said as she paused at a page and then closed it. "How is it for a book?"

"Pretty good. The writer was more…modern. A lot of books from about three hundred years and earlier tend to be really simple. I think it's because they had to be careful about how they penned things. Heard from some guy writing in an inn once that there are spells for that stuff now, though. Showed me a few, ink removal spells, mostly, and also a spell checker. Not to mention many stories were obviously inaccurate in places. I've looked at a few, and _Journey of the Heroes_ is by far the one people assume is the closest to the truth."

"Really? How inaccurate were they?"

"I remember one where the author turned Yohannes into a blatant Marty Stu-type character who got pretty much every woman in Cyrodiil without even trying and could do no wrong while the others were sidelined, at best. The author's treatment of Nicaea was particularly bad, making her entire existence revolve around him while writing her wearing some…questionably chosen armor into combat. I'm talking metal bikini. I think he was trying to self-insert himself into Yohannes and it...didn't come out very well. Funnily enough, the Bard's College apparently made a brilliant parody based off of it. Won awards and everything."

"That's weird," Ruby muttered as she thought about the other story before looking back at the book in her hands. "Would you say it's more action or drama?"

"A little of both, actually. There's plenty of action and adventure going on, but there tend to be some really dramatic and heartbreaking moments. If you like either of those you'll enjoy it. What kind of books do you normally like?"

"Oh, well, you know. Uh, I think my favorite recent book was… _The Elder's War_." Blake's eyes widened as her ears shot up at that.

"You're kidding."

"No, it was really good."

"Oh, it definitely was, but… We're talking about a story that _starts_ with an old man visiting his wife's grave right before joining the army."

"Yeah, I know. I read it."

"He made a bunch of friends only to slowly _hear_ most of them in his head dying through the neural implant."

"Yeah, it was really heart wrenching."

"…What other books do you like?"

"Um, let me think. I like _Ender's Match_. _The Hymn of Winter and Summer_ is pretty good. _The Button_. Ironically, I really like that series with the wizards who ride dragons fighting the evil emperor. Uh, what was the series itself called? _Heritage_? You know the one, right?"

"Okay, I can see that one, but all those other books are…a little dark. I mean, I never would have pictured you enjoying…a story full of murder, cut-throat politics, and most of the heroes dying to both."

"Well, I guess I just…kinda got into them after a while." Ruby smiled. "Remember when we first met and we started talking about books and stuff?"

"Yeah. You said Yang used to read to you all the time. Fairy tales and stuff."

"Well, when I was ten or eleven, I went looking for a book of the stories she used to read, but one thing I kept finding was several of the really old versions. You know, the scary ones they don't tell kids about? Instead of just marrying the prince, some birds come and peck out the stepsister's left eyes at the wedding. The girl never actually gets out of the tower and starves to death. Things like that."

"Yeah, the really messed up stories. What about them?"

"Well, I think it frightened me a bit, and I kind of slowly realized that the world really is a scary place. People get hurt and monsters prowl around. Some of the people can be monsters too. But, even though there were all of these dark stories, people were able to make some kid-friendly, bright and happy tales out of them. That's what I meant when I told you that's what we're there for."

"To make the world a better place," Blake clinched. She let out a small laugh. "Take the twisted world and make something beautiful out of it."

"And that's what we're doing here. I'm going to stop the dragons and find out where Alduin is hiding and how to beat him. You're working with a less reputable guild to find evilmurderers, while straightening them out a bit. And, of course, we have to stop all of the baddies we run into on the way. That's what I see in those books. They're not… Well, they can be sad, especially when someone loses a lot of friends, when a young girl loses her father, or when you realize you've completely destroyed a planet at the cost of millions of lives. But there's always something good to be taken away from them. There's that spark of hope. And that's the hope I'm going to fight for, no matter what."

* * *

After a warm meal and a night in warm beds, the whole group felt relaxed and relieved come morning. Weiss and Ruby were going over a map for their plans while Yang and Blake were talking with Inigo and M'rissi over breakfast.

"So, we're not going to Mzulft, _yet_?" Ruby clarified.

"I called back to the college, and Mirabelle said that only the Synods know the way in, so she's keeping an ear to the ground for when they try to move in, which should be soon. We'll try to tag along, or, barring that, push past them. Probably better for their health that way. Dwemer ruins are said to house all sorts of security measures, ranging from automatons to their weaponized industry. Even if the defenses are broken down, Falmer might have moved in."

"Falmer," Ruby muttered angrily, catching Weiss off-guard.

"You know what Falmer are?"

"Yeah, remember, I told you guys about them after you all ran off with Sam." The others all winced and looked away from Ruby's glare.

"You more yelled and ranted. So you fought them? What are they like?"

"They murdered people and dragged them into a cave to feed to their giant bug pets. They raise the chaurus and I guess make armor and weapons out of them. They were all blind and disgusting, but had very good hearing. I mean, they could shoot arrows while still being blind."

"How in Oblivion does that work?" Yang scratched her head.

"Echolocation, I guess? I don't know. How about the Magnet-Jeeps?"

"Magna-Ge." Weiss felt the tick in her head, drawing her northwest. "We'll need to head toward Haafingar, I believe. I'm not entirely sure what we're looking for, but the Marker's psionic guide is leading me to something."

"What do you think it is?"

"I'm not certain. The Augur of Dunlain said more information will become available as we go."

"Okay, so Blake, M'rissi, and Inigo will head back down to Riften, while you, me, Yang, and Lydia will-"

The door to the inn opened, and Ruby and Weiss turned to see Aela and Farkas walking in, a grim expression plastered on their faces. They quickly spotted Yang and walked over to her, and the hairs on everyone's necks began to rise.

"Hey guys. Everything going all right?" Yang slowly rose to her feet, as did the others.

"Actually, something's gone very wrong," Aela told her grimly. "Word just reached us from Whiterun. Someone's attacked and destroyed the Hall of the Vigilant. Nearly everyone there was killed."

The news came to everyone's surprise, and for a moment a chill could be felt settling over all of them.


	39. Belladonna's Five

**Bit of big news, our move is finalizing, and ATT is unavailable where we're headed, so, until I find another internet provider for that area, it's going to be harder to get you guys some chapters. I will continue to do my best, however. Gracious thanks to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for helping put it all together.**

 **Also, I'd like to give a big shoutout to Mann Henry Bayhon, who has become my first Patron on Patr(e)on and pledged a full dollar a month. You rule!**

* * *

"What do you mean, someone burned down the Hall of the Vigilant?" Weiss gravely demanded from the group assembled in front of her. As soon as Aela revealed the terrible news, everyone was moved immediately and, once sequestered in a secure room, relayed the news.

"It is as I said. Burned to the ground." Aela's voice was grim, and the air had a heavy weight to it.

"How do we know it wasn't a dragon attack?" Ruby asked, and Aela nodded.

"That's what we thought, too. Wouldn't be too farfetched of a thought that a dragon attacked the hall. It's happening more and more, nowadays."

"But you know it wasn't," Blake stated rather than asked.

"We have reason to believe the act was not a random dragon attack, but an attack from some other group. An unknown third party, a collection of well-equipped men and mer."

"You have any proof of this?" Yang asked, leaning forward.

"Eyewitness accounts," Farkas spoke. "The people of Dawnstar have reported no signs of dragon activity in the area in or around the Hall, before or since the attack. Not to mention, many of the wounds inflicted were stab wounds, electrical scarring, frostbite, and an assortment of various injuries. In addition, we had a survivor of the attack itself."

"Had?" Weiss pointed out, and Farkas grimly nodded.

"A day after the apparent attack, Keeper Carcette, the leader of Skyrim's Vigilants, hobbled into Dawnstar with mortal injuries. They said she expired from her wounds shortly after her arrival. According to her, they were attacked in the dead of night out of nowhere. There was no warning, no provocation, no quarter given. This group of individuals was powerful, well versed in magic, and well equipped with highly maintained and well-crafted arms and armor."

"Dammit," Yang cursed and looked to the side. That ruled out run of the mill bandits and cultists. "Do we know anything else? Anything at all?" Farkas and Aela looked at each other for a moment then turned back to the others.

"We have reason to believe the attackers were all vampires," Aela revealed, and Weiss' breath hitched.

"What?" she breathed out. "Vampires?"

"Yes, but not the group you are affiliated with," Aela reassured the vampire. "Kodlak has been in touch with Jarmak, and Duskfall is currently helping in the investigation."

"How do we know it's vampires?" Lydia asked.

"According to Keeper Carcette, before she passed, the attackers all exhibited signs of advanced stage vampirism. Yellow eyes, pale skin, unnatural breathing, and a weakness to fire. In addition, they attacked with death hounds and gargoyles, along with a small army of thralls. Finally, they were led by a vampire lord."

"Just like the vampires that attacked Whiterun and the ones in Bloodlet Throne," Ruby pointed out.

"Our thoughts exactly. The final piece of evidence they described was that several of the dead had shriveled bodies and bite marks on the neck." Everyone turned towards the resident vampire, who grimly touched the spot where she'd been bitten seemingly so long ago. Nothing visible remained, but it still haunted the heiress.

"Sucked them dry," she said as she looked towards the others, her icy blue eyes now a golden yellow. Aela and Farkas nodded, and the air got heavier.

"So, let's recap," Yang clutched her hands together. "A few days ago, the Hall of the Vigilant was attacked and burned down completely, leaving only one survivor who died soon after reaching safety. Before she did, she revealed that the attackers were all vampires, and evidence collaborates that. They were all well-equipped and well trained, and coupled with a rise in vampire attacks with similar methods, that can only mean they were part of the same group. A large, powerful group of vampires running amok." Yang paused.

"Shit," she finished, and the group grew quiet. The silence hung for several moments as everyone tried to determine the best course of action. Finally, Ruby spoke up again.

"Aela, Farkas, what's the response in the other holds?"

"Whiterun is entering into a state of emergency," Aela said. "No one is allowed in or out of the city without express permission from officials, and guards are receiving triple shifts. Everyone is being more tightly scrutinized as well."

"Our contacts in the other holds told us that Solitude and Windhelm are doing the same, and it's only a matter of time before word reaches Markarth, and Riften. Dawnstar, Morthal, Falkreath, and Winterhold are in a state of emergency as well, but without walls of their own, they are increasing the number of guards."

"And the Legion and Stormcloaks?"

"From what we can tell, Tulius and Ulfric have both sent investigators to determine what had happened. They further collaborated Carcette's report," Farkas finished and Ruby clasped her hands together.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. Yang, you go with Aela and Farkas back to Whiterun. Find out everything you can about the attack from Kodlak and the Jarl, then go over yourself and figure out what happened."

"Got it." Yang nodded. Ruby then turned to Blake.

"Blake, you take M'rissi and Inigo back down to Riften. We may need the Guild's information network now more than ever." Blake nodded and Aela scoffed.

"You're going to trust the words of thieves and liars?"

"Those 'thieves and liars' gave me a complete list of all guards who were working with the Dark Brotherhood. I'm confident whatever information they have will be accurate," Blake replied, her tone sharp. "I don't like them and I'm fairly certain they don't like me, but I trust their information."

Aela raised her hands in defeat. "Fair enough." She turned back to Ruby. "What about you, Ruby?"

"Weiss and I will continue as before, figure out what this Magna-Ge wants. With any luck, we can figure out something that can help us take these vampires down."

"Magna-Ge," Aela muttered. "That always inevitably circles around back to Meridia. If anything can help against a vampire horde, it's their power."

"Hopefully whatever they have in mind will be useful," Weiss agreed. "After I help Ruby, we'll head back to Winterhold and scour the college records. There may be something inside that can help us." Everyone looked at each other, each asking if there were any objections. None raised their voice.

* * *

The group split apart yet again then and there. Yang trekked north towards Whiterun with her fellow Companions at full gallop, Ruby, Lydia, and Weiss travelled northwest toward Haafingar, and Blake, Inigo, and M'rissi rode east to Riften. After a day of travel, the three felines reached their destination. As the Companion had said, the city was on high alert, and Blake barely obtained the approval to enter. As the catfolk entered into the city, Blake had to take a few deep breaths as she headed toward the Bee and Barb and then looked for any signs of a Black-Briar. Her cousin Hellen might have run a clean and decent operation with the Sunny Shield Tavern, but Maven was a cutthroat through and through. The Faunus had been thinking about how to approach the problem ever since she committed to making sure the operation messed up, and now it was time to double-down. She went upstairs and saw the woman going over some sort of ledger with Talen-jei, likely something to do with a shipment of mead. As the Argonian saw her, he nodded and said something to Maven before leaving. She turned and saw Blake, and her expression changed from neutral displeasure to disgusted displeasure.

"Well, there you are. Should have known you'd end up a complete failure." She scowled, and Blake had to fight down a glare of her own.

"I did my best, but Mallus messed up big time with the crazy man in the cave. The whole thing got turned on its head."

"And you couldn't have covered up for _one_ mistake?" she accused, and Blake let the words roll off her cheek.

"It was a _very_ big mistake. He didn't have time to cover up the hole and clean up the skeever corpses before Sabjorn sent guards to investigate and caught him doing it. They figured he was trying to cover up a murder, and it all spiraled downward from there. I poisoned the vats and rats. That was my whole job. It's not my fault he was so incompetent."

Maven sneered. "Very well. Did you at least bring me the information I requested?"

"I did." Blake handed over the note, which Maven took and quickly scanned over the contents.

"This doesn't tell me much. The only thing that could identify Sabjorn's accomplice is this odd, little symbol."

"I've seen it before," Blake admitted. "The same symbol was on the Goldenglow bill of sale and the note Aringoth received."

"Well, whoever this marking represents, they'll regret starting a war with me. Take this information to Brynjolf. Speaking of…regrets, I'm going to go have a chat with someone." The woman turned back and collected her ledger before leaving. Blake waited a moment before heading back downstairs and walking out with both Khajiit behind her.

"She was very mad," M'rissi stated as they headed into the Ratway, deciding to take the scenic route as people would likely see them at the graveyard entrance.

"She can keep being mad. I don't care. Everything's going to come crashing down on her head one day if she keeps this all up." They emerged into the makeshift tavern. A few glares were sent their way, but nobody spoke up as she went by, finding Brynjolf after a moment nursing a drink.

"Lass, you're finally back. Started to worry you weren't coming back, that the vampires got you, or you'd headed for the hills. What happened?" he asked, disappointment and anger in his voice, yet at the same time willing to hear her out.

"With our how long we were gone or the Honningbrew Meadery?"

"Both!" His voice grew sharper before backing down. "Eh, start off with Honningbrew. What exactly happened there?"

"Mallus screwed up," she lied with no qualm. "I went in, poisoned the mead, poisoned the skeever nest, but I also ran into a crazy man who had been _breeding_ the skeevers. I had to kill him in self-defense, then told Mallus he needed to do something about it. I was _also_ expecting an explanation for why he didn't tell me about that problem, but Sabjorn got suspicious and had some guards look into what he was doing locked up in the brewery. They found the body, the tasting was canceled, and Sabjorn figured out the mead was bad before the day was up."

"Gods, so everything just went wrong then?" He rubbed his forehead "You couldn't have given the biter a hand?"

"Not within time to stop Sabjorn from figuring out about the poison. I did send a journal I found detailing the crazy man's plan to use venomous skeevers to plague Skyrim, so Mallus should be cleared and free."

Brynjolf sighed. "Here I was hoping our bad luck was gone, but now… Maven's not going to be happy about this."

"No, she wasn't."

"Oh gods, you already told her?"

"Figured it was better to get that out of the way." Blake hummed and rubbed her chin. "Interesting thing though, I found a note from Sabjorn's partner. No name, but the same symbol was on it from Goldenglow."

"Then it wasn't a total loss. At least we've figured that much out now. This is going beyond mere coincidence. First Aringoth and now Sabjorn." Brynjolf took up his drink and gulped down a deep draught. "Someone's trying to take us down by driving a wedge between-"

"Belladonna!" everyone heard from the direction of the cistern. All of the thieves went rigid as Mercer walked in, a furious expression on his face. He saw Blake, and his sneer deepened as he walked over to her. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" he accused, pointing at her.

"Mercer, what's going on?" Brynjolf asked.

"What's going on is that I just had a talk with Maven! She's getting ready to pull all support away from us! Because of her!"

Blake balked at that. "What? But it wasn't-"

"She told me that she was waiting on your answer before she took any action," Mercer cut her off. "Apparently, it wasn't good enough, because now she's saying that she's beginning to think working with the Guild isn't worth the trouble! Without her making up reports that keep the guards out of the Ratway, they'll start heading down here to try and smoke us out! We'll have to pack up and leave, and where could we possibly go?"

"You can-" Blake looked around, confusion and fear gripping her, but not from everybody around her glaring daggers. "There's got to be something!"

"Surely she wouldn't just throw us away like you're saying?" Brynjolf inquired, to which Mercer took a big breath before slowly releasing it. "She can't replace us that easily, can she?"

"She has plans to replace us, but she's given us two options. One, we find a way to gather a hundred thousand gold by the end of the week."

"A hundred thousand…septims?" Brynjolf hesitated.

"To prove we're still worth associating with. She's already counted up what we have, currently."

"But that's impossible! Going hard at it we could probably make that in a month, but one week?"

"What's the second option?" Vex asked.

"The second is that you," he emphasized while pointing a finger in Blake's face, "leave Riften and never come back, by hook or by crook." He withdrew his hand and crossed his arms. "This is all on you, Belladonna. You fix this mess, one way or another. Bring the coin you owe us for your _monumental_ failure, or leave and stay gone."

Blake's ears bent back all the way as she backed up a step as guilt seeped through her being. Every thief in the room save for her two friends were looking at her with differing levels of disdain and hatred. One Bosmer stood up.

"What if we just ki-" Delvin slapped a hand over his mouth and pulled him back down with a shush.

Blake looked back at Mercer, Brynjolf, and the anger and disappointment in their expressions.

"I…" she began before giving up and leaving, M'rissi and Inigo right behind her, watching for anyone that might try anything as they left.

* * *

"Please tell me that means it's over," Sapphire begged.

"This cat knows that one does not give up easy," Gnives said as he scraped under a claw with his dagger. "Gnives believes she will try to get the coin, for her shite honor. That and to spite Maven, if anything."

"Of course she will!" Vipir yelled out. "And she probably won't leave until the guards are knocking down our doors. We'll have to pack up and leave ourselves!"

"Well, I've got a contact down in Valenwood," Niruin suggested. "We could probably make it down there."

"Or we could, you know, kill her?"

"Oh, because that worked out so well for the Dark Brotherhood," Vex objected. "Let's face it, none of us here could touch someone like that, except maybe Mercer."

"Yeah, Mercer could take her," another thief agreed.

"I think you're all overestimating her, while ssimultaneously underestimating her," Salthasar spoke up. "Remember, she iss a very…charitable ssoul. She might try to find the coin, but, in the end, that moral compass of hers will end up leading her to leave in her exile."

"At this point, it's wishful thinking to suppose she'll go with it," Delvin explained. "We need to be ready in case she feels like pushing the envelope with Maven any further."

"We'll be ready for whatever comes," Mercer reassured the thieves. "While we can hope the girl does the right thing and leaves, we can't bank on it. We need to be ready. I'll start drawing up plans to move what we can. You all be prepared to do some heavy lifting this week."

As Mercer left, Brynjolf sat down on a stool and cradled his head with a sigh. Vekel looked over to him with a little concern.

"You all right, friend?"

"Just… I really had a good feeling, you know. And now, this has happened." He sighed and took another drink.

"Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are…costly."

"Never this much though. I really thought I saw something there, you know?" He let out another sigh then rose to his feet. "I'm going to take a walk."

"Take your time, Brynjolf."

* * *

Out of the Ratway, Blake took a long minute to sit down and think over her situation. While she didn't really care about the Guild's well-being itself, she had begun to see them in a little better light. Really, they weren't so much the cause of much of the corruption in Riften as they were an effect. People like Maven were far more culpable when it came to the state of things.

"This is all because a greedy, old woman didn't want competition," Blake bemoaned aloud.

"Yes, the old hag hates that."

Blake sat up and turned in surprise. M'rissi and Inigo looked back as well, and all of them saw a Khajiit in fine clothing running a finger across his whiskers.

"Good to see you again, Shadowkiller," Vasha greeted in a warm tone, looking every inch the wealthy crime boss he'd claimed to be in the shack Astrid had imprisoned them in.

"Vasha? What're- No, I probably don't want to know _what_ you're doing here."

"It would be safer for both of us that way, methinks. I heard Maven is quite angry about a certain someone and is taking it out on the Guild, making the Guild angry at the someone."

"Yeah, it's…not good." Blake looked away and groaned while Vasha nodded.

"Uh, Blake, who is the shady cat with more rings than fingers?" Inigo asked.

"This is Vasha, at your service," the Khajiit greeted him. "I owe your friend here quite a bit after she killed my captor and freed me."

"Really? Well, how about, uh, a hundred thousand gold?" Inigo asked with a hopeful tone, and Vasha playfully gasped and clutched his chest.

"Such naked greed! I hope your other odd friend is not so selfish, Shadowkiller."

"It's not greed," Blake explained. "That's our actual problem. Maven said the Guild needs to either run me out of town or present a hundred thousand septims to 'prove they're still worth associating with'."

"Hm, quite vindictive, but I suppose you've destroyed one of her preferred options and now it looks like you're turning another away from her. Vasha _might_ be able to help you there."

"You could lend us the money?" M'rissi asked hopefully, only for Vasha to laugh.

"Oh, I probably could, but that is a very hefty investment, and I'd rather not drag someone I owe so greatly into such." He laughed and shook his head. "No, I have a mark, if you're interested. One that has all the gold you'd need and more. Much, much more."

"You know a place where we can steal all of that gold?" Blake was actually astonished by that information. "It's not the bank, is it?"

"Oh no, that sort of work is for a _very_ experienced and talented group. You may have some talent, but that will not get you through bank security. No, this mark has something specific I want, as well as all the coin you could want. You get me what I want, and in exchange, you can get all the gold you need to satisfy Maven's demands. Are you interested?"

The three cats all looked at each other, each thinking about their options. After a moment, Blake nodded. "We're interested."

"Excellent! Now, onto the important business. You know of the dragon roosting at the Bonestrewn hills?"

"Vulgahrotru?" Blake asked. "The highwayman dragon?"

"Yes, that one. Some say Jarl Ulfric plans to parlay with the dragon, but has not yet undertaken such a task. As of now, the dragon has a great hoard of gold, nearly covering the top of his hilly home. Rough estimates put the amount at nearly ten million septims worth of gold, all in one place." Blake's eyes bulged out of their sockets, as did Inigo and M'rissi's.

"T-ten? Million?" Blake asked through her sputtering, and Vasha smiled and nodded.

"And...all of that is ours?" Inigo requested to know, and Vasha nodded again. M'rissi had almost fainted on the bench and was slowly coming back to her senses.

"Indeed, my feline friends. All of that gold is yours for the taking, except for one piece. Specifically, though, he has an enchanted gold circlet with a slightly cracked ruby inset at its center, shaped like a six-pointed star."

"That is a very specific description," Inigo mentioned, to which Vasha chuckled.

"Of course. It is an item I have coveted for a long time now. It may be unfair to ask you to recover it when Vasha already owes you, but consider this as us holding our equilibrium. I told you where to find your gold, you can grab this one thing for me on your way. A simple and fair trade, all things considered." The three cats all looked at each other in silent conversation before nodding.

"Well, to be honest, it sounds fair enough. And you're right. I wouldn't mind robbing him of all beings." Blake stood up from the bench, feeling much better than she had a moment earlier. "How do we get the coins from there to here, though? It's close to a full day's ride to get there, and I have a feeling a bag's not going to cut it for holding that much."

"A few barrels could work." The Khajiit turned to see Brynjolf standing behind them in the shadows, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "A few barrels, a horse-drawn cart, and some ropes to secure them. Shove as much as you can into a barrel, hammer down the top, and we're good to go."

"Brynjolf…?" Blake murmured.

"I guess you want in on this little venture as well?" Vasha asked the Nord thief.

"Not for profit, amazingly. To be honest, I can understand why you dislike Maven so much, lass. I'm no fan of her myself, but we work with a lot of people we don't like. You, however, I do like. You have conviction, and you stay true to yourself no matter what, something I can respect. Admittedly, I was disappointed that you botched Honningbrew, and I have to guess you did that on purpose. By any rights, I would have more than enough reason to kick you out, to set an example for the others." Brynjolf's smile widened. "But, I knew from the moment I spotted you that you were something special, and here I find you agreeing to heist a dragon's hoard with a crime lord. The others wouldn't do that, would tell Vasha here to rot in Oblivion, but not you."

"Indeed, it is why I went to her in the first place. I trust her more than any of your average thieves with the task, no offense." Brynjolf waved the Khajiit off, not offended.

"I'm just making up for my mistake," Blake responded, and Brynjolf came closer, out of the shadows and into the light.

"You're doing far more than that, lass. Look, the Guild's been a big part of my life's work. I don't want to be some sap and say it's like my family, but it's damn near the closest I have. A lot more drunk uncles than I would have imagined, yet still. I don't want the Guild to end like this, with a drawn-out whimper. Besides, what mischievous little boy never dreamed of taking a dragon's hoard?"

Blake cracked a smile and laughed a little. "Then you're with us?"

"Aye, I'm with you." He offered out his hand and Blake clasped it. "Now, let's go make some plans to rob a dragon."

* * *

Yang splashed some water from her canteen on her face before groaning as she felt along her scalp. She felt nasty, all covered in dirt and grime, not to mention the smell. A few days without a bath or shower were starting to get to her. She had been planning on getting one at Sunny Shields, but the sudden news about the Hall of the Vigilant had dashed all other plans. She would have to wait until they got to Whiterun to totally cleanse herself.

"What a mess," she murmured to herself as she combed her hair with her fingers, grimacing at the dust in her prized locks. She didn't particularly like the Vigilants of Stendarr. After all, a few of them did attack Weiss at one point simply because she was a vampire. But overall, they were good people, hunting down dangerous cultists, actual man-eating vampires or lycanthropes, and helping victims of the daedra and their worshippers. There was a reason why they were so respected across the Empire, and now most of the Vigilants in Skyrim were dead. By vampires, no less. Something very bad was about to happen, but what it was, Yang couldn't tell.

"Yang," she heard Aela call out to her, breaking the blonde out of her thoughts. "Come here. You need to see this."

Interest piqued, the Huntress followed the huntress off the road. A little ways up she could see where a small body of water was being fed by a waterfall running from the Throat. It was an idyllic scene, up until they got past a copse of trees and she could see the cave right next to it. At its entrance, someone had taken spikes and impaled charred corpses and skulls upon them. On two spikes there were wolf heads, and one of the bodies was different from the rest. The ears were more triangular and higher up the skull, and the canines were elongated. Yang gasped as she realized from the shape of the mouth that she was seeing a werewolf who had been killed mid-transformation.

"I've already looked ahead. They're Silver Hand."

"I checked around," Farkas said as he came up from the side. "I think this is the only way in or out."

"Then we have them trapped," Aela said with a grin.

"Whoa! Hold up!" Yang protested. "Time out! I get that we can't let this just keep going, but you're treating this less like it's a cave full of bad people and more like it's filled with some particularly distasteful monsters."

"What're you saying?" Aela growled out. Farkas, wisely, took a step back from the two women.

"Just calm down. Keep your head clear. Don't charge in mindlessly. These aren't some trolls that are going to swing their anchor arms around hoping to hit you. These are sentient, thinking beings that will strategize against us if they have even a second to prepare." Aela seemed annoyed, but took a breath and straightened herself.

"Fine. You lead the way then." Aela threw her arm towards the cave entrance, and Yang nodded. Again, her worries towards Aela's attitude grew, fearing that she was taking things too far. She would have to talk to Kodlak about this, but for now the priority was keeping the others safe.

"All right. Just keep an eye open." The group entered with Yang at the head. Farkas went ahead and took out his sword while Aela prepped her bow. Yang flicked a flame from her hand a moment to ensure there was no problem, then quietly continued forward. A stream ran into the cave from the pool outside, rushing over rocks as it went with a light roar. Yang saw a couple of men up ahead and starting hearing them speak.

"So you're saying you brought that cat down alone?" one asked another skeptically.

"Why? You don't think I could do it?"

"Wasn't our last catch a cave bear?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Take down that one with your bare hands too?"

"Troll's blood, was he a tough one!"

Yang rolled her eyes as she caught sight of the braggart in question, a rather small Bosmer. She looked back to Aela and nodded, and the woman took aim at him. As the other Silver Hand let out an exasperated sigh, Aela's arrow flew through the air and sunk deep in the wood elf's chest. He stumbled back and cried out, and for a moment his companion looked on in confusion. He turned as he reached for the silver sword at his back, only for a fireball to collide with him and send him over the campfire. He tried to pick himself up, but Yang sent another ball of flame, this time more concentrated, which both knocked him back down and burned away part of his face and neck. As the Silver Hand died, Yang could hear commotion from up ahead, and a quick look revealed a small group of hunters charging at them, silver weapons in hand.

"Up ahead, there's a station!" Farkas called out as he charged forward.

"Stick together!" Yang warned as she went after him. Farkas clashed with a man with a silver battle axe while Aela loosed two arrows upon another archer on a small structure. For half a second, Yang was distracted by their surroundings, but refocused to clash with an orc who had a silver mace with four spikes around it. With a fist covered in flame, she socked the Orsimer across the face, hearing bones crack under the blow, but not enough to stop the orc entirely. He went back at her, swinging more furiously than before, but Yang was able to backstep before timing herself and striking with an uppercut. His head snapped back with a loud crack, and the Silver Hand collapsed lifeless. At the same time, Farkas chopped through his foe's wooden haft as well as most of his body. Aela's target was already down, gasping as she tried to drag herself over to a table with an arrow in her thigh. Yang went up to the wood balcony and approached the downed archer, at first thinking she was an elf, but then noticing the bit of fur clinging to her ears as well as the tattoo-like markings on her face.

"Hey, hold still," Yang warned the woman as she knelt near her and started looking at the embedded arrow. From the smell, she could confirm that she really was Khajiit. The Ohmes looked deathly frightened, but didn't try to resist as Yang took the dagger from her belt and tossed it aside, disarming her near completely. Aela came up on the balcony as well, looking at her downed foe with anger. Yang saw her pulling back on her bowstring, and turned her attention from the wound to the Companion with a scowl. No words were said, but Aela understood and loosened up her tension, placing her arrow back in its quiver.

"Get me some rope or something to tie her with," the blonde commanded. Farkas immediately moved, but Aela was still watching with disdain, her fingers twitching. Soon, Farkas came back with a decent coil of rope, which Yang used to tie up their prisoner once the arrow was removed and the wound healed.

"This one…" the Ohmes got out after she was almost completely bound and far less frightened, "…thanks you so much for sparing her."

"You just got lucky," Yang responded truthfully. "All right, I'm going to gag you now. We'll come back once everyone else is down."

The Khajiit just nodded and Yang took a strip of leather and tied it around her head. Completely restrained, the woman could do nothing as the Companions ventured forward.

"That seemed a tremendous waste of time," Aela complained.

"Wasn't a waste for her." Yang's response earned only a roll of the eyes from her fellow Companion.

"Because a murderer's life means so much."

Yang sighed before finally taking a look around the cave they had been in, noticing how they had been on something of an island within a large, subterranean pool, being filled by the stream from outside. A little amazed at the natural formation, she continued on, going past yet another waterfall feeding the underground complex. Yang warned them of a tripwire, which they all stepped over, and then they went up a ramp to a higher level. Immediately, three Silver Hands beset upon them. Farkas clashed with an orc for a moment before overpowering him and taking off his head. Yang knocked a sword slash away before taking out her axe and swinging hard, breaking through the soft metal blade and halfway into the man's body. Aela's foe charged her, only to end up with a dagger in the eye. As Aela started cleaning her weapon, Yang picked up the broken silver sword, looking it over.

"You know, I get the hammers and axes, but swords aren't really that good when made of silver."

"They're not actually supposed to be for werewolves," Farkas clarified. "Asked Vilkas about it. Silver swords are made for ghosts and specters. Weapons don't really need to be sharp when taking out a ghost. You can kill them with a silver stick just as well. Silver Hand never seemed to get that information."

"So, these guys are violent, unlawful, and misinformed," Yang said as she dropped the blade, rubbing her fingers in the dirt to help end the sting. "Well, better for us, then."

They heard a gasp and turned to see a young elf woman in an out-of-season, midriff-baring outfit, with a platter holding five plates of food and six cups in hand. The Altmer slowly set the platter down and held her hands up as she slowly backed away.

"T-take whatever you want! Please don't kill me!"

"Just hold still," Yang said as she started to walk over. The high elf jerked back in surprise as she did so, and Yang realized that she was far more scared and nervous than she had thought. As she raised her hands to speak, the elf bolted back to where she'd come from.

"Hey!" Yang called out, ready to run after her, only for an arrow to zip by and hit the running woman in her back. She fell with a cry and Yang looked back to her companion with a start.

"Aela!"

"She ran! She might have told everyone in the cave about us," Aela defended herself.

"I was going to catch her! There's no way she could have outrun me!" Yang rushed over to the woman, and noticed two things. One, she was still breathing, though raggedly. Two, checking over her person, Yang didn't find any weapons except a single iron knife of the same sort people used in daily life. She started pulling out the arrow while healing the elf, holding her down as she did, and Aela walked up, frustrated.

"Why are you trying so hard to save them?!" she shouted, confused and indignant at Yang's actions. Farkas stayed silent, his eyes wide as he watched the two women stare each other down.

"Because that's what I do!" Yang yelled back just as loudly, her eyes going red and sending Aela back a few steps. "We're taking these guys down because they're a threat to good, innocent people, but that doesn't mean we're going to wholesale slaughter everyone in here! All we know is that they're Silver Hand, and as much as we all hate them, they're people. Look at her, she isn't even armed." Yang shook her head and turned back to the frightened Altmer woman. "Farkas."

"Uh," the man began before Yang held out a hand.

"Rope."

"Oh, right." The man went to get the rope tied to the rock trap they had passed by. As all the stones fell and he brought it over, Aela and Yang continued to have a stare down. Yang tied the elf's arms together behind her back then propped her up on a chair.

"Okay, can you answer a few questions?" The elf shakily nodded, rattled from her near death experience, and Yang nodded with her. "Okay, good. Now, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Um, cooking, cleaning…" She blushed and seemed to sink into herself. "Maid things."

"All right, and how many are up ahead?" Yang's voice was soothing, and the maid appeared to calm down slightly.

"Uh…" she looked over at the corpses and gulped. "Twelve. Thirteen if you count the captain."

"Any more maids we should worry about?"

"No, it was… It's just me."

"Alright, you're going to wait here until we're done." Yang stood up and looked behind the elf to make sure she was secured and then headed towards the plank bridge she'd come from.

"Um, that way's the storeroom. The… Everyone else is at the fighting hole, down that way." The Altmer indicated a tunnel with her head, to which Yang nodded.

"Thanks." She turned and went down that way instead, the Companions behind her. As they headed deeper, they saw a stone structure with a hole knocked into one of its walls. Past it was another wooden balcony built on a higher level of ground, but they ignored it for the moment as they came up to the odd building's opening. Peering around, they were able to spy another pair of Silver Hands griping about something.

"Looks like the boss is at it again."

"Why? What's he doing now?"

"He's on one of his drunk rants again. Except this time he's challenging everyone to a duel over in the hole." The man let out a disgusted grunt. "We got him locked in there now, but he's still challenging anyone that looks crooked at him."

"Someone should let that cat loose. That'd shut him up real quick."

"Hey, don't say that too loud. You don't want it getting back to him."

"Nope," Yang agreed before Aela sent an arrow flying into one man's skull. The other turned, only to receive one as well. Two more ran at them from further in while the last took out his own bow. Yang's war axe went flying into one's chest while Farkas shoulder checked the other. As arrows flew by, Yang rammed into her opponent while yanking loose her axe, and Farkas' fell to a deep chest wound, possibly hitting his heart. They pressed forward, going past the archer pinned to a bookcase. Up a stone staircase, they came across a barracks-like setup within the dry stone building. Further along, they came outside onto the balcony they saw earlier, to find that it was a bridge leading deeper into the cave. On a table next to a straw circle target rested a severed arm clutching a flute. Yang grimaced at the sight and kept going, though Aela took one of the arrows and looked it over before tossing it away.

"Shoddy craftsmanship," she muttered before running to catch up to her Companions.

In the tunnel, another waterfall was flowing through, seemingly having carved a hole through the floor over time before continuing on down. The tunnel opened up into a wide cavern with tiered floors. Yang could see several cages around on the lower tier, and the remaining seven Silver Hands were amongst them. As they were spotted and the Silver Hands began to move, Yang saw that in one cage there was a sabre cat, and she immediately got an idea. Aela started firing arrows while Farkas met the charge of two Nords who didn't quite measure up to him, and Yang jumped from where she was onto the cage holding the sabre cat. The large predator looked up at her and growled while threateningly waving a paw at her, but Yang just smiled down before she bent down and started lifting the sliding gate. The cat seemed to notice, and so ran out once enough space was cleared for it. Yang then hopped down as the predator pounced upon the back of one of the Silver Hands. A leather clad man turned at his comrade's scream, and then the fangs of the cat speared into his belly before ripping out. As he fell, the sabre cat charged at one of the archers, who completely missed his mark as he panicked. He screamed as the sabre cat pounced on him before the animal's jaws clamped around his neck and ripped out his throat.

The last of the Silver Hand down, Farkas and Aela came down to Yang's side and paused when they saw the sabre cat over the corpse of one of their enemies. Aela started to draw an arrow, but Yang put a hand to her shoulder. As their eyes met, Yang gently shook her head and Aela sighed before putting the arrow away. The cat looked over to them and let out a low growl, but Yang kept an eye on its ears. They were lowered, but slowly kept twitching back up. Eventually, its ears went up and the growling ended. The sabre cat licked its jaws and seemed to loosen itself up.

"I'll be damned," Farkas murmured. "Never got close to one of those without it trying to kill me or running off."

"It's a smart critter," Yang explained as she crossed her arms. "It saw us fighting these guys who've probably tortured and starved it, and it saw me free it. Plus, no need to fight for food with all of these guys lying around, morbid as it is."

"That is true," Aela nodded, agreeing with Yang's logic.

"H-hey," they heard someone slur out. The Companions and cat looked over at the fenced off lower level to see a man dragging around a greatsword in one hand and holding a drink in the other. "You…six… Water you all thinkin' yer doin'? Get those lazies up offa the groun' 'fore I ge' up there and smack you all around." He took a deep draught of his mead and then tossed the empty bottle aside. "And who in Bivion says you can have a dog?"

Yang looked at the sabre cat, which had started growling at the drunk while setting itself into a pouncing position. The Silver Hand's eyes widened in realization, but rather than prepare, he dropped his sword in surprise and the cat ran and leaped over the fence, claws outstretched and mouth roaring. The man shouted, but the cat crashed down upon him and began shredding him to pieces. Yang nonchalantly went over to the gate and opened it as well, leaving a way for the cat to get out when it was ready.

"Mission accomplished?" she asked Aela as she dusted her hands off. The woman took in a breath and released it with a small smile.

"Yeah."

* * *

"To be honest, Ashpi has nothing against werewolves," the tied up Khajiit said as Yang set her onto Lucky Day's back. "She only joined these men a few days ago to steal much of their silver weaponry. They liked her pretty face, and she is not above using her feminine beauty to fool foolish males. Before Ashpi came, Niri was the only woman in the hideout, and she was exhausted."

Yang's eyebrows shot up at that, while Niri, now protected from the cold by a bear fur coat, blushed at the implications. Farkas' expression was likened to a deer in headlights, while Aela simply paused in rumination before continuing on.

"Why didn't you leave?" Yang asked the elf, who looked downcast.

"Where would I go? What could I do? I'm not that good at magic, which makes me worthless to most other Altmer. I'm not strong at all, and I can't take the sort of pain farmers get from their work. All that's left for me is to be a servant or go to a brothel, and no one in this day and age wants a high elf in their household."

"And the ones that would are those same Altmer who hate your low magic skill?" Niri nodded at that and Yang sighed. "Well, I can't really say you've done anything wrong, so right now this isn't so much an arrest as it is an escort." Yang paused and tapped her chin with her finger. "Actually, I may have a few ideas. As for you, Ashpi."

"Yes?"

"What work can you do?"

"Um, this one is good at walking and carrying many things, quietly."

"Neat, then I'm giving you to the caravan. They're leaving Skyrim soon so you'll be out of our hair and out of the cold. I doubt you want to be in the dragon filled land with a vampire army popping up all in the dead of the coldest province's winter."

"You make a sound argument. Ashpi also does not like her chances against the men and women who fight like daedra and casually befriend sabre cats. Besides, her homesands should be lovely this time of year."

"Then it all works out. All the Silver Hand who mattered are dead, you both get a job, and we get about thirty pounds of silver to sell." Yang shifted the bag on her back filled with silver weapons. "Oh, and big kitty goes free."

Thesabre cat in question was walking out of the cave at that moment. It drank from the pool for a spell, cleaning the blood from its lips as it did, before looking back at the group. Yang and the cat met eyes, and then the beast prowled off into the wilderness.

* * *

"Alright, so let's go through the plan one more time," Blake said in front of a large map nailed to a wall. To her side was a smiling Brynjolf, his arms crossed and leaning back against the wall, while M'rissi, Inigo, and the rest of the Thieves Guild sat down in front of them. "The dragon Vulgahrotru has taken nest at Bonestrewn Crest. From here, he has had complete reign over the entire Frostwater Tundra region of Eastmarch, through which he has robbed hundreds of merchants, soldiers, bankers, and travelers of their gold. By now, he has accumulated over ten million septims, which is far more than what we need to satisfy Maven's demands of a hundred thousand septims. Inigo and M'rissi have already acquired a few mead barrels to gather the gold, and Brynjolf has gotten us a carriage."

"The job itself will be simple and clean, in and out," Brynjolf spoke up. "Vasha's men will create a distraction to draw away the dragon, where then we will then swoop in, gather as much gold as we possibly can, along with Vasha's mark, then bug out as fast as possible. We can get far more than enough for Maven. All in all, the job should take at most thirty minutes. Any questions?"

The cistern was dead quiet as everyone stared at the Faunus and Nord. Impassively, Blake and Brynjolf stared right back without flinching, resolute and determined. Finally, Mercer heavily sighed and stood up

"You all," he said loud and clearly, "are out of your Gods' damned minds. Your 'plan' is suicidal and stupid beyond measure, and I would rather take my chances with the Legion than to rob a dragon. I will not risk the Guild to cover for Belladonna's mistake, so you four are on your own."

"I'm with Mercer," Vex spoke up as well. "You want to get yourself killed, kitten, be my guest. I'm not going down with you."

One by one, more and more thieves spoke up, each one agreeing with the Guildmaster until only Delvin was left. Everyone looked at him as he nursed a mug of Cyrodillic Brandy before chugging it down. Wiping away the excess on his lips, he looked at Mercer then Brynjolf, then shook his head.

"Sorry, Brynjolf. I'm not joining in."

"Can't say I'm not disappointed in you lot," Brynjolf said, displeasure clearly heard in his voice. "Where's your passion? Commitment? Here we stand at the opportunity of a lifetime to obtain more gold at once than we have ever achieved in the history of the entire Thieves Guild. This one job would put us on the map again, and you're just throwing it away?"

"The answer is no, Brynjolf!" Mercer stated firmly, leaving no room for argument. "You want to save your protégé, be my guest. Meeting dismissed."

At his command, the rest of the thieves all got up out of their seats and left the cistern, leaving the Faunus, Khajiit, and Nord behind. As the door closed behind them, Inigo sighed.

"Well, that could have gone better." He rubbed the back of his neck while M'rissi pouted.

"I told you they'd say no," Blake told Brynjolf, who sighed and looked down.

"Yeah, I know. Still, was worth a try." He straightened himself out. The group then moved towards the back entrance of the Cistern. "Guess we're on our own. This is going to be a lot harder with just four people. Needed at least one more to make sure everything went off without a hitch."

"It would," Blake conceded as she pulled on the lever, revealing the trap door underneath an empty grave in Riften's graveyard. The four walked out of the hidden stairwell and out into the cold night air. "But what are the odds that a fifth person with the right kind of skills would just appear out of-"

"YOU!" a male voice shouted across the graveyard, catching everyone off guard as they spun around towards it. At the opposite end of the graveyard, near an iron gate, they saw a male Argonian with contrasting pale white and dark black scales with blue markings and bright blue eyes boring right into Blake's.

"Finally, I found you!" The Argonian marched towards her. Under the moonlight, they could see he was wearing a set of leather armor and a steel axe strapped to his waist. He oddly had a fancy hat atop his head, which looked quite out of place against his disheveled armor. "I can't believe it took me so long! Do you know how many Holds I've searched! All of them!"

"Uh, lass who is this?" Brynjolf was thoroughly confused as the Argonian continued to approach.

"I…have no idea," Blake admitted. She only knew so many Argonians, and this wasn't one of them. For his part, the Argonian looked disappointed at the revelation.

"Really?! After everything we went through? It wasn't that long ago! And you were some of the first land-striders to pronounce my name correctly, too! You even put it on that grave marker you made for me. Oh, right, you must have thought I was dead! Surprise, Deakutuactyl is alive and well."

"Grave marker?" Blake asked, mostly to herself as the others all turned towards her.

"Blake, the odd Argonian seems to know you. You should at least hear him out," Inigo told her.

"It looks like you hurt his feelings, too," M'rissi said innocently. Blake sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Okay, maybe I need a refresher. Where did we meet?

"Right outside of Rorickstead! Me, you, your friends, your blonde friend's orc lover, and Sam! By the Hist, it was Sam that told me where you were!"

"What do you..." Blake paused and her eyes went wide then narrowed. "Sam..." Blake muttered in realization. A few scattered memories came flooding back into her head, most of them with Deakutuactyl at the forefront and Yang and the orc being way too clingy in the background.

"Never...again..." Blake shivered, and Inigo patted her shoulder.

"Oh, so _now_ you remember! You and your friends dared me to go into that bandit camp. Well I did and brought back his stupid hat like you said, so give me the ten thousand gold you promised!"

"Um, okay, just a moment. We bet ten thousand gold…for you to get a hat?" Blake looked bewildered then slightly impressed. "And you got it while drunk?"

"Mostly White made the bet, but you all agreed to it. I didn't mean for it to take so long, butapparently the leader went mad -both sorts of mad- when his hat went missing. His mother made it for him, apparently. I had to hide in some collapsed debris while he and some other bandit got into an argument that led to a civil war."

* * *

" _Where is it?! I know you took it, you dastardly son of a crab!"_

" _I didn't steal your Arkay-damned hat, you frothing skeever!"_

" _I know it was you! You've been thinking of replacing me for a while now! I can see it in your eyes, you troll spawn!"_

" _At this point, it'll be in our own best interest to take you down! You've clearly gone mad! We can't have a mad leader!"_

" _If you think taking me down will be that easy, then you've got another thing coming, boy!"_

" _What are you going to do, huh? Stab me?"_

* * *

"He really did stab him in the end."

"Huh?" Blake went.

"What?" he shot back, seemingly confused.

"You got this faraway look in your eyes," Inigo explained, "and then looked really deep in thought. Then, you just randomly said something about someone being stabbed."

"Oh, sorry. I get lost in thought sometimes. Where were we?"

"Blake owes you much gold and some bandits had a civil war," M'rissi reminded him.

"Ah, yes. Well, they all died killing each other, so I got out okay, but when I did none of you were there. Just a little sign with my name and an epitaph on it. It was touching, but I nearly died for this hat, so I want my money." Curious, Blake took out her scroll and brought up the folder holding the pictures from 'that night'. Sure enough, Deakutuactyl was in several of them. At least now the five pictures of them crying over a poorly-made sign made sense.

"I...see," Blake murmured as she put the scroll away. Deakutuactyl continued to stare into her, and his foot began to tap the ground.

"Well? I'm waiting." Blake began to nervously laugh.

"Here's the thing... I don't...have ten thousand gold on me..."

" _What!?_ "

"But!" An idea suddenly sprang into Blake's mind, and she pounced on it. "We are about to get a _very_ large sum of money."

"Indeed, we are," Brynjolf continued, immediately seeing where Blake was going. "You see, my scaly friend, the four of us are in a bit of a bind with Maven Black-Briar. She's having us get a hundred thousand septims all at once or she'll pull her support of our...organization. We're about to get that gold and more. Help us, and you get a cut."

Deakutuactyl stared at the Nord for a moment. "I'm listening."

"Excellent," Brynjolf smiled. "Are you aware of the dragon on Bonestrewn Crest?"

* * *

"Go by Falkreath, up past Ilinalta, by the Hjaal, past the Karth, up to Solitude," Ruby sing-songed as she looked at the map in her hands. A bard in Sungard had suggested trying to sing the directions while traveling, and so far it had served Ruby well, though Lydia was still technically in charge of navigation. Weiss had just had a talk with Yang over their scrolls about finding a maid for Proudspire Manor. It was sort of funny to Ruby how, along with coins, potions, and weapons, Yang had apparently 'looted' the bad guys' maid, too. Weiss had been abashed, and started up about how people weren't belongings before Yang calmed her down and told her it was just a joke. Even Lydia got it. She didn't laugh, but she definitely got it.

As the group approached Falkreath, Ruby noticed that there were a lot of Imperial soldiers just outside the walls of the city. They were working on setting up barriers, alongside priests who were all either chanting, placing charms, or carving symbols in certain places. She wondered what they were doing, but then Weiss began to bristle up, and Ruby realized that this was all being done to defend against the vampires. It was likely having some effect on her partner.

"Hey, it's okay," Ruby said to her as they pulled to a stop, Weiss' new mount letting out a few worried snorts. "We'll just camp outside the city. Looks like it might be crowded right now, anyways."

"I…think you might be right." As the girls led their horses and boar away from the city gate, Ruby caught sight of a familiar pair of horns. She smiled when she saw Neriro among a group of legionnaires, but then her interest was caught by a few beings near him. Three of them were small, even smaller than Bosmer, and had green-grey skin. Two of them were far larger, with bulky bodies, tree-trunk legs, and maybe a head taller than most orcs, but with similar heads and facial features as the smaller people. One of the big ones was a little thinner and shorter than the other though, and had long, braided red hair. All of them were well-dressed, save one of the smaller ones who wore plain clothes.

"Hey Weiss, I think those are goblins and ogres," Ruby pointed out as they got closer.

"Mulukrin and Mulukrog," Weiss corrected. She then hummed to herself as she looked upon them. "Yes, they definitely match the descriptions. And that being there-"

"That's Neriro! Come on, I'll introduce you!" Ruby dismounted and took Weiss along with her. Lydia looked nervously at Toggle, who oinked at her questioningly before she led him and the horses to the stables.

The two Huntresses went over to the group, Weiss feeling as though she was being mentally dragged along despite Ruby not grabbing her at any point. The goblins and ogres were all speaking to a Nord man with close cut hair and decked in an officer's armor. Seeing the symbol on his chest, Ruby immediately deduced that he was a legate, likely making him in charge of all of Falkreath's forces.

"We understand there's an issue," a goblin dressed in a silk shirt, cotton breeches, and a red hat said, "but we've already come all this way. We planned on being here all winter and beyond."

"Yes, but the situation is a lot worse than what you have heard," the legate responded. "It's not just sporadic dragon attacks anymore. They're getting worse all the time, and now vampires are attacking en masse. A group of them burned down the Hall of the Vigilants not even a week ago. I'm sorry, but I can't spare the men to escort you to Whiterun, let alone all the way up to Solitude."

"Surely you can spare just a few men?" the red-haired ogre asked in a pleading tone, but the legate shook his head. She then sighed and looked to the goblin. "Guardian's mercy, how are we supposed to get to Solitude now?"

"Well, I'm going that way," Ruby spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. For a second, several soldiers made to intercept her, but Neriro held up a hand.

"Wait a moment. Legate Skulnar, permission to speak freely."

"Granted, Quartermaster. What's going on with this girl?" Legate Skulnar pointed to Ruby, who hesitantly waved.

"...Hi," she awkwardly got out, causing Weiss to slap her face and sigh.

"That, sir, is Ruby Rose, Thane of Solitude and Dragonborn."

"Wait, _the_ Ruby Rose?" Skulnar looked over to her and rubbed his chin. "I see. Well then. My lady, if you are willing to help the Pigmole Field Research Team, be my guest. I can't send men so it's either you, mercenaries, or they go alone."

"Well, I for one certainly will welcome her presence over that of any mercenary, so consider your offer graciously accepted." The head goblin smiled and bowed, as did the other goblins and ogres.

"Thank you. We'll be happy to escort them," Ruby said to both the legate and the researchers. The legate saluted in response then left to handle the rest of the preparations, leaving Ruby and Neriro behind with the goblin-ken. The Dragonborn turned back to the researchers and clasped her hands together. "Hi, everyone. I'm Ruby. This is my best friend, Weiss. We're headed up to Haafingar anyways, so it shouldn't be any trouble."

"A pleasure to meet you," the lead goblin greeted. "I'm Professor Coiroy Concifus. Here are my colleagues Sherman Wreckhaus," he indicated the ogre to his right, "and Jo'puut Baatesh." Ruby looked down where he was gesturing and noticed a cat that she had missed before, only dressed in full clothing. She almost squealed when she realized he was an Alfiq Khajiit and not a housecat, but held it in.

"Nice to meet you all." Ruby smiled, as did the researchers.

"Same," the Alfiq said with a glow of his collar.

"Aye, goot to meet you," Sherman greeted in a heavy accent, catching Ruby slightly off guard. "We'll dae our bes' ta nau be a hassle."

"And here are a number of our students," Coiroy gestured over to the other goblins, "as well as Sherman's wife."

"Name's Fiori, darling," the ogre woman replied, definitely more feminine that Sherman.

"Hi."

"I know the rest of you probably haven't noticed," the plain dressed goblin began, "but she's a little small for a human."

"She's confirmed to have killed several dragons in the past couple of months," Neriro told him. "One of which I was witness to." The goblin nodded at that while Ruby bashfully kicked some dirt back.

"Yeah, but you helped big time with that one," Ruby told the Minotaur, who chuckled.

"Maybe, but, looking back on it, you pretty much had him handled. I just made things easier."

"By caving in a dragon's skull."

"And yet, I'm sure you would have killed it, anyway."

"Might I ask what a team of researchers from Pigmole are doing here?" Weiss questioned the leader.

"We've heard rumors that Giants in Skyrim have started mining and forging iron," Coiroy explained. "It's all crude at the moment, but it was the last push we needed to secure the funding to finally get up here and see if Giants can be brought into the fold of civilization. Continuing the Guardian's Mission, as it would be." Ruby nervously began to twirl a toe into the ground at that. "We're going to try and establish dialogue and then go from there, all while studying their culture and heritage to better understand them."

"I…actually…have talked to some Giants…before," Ruby got out. "A lot of them…know me."

"Really?" Sherman asked, an excited chortle rising up from him. "Well dat makes the whole thin' 'bout yay better than we were thinkin' it'd be. How'd you learned ta be speakin' wit' them?"

"Uh, I bought a few amulets from a tradeswoman in Whiterun." Ruby pulled out one of her Giantspeech amulets and handed it over to Coiroy, who began looking it over. "She never told me where she got them from, but they work perfectly."

"Hm, this is very similar to the Silent Ta'agra enchantment," he mused. "Might actually be an alteration based on it. I think we're looking at Kay's work here."

"Once again, eh?"

"Looks like we're in luck!" Fiori announced happily. "Okay, let's all get our things together. We've got an escort, a guide, and a translator all in one."

"Right," Coiroy agreed while passing the amulet back to Ruby. "This is the best news we've had since getting out of the Pale Pass. Come along, gents, let's get ready for the task of a lifetime!"

As the goblins and ogres cheered and went towards a set of carts and carriages, Neriro smirked in Ruby's direction while the girl looked at the amulet in her hand.

"Um, should I mention the part where I showed the Giants how to work iron?" she nervously asked as the Pigmole researchers and students began to check their gear.

"They'll figure it out on their own, I'm sure," the Minotaur said as he began to walk away with the dispersing group of soldiers. "By the way, how's the new blade?"

Ruby smiled. "It's great! The weight's barely any different than before, and I've sliced through non-butter things like…butter!"

* * *

"An actual dragon hoard," the Argonian mused as they hid behind some large rocks. They could hear Vulgahrotru's breath from above. The lack of gold on their persons seemed to be keeping them out of his sights, but they didn't know how long that would last. "Something talked about in only the most fantastical tales. Never thought I'd… Wait, remind me. Are there ebons?"

"No, the dragon only takes gold," Blake answered. "Trust me."

"Ah, xuth! I can't just tote around ten thousand septims! That's not practical!"

"If you don't mind keeping your voice down?" Brynjolf requested.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited to finally get what I'm owed."

"Don't worry, I understand. Wait here, I'm going to scout ahead." Silently, Blake crouched and moved forward through the underbrush, her boots masking her footsteps as she gently maneuvered her way towards the crest. Once she got close enough, she stopped.

Blake peeked through the underbrush at the massive hoard of gold. The amount in front of her was simply mind-boggling. A childish part of her thought about diving into it and swimming around, but she was reminded of why that was a bad idea by her knowledge of physics and the dragon sleeping soundly atop the pile. There were probably a million reasons the bronze dragon with stripes and a belly of grey decided to make his bed out of gold coins, along with two million reasons why this was a stupid idea, but there was also ten million coins to steal. The coins quickly won out.

With the mark scouted, Blake made her way back down the hill where the other four were waiting. M'rissi's tail swished anxiously while Inigo polished his sword and Brynjolf flipped a diem. Deakutuactyl remained silent as he seemingly tried to stare through the hillside between him and the literal mountain of gold above.

"Well?" the Nord asked, continuing to flip his coin.

"It's up there all right, but so is the dragon. About how long until Vasha's distraction comes up?"

"Shouldn't be long now." The man pocketed his coin and stood straight. "Phew, I'm feeling nervous! Glad I took care of business earlier."

"Barrels ready?"

"All ready to roll," Inigo announced, patting one of the barrels on the side.

"Each of those should hold about thirty thousand coins filled up, give or take," Brynjolf explained.

"And we have five?"

"That should give us a hundred-and-fifty thousand. A hundred for the Guild, fifty to split among the five of us." M'rissi looked at Brynjolf with naked greed and he threw up his hands. "Hey, if I could pack all ten million coins, I'd do so in a heartbeat. Buy me a small island somewhere. I wouldn't do much with it, but then I could brag about having a whole island to myself."

"There are really nice islands in Iliac Bay, I hear," Inigo suggested.

"That would be the dream." Brynjolf sighed.

"When can we go in again?" the Argonian asked, slightly impatient.

"As soon as-" Blake paused as the air around them made a thump. They all looked up, and saw Vulgahrotru take off, heading towards the west where Vasha's man gave them a signal by throwing a lightning bolt into the sky.

"Right now! Let's go! We have no idea how much time we have!"

"Working the docks has prepared me for this moment!" the Argonian cheered as he grabbed one of the empty barrels and charged up the hill. Each of them were placed down and Blake and Inigo got to work filling one with septims, doing their best to push away anything that wasn't a coin as they did so. Brynjolf opened another and gestured towards the newcomer.

"Help me with this one, lad."

"Call me Deaku, if you don't mind," he responded before he began shoveling handfuls of septims into the barrel.

"M'rissi, the circlet!" Blake called over to her friend.

"She's on it!" M'rissi started following her Clairvoyance spell, stopping where it dipped into the pile of gold near the back. She started digging down, but also looked up to see a wall with ancient writing on it. "Blake, there is one of the dragon walls here!"

"I'll get it in a moment. Let's get to where we're not in a rush first."

It took several minutes to fill the first two. Deaku and Inigo both pushed the filled barrels to the edge and began to slowly roll them down to the cart, sliding down while holding the barrels behind them. Blake looked over at the wall and decided to take a quick picture of it before going back and helping Brynjolf fill another barrel. When it was nearly full, Deaku and Inigo had come back up and began filling the fourth.

"She found it!" M'rissi announced as she ran over to Blake, holding a circlet in her hands. The object was triple banded, and had a small, slightly cracked ruby shaped like a star at its front, the symbols representing the Eight Divines etched into the gold band all around it.

"Yeah, this is it." Blake put the circlet in her pack and nodded at M'rissi. "I'm going to take this barrel down. Help Brynjolf fill up the last."

"Okay!" She saluted then ran over to Brynjolf. Together, the two of them quickly filled the massive barrel to the brim. Once no more could be placed inside, Brynjolf quickly hammered down the lid, making sure it was secure before rolling it over to the side.

"You certain you've got this, lass?" he asked in concern.

"I'm way stronger than I look," she said with a confident smirk before pulling the barrel over the edge and then pushing up against it as it tried to roll down. Her feet slid side to side and downwards in a slow and controlled manner as her hands slowly moved, bringing to barrel from the top of the hill to the bottom. When she finally made it, she rolled the barrel up the ramp onto the cart then propped it up. She ran up to help fill up the last one while Deaku brought down the fourth. After tossing handfuls of coins into the last barrel, Brynjolf hammered it closed and then they rolled it down as well. With the hardest part of the task finished, the five began to laugh as they tied ropes all around the barrels to secure them to the cart. Brynjolf hopped into the driver space and whipped the horses forward. Everyone was still laughing even as they rode away from the hill, only stopping after about a minute.

"Okay," Blake got out, her cheeks beginning to feel sore from the smile she was wearing. "Do the signal."

M'rissi aimed a lightning bolt up at the sky, making sure it went towards a cloud. With the signal for Vasha's man to no longer press his distraction, everyone felt more secure that they were now getting off scot-free. As they rode along, they heard a dragon's roar, and wondered for a moment whether or not it was Vulgahrotru. After a moment, the sound of wingbeats could be heard, and the group looked back to see the dragon coming directly at them, his maw warped in fury. All happiness drained from the group and Blake looked up at Brynjolf.

"Uh oh…"

"We may have called it a hair too soon," Brynjolf plainly stated as he looked back a moment. Beads of sweat were beginning to grow on his brow.

"Go! Faster!" the Faunus ordered in a panic. The Nord whipped the reins and the horses began picking up speed. However, the dragon was far faster and caught up to them within seconds, angrily roaring as he closed the distance. The three cat people prepared their bows as he glared down venomously at them.

" **Thieves! Reprobates! You will die if my gold is unreleased!"**

"I am beginning to regret this route of action!" Inigo yelled.

"You are?! I don't even have a bow!" Deaku yelled, continuing to hold onto the barrels, ensuring that they weren't going to fly out of the carriage.

"Aim for his wings!" Blake yelled. Arrows were loosed upon the dragon, mostly going for his shoulders. The steel-tipped arrows of Blake and M'rissi barely pierced his scales, if that much, but the ebony arrows from Inigo's quiver sank in deep. One hit directly on Vulgahrotru's left shoulder, and the dragon roared in pain before taking a deep breath. A wide cone of frost leapt from his mouth, and all of the thieves had to duck down as it blew against them. Blake stood back up shivering, Inigo and M'rissi right after her. Deaku remained on the floor in the fetal position, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Brynjolf, amazingly, looked barely affected. Blake cursed his Nord hardiness.

"Hold on! We're going through trees!" the Nord warned them before turning the horses in the direction of a grove. The dragon had to go higher, but could still see them through the treetops. He took in another breath, and this time Shouted flames upon them. M'rissi raised up her hands, calling up a ward to block the fire. As fiery breath clashed with the magical shield, the Khajiit woman fell to one knee from the strain. Cracks began to show, but M'rissi held on until it ended. Blake looked at her worryingly, but M'rissi waved her off before raising up her bow and firing. The other two did so as well, their arrows hitting with puffs of fire or sinking in more deeply.

"He's not giving up!" Blake realized. She looked forward and saw that they were approaching where the grove ended and began formulating a plan. "I have an idea! Brynjolf, I'm about to run ahead! Try to follow my trail!"

"What? Lass, are you daft?!" Brynjolf shouted and reached back for her, only for Blake to turn away.

"Trust me!" Blake hopped onto the side of the cart then jumped off, hitting the ground running. She picked up speed quickly, and was soon going past the horse-pulled cart, leaning forward with her arms held straight behind her, one hand casting a green spell. Brynjolf blinked in amazement for a moment, but kept his steeds on track.

"Did s-s-s-she just leave us?" Deaku asked as he began pulling himself back up. "That makes two now!"

"Do not worry, my friend," Inigo reassured him as he held his bow at the ready, waiting for the treetops to clear. "I trust her to really have a plan in store."

"She trusts her with her life!" M'rissi agreed.

A few moments later, the cart burst out from the tree line. Brynjolf looked around for a sign of Blake, seeing her coming back towards them and waving her arms.

"Give me the reins!" she yelled, going straight into their path, even as Vulgahrotru closed in with the ground and the cart. Brynjolf said a silent prayer and scooted himself over. Just as the horses were almost about to run her over, Blake leaped up into the air, twisted as she did, so that she came back down and landed right in the seat. She quickly took the reins from Brynjolf as he stared at her in surprise and steered the horses a little. Vulgahrotru was releasing another fiery breath upon them, but this time Deaku added in to the defense, though not with nearly as much power as M'rissi could. Blake gritted her teeth- and urged the horses to go faster, right towards the midpoint of two foothills. As the dragon gained on them, opening his mouth to grab the cart, Brynjolf felt them go by something, and less than a second later, Vulgahrotru came to an abrupt halt. A pair of trees appeared, having been magically camouflaged, and the other four could see that the dragon had wedged himself into them. He struggled a moment, before roaring in frustration, then a few more trees appeared, only these were falling onto the trapped dragon, having had chunks cut from them before Blake used the Chameleon spell on them.

" **RAAAGH!** " Vulgahrotru yelled in sheer rage. He attempted to Shout more flames at their retreating cart, but they were already out of range. He continued to roar as they sped off, the sound shaking the ground beneath them until they finally ceased.

"I...I think we got away..." Deaku muttered as he looked back towards the entrapped dragon.

"We just got a hundred and fifty thousand septims in one sitting...by robbing a dragon," Brynjolf breathed out. A pregnant pause followed, and then Brynjolf began to laugh, joined in by the others soon after.

Blake handed him the reins and went to the back of the cart before plopping onto the floor. She let out a sigh and smiled, her rapidly beating heart calming down. As the others continued to laugh uproariously, still lying on her back, she joined them.


	40. Delving Into The Deep

**So, I have fully moved back into my parent's house. Things were rocky there for a bit, but I was able to find an old laptop and use it for a time, but now I've got my desktop set up and everything's back to near as normal as I've ever been. This will be my first chapter posted from my folk's house, then. Thanks to NaanContributor for the delicious flatbread, and xTRESTWHOx for the ammo.**

* * *

"Interesting," Weiss muttered as she felt the spell in her hands. Brelyna and J'zargo watched through her scroll and their 'booth' as she summoned up a bound bow and a quiver of arrows. She drew one and pulled the string back, recalling her lessons in archery, and let the arrow loose into some nearby trees, a few inches left of her target. She briefly frowned, disappointed that she had missed, and figured more practice would be needed.

"Good job, Weiss," the Dunmer congratulated her as she sat back down. "I'm not ashamed to admit that you got it far quicker than I did."

"Conjuration seems to be your specialty," J'zargo added.

"It does, doesn't it? Now if only I could get my Semblance to summon correctly." That particular aspect of her Semblance was something she was still working on, which frustrated her to no end. How Winter did it so easily, Weiss didn't know.

"I have no idea how to help you with that. I'm afraid I don't know enough about your soul magic to even know where to begin." Brelyna looked regretful, but Weiss merely nodded and grabbed her chin.

"True. Only so many people here that can even use Aura. Anyways," Weiss dispelled her bound bow and arrows, "how is everything holding up since I've been gone?"

"Well, Talia's gotten a new lover, but this one's…different." Brelyna rubbed her head as she seemed to be trying to figure out how to explain it.

"She is an Orc, a grandniece of Urag," J'zargo clarified. "However, Talia has bitten off more than she can chew with this girl. For lack of a better phrase, she is making her behave."

"She seems happy though," the Dunmer quickly pointed out.

"Oh, well that's good news." Weiss allowed herself to smile. _'Maybe her new girlfriend will keep her from ogling me.'_

"By the way, Savos has found some information about the Wayshrines and he wanted us to pass it on to you." Brelyna raised her finger. "From what he's gathered, it seems to indicate that many were destroyed when agents started using them to quickly scout areas for one side of the war against the others. Denial of enemy assets and all that. They intended to repair them after the war, but the knowledge of their structure was lost and as such they never were. But, he thinks he's found the main material components."

"Also, Ancano has been doing a good impression of a grumpy elder," J'zargo said with a laugh. "He has been very forgetful and quick to anger. More so than usual, anyway."

"Well, that's good. He must be no closer to figuring it out then." Weiss nodded. "All right. Let everyone know about the Pigmole researchers. I'll try to get back soon, but who knows where this Marker is leading me."

"Just be careful, my dear."

"I will. Take care, you two." As Weiss hung up, Ruby plopped down next to where she was sitting with an 'oof'.

"Hi." Ruby's smile was infectious, and Weiss had to fight down the urge to smile back. She lost, however, and, in the end, a small smirk was let out.

"Ruby, are the professors all right?"

"Yeah, they're just talking to Granny Tendy and Chief Tyondor." Ruby then waved her arm to indicate Sherman and Coiroy speaking to the now crudely armored Giant Chief. Jo'puut was nearby speaking to a Giantess from atop a donkey's back.

"If that isn't a sight…" Weiss stared at the researchers for several moments. "So, how long will this take?"

"Not long. They're just establishing contact at the moment." Ruby's smile brightened and she crossed her arms in front of her. "After an hour or two we'll keep going, maybe drop by the Talking Stones if any are nearby, then we'll be straight on to Solitude, where they hope Tulius or the city will have some men to spare."

"And then we can find this thing." Weiss sighed when she felt the mental tug. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's _in_ Solitude."

"Might make things easier. Say, I saw you summon up a bow a minute ago. Can you teach me that?"

Weiss smiled. "Well, all right. Remember how the Bound Weapon spell works? Okay, it's mostly the same, but you're going to have to split the magicka a certain way so that you summon the arrows as well."

* * *

Blake rolled the last barrel across the graveyard as Inigo kept watch. Once it was down the stairs and slowly lowered by a winch and rope, she let out a sigh and pulled the chain that would close the secret entrance to the Cistern. Once it was down, the group climbed down after it. A few members were already sorting through the coins from the first barrel, counting them out and placing them in a chest. Others were gathered around, watching with envy and some incredulity. Blake couldn't help but smirk at the sight of them all looking upon her gains with wonder.

"You… You really managed to pull it off," Delvin said as he walked over to them. Brynjolf chuckled and crossed his arms.

"Aye, I told you we could do it. We cut it close, but thanks to Blake's quick thinkin', we made it through."

"Didn't even need to sneak it into the city. As it turns out, dragon hordes are fair game." Blake's smirk was audible and her eyes practically glowed. A few of the thieves looked at her in wonder, including the one who had previously insisted they try to kill her.

"I don't think I've ever seen so much gold," Vex muttered quietly. For a long moment, the thieves all stared in quiet admiration.

"Uh, just so we're clear," Deaku suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention, "I'm getting my ten thousand no matter what, right?"

"Aye, lad. You'll get yours. First the good boys here have to count it up, of course."

"I'll be damned," they heard before turning to see Mercer coming in from one of the side rooms. He looked over at the coin filled barrels and then at the one slowly being tallied up. He laughed quietly with a shake of his head. "Well I'll be… Belladonna! You actually did it!"

Blake felt her heart elate, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Likely because the person she could consider her boss was happy at her work.

"Here I thought you were going to get eaten or worse, and yet you've dragged up all of this! Yes, there's definitely a hundred thousand in there, at least!"

"Actually, there should be near a hundred and fifty, going by the barrels' size and the average size of a coin," Brynjolf corrected. "The first hundred is for the Guild and Maven, while the rest is being split between the five of us, as per Guild rules. But yes, more than enough to prove we're still worth Maven's backing."

"Oh, oh yes. I'll be sure to let her know once it's all counted up." Mercer laughed again and looked over the newest members of the Thieves' Guild, a joyous look on his face. "Seems I was wrong about you lot. You're all going places, I can tell. All right, Blake, Inigo, M'rissi… Who's that?"

"Number Five," Inigo answered.

"Deakutuactyl," the Argonian told him. "And I think I'm getting pretty good at this thief thing."

"Deekuta- Deeroo- Do you have an easier name I can remember?"

"Uh, just Deaku should do, sir."

"Deaku. You've all earned your spot in the Guild with this." He then turned back towards Blake, his face going serious once more. "However, Belladonna, let's not have a repeat of this. Unless you can find a replacement for Maven, do your best to keep on her good side."

"She has a good side?" M'rissi asked, clearly confused. She looked towards the other thieves, who merely shrugged.

"I don't think she has one.

"Her heart's as black as coal."

"She's a spawn of Oblivion, in this one's opinion."

"To be honest, I'm glad you screwed up that job of hers! She's the worst!"

"Quiet!" Mercer shouted, silencing everyone. "To answer your question, it's the one that doesn't plot your demise. Until next time, then." Mercer nodded and walked away, his eyes lingering on the septims for a moment before he went on his way. Blake felt her heart swelling with pride as he left.

"So, what now?" Deaku asked.

"Now, we get some drinks to celebrate," Brynjolf said. "Come on boys and girls! My treat!"

Some of the other thieves started cheering, but Brynjolf silenced them with a wave of his hand.

"I didn't say anything about you lot. I'm getting drinks for the ones who just came home from a successful dragon heist." A few of the thieves seemed stung by his words, while others felt ashamed or embarrassed. The five continued on to the Ratway.

"Just so we're clear, don't let Blake or her human buddies control the drinks," Deaku warned the others.

"About that... Mind explaining to me just _how_ you two met?" Brynjolf asked, and Blake went very pale.

"Ooh, she wants to know as well!" M'rissi bounced on her feet and looked up at Blake.

"Yes, Blake. Please share." Inigo nodded with a smile. All around her, the other thieves were looking upon the Faunus expectantly, and with a reluctant sigh, she began to share her tale of drunken debauchery.

"Ugh, fine. It all started when me and my friends, Yang and Weiss, entered into a drinking contest with a guy named Sam Guevenne for a magic staff..."

* * *

"Welcome to Breezehome," Yang introduced Niri to the warm house. "You'll be here until we can get you safely up to Solitude. Nice lady there is S'ahara."

"Greetings," the Khajiit woman welcomed the Altmer.

"Hello." Niri happily waved, her previous attire now replaced by a yellow, belted tunic, courtesy of Yang.

"And the old guy here is my housecarl, Valdimar."

"Good to meet you, miss."

"H- hi." Niri took a step back as she took in the sight of the large Nord battlemage, a tick of nervousness on her face while he simply looked confused. Yang immediately walked forward and patted her shoulder in comfort.

"Aw, don't be shy. He's a big softy at heart," she quietly told her. "Anyways, make yourself at home while I head up to Jorrvaskr. Hey, S'ahara, Niri's going to be the maid for my sister's home, but I think she's only been a maid in a cave so far. Mind showing her around and giving her some pointers?"

"This one does not mind at all. Come, young one. We can start with washing off the dirt and dust of the roads."

"O-okay." S'ahara took Niri's hand and led her towards the bath while Yang smiled wistfully.

Wishing she was the one about to get a bath, Yang left the house and headed up into the city. Heimskr was preaching loudly about Talos, like normal, and some kids were running around playing games. Yang briefly saw Braith and Lars, the girl still putting on her tough bully act, yet her affections towards him were obvious to the blonde. She would have to speak with her later about how to actually act around the poor boy to make him see it. Still, priorities came first. Yang made it through the city's hustle and bustle and walked into Jorrvaskr, the smell of cooked beef and Honningbrew mead filling the air. Yang ignored it, and a quick sniff later she was headed downstairs, finding Kodlak in his room and writing in a notebook.

"You sure are down here a lot," Yang commented before knocking on the doorframe. "I'm back."

"Yang, good to see you." Kodlak warmly smiled and put away his notebook. "Sorry if you got pulled away from your sister sooner than you'd like."

"Eh, we were basically on our way back. Besides, news like that, something big's going on."

"It is." The old Nord stood up with a grunt. "I'm planning to send Aela and Vilkas up to investigate. I'd like for you to go with them. However, while they'll be searching for evidence of the attackers, I want you to take special care and look out for our… Allies is not the right word, but there are other groups with vested interest in this. Especially Duskfall Haven."

"Why are they investigating this? I get they're the nice vampires, but the Vigilants couldn't have been their buddies anymore than any other vampires." Yang had been wondering about that the entire trip, and given how Kodlak knew this Duskfall Haven group, she figured he would know the answer better than anyone. Save for Archmage Savos, but she didn't know him so well.

"Because whenever one group is behind something, more often than not the blame will go to all," Kodlak forlornly answered. "Even now, the Dawnguard are gearing up to confront the vampires doing these attacks, and Duskfall could end up in the crossfire."

"So they'd rather get it calmed down before some axe-swinging vampire hunters start making indiscriminate targets out of them all." Yang grimaced at the thought. "Sir, I have to say that I don't like this at all. It feels like history is repeating itself."

"Hopefully, my letter to the Dawnguard will open a dialogue and we can avoid the worst of it. History only repeats if we don't learn from it. Now, I feel like something else might be bothering you. Someone I know?"

"It's…Aela," Yang admitted. "I thought I got her to calm down, but it looks like I only convinced her to not get herself killed and instead kill everyone else even remotely responsible for Skjor." She took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "We came by a Silver Hand hideout on the way up here. We took 'em out, as they were killing innocent people, but Aela… One of them was taken down non-lethally, and when I was tying her up Aela looked ready to just kill her instead. Then we came across a noncombatant. She said she was a maid, but…I have a feeling they used her for more than that." Kodlak nodded sadly at that. "Aela… _almost_ killed her, because she got frightened and made a run for it. I talked her down, but I feel like I put a band-aid on a - I think I only temporarily covered a symptom of a deeper problem. I'm afraid that if we don't stop this now, then things will only get worse and Aela is going to do something that she'll end up regretting for the rest of her life."

"I see. Yes, Aela has been distressed more than ever since Skjor's death. The two were...very close. I'll have a talk with her, don't you worry. And thank you for coming to me about this Yang." A wave of relief washed over Yang and she openly sighed.

"Phew! Glad I did. Part of me felt like I shoulda kept it to myself, but then another part…"

"Wanted to be responsible and look out for her shield-sister?"

"Yeah, I guess you could put it like that."

Kodlak laughed and patted Yang on the shoulder. "Now, while I go look for her, why don't you head on home and wash up?"

"By all the gods, yes! I haven't had a bath in over a week!"

"That...doesn't seem like too long a time."

"Oh right, here that's normal. Well, back home we clean ourselves once or twice a day, not just on Loredas."

"Ah, I see. In that case, I think I can understand your sentiment more clearly." Kodlak escorted Yang out of his room and towards the cleaning area. "Tell me, Yang. Your homeland, what is it like?"

"Remnant?" Yang looked back up at her elder, who nodded.

"Yes, Remnant. I know you four are not from Tamriel, and this old man is curious."

Yang thought to herself for a moment on how best to answer. Before, when others had asked about their home, they had given them distorted answers that, although not _inaccurate,_ weren't the exact truth, either. For instance, the fact that they came from another world with no Gods or magic. The Grimm were just explained as particularly nasty wildlife not that dissimilar to the worst dragons and draugr. But Kodlak, she trusted him entirely. She respected him. Out of everyone, he deserved to know. With a committed nod, she stopped and turned to the Harbinger, who stopped in kind.

"Kodlak, promise me that you won't just dismiss what I say out of hand?" Yang quietly asked, and her elder nodded. With his acceptance, she began to explain everything. How she, her sister, and the rest of her team were from another world, how Aura use is widespread and commonplace, how magic did not exist and technology was developed in its stead. Through it all, Kodlak remained silent, his face never judging as Yang continued to explain everything.

"And, the next thing we knew, we had landed in Solitude on another world. A few days later, Weiss got bit by a vampire and we ran into Alduin in Helgen. Then, we met you and the rest of the Companions, and you already know the rest." Yang went silent as she finished her explanation. By that point, the two had sat back down on a nearby bench, Kodlak rubbing his beard in contemplation.

"I see," he muttered, continuing to stroke his beard. "This Remnant... It sounds like an interesting place. I would love to see it, someday."

"You believe me?" Yang was both surprised and hopeful, and Kodlak warmly smiled.

"I see no reason for you to lie to me about this, and what you have told me does indeed explain a great deal about you and your friends. Still, I must wonder how you four arrived and just why little Ruby is Dragonborn."

"We've been wondering that, too." Yang nodded and smiled, happy and relieved that he had believed her. "Moreso on the first question, at least. The 'why' and 'how' of Ruby's being Dragonborn has fallen on the wayside a bit."

"And yet, I feel that the answer to that is just as important as the first." Kodlak nodded then stood up. Yang followed suit. "Still, thank you for sharing this with me, Yang. It means a lot that you can trust me with this."

"Of course," Yang's smile grew brighter. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hot date with a warm bath." Kodlak couldn't help but heartily chuckle at Yang's declaration.

* * *

M'rissi's tail swished behind her happily as she watched the painted cork bob in the water. She had already caught five fish and was planning on getting a total of eight. Blake watched over her while at the same time looking out across the lake and taking in its beauty. Inigo had been uncharacteristically quiet after humming for a while, and Blake actually felt a mite worried about him. She looked back, but couldn't quite tell what was going on with him no matter how many times she did so. Just when she was about to consign herself to not worry about it, she heard a dull thud, and looked back to see a dull bronze-scaled Argonian in a patchwork dress leaned up against a building while sitting on the dock floor. Even from where she was sitting, the Argonian looked unnaturally thin to the Faunus. Almost immediately, Inigo began walking over to her and Blake followed close behind. As they came closer, they could see that the Saxhleel looked exhausted, her scales were dry, and dark rings encircled her closed eyes. She seemed to be gasping while trying to pull her tail out from under herself. Blake was confused by the sight, but Inigo stood up from his inspecting crouch and shook his head.

"I've seen this look far too many times."

"What is it?" Blake asked him, scared of what she was seeing

"Skooma abuse," Inigo revealed as he shook his head. "Likely for quite some time, now. Damn poison..." Inigo scowled as he continued to examine the fallen addict. Suddenly, the woman looked up at him with wide, unfocused eyes and loosely grasped at his arm.

"Pl- Please help," the Argonian suddenly spoke up. "I'm…going to lose my j-job at the fishery."

"Did someone say something about fishies?" M'rissi called back.

"No, just stay over there," Blake warned her friend before looking back at the woman. "What's going on? Why's your job in danger?"

"The owner, Bolli, said that if I show up for work in th-this condition one more time, then I'm out. I don't mean to do this to myself, but I just…can't help it."

"The grip of skooma is a tight one," Inigo said to her. "But it is one you can pry yourself from. If I can do it, then so can you."

"I- I try so hard… Please, if either of you have a potion to spare, I could cleanse myself and get back to my life."

Deep down, Blake somewhat doubted a single potion could cure addiction, but at the same time didn't care. She quickly reached into her pack and pulled out a vial of red liquid. The Argonian woman gingerly took it and drank it, grimacing as her scales seemed to regain some shine to them and the dark circles around her eyes faded. There were still signs of her substance abuse, but she looked a far cry better than she had a moment ago.

"Thank you so much. Your kindness will never be forgotten." She earnestly smiled as much as an Argonian could, her spirits visibly higher than before. Blake couldn't help but smile back at that.

"You should really take steps to quit," Inigo told her. "I can be of assistance there. I know how rocky the road can be, and one potion isn't nearly enough to clean up."

"You're right, I suppose." The Argonian shook her head regretfully. "I really should know better. I just gave in at a moment of weakness."

"Wait, isn't skooma illegal in Skyrim?" Blake asked. "How in the world did you get a hold of some?" At once, the Argonian's expression turned fearful and she began to look around the docks as if someone was watching her. Finally, with her voice lowered to a whisper, she began to speak once more.

"I- I really shouldn't say. I mean, they could kill me. If they find out I ratted them out…"

Fighting back the intrusive thoughts of the Ebony Blade before they even came up, Blake took in a deep breath. "Not as long as I'm around, they won't."

The Saxhleel blinked and then nodded before picking herself up off of the floor. "You're really her, aren't you? The Shadowkiller really is in Riften…" The Argonian paused to think, closing her eyes in thought before nodding. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you. I get my skooma from Sarthis Idren. He has some sort of setup over at the Riften Warehouse. You can't get inside though. They've kept that place locked up tight since the war began."

"Well, someone has to have a key, otherwise it would not be much of a setup," Inigo pointed out.

"I overheard Bolli once saying that only the Jarl keeps the key to the warehouse. When I meet Sarthis there, he's usually waiting for me outside with his bodyguard. If you can convince the Jarl to give it to you…" Her suggestion trailed off as a thought suddenly sprang to mind. "Oh, but do be careful. I mean, I know you took out the Dark Brotherhood…"

"We'll be fine. You go get to work."

"And I'll come around to help you out," Inigo promised while patting her shoulder. "It is no easy decision or task to quit skooma. Trust me, you are making a brave choice here."

"Thank you. Thank you both so very much!"

* * *

As Ruby meditated, she searched herself for the meaning behind words as well as thinking over her current objective. Weiss had explained to her that the Marker needed an 'intercendent being', which apparently was her, in order to complete some mission. What that mission was the Star Orphan actually never explained. At the same time there was something brewing up around the Eye of Magnus that the College had discovered.

' _Magna-Ge, Daedra, and Dragons popping up everywhere,'_ she silently mused as she stopped in her meditation and stood up to stretch. _'Bring in the Divines and we've got a party.'_

As she walked back to where the Pigmole group was setting up camp, she paused near a waterfall, seeing Lydia's orichalcum armor resting in a pile. She went over to inspect it, then saw her housecarl, currently in a loose shirt and leggings, doing some form of combat exercises. Ruby watched for a moment, idly noting how graceful her movements were, then noticed a book nearby. Out of Lydia's line-of-sight, and with curiosity overwhelming her, she picked up the book and opened it to find that it was filled with sketch paper, the whole thing enchanted to prevent smudging. The first picture was a charcoal drawing of what seemed to be the Solitude docks. It was, frankly, amateurish, but she could see that there had been some real talent to it. She flipped the page, and then saw what looked like Ustengrav, the abandoned camp just outside of it. The quality had increased slightly from the prior page, only slightly but noticeably. The next page had a drawing of Morthal's main street, again with a significant increase in skill.

"What are you doing?" Ruby heard before jumping in fright. She looked back to see Weiss and smirked guiltily.

"Um, hey, just…looking."

"You really shouldn't be going through other people's belongings, Ruby," the vampire admonished as she sat in the shade next to her and pulled back her hood. "What even is that?"

"Um, I think it's Lydia's sketchbook." She flipped over the page to see a drawing of a Giant family, the man holding the woman by the hip while she held an infant up to her chest and a toddler stood in front of them. "Aw!"

"That's fairly good, actually." Weiss hummed in observation. "I didn't know she was a sketch artist."

"Actually…" Ruby looked back to the first drawing and hummed. "I…think she started this after asking me about unlocking Aura."

"What?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I told her how I learned and I guess she's…trying to implement it herself. She's exercising, meditating, and…trying to express her soul." Ruby looked back down at the sketchbook with a whole new appreciation.

"While I'm not so sure how effective that might be, I do commend her for trying." Weiss reached over and flipped the page back, now showing several Giants herding their mammoths. "And you can see the increase of skill with each successive one."

As the girls continued looking through the book, they didn't notice when Lydia came back and stopped in front of them until she had cleared her throat. Both then jumped, and looked up at the housecarl with a slight amount of shame.

"Uh, sorry," Ruby began as she closed the sketchbook and handed it back over. "I was going to ask about it, but you were busy…"

"It's all right. Though I do wish you had asked first." Lydia then opened it to the newest sketch, which Ruby immediately placed as the waterfall where Lydia was just at. "I used to make a lot of drawings as a girl. My father and aunt appreciated them while I was growing, but, beyond drawing suspects' likeness down for wanted posters, there's not much use for it as a guard."

"Well, I think you're great at it. And if you love to draw then you definitely should."

"Thank you, my Thane." Lydia flipped back a few pages, but then paused, and Ruby saw why. On the one she was coming to, Ruby saw a likeness of herself, standing with a hand on the hilt of her sword while looking up to the sky. The image made the young girl look far more heroic than she could really picture herself, but she could see that it was her all the same.

' _Is that how she sees me?'_

"And, to be honest, I think it's really working out," Lydia began as she closed the book. "That feeling from before keeps coming back, sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker. But the stronger feeling has been coming more and more often."

Weiss furrowed her brow skeptically, but made sure to hide it while she put up a smile. Ruby, however, smiled genuinely, though she did feel a small ache in her chest for her housecarl.

"Just keep working at it," the Dragonborn encouraged. "If anyone here can unlock their Aura, it's you."

* * *

Snow crunched underfoot as Yang, Aela, and Vilkas came up to where the Hall of the Vigilant once stood. Charred ruins were scattered about, but so too were bodies. Vilkas pulled one out of the powdery, fresh snow to reveal a shriveled corpse in robes. He grunted and set it back down before he and Aela began sniffing around.

"What exactly should we be looking for?" Yang asked through her scarf. She was bundled up in furs as much as was practical, but even then she could still feel some of the cold in her extremities. With a noticeable shiver, she cupped her hands together and conjured a brief flare of Flames between them to thaw her fingers.

"Anything out of the ordinary, vampire corpses, thralls, whatever can give us a better idea of what happened here," Aela revealed as she began to sniff around.

"Right." She lowered the scarf and took a whiff of the cold air, feeling it sting her nostrils. However, within the freezing cold air she picked up bits of flesh, blood, and something rotten. She went over to a lump in the snow and pulled it up to find another Vigilant's corpse, only this one wasn't drained and had a deep burn on his face. She went over and found another corpse, only this time the being was wearing red leather armor. Pulling back a frozen lip, Yang saw that the dead man had fangs.

"Found a vamp!" she announced while standing up, but then went still. She saw shapes approaching through the snowfall, but couldn't quite make them out. "We've got company!"

As the Companions readied themselves, one of the shapes help up his hands as he became clearer to them. As he appeared, Yang saw that it was a tall male Altmer wearing yellow-trimmed, black robes. Once it was apparent that he meant no harm, she slowly approached him.

"Duskfall?" she asked, keeping one hand resting on the hilt of her holy axe.

"Yes. I am Jarmak. We received a note that you'd be here." He looked over at the vampire corpse Yang had just dug out. "It seems you've already started looking."

"Yep. These guys were definitely vampires. And it's the same armor as what I've been seeing the attacking forces wear," she mused before looking at him accusingly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about these guys, would you?"

"I do." The vampire looked around, sniffing the air himself. He began to walk over in one direction, Yang and his two followers close behind him. "This armor is the same worn by those who are officially a part of the Volkihar clan."

"Volkihar?" Vilkas asked from where he was searching. "The misty ice walkers?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Yang asked for exposition.

"The Volkihar clan is one of the oldest clans of vampires. Most vampires in Skyrim are descended from their bloodline, but only the vampire lords are allowed amongst their ranks." With a hum, he pulled up a frozen Ohmes-raht corpse dressed in the robes of a Vigilant. "They are good at blending into living society, should they put forth the effort to conceal themselves. The eyes and fangs are the only real tells for a well-fed one. So, when a race can be expected to have those traits," he suddenly plunged a hand into the deceased's chest then pulled it back out, showing those around a handful of vampire dust while Yang noted the necrotic powder was exactly where the heart should be, "the disguise can be seamless."

"They had someone on the inside," Yang muttered in realization.

"They still died in the end," Aela pointed out.

"Some who turn mistake immortality with invulnerability," Jarmak said as he let the body drop and let go of the dust as one of the others dragged up the body of a death hound. "Hm. Yes, this was the work of the Volkihar. I don't quite understand why they did this though. They're normally safe, hiding away from the world. The numbers lost here tells me that they're readying for something quite grand. They were removing an obstacle, but an obstacle to what?"

"What do you think they could be planning?" Vilkas asked the vampire.

"With Harkon, there is no telling." Jarmak shook his head while Yang raised an eyebrow at the namedrop. She didn't recognize it, although it sounded vaguely Nordic, and from the tone of his voice the man was obviously important.

"Harkon?" Yang asked as the elf stood.

"Their leader. One of the vilest beings to ever inhabit Mundus. Hm." He shook his head. "Whatever you do, be wary of him. He's as ancient as I am, if not more, and his power, at this point in time, is massive."

"Soooo, he's the head vampire we should kill?"

"If it were only so easy." He looked across the distance and hummed. "No, it's best you remain distant from him. He'll be within the deepest part of their territory. Vampire lords will be by his sides and at his feet, and he's the one with the power to rein them all in."

"…If you say so." Inside, Yang was still wondering if she or any of the others could take him on, but without any idea where this Harkon could be it wasn't like she could test it. "What should we do about the bodies?"

"Burn them," Jarmak said simply. "It's not good to leave them out this way, and there's no digging in this frozen ground."

"We'll start gathering them up," Vilkas declared. "Yang, you get us a fire started."

"Right away."

* * *

After stopping by Solitude, it became apparent that Weiss' internal compass wanted them to go _even further_ north, but also down. To their dismay, they realized this meant that what they were looking for was somewhere under the sea.

"Well, this is just excellent," the heiress griped as Ruby and Lydia rowed them out away from the harbor and out to sea. "If you didn't happen to have that Amulet of Warmth, there'd be almost no way to retrieve…whatever we're after."

"Yeah, good thing Chakus didn't need any of those things," Ruby mused. "Although, it would be nice to know what we're looking for. If someone had just asked some basic questions." Ruby stared pointedly over at her partner, who cleared her throat and looked away in embarrassment.

"Yes, well, once we find it I'm sure things will become clearer," Weiss suggested, finding the water to be very interesting at this moment while Ruby and Lydia merely rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, but out this far…" Ruby suddenly paused and squinted her eyes, noticing something off in this distance. "Oh look, a shipwreck!" Weiss and Lydia looked to where Ruby had indicated to see half of a ship up against a large, rocky islet. Weiss narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the remains of the vessel, then looked towards where she felt the tug.

"I…think what we're looking for is somewhere in the wreck." Weiss' suggestion was met with quick but weary nods. The wreck would be an obvious place to look, but that didn't mean it didn't come without its own set of dangers.

"Well, at least we have some kind of idea about what's going on." Ruby shrugged as she and her housecarl continued to row. As fast as they could, the two rowers brought them over to the broken ship and suddenly felt the bottom scraping something. Lydia looked over and let out a hum of acknowledgement.

"We're on ground. Just a thin sheet of water here, about ankle deep."

"Glad my boots are waterproof," Ruby said before she placed her oars down and stepped out. Lydia did the same and held the boat steady while Weiss got out far more gingerly. Pursing her lips, Ruby bent down and gingerly touched the water with her fingertips.

"Huh, it's warmer than I expected. Not really warm, but still. Pretty sure I saw ice on the beach when we came out here."

"I think it has to do with the currents," Weiss began explaining. "There's one that goes up from Hammerfell, around the peninsula of High Rock, and then circles back just before reaching Roscrea. Keeps most of High Rock from freezing solid and Haafingar relatively warm."

"Once the winter deepens not even that's going to keep back the frost and snow," Lydia added as she dragged the boat up and tied it to a rocky spire.

"True, but at least we won't freeze out here." The heiress then looked over at the wreckage lying alongside them. "I wonder what sort of cargo they had. Something good, I hope."

"Weiss, that's stealing!" Ruby objected.

"It's not stealing, it's salvaging. I read up on the laws about it. So long as everyone's dead or abandoned ship anything on there belongs to whoever finds it. And since we're here-" Weiss' suggestion was cut off as a loud groan was heard from the ship. At once, the three girls whipped around to face it, hands drifting towards their weapons. A moment of silence ensued as they waited for the source to reveal itself.

"Who- Who goes there?" a voice echoed out from the broken half of the ship before a raggedly dressed Altmer stumbled up from its bowels, haphazardly aiming a bow. Lydia pulled out her own, ready to take him down, but Ruby waved her hand to stop her.

"Hello! Are you okay?" Ruby asked while Lydia slowly lowered her bow, an arrow still notched in case the high elf tried anything.

"Wha'ina? Go… Go away! Not letting you…take the ship."

"He's delirious," Ruby muttered as she realized his state. "Hand me the Masque. And get some water ready." Tentatively, Lydia handed over the Masque of Clavicus Vile to Ruby, who placed it on her head. Weiss blinked in surprise at the sudden effect it had on her, and the delirious sailor seemed to relax as he refocused on her.

"So that's what Ruby was talking about..." Lydia whispered as she stared at her charge's head while Weiss idly wondered what she meant by that.

"We have no intention of hurting anyone," Ruby reassured the man. "We came upon the shipwreck purely by chance. If you're hurt, we want to help you, and maybe get you back to shore."

"Shore. Get to shore. Boat. Yes. All right," he called down to them. "I'm coming down there." Shakily, the mer pulled himself up and nearly fell as he lowered himself from the broken ship onto the islet. He stumbled over to the women, grunting and gasping as he did. The elf was clearly dehydrated or starving, probably both. Lydia passed over a waterskin, which Ruby took and handed to the elf.

"Easy," she warned. "Slow sips. Don't hurt yourself."

The Altmer sighed as he took in a breath after his first gulp. It was easy to see from the strain in his face that he was fighting the urge to take the whole thing and chug it down. After a few more spaced out swallows, Ruby let him have it and he went over and sat against a knee high stone.

"Thank you! Divines grace, thank you so much!" he gasped as the cool liquid soothed his throat. Weiss then handed him a piece of bread, which he hungrily took and began to tear into with fervor.

"Happy to help, but I have to ask, what happened here?" Ruby asked, and the elf paused his eating.

"Happened? We…were headed in to Solitude. Solitude… Yes. We saw something…falling from the sky. We looked for it because…it was a Skyshard."

"A Skyshard?" Ruby asked no one in particular.

"A sort of Aetherial Fragment," Weiss quickly relayed.

"It was… One moment there was nothing, and then the next there was a great, fiery heat from above and a giant fountain of water splashed up near our ship. We looked and looked, but we almost couldn't find it. When we finally did and lowered the cage, some sort of freak wave came out of nowhere and smashed my skiff against this damned rock." The elf groaned and leaned back. "All my sailors, lost. And now Sarullo is a captain without a ship or crew."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Ruby lamented as she held his hand. "We'll get you up to Solitude soon. We're going to have a quick look around to see what can be saved. Is there anything we need to get for you?"

"No- Not much. The water and food's gone and everything of value sank with the other half."

"I see. Just hold on a moment." Ruby stood up and took off the Masque. Weiss blinked and rubbed her eyes before looking at the depressed, barely coherent mer and then back to Ruby.

"Well, now what?"

"I guess we were sent after the Skyshard? Sounds like something Magna-Ge related, right?" Ruby shrugged, still not fully understanding the being's machinations or intentions. She had to believe neither of them understood it either.

"I suppose, but it's far beneath the waters now. I seriously doubt you could hold your breath long enough to find it." Weiss slightly kicked the water in emphasis, sending up a small splash of water while Ruby went quiet. Suddenly, she gasped excitedly and drew the other's attention at her outburst.

"Good thing I won't have to!" Ruby went over to the boat and began rummaging through her pack. "Let's see. Colovian Brandy, no. Solitude Spiced, no. Summerset Black, no. Ah, here we go! Argonian Bloodwine!"

"What…? Ruby, this is hardly the time or place for that!" Weiss admonished, the memories of the last and only time she had ever been drunk still fresh in her mind.

"It's not for that, Weiss. Argonian Bloodwine has this magical effect where after drinking it you can breathe underwater for several minutes."

The vampire blinked at that. "Say what now?"

"It's true," Lydia confirmed. "I'm not sure how it works, but it does."

"So they seriously just brew up a particular sort of spirit that _happens_ to double as a waterbreathing potion?" Lydia gave a noncommittal shrug while Ruby twisted in a corkscrew, her tongue's tip pointed out the corner of her mouth while she focused on the task. Weiss sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just promise me you won't overdo it."

"Yes, Weiss," Ruby said as she took out the cork then brought out a clear, plastic cup from her pack. "Because unlike certain other people," she went on as she poured a cupful of wine, "I drink _responsibly_." She brought the cup up to her mouth and gently tipped it back, smoothly drinking the wine until it was gone. She smiled at Weiss' incredulous look before setting both bottle and cup down, removing her armor to reveal a simple red tee shirt and leggings, and then placing the Amulet of Warmth on her neck.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?" Weiss accused and sighed. Ruby responded with a wry grin before turning towards the water.

"I'll be right back," she promised before diving off the edge of the islet. Weiss looked on after her, her brain not sure what to make out of everything, before the sounds of snores brought her back to the world. She and Lydia both turned to look at the now sleeping elf sailor.

"I suppose we should try to gather what we can while Ruby looks underwater."

"I suppose so, but I do have a question: why didn't you go?"

"I'd rather not have to drink down an alcoholic beverage to search the seafloor."

"I can certainly understand that, given your...history. You don't really need it, though. You're a vampire."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

* * *

It took Ruby a few dives and an equal number of cupsful of Argonian Bloodwine, salvaging many of the sunken valuables in the process, but she was finally able to find what she was certain was the Skyshard. After scaring off a shark, spearing a horker, and even shooing away a sort of garfish, she had been getting pretty agitated, but now she could behold the glowing, bright object in front of her. It looked like a giant crystal, and had an energy flowing from it that seemed _pure_ for lack of a better term. After planning out in her head a way to place it in the nearby cage and then drag it up with her Semblance and Shouting, Ruby wobbly swam over to the Skyshard and made to grab it, only for the crystal to sort of explode and implode at the same time. Ruby floated in place for a moment, confused, then looked at her arms as she felt the energy from it become absorbed into her.

"Oh come on!" she yelled out, only for her voice to be muffled by the surrounding water. Annoyed, she swam back up until she broke the surface of the sea. Looking around, she squared up with the islet and clumsily breaststroked towards it.

"I fount the stupid shard," she grumbled as she pulled herself onto the partially submerged shore. She heard a swish and looked over to see one of the gar coming near the dead horker tied to the back of their boat, so she took out the Spear of Might and swung it at the fish, scaring it away. "No! _My_ horker!"

"That's good news," Weiss said as she helped Ruby up. "Where is it?"

"Is inside me."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Absorbed it. Poof! Sucked up the energy! Like e'rything else, 'parently." Ruby shook her head and groaned. "I'm tired an' wet. Le's go home."

"Okay. Lydia and I will row us back." Weiss looked at the load of things and people now on the boat. It could certainly hold them, but it wasn't ideal. And the horker was going to cause some drag, but Ruby insisted on taking it since she'd killed it.

Lydia walked over and then made a kick. "Damned slaughterfish!"

"Yeh, tell 'em, Lyd!" Ruby uncharacteristically cheered. "Be't those fisssh!"

"Actually, those are Nordic gar. I read about them and other predators in Skyrim."

"What 'chu takin' 'bout?" Ruby sassed as she stared intently at the vampire, who merely sighed.

"Slaughterfish is really just an umbrella term for any sort of predatory fish that occasionally attack men and mer."

"…I suppose," Ruby grumbled and crossed her arms. "They're still stupid fish." Weiss sighed, then helped Ruby into the boat on the opposite side of the still sleeping Sarullo.

"Do we have everything?" Ruby finally asked.

"Everything worth salvaging." Lydia nodded and hefted up a burlap sack. "And a few things of questionable worth."

"He insisted on having his maritime objects saved. It's essentially all that's left of his past with this ship." The two began pushing the boat off before Weiss hopped in with Lydia right behind her. "Maybe he can start up again someday, but it might be rather jarring to go from a captain to just another sailor."

"Maybe. I can't say I've much experience with sailing. Only ever went on the port to port boats."

"I've sailed here and there, but I suppose the seas of Nirn are a bit different from Remnant's. She looked around at the horker's corpse as they began rowing. "You can actually keep the monsters for meat and trophies here."

"I wouldn't exactly call them monsters. So, are there rules about that in Remnant?"

"Actually, it's how-" Weiss stopped when she felt something wet in her lap and looked down to see Ruby resting her head there while reaching around and holding her by the waist. "Uh, Ruby?"

"Weiss, I wanted you to know that sometimes you're a meany and a bit of a smart aleck, but then you can be really sweet when you wanna but you don' wanna show it so you act like it's nothing and I jus' wanted you to know I love you anyways because you're great and stuff, mkay."

"…Thank you, Ruby." Weiss looked over to Lydia and lowly whispered, "How much?"

Lydia reached over and picked up the large wine bottle, perhaps a bit more than a liter large. It was more than half empty.

"Oh. My. God."

* * *

Convincing Laila Law-Giver was far easier than Blake expected, though her growing fame and the fact Laila wanted the skooma traders gone as much as any decent person definitely helped in that regard. While Sarthis didn't give up and ended up being killed in the end, he left plenty of evidence behind to track the movements of his suppliers, along with enough skooma to make a mammoth think it was flying. Now Blake, Inigo, and M'rissi were where it all pointed, looking over a boulder at a place known as Cragslane Cavern, where some tents and a pair of very large cages were set up. Inside of the cages were some wolves, which were being prodded at by a couple of men, likely meant to be on watch. They clearly weren't the best at their job.

"So, they must have set up shop in there," Blake indicated before looking up at the sky. The three were a little nervous being this far north so soon after the heist, but so far nothing larger than a hawk had been seen flying. M'rissi suddenly whimpered, startling Blake a little bit. Inigo reached over and patted her shoulder, however.

"Don't worry, M'ri. I won't let even one of the big dogs get close to you."

The Khajiit woman smiled at him. "Thank you, Inigo. She…does not like dogs, at all."

"Just be sure to watch out for the people too," Blake reminded them as she took out her bow. The other two followed her action, and then they all took aim at one of the men outside. Blake indicated that she was aiming for the one sitting at the fire, while Inigo aimed at the furthest, and M'rissi at the one next to the cages. With a trio of twangs, three arrows were sent flying, a black one piercing through the Nord near the cave entrance, another hitting the man pestering the wolves right under his arm and into his ribs, and the last hitting a Bosmer in the back while setting him ablaze. The last shouted in pain and fear as he fell forward, right into the campfire. Blake grimaced, but shouldered her bow and went forward.

"Well, we're in. Let's go."

The three went through the camp, ignoring the sounds of the caged wolf tearing into the dead man's arm, and then prowled down into the cave. Just a little ways in, they stopped as they spotted a Dunmer leaning up against a post, just across from a torch. Inigo drew an arrow, and took aim. When Blake nodded, he released the shaft, which flew straight and into the side of the dark elf's head. For a moment the three held their breath, and then the elf finally collapsed forward.

"She was starting to think he might not have died."

"That would have been impossible," Blake quickly said. "But yeah, that was weird and kinda scary."

Just past where the Dunmer had been posted, they emerged into a cavern with a fighting pit connected to another room by a small tunnel set in the center. Several men had pushed someone over the pit's wall, a young Bosmer from the looks of things, and now they were beginning to cheer and started calling for 'the hounds'.

"What a deplorable bunch!" Inigo hissed.

"A dead bunch." Blake began summoning a spell in her hand, almost unconsciously weaving into an angry red. She loosed it, and the red orb hit a man in the back, catching the attention of a few others.

"What was that?" one man asked before the target turned and socked him in the face. "What in-" The ensorcelled man continued attacking him, and Blake threw two more Fury spells into the crowd, causing an Orsimer to break a bottle and jab it into a Breton's neck, and an Altmer to suddenly take out a dagger and rapidly stab the Nord next to him. The crowd devolved into a deadly brawl, while the man behind the makeshift bar looked up and saw them, only to receive a steel-tipped arrow through the eye.

"Did she get the Butcher?"

"What in Oblivion is going on out here?!" someone yelled from the back. Another Dunmer, far larger than the other and perhaps any they'd seen, came out from the back room to see the chaos happening within the cavern. Blake was about to take aim at him, but then saw a wolf peeking out from the tunnel at the Bosmer still stuck in the pit, its teeth bared and ears pointed back as it began to prowl towards him. Quickly she formed another spell, this one a bright green, and then launched it at the beast, hitting it on the back. The wolf's growling ceased as it relaxed, but now the Butcher knew where they were. Almost instantly, he picked out the last of the people under Blake's Illusion and took out a green, single-edged blade before swiping clean through him, the sword giving off sparks of electricity as it did. The others all ceased their fighting in fear, then the mer turned and smacked an arrow off course from hitting his skull.

"Well, not every arrow lands," Inigo lamented as he put away his bow and drew his sword. The last of the crowd charged up the ramp where the three were. Blake drew Gambol Shroud and the Blade of Woe. She almost laughed at the man that decided to come at her with just an iron dagger, but instead stayed silent as she smacked him across the face with a pommel strike and then sliced up. Another swung a hammer, but completely missed as she side-stepped before kicking him hard enough to send him all the way to the bar and through it. Inigo cut through three people rapidly before doing a spin and slicing off the last one's head, while M'rissi hung back and sent arrows at a man who had been sending spikes of ice at her.

"Useless," the Butcher muttered before charging over to fight them himself. Blake blocked his first heavy strike, but cried out as she felt electricity course up her sword and into her right arm. She blinked away as he sliced through a clone, then Inigo came in swinging, his ebony sword not conducting the sparks like her steel one had. Groaning, Blake sheathed the sword and pulled out her Daedric dagger before going back in. She sliced up through the chink of his steel armor at the elbow, eliciting a cry from him, giving Inigo a chance to come in and slice deeply into the back of his waist. M'rissi chose that moment to jump down, landing square on the Dunmer's shoulders before leaning back. Forced back by her weight, the elf was almost helpless as she gripped his neck with her legs and tossed him over herself, smacking him into the ground. M'rissi sat up with a proud smile, but then the Dunmer reached up and grabbed her by the neck.

"Damn cats!" he cursed as he tried to tighten his hold on her throat, M'rissi fighting against him with fear in her eyes as she gasped for breath.

"M'rissi!" Blake yelled before taking the dagger in her hand and throwing it. It flipped through the air then sank into the mer's neck. He gurgled out a cry, and M'rissi smashed her head into his nose before pulling herself loose. As the elf gripped his own bleeding throat, Inigo came in with a yell and swiped down, through his head. Finally dead, the Butcher collapsed in a heap, and the three catfolk could finally breathe easier.

"That guy was a tough one," Blake got out with a sigh. She looked back over to the fighting pit, then pulled a section of the chest-high fencing down. The starved wolf looked up at her, then went by to the many corpses and started tearing into them. She grimaced, but decided that it was better than the creature trying to eat her. As she went over to the young Bosmer, the elf picked themselves up off the ground.

"By Auriel's wings, you saved me," they said. "I can't thank you enough."

"It was no problem, but what in Oblivion was that about?" Blake questioned while cleaning and sheathing her blades.

"Oh, uh, I was supposed to be taking care of the wolves for them. But they decided that I was too soft." They sighed at that. "I should know better. You don't make as much money as they did out in the middle of nowhere breeding wolves. They were setting this place up to be a skooma and gambling den. I thought that if I just kept my head down and left as soon as I could… But they decided I was 'softening' their killers too much, so they were going to feed me to them. They've been starving them for days, getting them ready to eat me."

"That's really awful! I'm glad we got here in time then."

"You and me both." The Bosmer smiled before a puzzled look appeared on their face. "If I may, why exactly are you here? Competitors? Mercenaries?" the erstwhile caretaker wondered.

"Sort of mercenaries. We knew about the skooma, so we're putting an end to it." Blake's ears popped up when she heard the sound of several glass objects clinking together. She and the wood elf walked down the tunnel where more cages held more wolves to see Inigo pushing a wheelbarrow around and dumping all of the vials of skooma into it, an angry expression on his snout. M'rissi, however, was packing up jars of an orange-brown powder, moon sugar, the main ingredient in skooma.

"Well, I guess we'll be shutting this down. If that equipment over there is what I think it is… Yeah, probably safe to torch it." Blake nodded to herself as she continued to watch Inigo pile more and more skooma bottles on top of each other before rushing outside, grabbing a torch as he went. "You might wanna get whatever you want out of this place."

"Burn, foul poison! Burn!" They heard Inigo shout from outside before he laughed evilly.

"I know where all the money is stashed. Didn't bother hiding it when they figured me a dead mer. I guess I can start back up somewhere else."

"Sure, take it all. I don't need it."

"Blake!" M'rissi suddenly shouted at her. "Have you gone insanely crazy!?"

"We have tens of thousands of septims in the bank, and another ten thousand each after that heist. I think we're good. Let… I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Charisk."

"Let Charisk here take it. Charisk needs it way more than we do, I'm sure."

"Next thing you'll be saying we should save the wild wolf dogs."

"We should," Charisk argued. "They did nothing wrong."

"Agh!" M'rissi shouted.

* * *

"Okay, I'm dried up now," Ruby announced as she walked out of the washroom, dressed in a set of her spare pajamas. Weiss was leaned over with her face in her hands while Jordis and Lydia were both working at the cooking range on supper. "You okay, buddy?"

"The thing in my brain is still there, it just changed direction." Weiss sighed as she sat up. "Only this time, whatever it is it's moving. Frankly, it's annoying."

"Um, where's it going?" Ruby asked, to which Weiss waved her hand around.

"It's sort of back and forth. I'm not sure, but I think it's coming to us." She picked her face up and sighed as she leaned back. "Maybe, if we're lucky, it'll find us first without any effort on our part."

"Oh, well that's good, right?"

"Depends on what it is. You say you found the Skyshard and absorbed it?"

"Yeah. It's a bit fuzzy, but I remember it."

"Lucky you," Weiss groaned in envy. "Anyways, either these things can _only_ be absorbed by you and someone's bringing another towards us, or this is something completely different."

"About that, what exactly does a Skyshard _do_?"

"By themselves, nothing. They're basically a source of energy. Legend says that they have the power of a mortal soul, and can even be used as one. Reading on the three Banners War, there were these people known as Vestiges, basically beings who had been sacrificed to Molag Bal, who somehow then escaped while he tried to initiate the Planemeld. Some accounts say there was one for each side, some say there was only one playing all the sides against each other. One person even suggested that there was a sort of Dragon Break occurring so that there was only one and thousands at the same time."

"A Dragon what?"

"Never mind, I'll explain that some other time." Weiss paused. "Actually, that topic will probably take a _very_ long to explain. I haven't even fully wrapped my head around it. Anyways, I looked them up in case the Vestige might have been from Remnant, but I'm sure they weren't. It was too long ago, and they had been sacrificed by Mannimarco to Molag Bal, which means they were in Tamriel way before the Planemeld as well. But, all the accounts say that the Vestige had to absorb a Skyshard, granted to them by Akatosh, in order to reenter Mundus, after which they used power granted from the Divines and all their facets, the Tribunal, and even Meridia in order to stop the Planemeld. One even suggested that the Divines continued to gift them more Skyshards in order to increase their power. All that I can really say is that they hold a tremendous amount of power. So if the Magna-Ge are pointing you to these things, they're not doing it lightly."

Ruby groaned as she sat across from her partner. "You know, I never thought I'd be talking about gods so matter-of-factly. Back home, there's basically no evidence of any gods, if any ever existed on Remnant in the first place. Now they're giving us stuff, trying to tempt our friends, and having us go fetch things from across the country."

"Starting to think I should go to a temple and pray, but I'm not even sure if I can without bursting into flame or something. Then I don't even know how praying works."

"I think it's kinda like leaving a voicemail, only without a scroll." Weiss looked at Ruby, an unasked question on her face. "Mom was slightly religious. Not too terribly much, but I did remember seeing her pray every once and a while. Yang showed me her little shrine thing. It had a picture of my grandma and grandpa and some symbols."

Lydia and Jordis came over and began setting down plates, spoons, forks, and cups. As tenderized, baked chicken and mashed potatoes were set out, Ruby looked over at her housecarls when a thought came to mind.

"Oh, Jordis, did we mention the maid?" Jordis looked puzzled as she raised an eyebrow towards the Dragonborn.

"What maid?"

"Well, Yang found a maid in a cave and looted her-"

"Ruby," Weiss mumbled.

"But we already have a maid at Whiterun, so we're going to bring her over here. We talked over scrolls. She's nice, but kinda quiet."

"Your sister…'looted' a maid?"

"She liberated her from bandits, and Weiss gave her a job working for them as a maid," Lydia clarified.

"Thank you!" Weiss threw her arm upward in emphasis, to which Lydia nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I meant." Ruby shrugged. "Anyways, she should be up here soon. No idea when. Her name is Niri, and she's an Altmer."

"You hired an Altmer…as a maid?"

"Is there a problem with that?" Weiss asked with slight suspicion.

"Not at all, it's just that I'm having a hard time picturing a high elf in a serving position under humans in any circumstances."

"If there's any human a high elf would work for, it's a Schnee," Weiss matter-of-factly declared with a nod.

"Or the person with dragon's blood," Ruby quipped, then went silent in thought. "Say, Lydia, do you know how I can pray to Akatosh?"

"Um, I suppose. What exactly did you want to pray about?"

"I need to ask how this Dragonborn stuff works. I know I'm my father's daughter and all, some bullies actually messed with me about that when I was nine and there was this whole debacle about it. They seriously accused my Uncle Qrow of being my actual dad! Yang shut them up, real quick. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, but now I found out I'm basically a dragon, and all of the dragons are supposed to be children of Akatosh. So I wanna know how that's supposed to work." At her housecarls' still bewildered looks, she realized her omission and smacked her forehead.

"Oh right, my dad's name means 'Sun Dragon'."

Weiss let out a long sigh, only to then chuckle. "Good gods."


	41. Pieces of Apocrypha 8-11

**Historical Account on Vampirism and Strains  
Date: 4E195**

Tamriel has long been plagued by a wide variety of necromantic creatures. Usually resurrected by either a Necromancer or through natural, reoccurring magicka, Undead exist in a variety of forms. Zombies roam ruins and caves all across Tamriel, Draugr exist in Skyrim and along its border in Hammerfell, High Rock, and Morrowind, Mummies roam from Hammerfell to Elsweyr and Black Marsh, not to mention the abundance of Skeletons. There are also reanimated spirits, such as Ghosts and Liches. These forms of Undead, and more, are a frequent threat to adventurers, soldiers, and common folk.

All of them pale to the Vampire, unquestionably the most powerful and dangerous form of Undead in the world. This stems from their very origin as a Daedric Creation of Molag Bal's utter depravity, rather than by mortal or natural causes.

 _Origin_

Vampires were first recorded in the late Merethic Era, when Molag Bal raped a Nedic woman by the name of Lamae Beolfag, a priestess of Arkay, in an act of pure, malicious spite. After the deed was performed, he left a drop of his blood on her brow and left her to die. She was found by nomads who attempted to heal her, but when she appeared to have died, they prepared to burn her in a funeral pyre. Instead, she rose from the dead, and slaughtered the women and children and raped the men in a fit of blood crazed violence that has permeated to this very day. Inspired, the various Molag Bal cults took this act as a sign of offering, and on his Summoning Day would offer young, virginal woman to the Prince. Those who survived the encounter emerged as a Vampire, and became known as the Daughters of Coldharbour. From these Pure-Blood Vampires, all others came to be.

 _Commonalities_

It is estimated that over a hundred strains of Vampirism exist across Tamriel, each with their own abilities and characteristics. Nine different strains exist in the region of Iliac Bay alone, but there does exist some commonalities across all strains. Upon contraction, all strains have a three day incubation period, during which prompt medical treatment can remove the blight. I myself had have to undergo such a procedure, taking a specialized potion after contracting Porphyric Hemophilia from a stray Vampire. But, should the disease not be cured in time or, Gods above, the individual never realizes he or she was infected, the disease sets in. The infected die, only to be immediately reborn as a vampire. Once taken hold, Vampirism is impossible to cure. There are no known, reliable cures available. Any attempts to find one has been for naught, as the disease constantly changes, presumably by Molag Bal himself. It was thought that the accidental discovery of Small Life by mages in the Third Era would lead to a cure, but alas, none has ever come to pass.

Evidence also shows that people can be instantly turned by sufficiently powerful vampires, should the recipient and giver both be willing. What exactly this process entails is unknown, but, unlike the diseaseborne strains, these Bloodborne Vampires will retain all the abilities of their sire and begin with a comparable amount of power.

Once the condition has taken hold, the body immediately changes. Their skin becomes deathly pale, the color of their eyes turn gold, their heart beats slower. The blood of a vampire turns black like tar, should they quench their thirst for blood. Bodily functions, such as digestion, urination, and reproduction, still continue. That said, vampires have no need for food nor drink, instead requiring only blood of mortal creatures to sustain themselves. There have been instances of vampires going long periods of time without sustenance, but those are rare. The longer a vampire goes without feeding, the more their mind deteriorates and the more animalistic they become. Often, a Vampire's first victim is a loved one, either friend, family, or lover.

In addition, Vampires exhibit an increased resistance to cold, and a complete immunity to disease and resistance to poison. Their magicka reserves increase exponentially, as does their physical strength. A single vampire can as strong as ten Orcs. Their eyesight becomes better adapted to see in darkness, allowing them to see in the darkest of pits when their mortal prey cannot. Their sense of smell increases as well, becoming highly attuned to the scent of blood.

There are also differing stages of Vampirism, determined by how much blood a vampire has gorged itself on. For every 24 hours a vampire has not eaten, their body progresses a stage. Any abilities they possess become more potent, but so do their weaknesses, and their mind deteriorates more and more until they are nothing more than a rabid animal. Their bodies become paler and paler, losing any semblance of color they once had, with black veins coursing across their bodies. Once fed, a Vampire will revert.

In addition, particularly powerful vampires are capable of entering into Torpor, a state of suspended animation. Through this method, a vampire can go an indefinite amount of time without feeding, but their bodies remain highly vulnerable. As such, most do not do this for any length of time, and only when sufficiently guarded or hidden.

There are rumors of another type of feeding that vampires can do, but there are no surviving records of the technique, beyond a single burnt note about a vampire worried about her master "slaking his thirst on her soul". What is known is that vampires refuse this technique, and any who perform it are hunted down once discovered by their own kind.

 _Strains_

As previously stated, there is estimated to be over a hundred different strains of Vampires, all stemming from a single source. There are nine Vampire Clans in Iliac Bay, each with their own unique strain. In the Second Era, Noxiphilic Sanguivoria was the most common strain, and is considered by many to be the originator of all other vampire strains, but the strain is much less prevalent today.

One of the most common strains is Porphyric Hemophilia. Originating from the province of Cyrodiil, Porphryic Hemophilia has spread to the neighboring province of Morrowind. This strain is much more susceptible to sunlight than other strains, actually causing direct harm to the individual. As such, infected individuals only go out at night. In Cyrodiil, this disease stems from the Cyrodiil Vampyrum Order, a powerful clan of Vampires that outlasted all competition and influenced Imperial Society for hundreds of years. They viewed all other clans as inferior, with mortals only worth the amount of blood they could provide as cattle. They saw their condition as a gift, and worked tirelessly to ensure their power and place at the top of the food chain, until they were discovered and subsequently destroyed by the Hero of Kvatch, aided by a rival vampire clan who viewed their condition as a curse and not a blessing. It is unknown what happened to these vampires, but regardless the Order dissoved and fractured. Rumor has it that during the Great War, the remaining traces of The Order were hunted down by Ulfric Stormcloak, assisting the descendants of the very same vampire clan who assisted the Hero two centuries before. Despite the loss of the Order, Cyrod vampires remain as social as ever, often forming closely knit clans of lesser Vampires serving a single master. Harem situations are frequent, but most, if not all, is simply the master manipulating the lesser to do his or her bidding in a cycle of abuse disguised as affection.

Another prominent strain, found exclusively in Skyrim, is Sanguinare Vampiris. Descended from the powerful Volkihar Clan in eastern Skyrim, vampires with this strain are noted to be much more powerful than other strains. This stems from the diseases origin, as it came directly from a Daughter of Coldharbour, and careful dissemination has kept the strain pure for thousands of years. They have a particular association with ice, capable of phasing through it. They often use this ability to drag unsuspecting victims under sheets of ice without breaking it. Beyond this, the physical effects of the disease is much more prominent than in other strains. The body becomes much more visibly changed the longer one goes without feeding, to the point where they look like walking corpses. As a culture, Volkihar vampires are much more individualistic, often operating in limited groups three or four at most. Despite this, there are rumors of a safe haven for Vampires located in the northern parts of Skyrim, where they live in peace and isolation. Any attempts to find this safe haven have been for naught, both out of impracticality and limited desire to seek out a peaceful coven.

In Valenwood, there are four different tribes of Vampires: the Telboth, Yekef, Keerilth and Bonsamu. The Telboth prey on children, replace their position in the family before consuming the entire family as victims. The Yekef swallow men whole, supposedly, while the Keerilth display an ability to turn into mist. Bonasmu are indistinguishable from normer Bosmer, unless shined upon by candlelight.

In Morrowind, due to a violent cultural antipathy for necromancy, vampires were thought to have been extinct for centuries until they were rediscovered by the Nerevarine. There are three known bloodlines. The Quarra, a savage group who descend upon their victims with unrelenting brutality, the Aundae, who hypnotize their victims before feeding in their sleep, and the Clan Berne, who use stealth to hunt their prey. Despite the nomenclature, Ash Vampires of Ashlander Legend are not vampires nor undead. They are something else entirely, the creatures of Dagoth Ur, and upon his death at the hands of the Nerevarine, all surviving Ash Vampires died as well.

In High Rock, there are multiple different strains of vampires, all stemming from different groups. There are too many to count, but the most powerful was the Glenmoril Wyrd. However, they all died out during the Oblivion Crisis, and there are no more Glenmoril Witches surviving today. There are, however, the nimble Vraseth Clan, Thrafey, who's blood can heal wounds much more quickly than other strains, the Garlythi, who can magically shield themselves from damage, the Lyrezi, who are capable of invisiblity, and the Haarvenu, who are much more skilled in Destruction magic than most.

In Hammerfell, there are three surviving Vampire clans. The Selenu are much more resistant to the elements, the Antotis are renowned for their intellect, and the Khulari can paralyze their prey before feasting.

In Iliac Bay, there is the Montalion, who are very patient with their new family members and are capable of instant teleportation.

Due to the close proximity of High Rock, Hammerfell, and Iliac Bay, the vampire clans in the area frequently engage in warfare among each other, each vying for supremacy.

In Black Marsh, the Whet-Fang Sodality give rise to Argonian Vampires, who often take paralyzed victims to serve as cattle.

As previously stated, Noxiphillic Sanguivoria was the original vampire strain, and by all accounts was the most powerful and without the most drawbacks. Infected individuals were unaffected by sunlight, merely growing more powerful at night. But, luckily, the strain has largely died out.

 _Conclusion_

Vampires are dangerous creatures, capable of alarming feats of strength and magical ability. But, without knowing what they are, the danger posed by them is much more substantial. It is my hope that by reading this paper, others will know the danger, and should a person be afflicted by this terrible curse, how to best counteract it.

 _Trestus Whovinici, Historian at the Imperial Academy_

* * *

 _  
This page has been deemed heretical by a joint council of the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire. It is to be redacted._

 _/_

This page is no longer deemed heretical as of 203 4E. Its reproduction as a portion of the Heavy Scribe's Travel (Guide) _may be continued_

 _/_

 **My Experience With Vampires**

There's a lot of distrust towards the undead, and not without good reason. Most undead seek out ways to end life and little much else lest they're enthralled by necromancers, who are usually unfriendly at the best of times. Vampires, however, are a different story. True, there's still a lot of well-founded distrust, but I've come to find, by accident, that some vampires can be considered people still.

During my travels, I stumbled upon a vampire coven that has dedicated itself to doing as little harm as possible while searching for a cure to their affliction. I have mentioned it before, but then I started being questioned about it. So, I'm putting it all to parchment so that I need not recite the tale so much.

It was in an unspecified place in Skyrim, and I will go into no more detail due to a death-vow I took to never reveal the location to non-vampires (necessary in order for me to leave). I had entered their haven completely by accident during a surprise snowstorm, but I was able to talk them down from any rash action, rather easily in hindsight. I was then taken forth to meet their leader, a vampire who had existed for millennia. At least his age wasn't too surprising, due to him being an elf. Still, the vampire master spoke about things like Dwemer, Ayleids, Chimer, and Kothringi as though he met members of these people. It was no surprise after hearing him talk at length about Dwemer and their rudeness that he started telling tales of the Three Banners War as though he fought in it.

Another interesting thing was that the vampires were not of one clan. A portion of them were Court vampires, while the majority were Volkihar descendants. There were even a number of Berne and Aundae who had fled the Red Year. Their leader took them all in despite their differences, all for the hope of solidarity and the united purpose of someday ending their curse.

It was here that I found that vampires weren't evil by default. Rather, becoming a vampire simply releases certain inhibitions or creates new ones. The individuals can identify these things and try to change themselves back or better than before, but this would normally take a strong will. Some seemed like everyday people. Others seemed wholly unnatural in the way they behaved. Many displayed subservient attitudes towards their 'sires' while contempt was shown for other beings, but I've seen that in the living as well, so it was nothing new.

What was a real surprise was the in-depth study they had devoted to figuring out a way to cure themselves. There was an extensive lab with every sort of alchemical tool imaginable, including three small-lense sets and temperature controlled cultivation room, something I had only ever heard of existing in advanced universities and colleges. I had notes compiled from their discoveries, ranging from a root extract that can lessen pain (and motor functions) without permanent harm, and a sort of pill that can prevent unwanted pregnancies before they even begin with only a small, monthly dose. They had also catalogued a myriad variety of Small Life beneficial to everyday life. One discovery had somehow produced a new type of cheese. I tried it, actually, and it was quite tasty.

In essence, the vampires were not only firmly _not_ evil, they were a boon to society, and the world didn't even know it yet. Other connections to the mortal world aside from me exist, yet they remain anonymous even now. If any vampires should happen to read this then seek out this better unlife. There may be no saving your soul, yet, but that does not mean you are damned. Even if you can't find this group, do not be dissuaded from starting your own and finding like-minded individuals. You _can_ still live a good life, even if it has ended.

 _Jesse 'Bubba' Kay, the Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **Excerpts from The Fauna of Tamriel: Skyrim**

The northernmost province of the Empire of Tamriel is by no means a gentle land. Harsh, mountainous, and breathtakingly cold, only the hardiest of animals can hope to survive, let alone thrive, in this starkly beautiful environment. The predators in particular, embody the fierce mercilessness of the snow driven landscapes they reside in. With sustenance so often hard to come by, Skyrim's predatory fauna cannot afford to let the threat of man or mer dissuade them from a potential meal, and an unwary traveler could find themselves preyed upon just as easily as a "helpless" rabbit or deer.

Listed below are brief introductions to some of the most common threats one should be wary of when traversing the untamed wilderness of Skyrim. More extensive information from my studies on the individual species can be found further in this work.

(And as with all of my wildlife publications, I humbly suggest that magically inclined readers take the time to learn my personally developed Calm Animal spell, which is specialized to tame the ire of far more aggressive and powerful beasts than the general use Calm spell is capable of. It has saved this scholar's life and limb on more occasions than he is comfortable with.)

 **Wolves**

We start with a mammal that most should be familiar with, as it is found in many other provinces, the common wolf. These agile canines are well known for living, and more relevantly hunting, in packs. While hardly the most powerful creatures on their own, as a group they use flanking and diversionary tactics to bring down prey. Only rarely will a wolf charge straight towards a target, instead opting to circle it to prevent escape and force it to fend off the pack from all directions.

Fortunately, the most common breed of wolves are cautious enough to be fended off by an alert and intimidating display, only risking their lives against a dangerous foe if it encroaches upon them, or they are starving, sick, or otherwise desperate. If a common wolf howls at you but does not attack, it is warning you away from its pack's territory. Do _not_ approach, and slowly back away without turning your back or running. Do this, and as long as you don't show any vulnerability (travel in groups, make yourself appear big and loud, keep campfires large and bright, etc.) these clever creatures are unlikely to press their luck against you.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Ice Wolf breed, whose name comes from the snow-covered environments farther north and high up on the mountainsides they reside in, and the white fur that allows them to blend into them. Such barren land cannot support greater numbers of these animals, and as such, they hunt in smaller packs, or even alone. However, they are larger, stronger, and far more aggressive than their common brethren. An Ice Wolf will invariably attack on sight, and no two-legged being could hope to outrun or outlast it. The only answer, when faced with such a beast, is to stand your ground, and fight.

 **Bears**

Despite their fearsome stature, these omnivores are not as bloodthirsty as their reputation dictates, although the damage they are capable of when riled cannot be discounted. If a common black bear notices a person intruding upon it, it will often give a single warning roar, possibly accompanied by rearing up on its hind legs as a threatening display of its size. To continue approaching or triggering its instinct to pursue by running away, is to face a creature that can chase down a horse, with crushing jaws, a hide that can shrug off steel weaponry, clawed limbs strong enough to topple small trees, and is quite capable of climbing larger trees that cannot be brought down.

This proves to be quite the conundrum when encountering the larger brown bear species, the "Cave" bear in layman's terms. If we take the behavior described above for bears to limit attacks to those who get too close, and combine it with the fact that nearly all encounters with cave bears are a result of intruding into one of their eponymous homes, and it should be no mystery where this species' reputation for being man-eaters has come from.

As a general rule, any explorer considering resting within a cave or mountainous crag should ask themselves, "Why would I be the first being to have the bright idea of sheltering here?" The answer is more than likely: "You weren't." Before stepping into the dark, you should first ensure that you won't be trespassing into the home of a bear, troll, or even a group of inhospitable bandits. Be on the lookout for warning signs, such as fresh tracks, bones, scratch marks, or even just the odors that may be wafting out.

We conclude with what is considered to be the largest and most dangerous of all bear species in Tamriel: the "Snowy" or "Polar" bear. Found only in the far north, this strongest and most ferocious variant has thick white fur to insulate it from the freezing cold while blending into the colorless surroundings. Are we beginning to notice a pattern here? Unlike its southern cousins, the snowy bear has no berries, roots, or other vegetation available to supplement its diet, (save for the snowberries, but their growth only lasts for a short time before the bears go into hibernation) and is by necessity mostly carnivorous. It finds all the nutrients it needs in the rich fat, meat, and organs of the stout creatures that it shares the frozen coasts with, particularly walruses, seals, and horkers, which it hunts on the ice floes by regularly swimming through waters that would kill a non-Nord within minutes of exposure.

 **Sabre Cat**

The infamous sabre cats actually come in a variety of types, all sturdier and more muscular than their cousins, the Cyrodiil Mountain Lion and the Sabretooth Tiger of Iliac Bay. They are so named for the blade-like incisors that extend from their upper jaws, which contrary to popular belief, are not used to pierce the necks of their prey, which would risk chipping their fangs against the spine. Rather, they are more often used to disembowel the soft underbelly, in a similar manner to the primary talons of toothed birds.

These truly massive felines can match a man shoulder to shoulder in height, yet for all their bulk are consummate ambushers. The coloration of each species (refer to Chapter 7 for analysis on how the different geographical "breeds" in common parlance are in actuality related but separate species) matches that of their favored environment, allowing them to prowl and stalk the wariest of prey through stealth and camouflage.

From the ruddy brown coat of the "Plains" Sabre Cat that slips through the grasses of Whiterun's tundras, to the creamy fur of the largest "Snowy" Cat that drifts like a ghost amongst the blizzards of the far north, to even the bizarre mottled purple and bioluminescence of the slim "Vale" specimen exclusively found in the caves within the mountains bordering Haafingar and High Rock.

Thankfully they are solitary hunters for the most part, and their preference for sneaking up on their target from behind means that bearing eye-like markings on the back of one's headgear can confuse them. Not enough to dissuade them from ultimately attacking mind you, but the hesitation could buy you precious seconds to notice and respond to the impending attacker.

Sabre cats are also not very strong swimmers, so in dire straits one can elude pursuit by escaping into deep enough water, although doing so risks succumbing to hypothermia instead. Assuming no Nordic Gar* make themselves painfully known first.

It is not unheard of for sabre cats to hunt in groups of two or even three, however, and these packs will not be held back by such simple tricks. Which should not be surprising, given that such groups have been known to bring down younger mammoths together.

*The proper name of the species erroneously put under the umbrella term of "Slaughterfish", alongside the Cyrodiilic Freshwater Viperfish and other carnivorous fish species across Tamriel.

 _Weiss' Notes : The detailed descriptions for the different sabre cat species seem to be near perfect matches for some of Remnant's prehistoric counterparts. Plains = Smilodon fatalis. Snowy = Smilodon populator. Mountain = Homotherium crenatidens. Cyrodiil Mountain Lions = Homotherium serum. Sabretooth Tiger = Smilodon gracilis?_

 **Ice Wraiths**

I am perhaps remiss in including these "creatures" here, as Ice Wraiths cannot truly be described as living animals, but the dangers these wintry beings present to the common traveler of Skyrim are no less pertinent.

It is not yet truly known how Ice Wraiths are produced. Theories range from the spirits of those who froze to death, to summoned constructs similar to atronachs. Though the most widely held belief is that they are elemental manifestations, spontaneously formed from the sheer cold and the magic of Nirn itself. They certainly seem to share the hunger of Winter for stripping the heat and lifeblood from any living thing.

Ice Wraiths do not possess a solid body or living organs, composed only of a needle filled maw and a series of rings all formed of hardened, translucent ice. This, combined with their undulating, serpentine movement while floating through the air, and their only being found amongst ice and snow means they are very difficult to pin down. Facing them in one of the flurries or blizzards they tend to attack in turns this into a near impossibility without the use of the Detect Life spell (the viability of this spell on Ice Wraiths further confuses the discussion on their classification). This behavior and their primal use of Frost magic has led to a curious puzzle, where folklore questions whether blizzards are followed by Ice Wraiths, or if the Ice Wraiths bring blizzards in their wake.

These hostile elementals have earned the deep-seated animosity of the native Nords. In the not-so-distant past, it was customary for a young Nord to hunt an Ice Wraith alone and bring back its teeth in order to be recognized as an adult. And while this rite of passage is still practiced by the most traditional groups in the province, I have found that certain claims from some of my contemporaries of such a hunt being required of everyone in order to be a citizen of Skyrim to be a romantic exaggeration.

As should hopefully be obvious, Ice Wraiths are completely immune, and perhaps even strengthened, by all forms of Frost magic. Their sinuous evasions and the chill winds that keep them aloft make arrows futile to all but master marksmen. However, they are particularly vulnerable to fire, and if that particular weapon is not available, simply smashing them before they can inflict you with their literal frostbite will suffice. And the teeth they leave behind are particularly valuable for preserving perishable foodstuffs for extended periods of time.

 _\- Na'ankan_ Tributore _, self-styled "Wildlife Researcher"_

* * *

 **The Minor Races of Tamriel**

I have written before about the ten main races of our fair land, mostly as a way of practice and making sure the old facts stick. I've also written excerpts on my interactions with different factions and groups of those ten races, and I've even traveled to many of their homelands. However, there is far more than just the main ten peoples that you can find examples of in every other town in every province, and I've met a great many of them too.

 _Maormer_ – Perhaps not exactly a minor race, the Maormer, Sea Elves, are a fringe group in Tamriel, living in near secrecy on their island nation of Pyandonea, which lies somewhat south of Valenwood along Nirn's equator, or centerline. Little is known about their culture other than that they practice slavery, worship Daedra (specifically Hircine, Boethiah, Hermaeus Mora, and Molag Bal, with reverence given to Lorkhan and Akatosh), have tamed the southern seas' massive sea serpents, and are proficient sailors. To this day, their navy is unmatched across all of Tamriel, which is the only reason why the Aldmeri Dominion hasn't tried to conquer them yet. Any attempt simply gets repulsed before they can make landfall. Their pirates and raiders have attacked coastal towns since the First Era, but most of their true ire is directed towards the Altmer. Legend has it the two races branched from the Old Aldmeris at around the same time, with the Maormer drawing the short straw on gaining marshy, diseased land while the Altmer took the paradise of the Summerset Isles, establishing a rivalry that has continued on into modern times.

Maormer are not seen on the mainland in a peaceful setting very often, but the occasional ship does pull in to dock for trading rather than raiding. I have never personally met a Sea Elf, but I have seen a few at a distance. Just as described, they are a colorless white, with milky white eyes, though I was almost able to spot an iris behind the whiteness. Their eyes are likely adapted for seeing underwater, as from what I saw, they dive into the ocean almost as much as they stay aboard their ships.

It is said that the Maormer have been led by the same king, Orgnum, since the Merethic Era. He is said to be immortal, and taught the Maormer how to sail the seas and tame the sea serpents. I do not claim to know whether this assertion is accurate or simply the misunderstanding of a continuous royal naming convention, unbroken for thousands of years. While it seems impossible to some people that a single ruler has been around so long, we can't forget that some High Elves have been around just as long, and then there is the fairly well-known example of Divayth Fyr to consider.

 _Minotaurs_ – Once feared as monsters, the proud Minotaurs are the Bullmen of Cyrodiil. During the Oblivion Crisis, it is said that the Guardian wrestled one of their strongest leaders to the ground while calling out to his soul. Some say Kyne worked through her to restore the Minotaurs. Others say there was a deep connection between their souls already there, just waiting to be revealed. A few more martially inclined thinkers simply believe that the Minotaurs recognized their betters. Whatever caused it, the Minotaurs went from dangerous, semi-tribal beasts lurking in the forests and caves to a fighting force willing to stand alongside the Empire as they had in the First Era. While it unfortunately took until the reign of Tidus Mede I for them to be made official citizens, along with the Mulukan and Centaurs, today, Minotaurs are proud members of the Empire.

While excellent fighters, Minotaurs also make great craftsmen of all kinds. Minotaur cows (apparently the only sort of women who can be called such) can be seen everywhere doing leatherwork, stitching, sewing, crocheting, and weaving of all kinds. The bulls are often blacksmiths, carvers, and masons, though it seems every Minotaur, whether bull or cow, knows their way around a heavy weapon. It is certainly thanks to the Guardian's influence that the weapon of choice for most Minotaurs is a warhammer, but some take up the sword and shield in honor of the Hero and Champion, and there is even a sect of Minotaur monks who are said to practice in the martial arts style of the Watcher.

 _Mulukan (Goblin-ken)_ – Goblins and Ogres, strangely enough, are not separate species. Some would say Ogres are massive Goblins, while others say that Goblins are small Ogres, but the truth perhaps lies somewhere in-between. Recent tests based around the relatively new Paternity Blood Test have strongly indicated that Goblins, Ogres, and Orcs are all closely related to one another. This is given further credence when one takes into account that the earliest renditions of Orsinium included Ogres and Goblins amongst their populace. What exactly caused Orcs to be able to join civilization much earlier than their cousins is unclear, but what is clear is that they are more than able to fit in.

Like the Minotaurs, both Mulukrin and Mulukrog were uplifted by the Guardian, though in a far different way. Rather than speak to their hearts and minds, the Guardian simply took charge as the chieftains of their kind did at the time: by challenging the current leader and defeating him. Some of the elder Goblins and Ogres who've survived from that era express a slight amount of embarrassment that they didn't realize at the time that she was actually a woman (as their old tribal traditions were firmly patriarchal). She then scoured the province, even going into Hammerfell a short time to gather their Mulukan population, and finally brought every single tribe together. After that, she had Pigmole built, and used it from then on as a base of operations from which to launch counterattacks against Daedric hordes. As it went on, the Goblins and Ogres simply seemed to 'wake up', seeming like primitive tribals one week, somewhat learned peasants the next, then becoming sophisticated thinkers and builders within a month.

While certainly having martial and magical skill, their talents truly lie elsewhere. Goblins have proven to be some of the best builders in recent history, perhaps explaining how the ancient version of Orsinium had been so quickly established. If one is skeptical, then all that would be needed to convince is the 'goblin hall prank', a most devious usage of interchangeable building sections. They are also proficient miners, able to dig quickly and fit into narrow holes and gaps most other races would not dream of. Ogres are helpful in these endeavors, being able to haul the heavy loads needed for construction and mining, but they, again, have a different talent. Ogres are, strangely, excellent farmers and ranchers. Every Ogre seems to have a secret green thumb, able to plant pretty much any kind of crop and grow it with relative ease. Animals also have a strange calm around them, though this appears to go away once the Ogre is hungry. A sated Ogre, though, can easily tend a herd of cows, sheep, or horses with the animals giving them almost no problem. To this day, no one has been able to figure out why.

 _Imga_ – A haughty race if there was any. The Great Apes are perhaps one of the oddest Beastmen races, yet they are somewhat comical in their ways. For reasons unknown, the Imga revere the Altmer as the pinnacle of mortal life, the majority of them becoming willingly subservient to the High Elves. For a long time, they would attempt to shave themselves and powder their shaven skin to resemble their chosen masters, but this was actually off-putting to the Altmer, so it stopped after a generation or so. Despite being large and muscular, most Imga try to take up dueling as a fighting skill. Again, the Altmer had to intervene and invent an entire new form of swordplay that the Imga could actually make use of without stabbing themselves in the leg. Despite being related to Man (descendants of Wandering Ehlnofey), the Imga act as though all races of men are filthy, bad-smelling creatures. This actually made them the subject of many perfume pranks done by their Bosmer neighbors, who purposefully made themselves smell horrible while giving nearby humans fragrant perfumes. Between this and eating them, Bosmer are an Imga's second least favorite thing.

 _Centaurs_ – Relatives to Bosmer, legend says that Centaurs shirked off Y'ffre's offer and instead sought the help of Ius, the God of Beasts. In an act of balance, he turned them into the Horsemen seen today, though some legends also state that a handful of those turned into unicorns instead (the reasons differ in each tale). With a horse's stomach as well as an elven one, Centaurs could only ever eat vegetation and some sparse meat.

Centaurs today are a little more widespread than they once were. During the early years of the Third Era, they began to migrate into Hammerfell and even went as far as High Rock. As it turned out, living without fear of being hunted as food was preferable to the Centaurs, and now very few live within Valenwood any longer. Having fought for their lives throughout their existence, Centaurs are excellent warriors, and can even challenge a Bosmer with their skill in the bow. Their unique physiology even allows them to fire while running at full gallop. This has made Centaur warriors an envy for the Imperial Legion.

Male Centaurs tend to be hotheaded, and can often be seen challenging each other to various contests of skill in an attempt to impress potential mates. Females, on the other hand, tend to act very docile unless provoked, in which case they can be as dangerous as their men, especially if they're protecting a child (whether the child is theirs or not is barely a concern). However, they are also musically inclined and have various festivals, and it's believed that they may worship Sanguine to some extent.

Centaurs were actually the first race Pigmole managed to successfully integrate into the Empire a few years into Tidus Mede I's reign, a little before the Umbriel Crisis. They also have a friendly rivalry with the Minotaurs, more akin to rivalries between different gladiator fans than actual blood feuds.

 _Harpies and Sirens_ – Harpies are the birdlike betmer, native to parts of Elsweyr and Valenwood and closely related to elves. At a time they were in similar straits as Minotaurs, but soon came out of it in the latter years of the Second Era. Before the Third Era, they had spread to most of western Tamriel as far north as High Rock, but then recongregated back towards the south. They have always had a rivalry with the Khajiit, which is somewhat understandable. One legend says that Harpies came about when a group of Daedra worshippers were cursed, but this is unlikely, as they are able to proliferate (unlike Hagravens, Medusa, and Scylla). Harpies are odd in that their gender ratio is especially disproportionate, with ten females to every male. The males are often smaller and far more colorful than the females, usually mistaken for a young girl Harpy by outsiders (when clothed). While the males can normally keep up with 'demand', some females instead choose to mate with other races. These couplings have actually produced fertile offspring with elven and human fathers, resulting in a half-race known as Sirens.

Sirens, like Harpies, are still essentially avian beastfolk but normally less feathered and sometimes with separate arms and wings. While their parents must have had certain tastes to be attracted to each other, usually the Sirens are considered attractive by both sides overall. Further dissemination into man and mer will eventually produce offspring with no wings, normally referred to as Birdfolk. These Harpy descendants will often appear as a man or mer, but with feathery textured hair, and often downy feathers in place of body hair.

Harpies live in a semi-nomadic lifestyle, often living in large trees and on cliffsides where they nest. Usually, a flock will have several places that they go to throughout the seasons, often in pursuit of food sources. Similar to Khajiit caravans, they can often be seen peddling wares whenever they feel it is safe to approach. Relations have been strained between them and other races, however, thanks to their own cultural views. Female dominant polyamory is perhaps one of the most clashing, as no other society has ever had an equivalent. Even the chieftan-based Orc and Goblin polygamy is primarily patriarchal. There also exists no taboo on nudity in Harpy society. They only wear clothes to accentuate their beauty, often wearing only jewelry and no cloth. There are no plain clothes to the Harpies, only decorations. This has caused many women to think of Harpies as a race of harlots. Knowing several, I've learned that this is patently false.

Recently, a large migration of Harpies and their kin came into Cyrodiil, just before the Great War began. Going by their own words, they were fleeing persecution by the Thalmor, who were initiating purges throughout their population, targeting any with human blood first, then the wingless Birdfolk, before segregating Harpies from Sirens with the intent to breed them like warbeasts. While their claims haven't been verified, I personally would not put it past the Thalmor to commit such a heinous act after all the Empire has seen them do. Luckily, Pigmole and Pigmole University offered to help the displaced people settle, and were able to mostly succeed before the war took everyone's attention. A sizable community of Harpies still lives around the West Weald and up in the Colovian Highlands, adjusting to a new life in the heart of the Empire. A few brave souls have trekked farther north into Skyrim, but only during the summer months before heading back south.

 _Lamia_ – An odd race, but not an illogical one. Lamia, like Harpies, once scattered themselves about Tamriel, but were only ever comfortable in warm, wet areas. While a number live in Illiac Bay, the majority likely exist in Argonia, often only seen on the fringes of the Black Marsh. While intelligent, they are often aggressive toward outsiders unless approached correctly. This correct approach includes a lot of swaying and the use of a cape in the form of a dance that mimics what Lamia do to essentially tell one another that they mean no harm. After being laughed at by a number of Saxhleel, I was able to speak with several Lamia, who actually are caring beings once they're comfortable in someone's presence.

I learned that, strangely, Lamias are all female and require no mates to produce offspring, though they said that some of them prefer to have partners to help foster their eggs. After a bit of research, I discovered that such a thing has been observed in some species of lizard in Hammerfell, in which males simply do not exist. Some instances have been recorded where Lamia will take the males of other races as mates, but the resulting offspring are always female. A quick Blood Paternity Test on one such 'father' determined that he wasn't the father at all. The Argonian didn't seem to mind though, deciding that blood wasn't that important and that he'd be there to raise the little ones all the same. It was rather touching, and I can't properly articulate how it made me feel.

Currently, Pigmole is working on establishing communications with several different Lamia tribes. Their stated goal is to remove misconceptions towards them within the Empire and ultimately bring them into civilization, but as with other races, progress has been slow but steady. It will be several decades before substantial numbers reside as Imperial citizens, beyond the few scattered individuals.

/

My extended stay in the edge of Argonia was cut short by an incoming investigation by agents representing the An-Xileel, who escorted me out of the province and into Morrowind. While not my preferred choice, it gives me a chance to move over into Skyrim, where I can hopefully observe and communicate with two of the three or four remaining races of Tamriel. Giants should hopefully be as welcoming as their 'little' cousins, and I should at least be able to get some information on the blinded Falmer. Hopefully, I'll be able to fulfill my self-made quest.

Jesse 'Bubba' Kay, the Heavy Scribe


	42. Recollection Retribution Reconciliation

**Here's chapter 37, fresh off the rack. This one took a lot more editing than normal, so let's give thanks to xTRESTWHOX and NaanContributor for their efforts.**

* * *

"So, long story short, Niri will be traveling up to Solitude by carriage tomorrow morning. She should arrive within a few days," Yang spoke into the scroll. " Rayya elected to go with her, given how it has more room and Ruby owns Proudspire and all. Got to admire the Housecarls' dedication. Anyway, they'll be up there soon. Too bad they're going to miss you guys."

"We might have to come right back," Weiss said. "It all depends on how this works out in the end. Oh, before I forget, I've also interviewed some likely tenants here, so the investments in these properties should begin paying off soon. What about you?"

"Uh, was I supposed to be asking people or something?" Weiss sighed at Yang's clueless look.

"I'll work on it next time I'm in town. I think there was a woman, an enchanter I believe, staying semi-permanently at the Bannered Mare. I've just never been able to catch her sober. I know she does some business with Farengar, Belethor, and the Grey-Manes. She _should_ be able to afford a room, and I'm certain I could convince her."

"You mean Eldawyn? I thought she was a goldsmith."

"She knows how to make jewelry, but that's it," Yang heard Ruby say from the side. "She's really good at making rings and pendants, then she enchants them."

"Oh, okay," Yang mumbled as the picture came together. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Regardless, I'm sure that she can make the rent with her private business funding her."

"All right. I'll see about mentioning it. You two be careful working for the gods and stuff."

"We will. Take care."

"Love ya, sis!"

"Bye Weiss. Love you too, Ruby," Yang said before hanging up. After sitting still for a moment, Yang stood up and headed out to Jorrvaskr. Entering the ancient mead hall, she smelled the scents of cooking, sweat, and the doggish scent of werewolf. On the far side of the hall, Yang could see Aela talking to a young Breton man, likely a new recruit by the unfamiliar scent. She then noticed Farkas nodding to her, having seen the blonde entering the mead hall.

"Hey, we got a letter back from those vampire hunters."

"We did? What's it say?" Yang asked, her attention now focused entirely on the larger twin.

"Don't know. Kodlak went to go read it. Hasn't come back up yet."

"Actually I came up a minute ago." Farkas spun around in surprise and the Harbinger chuckled. "Even at this age I can still get the drop on you youngsters."

"Heh, guess that's one thing about you that hasn't gotten rusty."

"Oh, you're saying there are things?" the two laughed at each other before Kodlak turned to Yang. "I'm glad you came up here. I would've sent for you in a moment."

"About the letter?"

"Yes. This Isran does seem to want to work with us, which could only be good for everyone. The vampire attacks recently have caused the Jarls to, for once, agree on something, and so a guild charter was granted to them. It's valid throughout Skyrim, in both Imperial and Stormcloak holds. They have the right to take charge in all vampire related incidents. There are limits, of course, but with their official status things are that much simpler for them to move ahead. More pressing, though, he's asked to meet with you."

"With me?" Yang asked in surprise.

"He wrote that one of his trusted lieutenants met you and remarked on your ability. I suppose he wants to see it for himself." Kodlak hummed with a nod and began stroking his beard. "I think he wants you to be the liaison between our two guilds. I wouldn't argue against it, but I'm not sure what they're all about just yet. So, in this situation, I trust you to look into them. See just how aggressive they are, what tactics they employ, and whether or not they might expand out of the boundaries set forth by their charter." Before Yang could ask exactly what was in their charter, Kodlak's face brightened as he realized her next likely question, pulling out a piece of paper from his bag. "Ah, yes, a copy of the charter was also sent, so we know where their limits are supposed to be."

"Thank you," Yang said as she took the parchment from Kodlak and began to read it over. "So, you want me to head down there and make sure we really don't have another Silver Hand rising up?"

"Essentially. However, you might be able to get a deal for some of their resources. Like you said before, we could use anti-vampire weaponry. If another vampire attack hits Whiterun, I want all of the Companions prepared as much as possible."

"No problem, sir. I'll scope 'em out good then let you know how everything looks." Yang crossed her arms and nodded. "Huh, guess I left an impression on Durak."

"You tend to do that when it comes to Nord and Orc men," Farkas said before letting out a small laugh. Yang raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh, something you need to tell me, Farkas?" Yang asked in a slightly sultry tone while brushing some of her hair back, putting her other arm under her chest. The Nord blushed and cleared his throat as he looked away. Kodlak shook his head as a laugh rose up at the young woman's antics.

' _Hm, wonder if Blake's got that house down there yet? Better call and ask before I go.'_

* * *

Despite looking like part of the sewers, the Ratway was actually a fairly clean place, the Cistern itself actually being where the cleaned water flowed through from the old fashioned filtering system before going into the lake and river. If anything, the main portion of the Ratway was cleaner than most of Riften. In fact, much to her immense relief, Blake had discovered the water was clean enough to wash herself with. After a quick shower of magically heated water, she got dressed in some of her better clothes, a black and white silk dress Ruby had Radiant Raiment make for her, and began heading back up to the surface. She hadn't had the chance to wear it before now, and she had to say that the garments were extremely comfortable. They felt like they could actually breathe. Blake made a mental note to repay Ruby during her birthday, which if she remembered correctly was around a few weeks away on what would be Halloween on Remnant and the thirty-first of Frostfall.

"Its footsteps are like thunder," she suddenly heard, causing her to spin around and see a Cathay Khajiit with black-grey fur and red hair dressed in sleeveless guild armor behind her, "scaring the dust and making the floors scream for mercy. Gnives does not think it is truly a cat."

"Gnives," Blake muttered. The Khajiit never spoke to her personally before, but always looked at her and the other two with a curious glare, likely because there weren't that many Khajiit in the Thieves' Guild. "Obviously, I wasn't trying to sneak around. We're safe down here."

"It develops bad habits, being noisy one day and quiet the next. Gnives thinks it best to always walk softly, so that stealth is as natural as breath."

Blake's ears flicked up as she thought that over. It actually sounded like good advice, all things considered.

"Fair enough. Still, I wasn't that loud. Your ears are just sensitive. Most people wouldn't have seen me."

"It is a Khajiit, so it should not depend on the eyes," Gnives explained with a pointed gesture to her face. "The others, they can only see what's in front. But we Khajiit, we hear." Gnives own ears moved slightly. "Twenty paces to the east, a thief scratches his ears." Blake looked over, slightly behind Gnives, and saw Rune doing just that. "Fifty paces further, a beggar sighs and counts his coins." Now she was leaned over, catching one of the more bedraggled denizens of the Ratway going over some cents and diems in his hand. Amazed, Blake looked back to the Khajiit as his ears moved again. "Two stories above, a couple says their vows, while underneath in the catacombs, a widow weeps for her husband." Blake looked up, not able to hear what was going on beyond the stone, unable to really tell if Gnives was actually hearing these things or not.

He laughed at her bewildered expression. "The cat hears, the mind knows, minutes before anything is seen. Their eyes can only see the past and present, but the ears of the Khajiit know the future."

"That's…incredible." She was a little skeptical on the last two, but a quick check with a couple of priests would tell her whether or not Gnives was being honest with her.

"Maybe to them, but to the cat, it is mundane. Gnives tells you this, and to listen closely. This one is interested in you."

Blake's head jerked back at that. "What do you mean by that?"

"It is interesting, so Gnives is interested. He hears about the death of the Dark Brotherhood, done by Khajiit. He hears about dragon slayers, one a Khajiit. A black-haired Khajiit joins the guild and begins stirring things. Assassin? Warrior? Thief? Now it robs dragons and brings down skooma dealers. Mercenary? Agent? Rogue? Does it know what it is? Does it think itself Khajiit?"

Blake sighed. "I'm not an it."

"All are it, and it is all. See, it does not know what it is. Gnives knows, and wants to teach."

"You…want to teach me how to be a better thief?"

"This one wants you to be a Khajiit rather than have Khajiit ears dangle uselessly on a mannish-meric head." His ears moved again and his tail flicked. "Odd color and odd smell are coming. It will be going to play hero soon."

"I'm not playing at anything. Just trying to do as much good as I can."

Gnives chuckled. "It still doesn't know."

The enigmatic thief drifted away, completely silent to Blake's now focused ears despite his proximity. And the Huntress frowned, his parting words reminding her of an eerily similar line of questioning, from a completely different source.

" _And what about you Blake? You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose."_

" _There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption. Somebody has to stop it."_

" _Very well. How?"_

" _I..."_

She still didn't have her answer.

* * *

On the surface, the three cat people quickly received the thanks of the Jarl and were rewarded with a hefty sum of money, as well as the right to purchase property. In all honesty, Blake could have purchased Honeyside right then and there, but given Ruby's experience with Lakeview Manor, she decided it was best to see it herself first. She needed to ensure it was in decent shape before finally purchasing it. Before she did, though, Blake made quick stops by the Temple of Mara and the burial crypt to find that a wedding really had just occurred, and a widow had visited her recently deceased husband.

' _Man, that's more creepy than anything.'_ Blake closed her eyes and tried to pick out voices from the crowd. Her double pair of ears probably gave her an advantage on any single-paired being, but she could still only pick out specific things rather than disseminate the full range and let things come to her like Gnives seemed to do almost effortlessly. She could pick out an apologetic conversation between Madesi and Brand-shei, but she knew their voices well as it was. On the other side of the market, she heard Sapphire and Shadr arguing about some sort of payment and a lost shipment, it sounding like she had tricked him and robbed his cargo. She made a mental note to talk with her about that and set it straight. Brynjolf _did_ make it a point of not robbing the poor, as it was pointless and, of course, bad for business. Near the main gate into Riften, she could hear Mjoll the Lioness converse with Aerin about why the Nord warrior continued to stay in Riften. While Blake hadn't yet interacted with her yet, being part of the Thieves Guild and all, the Faunus had nothing but respect for the woman. If there were more people like Mjoll in Riften, things would be so much better for everyone. Maybe not Maven, but again, Blake could care less about her. She tried to listen in on something more difficult and refocused on the Bee and Barb. She could definitely hear the din of voices and some wood and pewter dishes clanking around, but she couldn't pick anything out of the muffled voices.

"Blake, are you okay?" M'rissi asked in concern, breaking Blake from her concentration.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…listening."

"Listening to what? It looked to her like you were straining."

"I was getting a bit concerned myself," Inigo admitted. "It looked like you were in great pain. Either that or you really need to use a restroom."

"I'm just…trying to pick out sounds better. I had a talk with Gnives, and, apparently, he can hear through two stories worth of stone floors and ceilings to pick out people making their wedding vows."

"That…sounds extreme," the blue Khajiit admitted. The look on his face betrayed his thoughts, as he was clearly thinking about trying it for himself.

"Were you trying to hear a wedding too? Wait, the wedding is over. Were you trying to hear the moon-honey?"

Blake blushed at that and shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Just…trying to get better at stealth."

"That is good and all, but maybe stealth training should wait until after you're done house shopping."

Blake laughed a little. "Yeah, guess so. I'll always have time to-"

A loud bell began ringing and the three looked up to see a guardsman hitting the massive alarm bell with a hammer. Blake's eyes widened, recognizing the one thing the ringing bell could mean.

"Oh, no..."

"Dragon!" another guard shouted as he ran the length of the wall then slid down a ladder. "Dragon coming!"

"Everyone get below or in the palace!"

Blake heard a roar and turned as M'rissi pushed her into an alleyway. Just before they were hidden, Blake saw the grey-striped, bronze dragon soar in and land on the wall, knocking over a few guards. Many began aiming their bows at him, but then he took in a breath.

" **Zun! Haal Viik!"**

Bows flew out of hands all around as he Shouted the words while sweeping his head around. Disarmed, the guards could only look up in fear as the dragon growled down at them.

" **Thieves!"** Vulgahrotru yelled into the city. **"I know you are here! Come out now, or I will dig up this whole city to find you! I know your den is below! I know you have my gold! Give yourselves up and return it, or face my wrath!"** Almost relieved they weren't the subjects of his ire, the guards all ran in every direction, one going so far as to jump over the safety railing into the canal below.

"Damn it," Blake muttered. "Damn it!"

"I didn't think he'd track us here," Inigo hissed.

"She thought he would give up and go back," M'rissi muttered as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"I did too, but I guess we were wrong." Blake winced. "Damn! What do we do? I don't think the guild will want to give up that gold."

"The choices are giving him his gold, fighting him off, or the city being uprooted by a dragon," Inigo laid out before them. "We can fight him off, yes? You've fought dragons!"

"I was never really that effective against them! I clipped one's wing and helped set up attacks, but I never killed one." Blake's ears twitched as the sound of steel armor clanking and a sword unsheathing hit them. A growl came from the dragon as she turned her head around the corner.

"I won't let you harm this city, beast!" Mjoll declared in defiance as she held herself in a battle stance. The dragon's eyes narrowed at her as he shifted his position.

" **This does not concern you, kendov. This is between the thieves and I."**

"As far as I'm concerned, you're a thief yourself," she countered as she readied her greatsword. "I don't care about them, but I do care about this city. Like I said, I won't let you have your way."

There was a shake of the ground as he hopped down from the wall, then the sound of something steel hitting something solid rang out as Mjoll swung her blade, only for Vulgahrotru to meet it with his rhino-like horn. The Nord woman's sword slid off the horn with a tug, and then the dragon swung his head so that it smacked into her before she could block, knocking her back and into a wall. He took in a breath, looking as though he was about to Shout. Wincing, Blake braced herself and jumped out of the alleyway.

"Blake! What are you-!"

"Vulgahrotru!" Blake shouted at the top of her lungs. The dragon halted and looked up from where Mjoll stood. The Lioness herself turned around and saw her standing in the abandoned street.

" **You,"** he muttered as another growl rose up from his gullet, morphing into a roar that gave way to flame arching over much of the district. Blake took a step back from the sight, and readied herself as he glared back down at her. **"You should have known better!"**

He leaped up and glided towards her, but Blake was already moving, hopping up onto a rooftop then dashing across it towards the lake. Vulgahrotru turned to follow her, roaring as his tail smashed into a rooftop, shattering it into splinters and allowing the screams of the people inside to spill out. Blake looked back to see him closing in, and narrowly dodged him before she reached the wall separating the city from the docks. She jumped downwards and rolled as the dragon passed over her. He immediately winged back as Blake took a moment to sigh and try to figure out her next move.

" **Wuld!"** Suddenly Volgahrotru zipped back to the docks, surprising Blake as she made to get away, only for his tail to crash into her and launch her into a stack of crates, out of which several moonstone weapons fell about her. **"You should have known better, kaaz. I know you. I** _ **remember**_ **you. You should have understood. And yet you stole from me."**

"All of that…gold was stolen _by_ you," Blake spat out as the dragon winged down, his feet gently landing upon the docks.

" **None need travel through my hofkiin. No poor travelers pay. But** _ **you**_ **stole from one who works. I have swept my territory clean to make it safe. Even the Dovahkiin approves of my methods. Your territory writhes in paak ahrk dunaar, yet you still take from them and others."** Blake winced as she struggled up, then gasped when she remembered a conversation they had some days ago, right before the Isael incident drove it from her mind.

" _Just be careful about Vulgahrotru, guys. Me and him have a kind of deal going on, and he's actually a nice- Well, he's not killing anyone. If you do run into him, just mention me, put me on call, and I'll handle it. Don't hurt him or anything."_ Ruby's words echoed in Blake's hollowed mind, and after a moment, she came to a sullen conclusion.

' _I…screwed up.'_

Just as Blake got to her feet, something slammed into her torso and then pinned her against the stone wall of the city. She looked up as her lungs struggled to take in air to see Vulgahrotru face to face, his nose horn being used to hold her in place.

" **I will ask you once. What did you do with my gold?"**

Blake grimaced as she reached behind her and drew her Daedric dagger. She brought it up quickly and stabbed down hard, sinking most of the blade into his snout. The dragon roared and he flung her away, her grip being lost and the dagger flying through the air before hitting a post and sinking in. Blake rolled a moment before getting to her feet and started running again. Vulgahrotru moved to pursue her, but then a black arrow sank into his neck, eliciting another roar of pain.

"Take that, you big, smelly lizard!" Inigo taunted him before drawing back another one. M'rissi came up to his side and pulled out her own bow, but the dragon took a deep breath while looking in their direction.

" **Strun Kun Qo!"** he Shouted, a blast of lightning leaping from his mouth. M'rissi grabbed Inigo by his belt before yanking him off the roof with her, barely getting out of the way in time before the part of the building they were on exploded into a shower of sparks and splinters. The dragon shook his head and slid his tongue around before looking up to see Blake going back into the city.

The Faunus ran straight for the back entrance of the Thieves' Guild, hoping to use it to hide for a moment, but then something hit her back and sent her careening through an alley and back into the main street, toppling over a cart of cabbages as she came to a stop. Vulgahrotru leaped over the buildings, kicking off one roof and leaving gouges in it, and landed near her before bringing down his head. Using her Semblance, Blake barely got out of the way of the head slam that caused much of the street to crack apart. Vulgahrotru glared down at her as he picked himself up and shook his neck. Then, to Blake's suprise, Mjoll ran at him from the side with a battlecry, but the dragon merely flicked his wing up and caught her in his claw.

" **I told you I wouldn't ask again,"** he growled as his grip on the Nord tightened. Mjoll cried out in pain as the single finger crushed her. **"Now-"**

"Stop! Look, we didn't want to steal from you," Blake began, picking herself up off of the ground while holding her sore ribs. "We were desperate! We- Maven Black-Briar told us we needed to prove we were worth her time."

" **Black-Briar?"**

Suddenly, Mjoll pulled an arm loose, grasped a malachite dagger sheathed at her shoulder, then stabbed directly into one of his knuckles. Vulgahrotru roared and cried out in pain before tossing her aside, smacking her against the wall of a house where she fell limp. His open jaws turned upon her, and Blake, reacting with barely a thought, grabbed Gambol Shroud and threw it in sickle mode. It wrapped around and stabbed into his horn, and then Blake yanked his head away from the unconscious woman. Vulgahrotru looked at her, and then growled before yanking his head up, tossing Blake into the air. She shouted for a moment before she readjusted herself and reached back for the cleaver that wasn't there out of sheer reflex, instead grasping the hilt of the Ebony Blade.

 _Go for the throat._

With a cry, Blake drew the sword as she pulled herself back down, using gravity and momentum to add force to her swing. As she passed by, Vulgahrotru made to move out of the way, so rather than his neck, she cut deeply into the crook of his left elbow. The dragon roared in pain as he jumped back then fell onto his chest. He roared again as his feet and uninjured wing scrambled to push him away, his wounded limb dragging across the ground as blood splashed out and leaked. Blake felt the draconic blood on the Blade sink into it and then into her, and suddenly the feeling of euphoria returned. Her arms wobbled a moment before everything about her went ramrod straight, and then she was looking up at the wounded dragon, now moaning in pain about fifty meters away. Inigo and M'rissi came up and looked at Blake, and the blue Khajiit froze at the look in her eyes.

 _He's a threat to everyone. He has so much gold yet threatened a city for a sliver of it. Kill him._

For the smallest of moments, Blake was in agreement with the Blade, but her mind quickly straightened itself.

" _Don't hurt him…"_ Ruby had told them.

Blake swallowed, cursing herself for not thinking about the whole thing thoroughly. The Blade tried to whisper to her, but her own feelings were swirling about so that anything it might have said was lost in the whirlwind of thoughts.

" **Deyra,"** Vulgahrotru mumbled in fear as he looked at the Ebony Blade in her hand. **"Deyradu'ulzun! Luntuz!"**

Blake looked at the daikatana with clear eyes, part of her wanting nothing more than to turn and throw it towards the lake as hard as she could. She may not know how put a stop to everything wrong with the world, either of the two. But she knew it wasn't through this. With a grind of her teeth, she turned the Blade in her hand and stabbed down into the ground, leaving it standing there as she let go of the hilt. She held her hands out to her side before slowly walking towards the dragon. Vulgahrotru's breathing began to slow, his wide eyes and tense posture relaxing. Purple-garbed guardsmen, who moments earlier had been cowering in whatever corner they could find, came out and tried to surround him with weapons drawn, but Blake waved them down.

"Stop!" she commanded them. "Just stop. He's not a threat."

Blake stopped a few meters away from Vulgahrotru, and the two's eyes met. The dragon let out a low moan, wincing as he shifted his wing. Blake took in a deep breath, and for a moment she felt like the world was moving in slow motion. The rumble of a dragon's breath passed by her feet. The soft breeze flew in from the lake. Behind her, she could hear steel plate shifting as Mjoll managed to pick herself up off of the ground. Her gaze never leaving the dragon's, Blake finally managed to speak.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Weiss had only known Ruby to get angry a handful of times, though it was usually spectacular, in an odd sense of the word, to see. Besides their partnership's "growing pains" during Initiation, she saw her blow up over someone calling raisin oatmeal cookies disgusting (they weren't her favorite, but she still liked them), one time over the ridiculousness of steampunk, and at one of Team CRDL's members when he tried to insinuate that she was adopted. That last one had both sisters angry, but it wasn't as surprising with Yang.

Now, Ruby was blowing up over the scroll at Blake. Weiss didn't remember much being said about a dragon named Vulgahrotru aside from Ruby meeting him and the whole thing _not_ devolving into a battle, however, he was apparently one of the friendly dragons. And Blake had both robbed him and injured him when he came to demand recompense. Now Ruby was detailing to both their teammate and the dragon how they were going to speak to Jarl Laila Law-Giver and _then_ go up to Windhelm to finally have Vulgahrotru cleared up with Jarl Ulfric.

"Seriously! It's been more than long enough! He already got my letter a while ago, and I even got a response that he was totally considering it!" she yelled at the visibly browbeaten dragon, his expression comically cross-eyed as he squinted down his bulky snout at the Scroll's relatively tiny screen.

 **"But..."**

"Silence!" Ruby shouted into the scroll, and the dragon visibly backed away and Blake's ears flattened.

"Have you ever heard the phrase 'stranger than fiction'?" Weiss asked Lydia, who was tending to their breakfast. The housecarl looked at her thoughtfully.

"Sounds familiar. And, honestly, more than a little apt to life as of late."

"My teammate is berating a dragon for procrastinating over meeting with a nobleman to make his position as a toll master official."

"Honestly, after everything that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if next week we were settling a dispute between Centaur farmers and Harpy nomads."

Weiss looked over at the housecarl again. "Harpy?"

"Birdfolk. Mostly women, from what I hear. Most of them live in the Aldmeri Dominion, but a good few traveled into Cyrodiil just before the Great War. Rumor says they were fleeing Thalmor persecution."

"I know what they are, but that was an odd choice for an example."

"A month ago, would you have expected us to have come across a Minotaur blacksmith about to be sacrificed by Forsworn Reachmen?"

Weiss went silent for a moment. "By the gods, we're destined for strange things to happen." She noticed Lydia scribbling in her sketchbook, and wondered briefly about what she was drawing. "Don't suppose you've made one of me?"

"Um…" Lydia slowly clutched the sketchbook to her chest, an embarrassed blush on her face, causing the vampire's eyes to widen.

"Oh dear, you're making one of me right now, aren't you?"

"I'll take it out if-"

"No, no, just make sure you get my good angles." Lydia hesitated a moment before nodding, then continued with her drawing. Ruby's phone call ended moments later, and then the youngest of the three stomped over with her arms crossed and sat down on a warmed rock near their campfire.

"Those dummies have probably got half the Hold spinning in circles," she muttered before poking at the embers.

"So, is everything straightened out?" Weiss asked her partner.

"Sorta. Vulgahrotru's going to have something going on with the Thieves' Guild. He's kind of become an associate to them, and what they stole from him is going to basically be his payment to cover his fees for years to come." Ruby took the hot tea kettle from near the fire then poured herself a steaming cupful. "Also, now all of his anger's redirected. He said it in Dovahzul so only I understood, but he basically promised to find and destroy some black briar stuff. I don't know what he meant by that."

"The Black-Briars are one of the most influential families in the Rift," Lydia explained. "They're an old clan with large tracts of land and dealings with everyone and anyone of importance. They're comparable to the Battle-Borns and Grey-Manes of Whiterun, only…not as honorable."

"Oh! Right, I remember some people talking about them now. Wait, wasn't that one lady named Black-Briar?"

"Helen is the proprietor of Sunny Shields. She actually doesn't have much to do with the main family, which is headed by her cousin, Maven. Last I heard, the two weren't exactly on speaking terms."

"Huh, wonder why Vulgahrotru's mad at them?" As Ruby thought over the situation between sips of tea, Weiss felt a ticking in her brain and looked down the road. Squinting, she could see a shape in the distance coming towards them.

"Looks like our objective is coming to us," she said before standing. The other two stood up with her, Ruby still nursing her cup of tea, and watched as the form showed itself to be a man, and then the man turned out to be a Cyrodiilic in priest robes. Once he spotted them, he ran up to them excitedly, Weiss confirming in her mind that the psionic guide was pointing to him.

"Praise be to Merid!" he exclaimed when he stopped before them. "Finally, we meet!"

"So we do," Weiss stated with no enthusiasm. "Um, who are-"

"Forgive me, I am Seletar, priest of Merid…ia, and adept of the Magne-Ge." He laughed a little at his slip of the tongue and rubbed his neck.

"You're a…priest of Meridia?" Weiss asked with a hesitant step back.

"Of course!" If the man noticed her paling expression, he didn't show it.

"Oh cool! You know about the temple here, right?" Ruby excitedly began, subtly placing herself between the priest and her partner.

"Yes, and I believe my coming here may now serve a doubled purpose." He happily nodded then blinked as he took in Ruby's features. Almost at once, he smiled warmly in realization. "Ah, you must be her. Dragonborn, Champion of Merid, wielder of the Dawnbreaker."

"Yeah, I guess they told you about that," Ruby replied, faintly embarrassed. "Wait, if you're a priest of Meridia, then why are you doing stuff for the Magna-Ge?"

"Ah, you see, Merid herself is a fallen Magne-Ge, cast from the heavens after the Breaking, which she foretold."

"Oh. Guess that makes sense then." The Dragonborn nodded, not truly getting it. She would have to ask Weiss for more about that later. "Okay, so they sent you to meet me?"

"Yes, indeed. Tell me, Dragonborn, did you see a shooting star?"

"You mean the Skyshard?" Ruby remembered having to dive under the sea several times to find that thing and groaned. She nearly got an ear infection from that, but luckily the kind old alchemist lady had a good cure for it. "Yeah, I saw that. And touched it. Then absorbed it."

"Ah, so blessed you are. Most mortals cannot see them. It is a great honor to be chosen by the Magne-Ge! Shooting stars are the shards of the Breaking. Through them, you can commune with the Signs. I, myself, was shown a small one, in order to further help you on your path." He raised up his hands. "May I?"

"Uh, go ahead," Ruby offered hesitantly. Seletar reached over and placed his hands on Ruby's temples. Weiss felt the psionic connection in her own mind fade away, and when his hands left Ruby, the young girl was looking towards the east curiously.

"Oh, wow, so this is what you were feeling?"

"What exactly is she being pointed to?" Weiss deduced that he had somehow transferred the Magne-Ge's mental indicator from her to her partner, and pursed her lips at the implications.

"To the shards. There are more, scattered about the face of the land. The psionic guide will lead her towards them."

"Oh, that's cool! I guess you don't have to worry so much about it now, Weiss."

"It _is_ a relief not having something so annoying going on in my brain." The vampire tried to hide the slight guilt that came with that relief. Hopefully Ruby wouldn't find the experience as irritating as she had. "Now though…where is this one leading?"

"Uh, that way," Ruby indicated with a point.

"I do not know exactly where the guide will lead you, but I trust that you will be able to complete the request given unto you by the Magna-Ge. Oh, yes! I must give you something else! Here," Seletar reached into the bag at his side and pulled out an old, worn book. "This can explain the Pantheon and the Signs to you far better than I could alone, written by a great historian and prophet, the likes of which we may never see again."

Ruby gingerly took the thick book, seeing the title _Pantheon of the Magna-Ge_ on the front of it. "Oh, uh, thank you very much. I'll be sure to give it a read."

"May its knowledge sharpen your mind. Patterns guide you!" With that, the priest looked up at Mount Kilkreath and began heading that way. Ruby watched him go for a moment, then opened the book and started reading.

" _Pantheon of the Magna-Ge_ , by Lord Kirkbride," she began aloud. "Chapter one, the Pantheon. Huh, sounds interesting. Weiss, want to read this with me?"

"Sure, why not. How bad can it be?"

* * *

After several long, agonizing minutes of reading, they finished the first section and Ruby finally closed the book. Lydia and Weiss stared at her with blank eyes. Occasionally they would drift down to the book, but then they would forcibly tear their gazes away and back onto Ruby.

"So..." Ruby began, struggling to find the words. "That was... How do I put this?"

"He was completely insane," Weiss interjected.

"Oh, thank the Gods, I wasn't the only one!" Ruby exclaimed. "I mean, just...what?! How does someone...?!"

"I don't know, Ruby," Lydia sighed and buried her face in her hands. "I really don't know. And frankly, I don't want to know."

* * *

"My Thane," Iona announced stiffly, walking up into Blake's new room, "you have a visitor."

"Tell 'em I'm coming," Blake groaned as she put away the book _Analyses of Minotaurs_. "Who is it?"

"It's me!" she heard Yang yell from across the house. By the time she got to her feet, Yang had already come in and walked over to her new bedroom. The Companion looked it over and whistled. "Nice! Hey, mind giving me and my partner a minute?" she directed towards the housecarl. She looked over at Blake questioningly, who nodded.

"It's fine. Go see about helping M'rissi with the chickens."

"Very well. Honor to you, my Thane!" She saluted and then headed outside. Yang watched her go for a moment then looked back at Blake with a raised eyebrow.

"She, uh, seemed a little…" Yang waved her hand around, trying to find the right words.

"She's new to the job."

"Riiiight." Yang lidded her eyes and slowly nodded her head. "Anyways, congratulations on getting the house. Oh, Ruby told me to give you something."

"What?" Yang then bonked her upside the head. "Ow!"

"Okay, she didn't tell me to do that, but I did hear about the problem with Vulgahrotru. What the hell, Blake!"

"I… I was just trying to fix up the problem I caused," Blake feebly defended herself while rubbing the new sore spot on her head.

"And your first thought was to steal from a dragon? Without so much as calling us and telling us about the problem?" Yang countered with a pointed stare.

Blake looked to the side and twiddled her thumbs together. "I didn't think about it."

"You tend to do that, sometimes. Look," Yang said as she pulled Blake in and held her with an arm over her shoulders. "We're a team. And we might get split up a lot lately because there are more problems here that need fixing than there are Grimm in the average forest on Remnant, but that doesn't mean we can't rush over to help each other when we need to. As long as no lives are on the line, I'm willing to drop pretty much anything to help you with whatever. If that means finding a way to get a million septims, I'll do it! Let's just not get one of the _very_ few dragons on our side angry at us in the meantime." She patted the Faunus' shoulder and then let her go. "I'm guessing he headed back home by now?"

"To Windhelm, actually. He's going to go through with his end of the deal and make a pact with Ulfric. He already has one with Riften now, but it depends on Ulfric signing another for Eastmarch."

"That's good." Yang nodded, figuring that it was about time he finally got around to it.

"It's actually what got me Thanedom. That, and stopping the skooma trade. She even gave me an axe." Blake pointed out an ebony war axe mounted against a plaque on the wall. "Black Whisper. Has some sort of effect where it blocks someone's ability to cast spells if they're hit with it. You want it?"

"Do I want it?" Yang raised an eyebrow at her partner. "You sure you can just hand off something like that?"

"Didn't you give a mace to your housecarl?"

"Yeah, but he's my housecarl."

"And you're one of the greatest friends I ever had. Also, you've been getting a thing for axes lately."

"True, but that's mostly because we needed more reach and cutting power. That and the no ammo thing. Shotguns tend to not work well without shells." Yang hummed and walked over to the wall plaque before taking the axe down. "Ooh, neat etching! Wait, is this a rune-enchanted weapon?"

"Uh, I guess?" Blake shrugged. "I didn't ask. There a difference?"

"A little. Tell you about it later." Yang looked the axe over a moment longer before putting it LYnext to her holy axe. "Oh, I should mention this! I brought S'ahara with me after you texted that you got the house. She's outside with M'rissi. Why do you have chickens, anyways?"

"M'rissi wanted them. I told her she was going to have to pay for all of the feed and stuff." Blake paused and looked to the side, slightly embarrassed. "I…kinda forgot that she has her own money and that wasn't a problem. Inigo hates them though. I want to say it's one of his…tics, but he seems to seriously think they're spies or something. For a bit, I was afraid he was going to kill them, but then he said that would only bring everyone in Riften down on us for murder."

"Eh, he says all kinds of crazy stuff." Yang waved her off, idly wondering as to what kind of town would hunt someone down for slaughtering a chicken. "Well, you going to show me around town, or what?"

"Sure, but watch your pockets."

* * *

While Yang looked through some bits and baubles on a street stall, she looked back and saw a man who was heading toward her turn away ever so slightly. She could see from the look in his eyes that he was annoyed, marking him as the third person that had tried to come up and pick her pockets.

"Sheesh, I know the Thieves' Guild is based here, but this is ridiculous."

"It's mostly because they don't want to head out to the other Holds," Blake began to explain. "Brynjolf said there's some sort of bad luck streak going on and that it's like Riften's the only place that's safe, and only because of numbers. People going out on their own still tend to have slipups. Just the other day one guy got caught and made a run for it, only to end up in the canals with three arrows in his back."

"Ouch! Anyone you know?"

"No, but Gnives did. He hated him, but Gnives hates a lot of people."

"Wait, is that really his name?"

"No clue. There's a lot of people in the Guild with names like that."

Yang suddenly whipped around and caught a hand, only to see M'rissi smiling at the other end of the arm.

"She's just practicing," the Khajiit said with a hint of amusement. Yang merely stared back, unimpressed.

"What's going on here?" a guard demanded as he marched across the plaza.

"Playing with my buddy," Yang declared before pulling M'rissi in and hugging her. "She lost."

"Right…" the guard muttered before moving on with his patrol. Yang bonked her on the head once he was clear.

"Ouch!"

"Don't go doing that in broad daylight, you hear!"

"She was only joking with you!"

"Well, that was a bad joke. Also, why did you get so into thievery? You didn't become someone's catspaw, did you?"

"Frrro? No, she has her own paws! But she became okay after Inigo read her a book about a famous Khajiit tapestry maker Cherim. And she only steals from mean and rich persons. Or dead ones. Especially dead ones, since they don't need their valuable things anymore."

"Mean and rich, all right." Yang looked over to a blacksmith and looked into his furnace. She narrowed her eyes and focused on the flames. They were more intense than most other forges she'd seen, almost as strong as the Skyforge. "Huh, that's weird."

"What's… Oh, right. That's Balimund, Riften's master blacksmith. He's almost as good as Eorlund, actually."

"I heard that," the blacksmith called out to her before laughing. "Well, I suppose being called second to Eorlund Grey-Mane is as good a compliment as any, especially if you're saying it to a Companion." Yang shrugged and rubbed the back of her head.

"I just thought your forge looked different from normal."

"That'd be the fire salts," Blake pointed out. "We helped him restock on those recently."

"Oh, neat! Do you think that'd help with-" A scream cut her off as someone fell off of the roof of the shop behind the smith, clothed in leather gear and a hood. The woman picked herself up slowly and rubbed her back.

"Haha!" she nervously laughed. "I suppose that's the last time I take _that_ kind of shortcut." As though waiting on her words, a bag fell from the roof and clanged on the ground, opening up to reveal several high-quality swords.

"Why you no good, lousy-" Balimund began while wielding his hammer threateningly. The thief instantly took off.

"I never saw any of that stuff in my life!"

The blacksmith was about to take off after her, but stopped when he saw how far she'd already made it. Grumbling, he went back to pick up the bag of weapons, hardly noting M'rissi picking one up except to take it from her hands.

"Damn thieves! Ain't got nothing better to do than rob us honest working folk?"

"To be honest, some of them really don't," Blake whispered and shook her head.

* * *

"Well, that was something else. Who was that, anyways?" Yang asked as she plopped onto Blake's bed.

"No idea. I've only seen her a time or two." Blake sighed and pinched her brow. "She's just lucky Balimund was more stunned than anything. He could've brained her right there and the law would've been on his side."

"If she were lucky, she would not have made such a dramatic fall," Inigo said as he came from the kitchen. "Hello, sunshine."

"'Sup, bluebells."

"I started to make dinner, then S'ahara chased me away from the cooking stuff. Probably for the best. Not because I can't cook, but because she is just that much better at it."

"Heck yeah, she is! Valdimar said he was going to miss that almost as much as her." Yang stuck her tongue out and winced. "Bleh! Just reminded myself of Ruby's mac and cheese. Stupid, bland pasta."

"So, what are you doing down here?" Inigo asked as he sat down on a chair. "If it's to visit and bring us the best maid, that is good, but usually trouble happens whenever one of you goes to another Hold."

"Well, I'm supposed to go over and speak to the Dawnguard's leader and stuff. I'm going to do that in the morning."

"Well, that's all fine then. Only vampire stuff will happen."

"We can set up one of the spare beds for you," Blake suggested.

"What's wrong with this bed?" Yang asked.

"It's mine."

"Even better!"

"Yang, I'm not sleeping with you."

"Come on, I don't bite."

"Yang…" Blake rolled her eyes at Yang's mirthful look. She knew her partner was merely playing around, but her dignity would remain intact.

"She does not understand what the problem is," M'rissi said as she slipped through the doorway and under Blake's arm. "Yang is not a loud sleeper."

"See!" Yang laughed as she pulled the Khajiit into a half-hug. "M'rissi agrees with me!"

"That's not what- Ugh, what am I doing arguing this with you?"

"Fighting your feelings?"

"No, Yang."

"Do I sleep loudly?" Inigo asked as he walked in behind Blake. M'rissi turned her head to look at the Khajiit, a thoughtful expression on her face before finally answering.

"You snore loud, but it is rhythmic enough to put her asleep. Does she snore?"

"No, but sometimes you kick, and mewl, and claw at things. One time those things were my tail." Inigo smiled and chuckled.

She let out a small groan. "She is sorry, but why was your tail so close to her?"

"Because there was only one tent with no holes and it was raining."

"Heh, you guys are cute." Yang's statement immediately caused M'rissi to angrily shake herself out of Yang's arm, followed by a glare Yang could only see as adorable.

"Mew! What are you saying?!" M'rissi yelled out at her.

"The truth." The Khajiit suddenly pounced on her and Yang laughed as the two tussled. Blake sighed, but let out a smile.

"I understand if she means her, but I know I am not cute."

"Yeah, you're really not," Blake responded almost immediately.

"Oh!" Inigo grasped his heart. "You were not supposed to agree with me!"

* * *

After backtracking to Solitude, Weiss, Ruby, and Lydia were able to buy passage on one of the ships leaving to Windhelm. While trade and travel between the two Holds was restricted thanks to the war, a handful had access to charters allowing them to continue business in exchange for a large amount of government oversight, restricting them to carrying solely civilian goods. As the simple ship sailed from Solitude towards Windhelm, Ruby looked out across the horizon, watching a dark green dragon in the distance that was flying around an island's shore through a spyglass. She had spotted it earlier and had one of the sailors hand her his spyglass to take a closer look. That had been nearly thirty minutes ago, and by now she had come to her conclusion.

"Well, he doesn't seem to be causing any trouble," she decided before folding it back up and handing it over to the sailor. "Thanks for that."

"No problem, miss." As he went back to his duties, Weiss calmly walked over to her and looked across the way at where the dragon was.

"Ruby, I've been thinking lately…" Weiss slowly began, immediately drawing Ruby's undivided attention.

"What's up, Weiss?"

"Well, this whole dragon thing…" She looked over at her partner from under her mage hood. "Aren't… Shouldn't you be trying to figure out where this Alduin went?"

"I am. We are, I should say." Ruby shook her head. "Delphine's supposed to be looking for a way to get into the Embassy. She's sent me a letter about it, actually. It was coded of course, and in ancient Nordic, but Lydia was able to decipher it. Apparently, she's close to getting a way in." Ruby then paused to glare at her partner. "Can't believe you and Blake forgot about that while you were in there."

"We were a little mentally occupied," Weiss quickly got out. "But that's not what I meant. Shouldn't we be actively on the lookout for him?"

"We could be, but there's not much we could do _if_ we somehow caught up to him." She looked away from Weiss and stared at the ocean. "Remember back in Helgen? When we first ran into Alduin? I was using my highest velocity gravity rounds, the strongest rounds I have. The ones bought after Initiation so that I'd be able to punch through Giant Nevermores and even Ancient Deathstalker carapace if needed." Ruby paused then turned her head back to Weiss. "They just bounced off of him, not even a scratch. Ebony might do the trick, but I still need the force behind my swings or I'll just be scratching his scales."

"Do we have the kind of time it'd take to prepare for him in that case?" Weiss pointed out. "More dragons are appearing every day."

Ruby sighed. "Look, the Greybeards told me two things. One, the thing that's going to beat Alduin more than any weapon or magic is the Thu'um. **Fo Krah!** " Frozen air left Ruby's mouth and hit the waters next to the boat, freezing the seawater it touched and leaving behind a trail of thick ice. "And that's going to take time to strengthen. If I go too fast, I could lose myself, or Shout my throat apart. That's happened before."

"And if you're too slow?"

"That's another thing, both the Greybeards and all the dragon souls I have tell me Alduin's not in any rush," Ruby explained. "He's going to try and raise all of the dragons killed by anything that wasn't a dragon before he moves to invade, kill everyone, or whatever it is he wants to do. And there are well over a thousand of those dragons, and not all of them were in Skyrim, so he might go over to Morrowind, High Rock, or Hammerfell for a while. I need to take the time to prepare, get my Voice ready, and fight back anything looking to take advantage of these trying times." As Weiss began to ponder over what she was told, Ruby reached over and pulled her close. She initially stiffened up at the contact, but then her tension faded.

"What's up with you, anyways? What's got you so worried about the impending doom of the world?" Ruby asked, her concern causing Weiss to sigh.

"Time to think, mostly," Weiss admitted. "In the college, I was always trying to get better at magic or working on my projects, including getting us home. Despite being a place with no grading system, there's still this underlying push to do well in everything. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but when we're traveling on foot, there's not much chance for anything except getting where we're going. Time I'd spend on experimenting now goes into...thinking."

"It'll be okay." Ruby patted her shoulder. "I'm getting better at this all the time, just like you're always getting better at magic. Speaking of which, I figured out that Scattershock spell. Look!" Ruby held a hand forward, lightning magic beginning to concentrate itself into her palm. After building for five seconds, a barrage of electric orbs began firing out rapidly, with Ruby struggling to hold her arm straight to ensure she cast them forward. Weiss watched as the orbs fired forth, hitting the cold waters in a line as their ship kept going along. After several more orbs flew out, Ruby cut off the spell and began huffing before grinning at her partner.

"Well done!" Weiss congratulated her. "That couldn't have been easy. Keep expanding your magicka and working on firing it faster and you'll never be without a trick up your sleeve."

"Thanks, I had a good teacher." Ruby smiled. "Oh, I also figured out how to use a Word for Lightning Breath."

"Oh, you have? I remember having to jump out of the way of that one."

"Yeah, but I probably shouldn't use it on the ship." Ruby locked her fingers behind her. "Kinda bad at aiming it."

"Well, you'll get it, I'm sure." Before Ruby could respond, something broke the surface near the ship, and suddenly a spray of air was fired straight up. Ruby gasped and leaned over the railings. A few others looked over as well to observe the creatures.

"Weiss! Weiss!" she called out excitedly.

"I see them," her partner answered as she saw more surfacing to breathe. One whale poked its head up and splashed back down and Ruby nearly squealed in excitement as she jumped. Weiss couldn't help but smirk at her reaction as well as the sight itself.

"I wonder what kind they are!"

"Well, they aren't too big. Maybe minke whales?"

"Those aren't big?"

"A blue whale is much bigger. In fact, a minke whale is only a little bigger than the size of a blue whale's head."

"Whoa!" Ruby kept watching in wonder even as she mentally pictured what Weiss was talking about. The heiress smiled and looked back out across the sea. "When we get back, we should go whale watching. I wanna see a blue whale."

"Maybe."

* * *

Sitting on a crate, Lydia sketched the details of the scene before her, looking up every few seconds to take in the sight of a whale breaching the surface. Soon, she had drawn down a few of them, as well as many of the details of the ship's side, including her Thane and her teammate. With the picture mostly done, she set it aside for a short break. There was far more detailing to be done, but she got the basic outline down.

The Nord calmly watched as the whales slowly swam back down, one of them making a large splash with its tailfin as it went. Ruby was glowing with excitement, and Weiss was smiling brightly herself. Lydia had to crack a smile at the scene, even as she searched for the feeling deep within her. Trying to find clarity, she attempted to peer into her own soul for a clue.

' _I know it's there,'_ she told herself. _'I just know it.'_


	43. The White Rose's Thorns

"Bleh!" Yang complained as she sat down with a mug of mead. Inigo sat across from her with M'rissi next to him. S'ahara was currently talking with Keerava about their food, and Blake was somewhere in the Ratway talking with Brynjolf and Mercer about a mission. She wasn't sure on the details, but apparently they had figured out a little info concerning the person messing with their interests.

"Something is the matter?" M'rissi asked.

"Just this place." Yang shuddered. "Riften is so dank and smelly."

"True, but in a good way," Inigo defended the city. "Give it time."

"A good way?" Yang blew a raspberry at that. "You're crazy."

"Probably," he admitted. "You are not the first to suggest it." He leaned forward, giving Yang a look while waving his finger. "I may be crazy, but at least I'm not mad."

"You are as mad as a box of frogs," M'rissi playfully accused him while Yang merely smiled faintly, having grown fond of their antics.

"A box of frogs?" Quickly, he went from shocked to accepting. "That is pretty mad I guess. At least I'm not as mad as a trout in a tree. No matter how mad you get, there is always someone madder."

"Wallybally wah wah!" M'rissi suddenly began speaking in gibberish, causing Yang to look at the girl with bewildered eyes.

"Spoodly dowap! Prrrr! Hehe!" Inigo suddenly joined in, causing Yang to look at him in confused shock.

' _What just happened?'_ she wondered while sighing. _'Blake, S'ahara, why am I the one left with the kids?'_

"Woof! Woof!"

"Argh! Who let the dog out? Don't worry fleas; I will protect you!"

"Rooooooooooar!" M'rissi continued while playfully flexing her claws at him.

"You sound just like my mother! Hahaha!"

M'rissi's clawing motions turned into wiggling ones.

"You are now under her control," she slowly intoned.

"I am now under your control," Inigo slowly repeated.

Yang shook her head before taking a deep gulp of her drink, glad that the inn was fairly empty today, only some mage guy and Maven's husband bearing witness to the two Khajiits' craziness. Judging by the look he was giving her, the mage had no idea just what in Oblivion was going on. She gave him an awkward smile and shrug to compensate.

"Leave your body. Let your mind float through time and space," M'rissi continued to speak in a manner akin to a carnival fortune teller.

"I am floating. I feel as afloat as a boat on the seas of time and space."

"Can you hear anything?"

"I can hear laughter! Music! Death! Mumbled rude language."

"What do you see?"

"I see Blake, Yang, Ruby, and Weiss, all standing in poses through a portal of light. They are so small. I see hands on many buttons, controlling the portal. It changes, showing…words. A long list of words, describing the past, the present, and the future. No, not just showing the future. Creating the future. Changing it. The hands… The buttons… They are making the future."

At this, Yang was beginning to feel antsy and started leaning in. S'ahara had returned as well, and begun listening rather than speak up.

"What else is there?" M'rissi asked, her voice no longer playful.

"There is…more words. Different words. They came from the portal. Something is moving around, coloring the words and… The buttons are being pressed, and more words appear. It is as though…they are speaking through the portal.

"No, something else. I see…Blake. You and I are there, following her. Now, Ruby is there, walking around aimlessly. Weiss is there. They are all there, but never at once. The buttons are…moving them."

"Is there more? What can you see?"

"We are all like dolls, no, puppets. Mere playthings. The one watching is in control. I understand. I…"

"What is it?" Yang asked worriedly. "What do you understand?"

"I understand why trips go so fast. I understand the reason things happen just right at the right time. I understand that I… Fooled you!" M'rissi and Yang both jumped back in their chairs while S'ahara sat down clutching at her heart and gasping. "I am not hypnotized! Haha! I got you, didn't I? Hehe! You should all see the looks on your faces!"

"Damn, Bluebells, you just about gave me a heart attack," Yang groaned despite wearing a smile on her face. Inigo, meanwhile, continued to laugh.

* * *

"So, even though we haven't been able to find out who this is, specifically, you know about the "Gajul-Lei" person?" Blake asked as she walked alongside Mercer and Brynjolf.

"Yes. It's an old alias used by one of our contacts," Mercer explained. "Gulum-Ei. Slimy bastard."

"Argonian, I'm guessing."

"He's our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude," Brynjolf told her. "If he acted as the middleman for the selling of Goldenglow, then it's quite possible he can point us in the right direction to our adversary."

"Then we need to question him," Blake concluded.

"That's where you come in," Mercer continued. "Between your reputation and the fact you've talked people down before, you're practically perfect for the job. Go up to Solitude, shake him down, and see what you can come up with."

Brynjolf laughed a little. "Hard to picture him mixed into all of this. That lizard couldn't find his own tail with both hands." He waved his hands as they stopped at Mercer's desk. "Don't get me wrong, bastard could scam a beggar out of his last septim, but he's no mastermind."

"Anything I should worry about with him?"

"Not too much." Brynjolf shook his head. "He's just stubborn. You'll have your work cut out for you there."

"Any suggestions?"

Mercer pulled up a sheet of parchment. "He's likely done something you can use as leverage. Try to shadow him, see if you can find anything to use against him. You have some clout in Solitude, don't you?"

"I have a friend who's a Thane of the city." That she was the Dragonborn went unsaid.

"Good, then you can use that to hold over his neck should you find something good on him." Mercer nodded, then a weird look flashed across his face. "By the way, there's another job in Solitude we could use you for."

"Oh gods," Brynjolf groaned loudly, "did he send us that request again?"

"Yes, he did." He sounded exasperated. "It's about time we personally answer him, if only to shut him up."

"What's the situation?" Blake asked, curious as to what kind of job could cause Brynjolf to groan.

"An Argonian by the name of Jaree-Ra." Mercer waved his hand around as he began to explain. "Every once in a while he requests a little help with some…expenditures of his. Piracy related, normally. We sent him help some years ago, but never heard back from our guy, and he never offered an explanation. As you can imagine, that killed any chance of a future partnership, even with our situation at the time. But, as it stands, we now have an opportunity to capitalize on him. You're good at solving unforeseen problems, with one notable exception, so you can probably do the job and come back fine."

"You think he did something to a member of the Guild?" she asked as she ran over the possible situations in her head.

"There's nothing concrete," Brynjolf added. "For all we know, he just died somewhere on the road back. It was also a time when we were getting hit hard, and we couldn't risk losing any more of us. So we didn't bother dealing with him anymore. We just think you have the right skills to see if a working relationship is worth it or not."

"Okay. I'll look into it."

"Good then." Mercer nodded and spared her a smile, and Blake smiled back. "We're hoping to hear some good news from you soon, Belladonna."

* * *

As the group left Riften, Yang stretched in the morning sun and pulled loose her stiff muscles and joints. Blake had relayed to them what Mercer and Brynjolf had wanted to tell her. As it turned out, their lead happened to be in Solitude, along with a potential job Mercer tasked Blake with solving. From what the Faunus told her, the job may very well be piracy related, yet for a reason Yang couldn't fathom, Blake seemed willing to consider it. She chalked it up to wanting to atone for the botched Goldenglow mission. Besides, it was better to watch over them and mitigate the damage than let them run hog-wild.

"Has anyone noticed the lack of glares lately?" Inigo asked.

"I think that has to do with Blake fighting down a dragon," Yang offered. M'rissi looked skeptical.

"Did the dragon not attack because of Blake?" M'rissi asked.

"Last I heard, it was all of you."

"She did not realize that the dragon was supposed to be a friendly dragon," M'rissi objected. "Blake was the one told about all of those things."

"Don't pile all the blame on her shoulders," Yang told her with a shake of her head. "Besides, what's done is done. Let's just hope there isn't any dragon problems for a-"

"Dragon!" a few guards yelled as a massive, dark shape flew in from the direction of Autumnshade and sped over them and the city. For a moment, the four all paused in fear, then looked to where it'd headed.

"Was that who I think it was?" Yang asked in disbelief. The others merely nodded while sounds of panic ensued around them.

"He's heading towards the mountain!" Blake exclaimed before taking off, going around the wall of the city. Yang and the other two went after her, unable to catch up until Blake came to a dead stop near the back of the city. There, they saw the black dragon digging away at some loose stones higher up the mountain. Each of them paused to watch, Yang suddenly getting the idea to pull out her scroll and set it to record. Soon, Alduin seemed to find what he was looking for, and took back to the air. Wind began to blow and a funnel appeared where he had just been, right before he began speaking. It reminded them of Kynesgrove, only now they knew what was coming next.

" **Faadheyvtu, ziil gro dovah ulse!"** he growled out. **"Slen Tiid Vo!"**

As the Shout hit the earth, the people watching the spectacle could feel the world shaking around them. A dragon skeleton burst out from the stones and flesh began to appear around it. When the restoring flames cleared, the dragon, much smaller than the ones before, looked up at Alduin with awe. It was a dark blue with an amber belly, with thin stripes of red running along its back.

" **Thuri, aarl mir fen wah aam! Dreh daar dovah hi uth?"**

" **Siiv hin Zeymah. Fun kolos nust. Mu lahvraan."**

" **Zu'u thaarn. Laan Dovahkiin?"**

" **Dovahkiin fen al ko tiid. Bo, tovitaani."** The black dragon winged around and took off towards the east, disappearing across the Velothi mountains within moments. The smaller dragon watched him go, then shook his head before looking north.

" **Thuri ni koraav tahrovin. Dovahkiin. Yah Nir Siiv!"** With his Shout, a thick, misty line appeared before him, similar to the Clairvoyance spell effect. His eyes followed it as it trailed away. **"Zu'u bo!"** He outstretched his wings and then took off into the air, following the trail he made the moment he began heading forward. He quickly sped past the group and the city, seemingly picking up speed faster than Alduin had.

"Shou- What do we do?" Blake asked.

"I have no idea what they were saying, but I did catch something about Dovahkiin a few times," Yang explained as she attached the video to a message and sent it to both Ruby and Weiss' scrolls. "It means Dragonborn."

"They're after Ruby?" Inigo asked, concerned for his friend.

"I don't think so." Yang shook her head. "The way that little guy was saying it… I've seen all kinds of disobedience before, and that certainly looked like it. Come on. Let's go meet this Dawnguard guy and head up. Ruby and Weiss are going to stay at Kynesgrove or Vernim Wood until we meet up after their stuff."

"What about the dragon?" M'rissi asked.

"That thing was going fast." Yang looked down and shook her head. "If he's headed to Ruby, there's no way we're catching up with him before he gets there. She should be able to handle him." She looked back up, staring in the direction the dragon had disappeared to. "She has to be."

* * *

"Urgh!" Weiss groaned as she pulled her hood low, desperately trying to avoid the sunlight.

"I was totally fine with waiting for night," Ruby told her.

"No. It's all right," she waved away. "I needed to get out of there anyways."

"Was it Erevan?"

"Yes, it was Erevan!" She was incensed. "I don't know why I even bother with that lout! It's obvious he's going to drink himself into an early grave and nothing anyone says will convince him otherwise."

"Well, at least you tried," Ruby told her with a pat on the shoulder. "Some people just don't want to be helped. I bet he could be pulled up by his bootstraps by the right person, but a couple of random strangers probably aren't the right people."

"You could always ask Blake's blue friend," Lydia suggested.

"Huh, that might work," Ruby reckoned. "He was kinda in a similar rut from what he told us."

"Here's the thing, though," Weiss countered. "Inigo felt bad about something he actually did and tried to make amends, albeit in the wrong manner. Erevan had one thing go terribly wrong that wasn't his fault, and now refuses to so much as attempt to reclaim his honor."

"Well yeah, everyone's situation is unique, but they're in close enough…" Ruby paused and then took a few steps back. "Ah, I think it's over here!" She went off the road and then jogged over to where a hill was at, stopping in front of the mouth of a cave that was fairly well hidden.

"Thank the gods! I can get out of this blasted sunlight!" Weiss walked in and let her hood down with a sigh, Ruby and Lydia right behind her. The three continued down, going past broken planks of wood and what seemed to be shattered wooden stairs. They paused at the bottom, an area mostly flooded by water, wooden platforms built all around that had tents set up on them. Most were rather old looking, but each had the Imperial Sigil on them, denoting the place as having once been an Imperial camp. Two people stood at the center, brandishing their weapons when they saw the three incoming.

"Hi," Ruby tried to greet them in a friendly manner.

"Who in Oblivion are you?" a bear of a woman wielding a large axe asked threateningly.

"We're just looking for something some gods pointed us towards. We're pretty sure it's in this cave." Ruby's response caused the two soldiers to look at them skeptically.

"What kind of crackpots are you to come up with that kind of nonsense?" the smaller man asked in a thick Brettonic accent.

"Here, Ruby, let me handle this," Weiss suggested. "Both of you just move out of the entryway." Weiss walked toward the two, who braced themselves, readying for a fight. Weiss raised a hand to her mouth as she cleared her throat, and then looked up at both with glowing yellow eyes. As the two took in the unnerving sight, Weiss splayed out her arms then raised them up with her fingers curled, her cloak opening out from the movement. She opened her mouth wide, revealing her fangs as she let out a hiss. The man screamed and the woman yelled, then both took off and out of the cavern, screaming about vampires all the way. Weiss smirked as she wiped her lips and changed her eyes back to their light-blue color.

"Pfft! Weiss, you shoulda let me know!" Ruby cried as she laughed. "I would've recorded it or something!"

"I'd rather you didn't." The heiress looked around at the abandoned camp. "Hm, I'm not sure if the soldiers here left or were killed. Do you suppose the Skyshard is around here somewhere?"

"Um, I can feel something." Ruby looked around, trying to follow the psionic guide on its own. Empty bottles and old dishes were found, as well as a book titled _Magic from the Sky_ , but nothing that could lead them to what they were searching for. When it didn't seem to be leading her enough on its own, she summoned up a Clairvoyance spell. The blue light then led them to one side of the camp and the mouth of a submerged tunnel. "Aw man!" she complained.

"Well, looks like we'll be testing out that clothes drying spell a little more," Weiss muttered.

"Just as long as it doesn't blow my shirt off again," Lydia warned with a small glare.

"That was completely unintentional," Weiss quickly said. "Besides, we were in a private setting, and we'll be in one next time, just in case."

"Well, here goes nothing." Ruby cast Candlelight before taking a deep breath and diving in. The other two swam after her, all three emerging into a half-flooded tunnel with broken pieces of wood and a torn banner floating about. Ruby looked at the debris and a crumbled platform in interest. As more theories on what happened in this place formulated in their minds, they continued on to a drier potion of the cave, where a sort of wooden structure stood next to a mostly collapsed bridge over a pit, only a little piece of its middle hanging off of a rope.

"Well, I suppose we were going to run into something broken down like this eventually. Can't believe it was one of the newer things," she muttered the last part.

"Ruby, we could easily get across there," Weiss pointed out, to which Ruby shook her head.

"Me and you can. Lydia needs a hand though." Ruby took her housecarl's right hand into her left and extended the other one to Weiss. The vampire took it cautiously with a curious look in her eyes.

"What exactly-"

Ruby jumped forward and activated her Semblance, carrying them all across the pit in a flurry of white, red, and dull yellow petals. Weiss stood at an awkward angle with a confused look while the other two recovered quickly.

"All right! I can carry two now!"

"Well done, my Thane."

"What just… Did you just use your Semblance _on_ me?" Weiss shrieked, both indignant and impressed.

"Yeah. I've been working on that. After my trip-up with Penny I didn't want to have to save someone only to get wrecked by it."

"What trip-up?"

"Oh, it was just me and her. I'll tell you more later." Ruby looked over into the cave, but was momentarily distracted by an odd, blue lantern. She picked it up and looked it over. "Whoa! Is this a magic lantern?"

"Well, it looks like it." Weiss took it in her hands and looked it over. "Enchanted lanterns are a thing, and they're fairly long-lasting, but considered a luxury in comparison to normal oil lanterns. This doesn't seem normal either." Ruby hummed at that. She looked at it for a moment more, then back down the tunnel, where more shattered and flooded wood structures awaited.

"I'm starting to think this wasn't a normal Imperial camp." They continued forward, wading through the knee deep water. A few more of the magical lanterns were discovered among the broken structures, and then they came upon a steel gate at what looked like Nordic ruins. The three pushed it open and walked in, seeing the place partially flooded and with some wooden scaffolds built around the walls. A fire burned in the center on a stone, with seemingly no fuel to sustain it.

"I guess we know what they were doing," Weiss muttered as she walked forward. Ruby began looking around, drawn to the altar at the back by her psionic guide. "There don't seem to be any graves, which is odd. And the carvings are different than what we normally see. Wait, I smell-"

Suddenly the gate closed, causing them all to look back. Lydia immediately reached for it, but paused when she saw sparks racing along the ancient steel.

"We're trapped," she said.

"What? How did that… We didn't even trigger anything!"

"Oh crap!" Ruby rushed over and looked at the electrified gate. "Oh, I'm sorry guys."

Weiss sighed. "It's not your fault, Ruby. Come on, let's look around and see what we can find. I smell…something rotten up there." Weiss pointed up at a scaffold, and Ruby immediately jumped up to it.

"Uh, it's a Thalmor," she called down to them. "Or, he was."

"He's dead, isn't he?" Weiss asked with a sigh.

"Yeah, but it can't have been long. He hasn't started bloating yet."

"Well, that's fantastic. We have every stage of decay to look forward to."

"Wait, there's a note here." Ruby took the piece of paper pinned to the scaffolding by an elven dagger and hopped back down. She looked it over in the light of the strange fire and started reading it aloud.

" _If you are reading this, I did not make it out alive. Should you be in the same predicament, dear reader, than I hope this information may be of some help in solving the deadly mystery. There appears to be no way to banish the seal on the door, magical or mundane. What we know about these temples is that the Anuic cults originated when the Nordic animism came into contact with the worship of the Divines. The temple of Trolhetta was used in burial rites where the dead were consecrated to the Orphans._ "

"So this is a temple for the Magne-Ge," Weiss muttered. "I suppose it makes sense then that this is where a Skyshard ended up."

"It's not here though," Lydia pointed out.

"There's more guys.

" _According to animist traditions, the bodies of deceased worshippers were ceremonially incinerated, creating a spiritual gateway to a place sacred to the Orphans, much like how a modern era portal to Oblivion can be created through blood sacrifice. The priests would then enter this gateway by stepping through the funeral pyre. My sources are unreliable, but it is all I can give you. May the Stars guide your hands. Farewell._

" _Celedan Starseeker._ "

Ruby looked up from the note and at the fire in the center. "Aw, geez!"

"We're going to throw his body in that, aren't we?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah. I mean, even if it doesn't work, we can't just let his dead body stink up the place with us in here. And, you know, at least this way we're, uh, putting his body… It's sort of a funeral, right?"

"I suppose."

"Okay. Help me get him over there."

The two took the body down from the scaffold, doing their best not to touch it directly. Weiss used a little telekinesis in the beginning, but she had a tendency to cause it to spin in the air. After the two carefully dragged him over and onto the raised stone in the center, they set him down next to the flames and caught their breath.

"I guess…we should say something?" Weiss looked back at Lydia, who shrugged, and then over to Ruby. The Dragonborn looked down at the dead High Elf and took a breath.

"Well, none of us knew Celedan, but we know that when everything fell apart, he decided to do what little he could to help anyone falling in his footsteps. Not anyone would just do that in the pits of despair. For that, we're grateful. Rest easy, Starseeker. May the gods grant you a good life in your next one." With that Ruby grabbed his sleeves while Weiss grabbed his booted feet, and both swung him over and into the fire. For a moment, they watched as the flames licked over his corpse, then saw it catch on fire and quickly burn up. The fire grew, causing them to take a step back and Weiss to nervously back away as far as she could on the stone. The flames then calmed and turned into a white as the body seemed to disappear entirely. Ruby looked back and then took a tentative step into the pyre. When the flames didn't burn her, Lydia immediately followed her. Weiss saw them beginning to fade away and took a breath before jumping in after them. She flinched, but the fire felt warm without burning her. However, everything went bright before cutting off to black.

Everything came back into focus a second later and the three were standing in a dimly lit cave.

"Okay, that actually worked," Weiss said in amazement. "I'm going to need to write that down." She took out her scroll and opened it. "Oh, I got a text from Yang. Video message."

Ruby looked at her scroll and nodded. "Huh, same. We'll look at it once we're done here." After quickly tapping down some notes, Weiss put her scroll away and followed Ruby as she headed down the new tunnel, this time blue braziers sitting to the sides of the path. Ruby looked at them in comparison to her newly acquired lantern while Weiss hummed as she observed them.

"This reminds me a lot of the Augur of Dunlain, but not as pure. Like imperfect versions."

"Any idea what that stuff is?"

"Not really. Not without a lot of research we don't have time for."

They continued on, coming up to a place in the subterranean ruins that was far below them. Ruby hopped down and began looking around the room that seemed to be an ancient dining room of some sort. Above them were two sets of chandeliers with blue crystals giving off illumination, with a third on the ground and broken. In the center of the room was a mummified corpse, a book sitting on the table next to it. Ruby picked up the book, finding it to be enchanted against the ravages of time, but still a little frayed and stiff. She flipped through a few pages before looking over at the body and noticing a key hanging from its side. Weiss hopped down as well and looked at the items her partner had just acquired.

"What's that?"

"I think it's a spellbook. Here." Ruby passed it over to her and Weiss leafed through a few pages.

"Yes, it definitely is, but what it's for is somewhat confusing." The heiress then looked around the room. "It seems the paths beyond this are blocked. Dead end."

"Maybe we should backtrack. I think I saw something." Ruby then walked over to the broken chandelier and circled it a few times while looking it over.

"My Thane, please be careful," Lydia warned her from her elevated position.

"It'll be okay, Lyd. Don't be such a worry-" The moment Ruby touched the flickering light source, a burst of energy erupted from it, sending her flying into the air with a shout. Her back hit a beam and then she dropped to the floor, her face hitting the stones near where Lydia was standing.

"Ouch," she groaned out.

"My Thane!" Lydia cried out as she kneeled to Ruby's side.

"I'm okay," Ruby waved her off as she picked herself up. "The explosion wasn't that bad, and I put my Aura up to max once I was airborne." She saw Weiss jumping up with her glyphs and smiled nervously. "My bad."

"Ruby, what were you thinking?" Weiss admonished her.

"I thought they might be something like Welkynd or Varla stones. Besides, don't tell me you wouldn't have tried to pick them up if I hadn't."

Weiss made to argue, but stopped herself. "Okay, you might be right there."

"Anyways, let's see if we missed anything." Ruby looked back and started backtracking, stopping about halfway through the flooded lowest parts of the tunnel when she saw another branching hallway. They walked through and saw more branching paths. Weiss quickly went to one dead end and searched the chest there for valuables after ensuring it was safe. Ruby looked down the other paths and started down the one that led to a large double-door. Trying to open it revealed that it was locked, but she took one look at the cast iron key in her hands before using it on the lock. The doors then swung open, revealing a chamber with two more of the crystal chandeliers and a Skyshard, brighter than the one from before, sitting between them at the far end.

"Jackpot!" she declared before jumping off the ledge and walking over to it. She paused when she saw some sort of face carved on the wall behind it. Weiss caught up with her and began to look it over as well.

"That looks exactly like the face of the Marker."

"Weird," Ruby muttered. "Well, I'ma touch it." She reached over and placed her hand on the Skyshard, and then it exploded and imploded just like the one in the sea had. Ruby felt its power sinking into her, and she had to shake her head a moment.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Just got a buttload of Aetherial energy pumped into me. Nothing too new." Weiss put a hand to her forehead at that.

"This stuff shouldn't be affecting me, yet…"

"Uh, something just appeared," Lydia told the two while pointing back at the tunnel they'd come from. Now in the doorway was a luminous sphere of energy. Both were reminded of the portals that had taken them to Sanguine's realm a couple of months ago, only this one was calm and light blue, whereas those had been chaotic and dark violet.

"Oh dear," Ruby muttered. She gulped and looked over at her friends. "Guess they…want to meet."

"I really don't want another god to be pulling us to their world," Weiss told her.

"It's okay. I'm…pretty sure they want us on Nirn." Ruby took in a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this." She walked up to the sphere cautiously, Weiss and Lydia right behind her. For a moment, everything went bright.

" _ **We are the voice of Aetherius. As Astetu we speak to you."**_

The kaleidoscopic crashing of sounds and colors all came together, until at last they could see, hear, and think correctly again. When they finally could, the image before them appeared to be that of planetary bodies, all circling around a luminescent being that was encircled by a ring of crystals. The three themselves were standing on one that was a green-blue color.

" _ **We seek your aid, Dragonborn, mortal though you be."**_

"What…"

" _ **Do not fear, Dragonborn,"**_ the featureless being said. _ **"You will not be harmed. We watch over your world from beyond the spheres. We are the Magne-Ge."**_

"I, uh, guessed that much," Ruby said as her eyes were caught by a rocky planet floating by. "What I don't know is what you want me to do."

" _ **From light, darkness. A force of destruction coalesced in our midst. Ilmaasi, Dark Archon, shattered the Anuic unity, sealing his own fate. But our voidal enemy scattered unto Nirn the seeds of its unmaking."**_

"Oh, so how do I help with that?"

" _ **You are Dragonborn. Warrior of the Voice, Bringer of Tears. No other mortal could stop Ilmaasi. Fallen though he be, Magne-Ge he still is."**_

"Okay, so you want me to stop the…Dark Archon." Ruby stuck her tongue out a moment at the title. "Not the most creative name."

" _ **Mortals are complex, chaotic, unpredictable. Magne-Ge are purity of mind, symmetry of purpose. As the brightest light, so the deepest shadow."**_

"Okay, that makes sense. But why don't you guys stop him?"

" _ **Mundus is your world, not ours. Only indirectly can we lend aid."**_

"Why do the bad guys always get to break the rules?" she muttered. "Okay, I'll do it. I can't stop one world-ender just to let another destroy everything."

" _ **Be strong. Be wise."**_

Everything seemed to pull away in every direction all at once, until at last things cleared away, leaving the three outside of the cave they had entered earlier. Lydia began gasping while clutching at her chest, while Weiss stumbled back and leaned against a boulder. Ruby looked at them both in concern.

"Hey! You guys okay?"

"I…think I forgot how to breathe," Lydia got out

"I couldn't figure out up from down," Weiss groaned. "And whenever that thing spoke I felt my organs all shaking and my ears were on the verge of rupturing."

"Was it really that bad?"

"Ruby, I think that between the Skyshards and dragon souls, you were the only one able to get through that unscathed. And I'm almost certain that Astetu had tuned it down for our sake." Weiss stood up and shook her head before straightening out her hair a little. "Okay, so, we know what they need now. It's both better and worse than I'd hoped. They just want to help us, but at the same time we need their help."

"Great, weight of the world all on my shoulders, again." Ruby let out a long sigh before looking towards the west. "I know I always wanted to be a hero, but I always thought about being a 'save the townsfolk' hero, not a 'save the whole world' hero."

"Sorry. Tell you what, if I can, I'll try to take one of these 'save the world' situations off your hands."

"You mean that?"

"Sure. I can't really kill a god or anything, but I can probably take on a powerful necromancer for you."

"I'll give you a call." Ruby looked back towards the setting sun and hummed. "Yeah, the guide changed again. I'm pretty sure it's aiming me at Seletar, back over in Haafingar."

"Oh for f-" A dragon's roar cut Weiss off and the three turned to see a blue dragon headed their way. "Gods' sake!"

The three drew their weapons, with Weiss readying a spell in her off-hand. Ruby laughed a little when the dragon came by, and the other two could sort of see why. It was small, perhaps about the length of Mirmulnir's head and neck. Still, they stood ready as it slowed itself and hovered.

" **Dovahkiin, Faadheyvtu brings you death!"**

"Better dovah have tried!" Ruby yelled as she readied herself for battle.

" **Niid! For none are likened to me! You shall soon see."**

"Bring it, pipsqueak!"

The dragon laughed then winged around before coming at them and taking a deep breath.

" **Fo Krah Diin!"** he Shouted, immediately coating the ground hit by his Shout with frost. The women dodged out of the way and Weiss unleashed a lightning bolt, only for the dragon to duck his head just right for it to miss. Ruby put Crescent Rose away and took out the bow she had begun using before launching arrows after him, only for most of those to miss as well. Lydia ducked behind a boulder to escape his fire breath and attempted to fire back, only for him to twist, smash the boulder with his tail, and knock it and Lydia away. Luckily, the rock took the worst of it and Lydia just rolled a little before getting back to her feet.

"He's really fast!" Ruby yelled when she tried throwing a fireball at him. Weiss had attempted several spells, but none of them could really land. She tried conjuring up a bound bow, but then the dragon turned to her with fire leaping from his mouth. The vampire screamed, but Ruby sped into her and took them both into her Semblance and out of the way of danger. Faadheyvtu quickly made what looked like a textbook Immelmann turn to Weiss, and prepared another breath, only for another roar to catch their attention.

A bronze blur smacked into Faadheyvtu's side, sending him down into the dirt where he left a trench behind him. Vulgahrotru then turned around and hovered in place as the smaller dragon picked himself up.

" **Gruth! Tahrovin! Hi krif fah Dovahkiin!"**

" **Niid, Zu'u krif fah hofkiini. Hi nos daar ko hofkiini. Bo nah gut! Graan uv oblaan!"**

"You tell 'em, Vulgahrotru!" Ruby cheered.

" **Ruth strun bah! Faadheyvtu fen kren hi!"**

Fiery breath leapt from the grounded dragon's mouth and met the countering Frost Breath of Vulgahrotru. After the clash of Shouts, Vulgahrotru swooped down and tried to catch the smaller dragon in his claws, but Faadheyvtu managed to slink out of the way before leaping up and taking wing as well. The two split and then crossed, Vulgahrotru reaching to grasp him as well as Shouting to block Faadheyvtu's own Shout.

"Uh, should we…do something?" Weiss asked as she watched the battle unfolding along with Ruby. The Dragonborn looked at her with a confused expression.

"No? I mean, this is their tinvaak."

"What?"

"Their… It's sort of like they're arguing, but also fighting." She looked back at the battle, just in time to see Vulgahrotru use Whirlwind Sprint to smash Faadheyvtu back into the ground. "It's hard to explain, but right now this is between the two of them."

Vulgarotru landed and roared at the fallen dragon as he picked himself back up. Faadheyvtu looked at him with rage as he recovered, then opened his mouth to Shout.

" **Gaan Lah Haas!"**

" **Feim!"** Vulgahrotru called out before the blast could hit him. Faadheyvtu's angry expression morphed into despair when he saw his last gambit pass through Vulgahrotru's ghostly form. As he rematerialized, the bronze dragon took in another breath.

" **Iiz Slen Nus!"** A blast of cold hit the smaller dragon, nearly freezing him solid. As he struggled to break loose, Vulgahrotru charged forward and slammed his rhino-like horn into him. The blue dragon let out a low whimper before Vulgahrotru caught his neck in his jaws and pressed a wing. Faadheyvtu struggled a moment longer before the larger dragon quickly twisted his head while pulling. A crack resounded, and the blue dragon went limp. Vulgahrotru let him go and then backed away from the corpse, watching as it began to combust. Wisps and tendrils of energy began to leave the dead dragon, and Ruby flinched, but they instead went to the victor of the battle.

"Huh. So that's what it looks like," Ruby said as she took in the sight of the soul being absorbed. Once the lights had died back down, Vulgahrotru looked over at the three humans and nodded his head.

" **Planning to use the road?"**

* * *

After asking for directions, Yang and the others came to the place known as Dayspring Canyon. Despite the name, it had many of the hallmark features of a valley as well as a canyon. One amazing sight they caught upon entering was that of a pair of glacial waterfalls pouring into a lake where some fishermen were working. As they walked towards it, they came across a young man in plain clothes with an axe with an axe at his side. He noticed the others and smiled at them.

"Oh, hey there!" he greeted them. "You here to join the Dawnguard, too?"

"Actually, I'm here on behalf of the Companions," Yang explained. The Nord then noticed the wolf armor and gasped. She couldn't help but smile at the joyful recognition that plastered his face. "I have a buddy or two here, though. Enjoying the view?"

"Huh?" he looked back up from her armor, a slight blush on his cheeks.

"The lake?"

"Oh, uh, yes. Never saw water that looked so pure. It's like something out of a dream."

"It is very pretty," M'rissi agreed. "She bets it is full of lots of delicious fishies!"

"I'm sure it is." Yang smiled then turned back to the Nord. "Well, we're headed up. You coming?"

"Uh, if you don't mind. Truth is, I'm a little nervous. Never done anything like this before." The look on the man's face clearly showed his inexperience. He reminded her of Jaune somewhat. Back when he first came to Beacon and before Pyrrha got to him.

"Well, come on then," Inigo indicated as the group started back. "The worst that will happen is they'll say no. Unless you are a vampire, then much worse could happen."

"Thank you," the young man said as he followed along with them. "The name's Agmaer. So, if you're with the Companions, who's your Khajiit friends?"

"My friends, who are Khajiit," Yang mirthfully replied. Agmaer looked embarrassed and began to awkwardly rub the back of his head.

"Sorry, uh, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that they're all-"

"Don't sweat it, Agmaer. I know what you mean." She smiled. "I'm Yang by the way. So, what're you joining up for?"

"Just...wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I know about the vampire threat rising up, and I wanted to help out."

As the group walked and talked while heading further into the canyon-valley, Fort Dawnguard came more and more into view. Past the second bend beyond the lake, they could see nearly the whole of it. It was a large stone castle, partially built into the nearby mountain, two stories high. Circular watchtowers lined the outer edges of the fortress, with one large tower in the castle center, overlooking the valley. Yang whistled at the sight, impressed at the design.

"That must be it. Fort Dawnguard…" Agmaer said in amazement. "Wow! Bigger than I expected."

"It's probably near the size of Dragonsreach, not counting those towers" Yang observed. "Looks well built, too. Wonder how old it is?"

"Stonework's different from normal," Blake added. "Looks like... Second Era, I think." Seeing Yang's expectant look, Blake sighed. "I picked up on it during my research. Found it interesting."

Soon they were going by groups of men and women in what seemed to be their uniform. There were a few people in regular, everyday clothes, but that group seemed split between general workers and refugees. A few armored soldiers, what she could only assume to be the actual Dawnguard, were currently tending to the refugees, providing food, drink, and clothes. A few Nords, Redguards, and Orcs were even teaching volunteers self-defense. The sight brought a faint smile to Yang's face.

"Well, well, seems you came after all," a deep voice said, catching Yang's attention.

"Hey, Durak. I'm guessing you're the reason I got sent here," she playfully accused the Orc.

"Just told Isran what I saw. He decided to ask for you specifically. Guess he was impressed. I know I was." Durak earnestly smiled.

Yang grinned at the praise. "Yeah, well, just doing my job. So, where's he at, anyways?"

"He'll be up in the fort. Just follow the path up to the main gate." He thrust his thumb over his shoulder at the large wooden gate in question, and Yang nodded.

"All right. You guys good?" she asked as she turned back to her companions.

"Sure," Blake said with a shrug. "I'd rather not get a recruiting pitch thrown at me. Just yell if you need me. I'll hear you." Yang nodded and walked away, Agmaer following her.

As Yang and Agmaer continued to walk up to the fort, she heard Durak talking to her partner. "Sure you don't want to join. I think we could use a few of you for night missions."

"Thanks, but no thanks. Got a lot on my plate at the moment. Maybe if I manage to get some things straightened out I can give you guys a hand, but not for free."

"Heh, mercenary type then? All right, I can understand where you're coming from."

 _'Well, they seem reasonable so far. Off to a good start, at least.'_ Yang thought to herself as she began to push open the hefty doors. Agmaer marveled at her strength, causing Yang to smirk in pride. Going inside, Yang saw two men, one a Nord in the robes of a Vigilant of Stendarr, the other a Redguard in Dawnguard uniform.

"Why are you here, Tolan?" the Redguard shot at the Nord, who had apparently only arrived a little before they had. "The Vigilants and I were finished with each other a long time ago."

"You know why I'm here," the Nord curtly replied. "The Vigilants are under attack everywhere. The vampires are much more dangerous than we believed."

"And now you want to come running to safety with the Dawnguard, is that it? I remember Carcette telling me repeatedly that Fort Dawnguard is a crumbling ruin, not worth the expense and manpower to repair. And now that you've stirred the vampires against you, you've come begging for my protection?"

"Isran, Carcette is dead," Tolan said lowly. "The Hall of the Vigilants… everyone… They're all dead. You were right, we were wrong. Isn't that enough for you?"

"Yes, well… I never wanted any of this to happen," Isran said in remorse. "I tried to warn all of you… I am sorry, you know." The man then looked past the Vigilant and saw Yang standing at the doorway. "So, you must be the one Durak spoke so highly of."

"Yep, that's me," Yang said as she walked in. Tolan seemed to look at her with a glint of hope while Isran nodded and rubbed his chin. "Yang Xiao Long. Kodlak got your letter about wanting to meet with me."

"Yes, I did. You were the one that got us the attention from the Companions, thanks to your work with Durak at Morthal. Good work there. You helped save countless lives."

"Would've done it with or without help, but help's much appreciated."

"It is, and help's what we're all going to need."

"Like with those guys?" Yang asked while indicating Tolan. "I went up and investigated the Hall's destruction. Got some expert opinions, too. They said these recent big attacks have been mostly done by the Volkihar clan, and I've gotten more evidence since then to corroborate the claim."

"Volkihar?" Tolan asked. "What difference does it make what kind of vampires are attacking?"

"A lot, if you had any idea," Isran said to him. "Court vampires, like in Morthal, are almost mundane. Volkihar are something else, especially the Vampire Lords. Last I heard, one attacked Whiterun, and then some werewolf came in and killed it. Likely territorial."

"My sister saw that," Yang admitted while trying to hide her knowing smirk. "She also killed a couple of the other vampires."

"Right, your sister. If I'm not mistaken, rumor has it she's the Dragonborn."

"Oh geez," Yang mumbled.

"Don't worry." He shook his head. "I didn't hear about that until after I asked you to come. You and your friends are getting famous, so don't be too surprised."

"I still don't understand this importance. A vampire is a vampire," Tolan declared, causing Isran to scoff. Before he could speak back up, Yang began to respond.

"I ran into another one of those Vampire Lords while searching near the Cyrodiil border. Trust me, there's a major difference in power." Yang nodded as she recalled the two monstrous beings. "It's a lot less like fighting an undead, and more like fighting a Daedra. Normal warriors won't cut it against them."

"Near the border? Bloodlet Throne?" At Yang's nod, Isran let out a huff of a laugh. "We can take that one off the list then. You certainly know your way around vampires."

"Learned from experience. It was do or die."

"The best teacher. Isran smiled and nodded. "Well then, if you don't mind giving us a hand, I have a task that needs doing, but I can't send anyone at the moment while we're getting the fort back into shape. Tolan was telling me about some cave the Vigilants were poking around in. Seemed to think it was related to the recent vampire attacks. Tolan, tell her about, what was it, Dimhollow?"

"Yes, that's it. Dimhollow Crypt. Brother Adalvald was sure it held some long-lost vampire artifact." He looked at Isran for a moment and then looked away in shame. "We didn't listen to him any more than we did Isran. He was at the Hall when it was attacked…"

"I see. So whatever the vampires want, we definitely don't want them to get." Yang nodded. "All right, I can check that out for you. Maybe beat the vampires to the punch."

"That would be ideal," Isran agreed. "If we're really lucky, they'll all still be there for you to take down. If you want, we've got some gear you can use." He pointed over to a crate with some supplies sitting on it, including a number of crossbows and quivers of bolts. "A crossbow will be perfect for taking them out at a distance. Of course, I know how good you are with your axes."

Yang walked over and picked one up, giving the loading mechanism a pull before looking it over. "Been a while since I used one of these, but it could come in handy."

"I'll meet you at Dimhollow," Tolan said as he began heading for the door. "It's the least I can do to avenge my fallen comrades."

"Tolan, I don't think that's a good idea," Isran objected , his voice sounding concerned. "You Vigilants were never trained for-"

"I know what you think of us!" Tolan accused as he spun around. "You think we're soft, that we're cowards! You think our deaths proved our weakness! Stendarr grant that you do not have to face the same test and be found wanting! I'm going to Dimhollow Crypt!" he directed back to Yang. "Perhaps I can be of some _small_ assistance to you."

Isran sighed as he continued on, then looked over to spot Agmaer watching everything unfold from a corner. As he started speaking to the new recruit-hopeful, Yang went over to the angered Vigilant.

"Whoa, buddy! Let's take a moment to breathe. You're not doing anyone good charging halfway across the country angry."

"Then what good can I possibly be, oh powerful vampire slayer?" the Nord mocked, which Yang took in stride. He was hurting, so she had to play this carefully.

"Hey, even I had help killing the vampires I faced. I probably wouldn't have come out of Bloodlet half as good as I did without half a dozen people beside me. Just take a breath and think it through." Tolan held his jaw firm for a moment before doing as she asked, taking in a breath through his nose and letting it go out his mouth.

"You're right, I suppose. Gods' Grace though, it's hard." He sighed, and Yang patted his shoulder.

"I can't imagine how hard it must be. I heard there were other bases for the Vigilants, but the one in Skyrim was the central one?"

"Yes, it was the base of all Vigilant operations." His eyes became misty. "Most of us spend our lives as nomads, traveling from one Hall to the other, or one of our forts or camps, in our endless war against evil. I think that all we have left in Skyrim now is Stendarr's Beacon, and it's only safe thanks to the distance. I wish I could say how many we numbered, but only a privileged few knew that, and they're dead now."

"Well, that's something at least. Maybe we can get you guys regathered at some point," she suggested, to which Tolan nodded. Yang smiled then continued. "Right now though, what info can you give me on this Dimhollow Crypt? Mostly, where the heck is it?"

""My pa's axe"!" Isran suddenly declared at Agmaer's introduction. "Stendarr preserve us!"

* * *

After sleeping through the night under the safety of a dragon's watch, Ruby, Lydia, and Weiss decided to head back to Kynesgrove before diving into Mzulft, mostly to try and get a bit of a better understanding about such places and wait a little for the Synod group to come by. Weiss was a little miffed at having to be in the same building as the drunken former knight, as well as the arrogant son of the proprietors, but Ruby was able to talk her down from it.

"You do have to admit, though, the thing about the Ogre hermit was kinda nice."

"Ruby, the Ogre fed him raw goat," Weiss complained.

"Which was probably a really nice thing from the Ogre's point of view, considering he didn't know the common language, and maybe didn't know what a Dunmer was. I think if we start from there we can pick up his spirits just a little."

"It's not his spirits that need picking up. Can we talk about something else? I'd prefer to ignore him for the rest of our time there."

"Okay, well, I think I understand the Magne-Ge book a little better."

"Oh Gods…"

"No, look. See, I copied it down into a word file, then erased all the extraneous stuff, like that whole thing about the 'Blackblock Under Her Hood', or replaced terms too confusing with something general, like 'stuff' or 'places'." She took out her scroll and opened up the file. "See, the first part is kinda easy, you just have to stop and let it sink in before going any further. Master Redshift sounds like the first being who was able to traverse all the untimes, for some reason. As long as you don't get stuck on 'persisted enough with fitness' you can tell what 'to map the in-between heavens' is supposed to be."

"Okay, that makes sense," Weiss admitted.

"Here, let me try this one. _Before the Breaking, Bare Bone was a Handmaiden of great Merid. Bare Bone's provinces were agriculture and the cultivation of the good soil. But then the Thermal-Talk came, bringing the War, its aftermath resulting in the taint of all Y. Bare Bone vanished just after the War ended, abandoning the surface worlds and going underground._

"Basically, Bare-Bone was kinda like Kynareth-Kyne or maybe like that Heartlander goddess that got taken to the Underworld. Thermal-Talk brought the war that messed up the Y Signs, and then Bare-Bone went underground. I'm still going through each one, but I'm pretty sure I can simplify them all to where they're much easier to understand."

"That was honestly much easier." Weiss stopped and tapped her chin in thought. "Now that I think about it, you should write it all out afterwards and see about having it canonized. You're technically a messianic figure to Nords, so they'll accept it at least."

"Oh…yeah, I am." Ruby looked uneasy, carefully looking around to see if anyone heard. No one did. "Um, I should probably be more careful about what I tell people, shouldn't I?"

"Ruby, you are, without a doubt, one of the most selfless, good-natured, kind-hearted people that I know. If this world could make a God out of an ambitious conqueror then I'm sure only good will come out of following your example."

"Well, if you think so." Ruby blushed with embarrassment from the praise.

The three left their mounts at the stable, though, once again, the stablehand was at a loss with what to do about Toggle. Luckily the one from before came to his rescue and they took the great boar around back where the inn had been throwing out their old food. As the girls headed into the Braidwood Inn, they saw a man in similar armor to Erevan standing before the Dunmer, who was sitting at a bench and leaned against a table.

"Knight-Commander, please!" the man begged. "I will do everything I can to exonerate you, but you must tell me what really happened that night!"

"Hiram, my boy," the drunk began, "have you ever wondered…"

"Yes, Knight-Commander?"

"Have you ever wondered how they coax the bees to make such delicious honey? This mead is rather delectable." And just like that, Weiss felt a vein in her temple throbbing. "You should stop being such a bore and try some. Inkeeper! Another round of mead for the Knight of Thorns!"

"I swear if he wasn't paying…" Ruby heard Kjeld mutter as he started filling a mug from the large keg.

"Knight-Commander, I know you do not wish to defy the Countess' decree, but you cannot sit here and perpetuate this injustice! You are an honorable knight, and the most gallant elf I have ever known."

Erevan looked away from the other knight and turned in his seat. "Leave me," he muttered. After a moment, he hummed, then began to sing, "~Oh there once was a lady as fair as an evening, in springtime in Old Stros M'kai~." The knight sighed, and then noticed Ruby and Weiss watching the debacle from the nearby corner.

"Sorry if the Knight-Commander has been a bother to you, strangers," he apologized.

"No, it's fine," Ruby brushed off. "He's not that bad."

"He's a bother to me!"

"Weiss!" Ruby whispered.

"I talked to him once, and then he solicits me on both of my visits to this place afterward. I didn't ask to hear about how he…" Weiss huffed and shook her head.

"Nevertheless, I assure you, the elf you see here is not the one I know. Erevan was a true knight, a paladin without peer."

"I'm sure he was. I've tried talking him out of his shell, and Weiss tried to bludgeon him out, but the way he talks about it we can both tell he really needs help to pick himself up." She looked over at the Dark Elf and saw him taking his new mug, but slower than normal, and not because of his drunkenness. "Maybe with you here he can make some real progress."

"Perhaps." The Breton sighed regretfully. "One can only hope. It would be a shame if he were forever known only as the Knight of Thorns, and not the White Rose of legend."

"Do you think you can prove his innocence about the Countess?" Weiss asked. Despite her feelings towards the drunkard, she still stung at the injustice of it all.

Hiram sighed at that. "It is unlikely I can do much of anything. Yet the Countess begged me to investigate this matter in secret, and to check on the Knight-Commander's well-being. It seems I will have dismal news to report on both fronts."

Suddenly, a man burst in from behind them and slammed the door, gaining all of the patrons' attention.

"Everyone, stay inside!" he yelled. "Those bloody knights are back again!"

"Huh?"

"Knights?" Hiram asked as he walked over. "What warrior sworn to service would do the townsfolk harm?"

"Pardon me, milord, I meant no offense. This group belongs to no Jarl or King. They're just a bunch of lowlifes calling themselves the Knights of the Eight. They go around from town to town trying to collect protection money." At that, Ruby and Weiss looked at each other, and then towards Lydia at the far side of the inn. "Meaning, if we don't pay, they're going to come back tonight and raid the village."

"What about the town guard? I saw a few patrols out when I entered."

"A handful of guards can't stand up to a couple dozen bandits, and the Jarl's men are stretched thin enough as it is."

"Wait, hold on," a High Elf sitting off to the side said. "What about that dragon what made a deal with the Jarl?"

"I'm afraid his stretch of land ends at the grove. Someone could probably go get him, but by the time we could, it would be too late, and the lowlifes will have slinked away."

"Then fortune favors this meeting. I am a member of the Order of the Rose, the personal guard of the Count of Cheydinhal. I will see to it that these brigands are brought to justice." Before anyone could say anything more, he was out the door running.

"Wait! Where are you-"

"Hold on!" Ruby objected as she charged after him. Weiss followed along with her and Lydia took off after them as well. Outside, two men and a woman in tattered leather armor were standing around, one of them looking down at a man by a cabbage-filled cart who now sported a bruised eye.

"Alright, citizens," one man addressed the small gathering crowd as he twirled a knife, "time to pay up! There's a lot of danger out there, and protection doesn't come cheap!"

"You know," the woman next to him began in a nasally voice, "just the other day I think I saw a group of rowdy bandits coming up the river. I can't be sure, but they were saying something about burning all your homes and raping all your women."

"Are you sure they were just bandits? Are you sure they weren't vampires too?"

"I think you're right! Some of them had fangs and such. Probably a whole clan of vampire bandits, coming to Kynesgrove to suck everyone's blood!"

"You heard the woman! Pay up unless you want to end up a bunch of homeless nightwalkers!"

"If you ruffians are through listing your demands, allow me to propose a counter offer," Hiram declared as he walked out from the crowd and grasped the hilt of his sword. He drew his steel blade and took a ready stance. "Remove your weapons and surrender yourselves to the guards, and I will refrain from removing your heads."

The lead man chuckled while sheathing his knife. "Looks like one of the bandits got here early. And do you know what the Knights of the Eight do to bandits?"

"Let's show him!" the woman said in excitement before pulling out an iron sword. The other man drew a scimitar while the leader backed up and readied a bow. As the woman came at the knight, only to have her strike blocked, Ruby dashed forward and brought up the Spear of Might, not having time to unfurl her scythe. The spear's blade parried a strike from the scimitar swinging Redguard, and put the bandit's attention square on her. As the archer readied an arrow, Weiss brought up a stone with a telekinetic pull and launched it at his face. The rock hit him, breaking his nose and eliciting a scream from the man. Ruby dodged away from a few expert swings from her opponent, then spun her spear around one of his strikes before jabbing up. The man shouted and backed away as the Fear enchantment took hold, then an ice spike hit his chest. Ruby looked back to see that it wasn't Weiss, but Dravynea that had fired the spell. She readied another, thinner spike, then launched it into the bandit's throat, felling him. The woman was quickly killed by Hiram, whose sword style was too much for the clumsy bandit to even hope to match, and then Roggi and Kjeld the Younger were both running at the dazed archer with their axes. He tried to fight them off, but before Lydia could even go to assist them, the two men had brought him down. The fight barely lasted more than a minute.

"Thank you for your assistance," Hiram aimed at Ruby as his stance relaxed. "Your skill in battle is praiseworthy. However, we are not alone," he said while indicating the folk who had joined in the defense. "As you can see the townsfolk are ready to defend Kynesgrove. They simply require someone to lead them. It is for that reason I risked taking on three bandits, knowing that mortals are inherently virtuous, and reinforcements would soon arrive."

"Something tells me if you knew a bit more about her you wouldn't have been worried," Roggi said to him as Ruby started flicking the spear to get off the blood, then took out a handkerchief to clean it.

"Even then, I would have believed in you all to stand for what's right."

"Maybe, but now we've got another problem," Ruby said as she put the Spear of Might to her back. "If these guys don't show up, their friends are going to come looking. I've fought outnumbered before, but I don't know how many they have with them."

"You're right, of course. We'll need to prepare. Luckily, I know how to prepare a village for imminent attack. But we'll need every able warrior we can get. Maybe this will be the spark that relights the fire in the Knight-Commander. At least, I hope so." Hiram said the last part with uncertainty.

Ruby looked towards the inn and hummed. "I'll try to convince him."

"Ruby…" Weiss sighed.

"He's in just as much danger as everyone else. If nothing else, we can get him to try out of self-preservation. Maybe that'll jog his memory."

"If you could do so, I would be eternally grateful. I fear my presence only serves to remind him of what he's lost."

"Anything you can tell us that might be able to help?"

"I'm not sure what could get him out of this pit, but I suppose I could tell you a little about what I know."

"Sure, anything works."

"Hearing it from an untainted source would be nice, for once," Weiss agreed.

"They called him the White Rose," the knight began wistfully. "In the order, there are those who have flawless technique, and those who simply get results. With the Knight-Commander, it was more than just his skill with the blade. It was the elegance with which he wielded it. Every movement was poetry, like a dance of swords. Not only that, but it carried over into everything he did. His clothes were spotless. His manners were pristine, and he spoke with a dictation that would make nobles sound like paupers. He was more than just our leader, and he was more than just a knight. He was immaculate. Divine."

"This the same Erevan we know?" Kjeld the Younger muttered over to Roggi.

"I'm afraid the events of that night may have destroyed him. Still, I can't help but hope the Knight-Commander I once knew is still in there." Hiram sighed then straightened himself. "Well, that's enough dilly-dallying. We need to get ready." With that, he went to get the townspeople organized while Ruby turned to look at her companions.

"Lydia, try to help Sir Hiram with whatever he needs."

"Your will be done." She started to go, but paused a moment to look at her Thane. "Ruby, just don't be hard on yourself if you can't convince him. You can't save everyone."

"It'll be okay, Lydia. We've got this." Ruby and Weiss walked into the inn, seeing Erevan still at his spot at the table.

"I don't think this will work," Weiss admitted.

"We have to try, Weiss. I don't understand how hard it hit him, but if we can get him out of his funk, we should."

"Ruby, you can't pick someone up if they won't even offer their hand."

"You can if you lift just right." They walked over to the former knight, who looked up from his mug and groaned.

"What is it now? What would you ask of the Knight of Thorns? Murder? Theft? Fornication? I'll have you know that I'm no ordinary scoundrel, but a master of all three."

Before Weiss could explode with anger, Ruby patted her shoulder and began.

"Erevan, I ask that you help us to save this village."

"Save," his words were interrupted by a deep hiccup, "the village? The Knight of Thorns does not save villages! You've clearly had too much to drink, and I clearly haven't had enough." He hiccupped again. "Why are you hoarding the liquor, soldier? As your superior officer I demand that you pour me another!"

"Damn it," Weiss muttered before shaking her head. "Would you stop feeling sorry for yourself and start acting like a knight?!"

At those words, Erevan went somber with a sigh. "Acting, yes. That's what the Steward said. It was all an act. What a jarring moment, to be told that everything you are was but a creation of your own imagination." Weiss' enraged expression then melted away, replaced by a horrified recognition. "What I am doing now is getting acquainted with that person. Getting to know the real me. This knight you speak of is a farce. Leave him be."

" _Once I realized I was capable of fighting, there was no longer a question of what I would do with my life. It was my duty."_

" _You're an heiress, not a Huntress. Stop this farce immediately and just accept it."_

Ruby looked saddened, but kept her gaze on the Dumer a moment longer. "Sir Hiram and I still believe in you." As the two began to leave, Erevan sat up straight in his seat.

"When I was a child, they said my bones were too brittle to be a knight. I was afflicted with an illness that left me a dry, wilted rose." The two turned back to him, but the former knight just stared straight ahead at the wall. "They said the only way I could survive was if I was perfect. If I could somehow manage to parry every blow. They were right. I am broken. And all it took was a single mistake."

Ruby's lip began to tremble, but Weiss put her hand on her shoulder and led her back out. Hiram was watching over the efforts of the townsfolk as they prepared themselves, but turned to them when he heard them step out and shut the door behind them.

"No luck, I see," he observed before sighing and brushing back some of his hair. "I am still hopeful that the Knight-Commander will join us, but for now, we need to prepare without him."

"Well, let's go over what we have planned," Weiss said as they stepped down the stairs. "Can we set up barricades along the main road?"

"We can, though they'll be the rudimentary sort. Only good for funneling the enemy."

"Does someone have a bunch of bear traps?" Ruby asked.

"We'll have to check, but I can't imagine no one will. A good idea. Every leg caught should be one less bandit to worry over."

For a short while, the three talked over defensive plans and how to set themselves up for when the bandits finally came, pointing out places for the builders and workers to prepare. A few guardsmen had been pulled from their patrols, thanks to Weiss' authority as a Thane, and were helping them get ready as well as lending their spare weapons to those that needed them.

"Dravynea," Hiram called over to the woman, "how goes the Alteration on those walls?"

"Kynesgrove has never had walls this strong before. It'll take a mammoth to topple them now."

"Good. Then at least we've limited them to two openings."

"That seems to be about all we can do for now," Hiram said to the other two. "Everything just needs some time."

"What about the Knight of Thorns?" they heard from the inn's porch. The three then turned around and saw Erevan standing there, looking the most sober the two girls had ever seen him. "Surely you can find some use for one who knows the mind of his enemy."

"Knight-Commander!" Hiram declared with joy. "I always believed that virtue would win out in the end!"

"You are mistaken. I am not who you think I am." The Dunmer walked down the stairs, grunting with each step. "It is possible I never was. Still, even a broken elf could be of some use. My fallen corpse could trip a bandit or two as they march upon this village."

"Of course, Knight-Commander," Hiram said with a smile. "You will have your place on the front lines, as always."

"Thank you, Hiram."

"All right, everyone, you have your orders." The knight turned towards the Huntresses. "As for you two, I suggest a little rest. We need all of our warriors well-rested and focused on the battle."

"You sure?" Ruby asked.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure everyone and everything is prepared."

"Go ahead and take whatever bed you want," Iddra called over to them. "I'll worry about money _after_ I make sure we're going to survive."

"We will, don't you guys worry." As Ruby headed up the stairs, Weiss looked over at Erevan.

"If you want, I know a potion for hangovers."

"That would be lovely, actually."

* * *

 _The Ilunibi Sixth House base was nearly cleared. He had fought past several undead abominations and Daedra to get here. He was tired, but he pressed forward into the next chamber, where one of the creatures he had learned was called an Ash Ghoul awaited him. The aberration's eyes and nose had been replaced by what appeared to be an elephantine trunk, looking as though it had been fused onto his skull through heat in some impossible manner. With his blade readied, he approached the creature, who turned his face towards him._

" _Ah, Lord Nerevar" Dagoth Gares said as he turned to him. "What would you ask of me? Would you hear of my Lord, Dagoth Ur? Or of the Sixth House, or of Sixth House servants?"_

 _He stopped in place, figuring the creature was confusing him for Nerevar, as Caius and the Blades were trying to paint him being the reincarnation of. He still thought they were idiots for thinking something like that could possibly work_ _, ignoring how he got to Morrowind to begin with_ _. Still, this was as good a chance as any to get some information for the Spymaster._

" _Very well," he said cautiously. "Who exactly is Dagoth Ur?"_

 _"Dagoth Ur is the Awakened Lord of the Sixth House, come to cast down false gods, drive foreigners from the land, and restore the ancient glory of Morrowind. He bids you come to Red Mountain. For the friendship and honor that once you shared, he would grant you counsel and power, if only you would pledge that friendship anew. The path to Red Mountain is long, and filled with danger, but if you are worthy, you will find there wisdom, a firm friend, and all the power you need to set the world aright."_

'So Dagoth Ur hopes to attract me to his service with promises of friendship and power. Rather tempting, but as much as I don't like being forced to work with that addict…' _He looked at the creature's disfigured face again._ 'I can think of worse things.'

" _What do mean by that, friendship?"_

 _"Lord Dagoth gives me these words to say to you, so you may give them thought. 'Once we were friends and brothers, Lord Nerevar, in peace and in war. Yet beneath Red Mountain, you struck me down as I guarded the treasure you bound me by oath to defend. But, remembering our old friendship, I would forgive you, and raise you high in my service.' My Lord Dagoth bids you come to Red Mountain. For the friendship and honor that once you shared, he would grant you counsel and power, if only you would pledge that friendship anew. I am not your Lord Dagoth, yet I, too, would say to you... Do you come with weapons to strike me down? Or would you put away your weapon, and join me in friendship?"_

'Again with this Nerevar stuff. Damn prophecy-following primitives!'

" _Maybe. But let me ask you, how exactly are you reviving the Sixth House? What are you all about?"_

 _"The Sixth House was not dead, but only sleeping. Now it wakes from its long dream, and with its Lord, Dagoth Ur, it comes forth to free Morrowind of foreign rulers and divine pretenders. When the land is swept clean of false friends and greedy thieves, the children of Veloth will build anew a garden of plenty in this blighted wasteland."_

" _So you'll drive out the Empire and take down the Tribunal?" He took a deep breath. "I will be honest, I don't like the Empire. I've only known of them for a short while, and it seems like little more than government ruled by greedy humans and elves, but frankly, the thought of a land ruled by unfettered Dunmer would probably be even worse." He drew his katana and stood at the ready. "And from your lot? I won't even let myself imagine it."_

 _He charged as the Ash Ghoul began casting a spell. He easily side-stepped the magic and swung his blade. The creature blocked with his arm, but the edge sliced deeply into him. A claw reached out to grasp him, covered in a magical aura, but he was able to jump back in time for it to miss. The claw came at him again, and he deflected the blows a few times before kicking the Ash Ghoul back. As the aberration picked itself up, he swung his blade, sending an arc of energy at the creature. Dagoth Gares cried out as it hit him, then the warrior concentrated magic in his own hand, a spell he had gotten help crafting that would disintegrate armor, lower agility, drain stamina, and confuse the target. It cost a good bit of magicka, but he only needed to land it once. The spell hit his foe and he charged again. This time, the Ash Ghoul could barely resist as the katana sliced deep into his abdomen, stopping just short of cleaving him in half. The agent took a deep breath and pulled his blade from the dying creature, glad to finally be done with this mission._

 _Dagoth Gares turned his face up at him and smiled, even as blood leaked from his mouth. A hand pointed up at him, and he felt something suddenly take hold._

" _Even as my Master wills, you shall come to him, in his flesh, and of his flesh." He felt his skin beginning to dry and blister. Just touching his face, he could already feel whatever curse the now dead creature placed on him taking hold._

" _No," he muttered throughgritting teeth and mounting horror. "No!"_

* * *

"Weiss, you okay?" Ruby's voice suddenly rang out, stirring Weiss from her fitful slumber.

The heiress slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I'm fine. Just another dream. This time…" Weiss took up her Dream Journal and began writing down the basics of what had transpired. "I'm almost certain of it now. This person I've been seeing through the eyes of is the Nerevarine."

"The who?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The Nerevarine, the reincarnation of the warrior-king Nerevar, one of the heroes who led the Chimer to Morrowind and led them during the wars with the Nords and the Dwemer," Weiss began to explain. "At his death, the Chimer turned into the Dunmer, and the Tribunal took power as living gods. The Nerevarine came up a few years before the Oblivion Crisis and stopped a being known as Dagoth Ur from using a copy of Numidium to take over the world. He did some other things, but they aren't as important."

"Oh, that's cool. Glad he stopped that guy then." Ruby hummed and nodded. "So Azura's sending you dreams of his memories? Experiences?"

"A little of column a, little of column b." Weiss put away the pen and her journal and waved a hand as she stood. "I get a few thoughts here and there, but I don't constantly hear his mind. I still haven't caught his name, but I'm certain he's from Remnant."

"Oh, so he's gone back by now, right?"

"Not…necessarily." Weiss began to brush her hair while thinking it over. "By historical account, and the dream I _just_ had, he was infected with Corprus. It's..." she shivered, remembering how it affected its victims, but pressed on, "... a disease, one that at the time was plaguing Vvardenfell. It had no cure, and it twisted the minds and bodies of the infected into Ash Ghouls, horrid and bloated monstrosities that lived in near endless agony and starvation. They attacked anything they came across, both out of insanity and hunger. At the same time, it made the infected immune to disease and halted aging, making them functionally immortal and prolonging their torment for eternity. That fate actually befell the last living Dwemer. He had emerged unscathed from the Dwemer's disappearance, only to get infected by Corprus and turn into a bloated ball that could only move around with mechanical assistance."

"Gods... It sounds like it turned them into zombies."

"Basically. However, the Nerevarine got a sort of cure, taking away all the negative effects, but leaving the disease immunity and permanently halting his aging. The cure made him functionally immortal, assuming he doesn't fall in combat, starve, or die of thirst. Last anyone heard, he had sailed to Akavir, and it's quite possible he's still over there, doing gods know what."

"Oh, I see. Wait, why do you know all that stuff?"

"After getting Azura's favor and the Star, Brelyna thought it imperative that I learn about other champions and things related to Azura." She hummed while pondering a moment before tying up her hair. "One strange thing was that apparently Azura has an immortal son, Alandro Sul, but not much is known about him as he went to the Ashlander's after the Battle of Red Mountain."

"Oh, I read about him!" Ruby declared. "Eh, sorta. It was in a book called the _Five Songs of King Wulfharth_. In the last part he fought Wulfharth and wounded him really badly, but then Wulfharth Shouted him blind. Don't know if it meant he used a blinding Shout or hit him with one in such a way to blind him." The Dragonborn shrugged at that, then looked out of their room. "Oh yeah, everyone's outside. All the defenses are up and Hiram's coming up with a watch schedule. Also, we sent a guy to find Vulgahrotru to let him know about the situation."

"Maybe if we're lucky the dragon will come and scare everyone off," Weiss mused as she pulled on her boots. Once she was ready, the two headed outside to see a system of barricades down both road entrances, set in such a way not to fully block off the attackers, but force them around and through narrow space. The leaves strewn about the wooden barriers hid the bear traps set beneath them, marked by blue painted sticks set by the villagers. Hiram saw them, and turned from where he was overseeing some guards instructing the citizens on some tactics.

"I trust you got a good rest," he said as they got closer. Weiss nodded.

"I hit REM so… I mean, I went deep enough to dream."

"Good enough," Ruby waved off. "How's the prep going?"

"As well as can be expected. The Knight-Commander insisted that he guard our rear flank. That leaves every available body to guard our front." The man smiled at the two of them. "I thank you again for convincing him to join the fight. I believe he asked to speak with you. You'll find him up there on the hillside." Ruby and Weiss followed his gesture and headed up the hill. It was one of the harder to defend angles, but they had set some barricades all the same. It would also, likely, be the hardest angle to attack from, but that just meant the bandits could try for it hoping to get the drop on the village. As they crested the hill, they saw Erevan, a buckler on his left wrist and an arming sword on his belt, looking off into the distance, seemingly both at ease yet attentive. The two walked up to him and he turned to them, his expression somber when he recognized them.

"I want to thank you, both of you," he began. "I was a fool. Part of me tried to convince myself I was protecting the Countess, but in truth, I was ashamed."

"What do you mean by that?" Weiss asked.

"When the White Rose became stained in blood, I became a fraud in the eyes of the people. And yet in the eyes of the Gods, I committed no crime. I could have remained unsullied; a Rose without Thorns. But instead, I chose to debase myself."

"But why?" Ruby got out.

"Perhaps I cared more about the title of being virtuous than the ideals themselves. When I was a child, they said that I had to be perfect if I wanted to become a knight. The person you see before you is far from perfect, but when it comes to my knighthood, I will do my best to prove them wrong." As Ruby tried to think of what to say, Weiss spoke up.

"You're finally acting like a knight. No," she corrected herself, "you are a knight. No one on this world can deny that now."

"Yes, whether they think us roses or thorns, we are in the end, knights of Cheydinhal." A bright smile appeared on the elf's face. "Huzzah, my friends! And-" Suddenly, he looked back and drew his sword, thinner than most, but not enough to be a rapier. "They're here!"

The girls looked past him and saw around a dozen bandits charging them, weapons at the ready, and in one thin Argonian's case, preparing spells. Ruby took out her scythe and Weiss pulled out Myrtenaster and the Sanguine Rose. With the staff she quickly conjured a Daedra, this time summoning a large Clannfear. The saurian Daedra charged forward, ramming into a woman before doing a sudden turn and batting her away with its tail, audibly breaking her back. Ruby zipped and braced herself as she sliced through a man. He screamed in pain, but Ruby had to go at the next one and cut up through his shield and his arm. The Nord shouted, then swung at her with his mace, which she ducked out of the way of before jabbing upwards into his chest with her end spiked end. As he fell, Ruby saw Erevan fighting a bandit who swung a hammer at him. The Dunmer knocked the bludgeon off course with his buckler then sliced through his throat. As the bandit fell, another took his place, only for Erevan to knock his weapon up and then stab forward. Before the Nord even realized he was killed, the knight spun back and held himself at the ready. A woman rushed past her dying comrade, who was finally beginning to fall, and swung her axe down with a battlecry, only for Erevan to smoothly sidestep out of the way while swinging his sword up and through her neck.

Ruby shook herself out of her small daze and went back to fighting. Weiss had come in, launching spells as she slashed and stabbed, but now the heiress was feeling self-conscious in regard to what the Dunmer Knight-Commander was doing compared to how she viewed him previously. When the last of the bandits fell to their combined efforts, the three turned to the ongoing commotion at Kynesgrove. They could hear the sounds of battle raging within the village walls, even from where they were. Without a wasted word, the three charged back down the hill and into the village. At the sight of the defenses filled with men and mer caught in bear traps, they also saw those who had gotten past and were attacking the people. The guardsmen, Hiram, and Lydia were holding them off well, but there were still many more bandits coming, and they were beginning to crowd up.

"Weiss, I've got an idea!" Ruby suddenly shouted as she ducked under an arrow.

"What's that?" Weiss asked, holding up a glyph to defend herself from several arrows at once.

"Double Thunder!"

The vampire took in a breath. "All right, light them up!" she said while preparing the spell. Ruby set Crescent Rose to her back as she went forward, readying Scattershock in both hands. When she got closer, she unleashed the pair of spells, hitting the crowded bandits like an electric machine gun. Several screamed in pain while others tried to power through, but the electricity was beginning to lance between them all and the ground.

" **Strun!"** she Shouted when her magicka ran out, missing for the first second, but then hitting them all when she redirected her aim, sending the power of lightning through them all for another. Several fell dead, but most of them were still standing, if in a great deal of pain.

"Everyone get clear!" Ruby screamed. The guards seemed hesitant, but Hiram repeated her words and they backed away from the barricades. The archers stalled a moment in wonder, and some of the people looked back in time to see Weiss with her hands raised to the sky, letting loose what appeared to be a red lightning bolt. The bolt went up in an arc, then came back down and crashed in the middle of the electrified bandits, creating an explosion of electricity and fire. What few bandits didn't suffer looked on in disbelief at the devastating spell's effects, but one Orc looked back at them with rage.

"You'll pay for that!" he screamed while slamming a nearby guard away with his hammer. Kjeld tried to get him with his axe, but the Orc caught his arm and then slammed him with a head-butt. As he raised his hammer to smash the innkeeper, Kjeld the Younger ran in to protect him.

"Father!"

A blade flickered out and the hammer's head was sent flying through the air, burying itself into the wooden wall of the Braidwood Inn. The Orc looked to his side and saw Erevan there, who had stepped back and readied himself. The Orc snorted and pulled out a crude, orichalcum greatsword from behind him. As he stared down the knight, the young man dragged his father away from the oncoming duel. With a shout, the Orc swung his massive blade around, but Erevan's buckler came up and knocked the blade over his head. The Orc quickly swung back, but this time his blade deflected the blow, driving the sword into the dirt before the buckler smashed into the Orc's face in a punching motion. Erevan's sword flitted up, and the Orc barely moved out of the way of it, a red line showing on his cheek. Ruby looked around at the awestruck crowd and made to move in, but Weiss' hand grabbed her shoulder.

"What-"

"He's already won."

The Orc seemed to hear her and snarled while Erevan slid into place and then locked his feet.

"I suppose there's no point in pretending otherwise," he said, a victorious smirk on his face.

"Shut up and die!" the Orc yelled as he began to swing his sword overhead. "You little-"

Erevan blade shot up, slicing behind both of the Orc's elbows, as the buckler went further and smacked up at his chin. In the same motion, his sword came back down and cut through the front of his left ankle, and the buckler went down, striking at his right knee. The Orc began to fall forward, but tried to hold himself up when he saw the tip of Erevan's blade poised to pierce his throat.

"I did you a disservice then. Forgive me." As the Orc failed to hold himself up, Erevan thrusted forward. The remaining bandits looked about themselves with fear as they realized the townsfolk now had them outnumbered and surrounded. They backed into each other, holding onto their weapons like lifelines. Some of them began looking for avenues of escape, but that ended when the wind swept over the crowd and the ground shook, and everyone was looking over to see a bronze and grey dragon, who set a man gently down onto the ground after having held him by his belt.

" **I heard that bandits were attacking something under my newly extended protection. Surely, none are so foolish?"**

The Knights of the Eight couldn't drop their weapons fast enough.

* * *

With the cleanup underway, and the remaining bandits enchained and headed to Windhelm's prison, the town felt a huge tension leaving them. Hiram walked up to Erevan and saluted him before giving him a short report.

"Knight-Commander, the town is safe and with nary a casualty."

"Yes, and the people have you to thank, Knight of the Rose. You do the Order proud."

The Breton shook his head at that. "The credit goes to you. As I have all my life, when faced with a decision, I needed only follow your example."

"No, Hiram. You are your own man, and as I am no longer a Knight of the Rose, that is true now more than ever." He shook his head and looked over towards the setting sun before looking back at the knight. "You have what you need. Give the Countess my regards."

"What will you do now, Knight-Commander?"

"I do not know." His gaze went over to Weiss, Ruby, and Lydia, who had just returned from talking with the dragon, Vulgahrotru. "Perhaps I will follow our new friends." At his suggestion, the girls paused. "Not every knight serves a court. Some simply serve the greater good." He turned towards them and held out his arms. "Well, what of it, young ladies? Will you take the Knight of Thorns as your squire? At least for a time?"

Ruby and Weiss looked at each and then over at Lydia. The housecarl seemed to think it over a moment, then made a single nod while gesturing to Ruby. The Dragonborn smiled and looked over at her partner, who smiled back.

"We would be honored to have you, Erevan."

* * *

 _ **Faad heyv tu -**_ _ **Warm Duty Hammer**_

 _ **Thuri, aarl mir fen wah aam! Dreh daar dovah hi uth? -**_ _ **My lord, your loyal servant will serve! (What) Can this dragon (do) for you?**_

 _ **Siiv hin Zeymah. Fun kolos nust. Mu lahvraan. -**_ _ **Find your brethren. Tell me where they (are). We gather.**_

 _ **Zu'u thaarn. Laan Dovahkiin -**_ _ **I obey. (I) ask (about) Dragonborn.**_

 _ **Dovahkiin fen al ko tiid. Bo, tovitaani -**_ _ **Dragonborn will be destroyed in time. Go, my searcher!**_

 _ **Thuri ni koraav tahrovin. Dovahkiin. Yah Nir Siiv!** (note - tahrovin can mean danger, instability, turbulence, treachery, or betrayal) **-**_ _ **My lord (does) not recognize (the) danger. Dragonborn. Seek Hunt Find!**_ **(Pathfinding Shout - original)**

 _ **Zu'u bo! -**_ _ **I fly/go!**_

 _ **Gruth Tahrovin! Hi krif fah Dovahkiin! -**_ _ **Betrayal! Treachery! You fight for Dovahkiin!**_

 _ **Niid, Zu'u krif fah hofkiini. Hi nos daar ko hofkiini. Bo nah gut! Graan uv oblaan! -**_ _ **No, I fight for my home. You attack those/that within my home. Fly fury far!** (Common phrase similar to 'Begone!') **Flee or die!**_

 _ **Ruth strun bah! Faadheyvtu fen kren hi! -**_ _ **Rage storm wrath!** (Common phrase expressing anger, hate, and frustration) **Faadheyvtu will break you!**_

 _ **Gaan Lah Haas -**_ _ **Stamina Magicka Health -**_ **Drain Vitality Shout**

 _ **Iiz Slen Nus -**_ _ **Ice Flesh Statue -**_ **Ice Form Shout**


	44. Gears of Magnus

"One day, Felix burst into my chamber. Instinct took over, and I reacted," Inigo told them with dipped ears and a deep frown. "His murder was my second last step on the road of dishonor. Trying to kill my Nord friend was the last. I…do not enjoy speaking about what happened after that."

"Who was your Nord buddy?" Yang asked, quite enthralled by Inigo's tale. M'rissi also seemed enraptured, while Blake listened in. Tolan seemed to be the only one uninterested in Inigo's story, and instead walked a little behind the group. Yang had convinced the Vigilant to stay with them for the detour and then go with her from there to Dimhollow.

"I must be completely honest, I never learned his actual name. Come to think of it, I never told him mine. Still, he treated me like I was a brother sometimes, and his last letter spoke kindly of me," Inigo mournfully sighed as he continued to describe his fallen friend. "He was a strong warrior, and very brave, but did not tend to think things through. Trusting, maybe to the point of being a little naïve and gullible. He had a knack for getting into places stealthily without even trying, but found it to be too easy sometimes."

"Was he good-looking?" Yang joked. The smile on Inigo's face showed that it successfully drew him out of his sadness.

"I am probably not a good judge of such things. All I can really tell you is that he had well-kept black hair and amber eyes."

"Like Blake?" M'rissi asked. The Faunus in question looked back at them, her ears pointed up in alarm.

"Huh, maybe a little, now that I think about it."

"That's kinda weird," Yang muttered just as they started coming up to Kynesgrove. The people were working on fixing up the place, clearing out broken and burnt wood and patching up houses. Kjeld the Younger was actually replacing a wood board on the outside of the inn while his father directed him, the older man's right arm in a sling. As they approached, Ruby seemingly popped out of nowhere wearing a leather apron and charged Yang. The sisters wrestled against each other for a moment, before both let up and laughed.

"I guess you missed me?" Yang said as they let each other go.

"Hm… Nope!" Ruby expressed with a pop. Before Yang could catch her and make her confess, Weiss came up with a small amount of soot on some older clothes, a hood covering her skin from the sun's punishment.

"Hello everyone. Glad you got up here. Do any of you happen to have any experience with Dwemer ruins?" After a moment of silence, the heiress sighed. "Very well. Learning experience for us all."

"What's this about a Dwemer ruin?" Blake asked, slightly interested.

"Weiss just got a call from her friends in college yesterday afternoon. They said the Synod researchers should have reached Mzulft, which Weiss needs to get to because of some mystical artifact."

"Ruby don't make it sound so…" Weiss sighed and rubbed her forehead. "No sense in beating around the bush then. A former…person turned magical energy orb told me that to avert some unspecified disaster I need a special staff, which I should be able to find in Mzulft." Everyone stared blankly at the heiress, and a look of realization slowly dawned on Yang's face.

"Oh. My. God, you are on a quest," Yang realized with a huge smirk appearing.

"What? No, it's… Who are you to judge?" Weiss accused, a blush appearing on her face. "You told us over your call that you're getting ready to go down into some ancient crypt looking for an even vaguer vampire artifact."

"Yeah, but that's a job. I was _hired_ to do that stuff. Tolan and… Where's Tolan?"

"The old Vigilant guy?" Ruby asked before thumbing towards the inn. "He went inside."

"Well…okay. Anyways, fulfilling requests as part of a job description is _way_ different from following the directions set by some random wizards and a sapient energy ball." Yang shook her head then placed a hand to her hip. "Anyways, after we get this staff, you mind coming with for the artifact? There's no telling what's down there, and having someone with… Well, I might need your help if there's special defenses."

"Special how?" Weiss seemed to realize what she meant and her eyebrows went up. "Oh. Right."

"She missed it," M'rissi objected. "What happened?"

"We'll tell you later, M'ri. Private stuff." Lydia then walked up from where Ruby and Weiss had come, with several malachite swords under her arm and a Dunmer in dark steel armor behind her.

"Oh guys, remember Erevan?"

"The guy that smelled like Uncle Qrow?"

"Yeah, him! He's with us now!"

"Huh, neat."

"Every time I hear about your uncle, I grow more and more wary," Weiss admitted with slight fear. "I'm going to go sell these swords. Let's all meet after supper."

* * *

"Okay, so our new knight buddy is on the down-low," Yang concluded. "That's cool."

"I'm beginning to think anyone with any amount of worldly experience is fine with benign vampires and werewolves," Weiss concurred. "Jarls, traveled mages, knights and warriors."

"Tolan probably wouldn't be okay with it, but there're a lot of reasons why he wouldn't." Yang nodded and then crossed her legs under her. "So, with him, that means the eight of us will be going to this Mzulft place. Anyone know what we can expect there?"

"The commonalities between Dwemer ruins tend to be their leftover machinery," Erevan explained. "I've heard the tales of their animunculi, machines that move around independently, like some sort of metal golems. Besides that, there are traps and the ancient steam engines to worry about. While Dwemer metal does not corrode, sometimes the stonework collapses, which can damage the machines within, causing even more hazards."

"Wait, if there's technology in the Dwemer ruins, why haven't people tried digging it up and figuring it out?" Blake asked.

"Dwemer "technology"," Weiss began with air quotes, "isn't technology as we know it. While they do have basic steam engines, most of what they made revolves around a sort of magic called Tonal Architecture. Yang, remember when you told us about rune enchanting?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's somewhat like that, from what I can understand. Only where runes are…well, runes, Tonal Architecture deals with sounds, almost like the theories of harmonics and cymatics. It's why their metals don't corrode. It's not the ingredients that make them that way, but what is basically magical music."

"Huh, weird," Ruby intoned as she began to think over how much power something like sounds could have. "Kind of reminds me of the Thu'um, now that I think about it."

"So we'll have to deal with music-powered steam bots down there?" Yang asked.

"There's also the matter of Falmer." At the mention of those, Ruby straightened up. Erevan simply continued. "From what I've heard, they tend to be within Skyrim's Dwemer ruins more often than not, likely because of the last war between the two races that was occurring before their sudden disappearance. Don't be surprised if we run into them down there."

"Ah, yes." Weiss rubbed her chin as she recalled those particular tidbits of history. "Ruby, you and Lydia fought them before, right?"

"Yeah. Evil, blind, uglier versions of Gobble with giant pet nightmare bugs." Ruby scowled at the memories of those abominations.

M'rissi went stiff at that. "H-how big are the bugs?"

"I don't know. Pig-sized?" Ruby waved her hand in a circle. She hadn't had much time to accurately measure out the giant insects from Hell.

"Pigs can be very, very big," she mumbled fearfully. "Like Toggle. Er, but Toggle is actually nice! Where is he, by the way?"

"Probably out back, eating all the inn's leftovers." Weiss scratched the back of her head as she thought of how the situation with her mount always seemed to turn out. "It seems everywhere we go he takes the place of a compost machine."

"He got mad when he figured out a fight happened and Weiss didn't let him out to battle." Ruby giggled at the memory of the great boar looking indignant and refusing to make eye contact with her best friend. "Weiss had to bribe him with a sweet roll."

"Gluttonous barbarian," Weiss muttered with no ire, but rather a ghost of a smile.

Inigo's head suddenly drooped before he let out a yawn. "It is getting late, and I am very tired. Perhaps I will call it a day."

"Yeah, we should all get some rest," Yang agreed, letting out a yawn almost as soon as the words left her mouth. A few others soon followed suit, and a faint chuckle was then heard across the room.

"Alright then, that's our cue to sleep. Inigo, you and Erevan get to bunk together," Ruby told the two men. "And maybe Tolan?"

"Frrrow! But M'rissi usually bunks with Inigo!" the Khajiit woman objected.

"M'rissi," Blake reprimanded her, "I told you, you can't share the same bed as him."

"But you shared the same bed with Yang!" she protested.

"That was different!"

"Was it, Blake?" Yang teased her. "Was it, really?"

Weiss and Ruby just watched on with amusement.

"It's much better when she does it to somebody else."

"Yeah. We'll step in if Blake gets too flustered, though." It seemed whatever words Erevan offered just escalated matters. "Hehe, funny."

"You two can be cruel sometimes," Lydia said plainly, though there was a smile on her face as well.

* * *

The stairs leading up the hill to Mzulft were worn with time. Some were buried, some had stone arches hanging over them, and some had been cracked and broken, with weeds and grass poking through. It was humbling in a way. Yet, when they reached the hill's peak, they gasped in wondrous awe at the sight of Mzulft's above ground section. It was the first time any of them had seen a Dwemer ruin, and it was certainly spectacular.

"So cool!" Ruby uttered in reverence. A quick look to one side had them all notice a sort of pedestal, which she quickly walked up to and upon. "What do you think this is?" she asked her friends.

"Possibly a lookout position," Weiss guessed. "Although, it doesn't look suitable for a guard station. Maybe something like a toll booth, or a place that a greeter stood?"

"Ooh, there is an entrance!" M'rissi pointed out a little further up the hill and to the opposite direction. The others looked over and saw a separate, smaller building from the rest of the structure further up and walked over toward it. Blake immediately began inspecting the door and probed at its lock. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she quickly noted the complexity.

"Like I expected. This has to have at least fourteen tumblers," Blake revealed as she began fishing out her lockpicking set. "Good thing the Guild had some Dwemer locks in the practice area."

"Wait, the Thieves Guild has a practice area?" Weiss asked, actually surprised.

"What, don't you have places to practice throwing spells?" Yang pointed out.

"That's not nearly the same thing."

"If I could have a bit of silence, please," Blake requested as she stood back up. "I don't think you guys realize just how many fourteen is when it comes to a lock, but it's a lot. A house lock normally has no more than five. And all of these are in mixed patterns and-" Blake's words were cut off as Ruby reached over and pushed on the handle, opening one of the doors. The Faunus stared at the girl and then the open door in absolute shock. "But… What?"

"I, uh, just was wondering if it was locked or not." Blake looked down at the handle and pushed at it, but found it to be stuck. "Yeah," Ruby said as she rubbed her neck. "It's locked but…the door was open?"

"How- What?"

"I think we just saw Thane Ruby's Birthsign at work," Lydia explained. "She was born in Frostfall, under the sign of The Tower. It's said that those born under The Tower can sometimes inexplicably get past even the best locks."

"Wait, you mean there are weird horoscope powers?" Yang asked as the group began to walk in. "On top of all the spells, enchantments, runes, Shouting, and apparently percussion music that shifts reality, people can have Zodiac powers? I swear, this place just keeps throwing curveballs at me." Blake was still looking at her lockpick and the door in disbelief, but M'rissi pushed her on inside.

"Well, well, look at all of this," Weiss indicated to the items scattered on shelves, mostly what looked to be bronze-colored junk and scraps. "Looks like this was some kind of above ground storage. And with the current price for Dwemer metal…"

"Feed the Schnee!" Yang breathed out while waving her fingers wantonly. Weiss ignored her, focusing intently on the deals she was soon to make.

Noticing a door leading to more shelves, M'rissi pulled out one of her own lockpicks and worked it with her tongue poking out the corner of her lips, opening it within a minute. "M'rissi found more goodies!"

Weiss instantly rushed to the newly opened room, and immediately felt ecstatic. "Actual, Dwemer made ingots!" she exclaimed while picking up one of the hunks of meric metal. "These don't even have to go through a smelter, and that immediately jumps the price up significantly! This one stack is worth at least a thousand septims!"

"Feeeeeed it!" Yang called out with a ghostly tone. Looking at another closed off area, Blake began to work its lock, but paused and gulped as she did. Her partner noticed and came over to where she was. "'Sup?"

"Uh, this lock has…sixteen tumblers," she explained.

"Geez, what's in here that they had to lock up so well?"

"No idea." She concentrated then pushed the first lever into place. "But it should be worth a lot."

"Ooh, gems and jewelry! Dwemer-made weapons! I can't believe how much of a treasure trove this turned out to be!" Weiss continued to exclaim in naked greed, with M'rissi helping her loot any and all containers they came across.

"How are you planning to carry all of this?" Ruby asked her partner, who paused in her looting. At the same time, Lydia paled and quietly began to walk away.

"Well, getting a cart shouldn't be too hard. And it's nothing Toggle or one of the horses can't haul."

"Just not my Choco. He's not made for hauling."

"Sure, sure. Toggle won't mind it at all. He's a tougher stock."

"He's a boar, Weiss."

Blake felt sweat dripping down her forehead, despite the cool air around her. The fifteenth was in, and she was on the last one. Her lockpick was on the brink, and snapping now could send her all the way back to the beginning, or worse. Her sensitive cat ears heard a small clink, then her tension wrench turned with almost no resistance. Cautiously, she turned it all the way around, until the lock was open. Smiling with pride swelling in her chest, she pushed open the gate…to see M'rissi on the other side.

"Wha- How did you-"

"She went through the side door," M'rissi pointed out, indicating a door to the side of the room she was in, where Blake saw Weiss rummaging through the Dwemer items. Blake looked around, walking through the two rooms, realizing the one M'rissi opened a few minutes ago led to the same place she had been heading to through another door. "This one had another, simpler lock. She got it pretty quickly."

"I just went through a sixteen lever tumbler lock, made out of a very heavy metal…" Blake quietly lamented, staring at her nearly broken lockpick with blank eyes.

"To that, I say, well done," Inigo congratulated her with a pat on the shoulder. Blake wanted to object, but then thought about what she _had_ accomplished and decided to take it in stride. She took in a breath through her nose and let out a sigh.

"At least if we really do need me to unlock something like that, we're golden."

"It's more like bronze, really," Yang said as held up one of the metal pieces. Inigo began to chuckle, but Erevan looked at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Oh my," Weiss said as she came into the room. Ruby came in while Yang looked past the group to see what had caught her attention. On a pedestal was a bright, blue, glass-like object, shaped vaguely like a half-circle. Weiss picked it up, and began turning it in her hands. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. It feels…well, magical. Do you have any ideas?"

"I'm afraid not, milady," the knight told her as he looked it over, doing his best not to look at Yang. "It doesn't seem to be malachite, nor the same substance that Soul Gems are made of."

"Strange. Well, I guess that's something to add to the list." She placed the strange object into her pack while Ruby's attention turned toward a large, one-sided battleaxe.

"Whoa! Check this out!" Ruby exclaimed while she picked up the weapon. "It's bigger than any of Yang's axes! Ooh, and it's enchanted with ice!"

After going through the storeroom a little longer, the group came out and then headed up the hill to the rest of the Dwemer structure. As they came closer, Ruby began to see that a few of the bronze-colored pipes had been broken, likely by falling rocks. One was even spewing out a cloud of steam that slowly dispersed as it rose. However, some of the pipes had what looked like patchwork repairs done to them, clashing against the uniform symmetry undamaged pipes showed. Yang then started sniffing, then walked over to the side. The others started to follow her, but stopped when she spotted something and froze.

"Dead body," she quietly announced to the others. "Mostly downwind. Didn't pick it up until now."

"I don't smell…" Weiss stopped her words as she took another sniff and then her nose scrunched up. "Never mind."

"Yeah, looks like he was burned to death," Yang concurred. "Don't know what did it. Let's be careful, guys."

The group pushed through the doors, but the first sight to hit their eyes was an alarming one. A paling man in blue mage robes was sitting down near a door further in, a pool of blood collected around him and a large gash across his abdomen. His hand was pressed tightly to the gaping wound, trying to hold his body together, but blood continued to seep out at an alarming rate. He looked up at the people as they came in, and Ruby rushed to his side, trying to heal him.

"Crystal…gone…" he got out while holding up a bloodied hand, a key in his grasp.

"Shh," Ruby urged him. "Save your strength. I'll try to heal you."

"Too late," he wheezed out before coughing a few times. Yang tried to help her sister heal the man, but her addition to the spell didn't seem to be having any effect. "Find…Paratus…in Oculory." The man suddenly gave out, his back and head hitting the wall behind him before he slipped over and fell, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The sisters ceased their spell and looked at their gathered friends. They all closed their eyes tightly for a moment then opened them.

"This spells a bad omen," Inigo said quietly while looking him over. He gently pried the key from his hand and wiped it clean with a bit of water from his canteen. "I just hope our luck holds up better than his.

"I wish we'd come up here sooner," Ruby lamented.

"There's nothing for it, Ruby," Weiss told her with a squeeze of her shoulder. "He was too far gone as it was with a wound like that. He'd have needed an expert healer to save him. It's likely the septic shock would have gotten him had blood loss not."

"Yeah," the Dragonborn solemnly agreed before looking around. With her focus torn away from the dead man, she noticed the large gears spinning within the floor, placed under huge pipes running along the wall. Inigo went forward and tried the key on the next set of doors, then opened them wide for everyone to go through. "Let's try to save the rest of this group then."

"M'rissi found a thing!" The Khajiit woman then offered said thing over to Blake. It was a leather-bound notebook, which Blake glanced through before passing over to Weiss, who in turn read it and then passed it to Ruby.

 _Attendant Gavros,_

 _The Council has become aware of the lack of progress in your group's efforts. They are particularly displeased to learn that your specifications for the focusing crystal were completely incorrect._

 _The entire Binder's Conclave has worked tirelessly, and the Council is quite sure this new crystal will suit your needs. You are herewith entrusted with delivering the crystal to the site, completing your work, and delivering a full report to the Council with all possible haste._

 _The Council trusts you will deliver the crystal to the Oculory personally, and that there will be no further complications._

 _-First Adjunct Oronrel_

"So this was Gavros." Ruby looked back at the man then forward into the ruin. "He needed to take a crystal to…Paratus in the Oculory."

Blake did a quick pat down of the man, but came up with nothing and shook her head. "Might be further in. He could have left it somewhere."

"Maybe the blue thing Weiss has?" M'rissi suggested.

"Unlikely," Erevan answered. "That storeroom was locked up, and the object was placed there seemingly in a spot made for it."

"Either way, we should go in." Ruby began to head deeper, but paused when she saw a steam-powered piston within one of the wall pipes just on the other side of the door. Just a little beyond, some dirt had fallen through the cracked ceiling and now featured a few plants growing within it, including a fern. Between the steam leaking out from vents and broken pipes and the seemingly unending light from the green flames that mimicked gaslights, the plants were well-nourished. "Huh, I feel like this would make a great metaphor." Ruby took out her scroll and snapped a picture of the spot before heading forward. The group looked around in appreciation of the Dwemer architecture as they continued, including at a pair of faces, likely crafted to resemble their creators. As Ruby made to head in-between them, Blake suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Hey! Wh-" Suddenly, dozens of spears shot out from the ceiling before her. Blake pointed down and forward, and everyone looked to see a conspicuous square stone. Ruby began to rub her neck and awkwardly grinned as Blake let her go again. "Right. Traps."

"Goodness, it feels like this happens every time," Weiss complained.

"Sorry. I keep forgetting they're a thing."

"Just be careful and step _over_ the square of death," Blake told her. One by one, each of the fellowship did so, coming up to another bend in the hall. Something was clacking out of time with the clinks and clangs of the ancient machinery, and a few looked to see a metallic spider-shaped machine coming towards them. Ruby was unsure what to think about it, then jumped out of the way as some sort of electric arc shot at her from its head.

"Whoa!"

"What the heck?!" Yang shouted as it turned to her and tried to grab her with its clamp arms. She kicked it like a football and sent it several feet back. The spider picked itself back up, but then was hit by a dwarven pot, denting it and breaking the pottery. It wobbled a moment, but went back on the offensive and started after them like a demented wind-up toy.

"Little guy doesn't give up!" Yang observed and she started to pull out her axe. Ruby suddenly had a thought and reached out with a telekinetic spell. The automaton was then up in the air, and the girl mentally threw it at a wall. Pieces broke off, including the gyro at the top and a couple of its legs. The machine then went still and began to leak oil and steam.

"Okay, so their bots really do still work," Ruby said as she poked at it then turned it over to see a gem inside. She reached in and pulled it out to find that it was a Lesser Soul Gem. "Huh, so they use these as batteries. Wait…"

"How long have these Dwemer been gone, again?" Yang asked.

"Four thousand years, give or take," Weiss answered.

"And that thing was still running?"

"I know! Even the best Atlesian tech would be lucky to last at most a century! And that's with constant maintenance. These things had none for over four millennia, and they still work like they were only made yesterday!" Weiss gushed excitedly, her mind swimming in an endless sea of curiosity.

"I don't even think this one was all that bad," Ruby said as she pocketed the gem. "That little bit of a ruin I went through at Shimmermist had an inactive… Was it a Centurion? Anyways, they have robots almost the size of Atlesian Paladins. This looks like some kind of worker droid."

"If it's a worker, why'd it attack?" Blake asked as she nudged a leg with her foot.

"Faulty security system? Haywire programming? I don't know. Let's keep going, and hope nothing too bad shows up."

They continued on, but it seemed like a switch was flipped somewhere. Several of the droids came down the hallway then immediately began snapping their clamps and firing short burst of lightning at the eight. Erevan zeroed in on one and struck forward, hitting right between two gears at a knee joint. The crippled droid tried to follow his movements, but was unable to turn sufficiently before his buckler slammed down on it, knocking it to the ground. Yang punched one away, then drew her axe and chopped down into another. She crushed and partially cut through it before yanking the axe back and knocking another out of its leap mid-air. Weiss summoned up a smaller Frost Atronach, which immediately began slamming its icy fists into one of its perceived enemies, which she added a bolt of lightning to. Blake, Inigo, and M'rissi seemed more focused on keeping out of reach of the machines until their allies could take care of them. Ruby, for her part, couldn't really draw Crescent Rose in such tight quarters and knew Dawnbreaker wouldn't be helpful against such an enemy (and possibly harmful with Weiss so close), so she concentrated her magicka into spells, first grasping two with telekinesis and smashing them together, but she found that technique to be too draining on the first try. She saw one looking to jump on Inigo, so she lifted a stone and sent it flying at the robot. The rock burst apart, but the droid was sent flying to the side with a dent in its chassis. As it got up, Ruby focused the Scattershock spell and set it loose on the construct. It was soon bombarded with electricity and something popped within it before it collapsed. With no more Dwemer machines coming after them, the group began to breathe a little easier and took a moment to rest.

"Okay, so those little boogers are kinda worrying in numbers," Yang observed as she wiped her brow.

"Yeah, that was kinda crazy," Ruby agreed as she began checking them to salvage the Soul Gems. Some had petties, some had lesser, some had commons, and some even had more than one gem. However, she also began to notice a sort of tank. Curious, she pulled one out and opened it, finding that it was the container for the machine's oil. "Oh, neat. I could use a couple quarts of oil."

"Fill 'er up," Yang quipped. Blake suddenly moved ahead, confusing the group, but then came right back.

"There's a couple more ahead, but I think we can avoid them if we time it right."

"How many's a couple this time?" Inigo asked. "Because last time it was definitely more than two."

"Four or five. Just be quiet and follow me."

The rest of the motley crew followed the Faunus and paused when they saw a handful of the automatons going around, carrying pieces of Dwemer metal and holding it up in places before their small electric tools began sparking, welding the pieces over holes or onto broken parts that needed reconnecting. Some held a piece of pipe in place as another arc welded, while others sealed up smaller holes. When their work was done, the spiders turned away and began heading towards a different tubing, where they jumped in and seemed to disappear.

"So they are for repairs," Ruby murmured while rubbing her chin. "That explains some of the patchwork."

"Okay, so we know what happened to the Dwemer," Yang concluded. "Robot uprising."

"Yang, don't be silly," her sister playfully admonished. They were on the move again now that the machines were clear of the area. In another chamber, Ruby noticed a door with suspicious holes in front of it on the floor, and then used the reach of her scythe to open it. When spears popped out, she couldn't help but smirk. Weiss looked down another hall, but then looked to where Ruby had headed down, only for both of them to find a dead end, a broken droid, and a vein of moonstone. They quickly backtracked and followed the others up the other way. Yang pushed open a set of double-doors past some of the 'droid tubes' and walked out into an area with no stone floors or carved walls, but rather a more natural looking cave tunnel.

"Huh, guess the place wasn't finished," Yang wondered.

"I don't know," Blake challenged. "Could have been on purpose. Like a park back home." A little further, she looked to her right and then placed her hands on her hips. "Or it's a mine." Ruby looked next to her and hummed.

"Moonstone. It's the most popular with Altmer and Bosmer. Maybe Dwemer used it in their special metal." Everyone stilled when a chittering sound was heard. Yang peeked past a corner and balked.

"Ruby, you said those chaurus got to the size of a pig? This thing looks like it could swallow pigs." The girl rushed over quietly and peeked to see a chaurus longer than she was tall, with a mouth big enough to fit her head in.

"Gods...that is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen..." Blake paled as she eyed the large insect. M'rissi whimpered while Inigo patted her shoulder.

"That is definitely bigger than the last one," Ruby noted before nodding to herself. "Everyone, be careful. These things have tough shells and sharp pincers. Try to overwhelm it and hit a chink near the head. Weiss, go ahead and bring out Frosty again."

"I'm certain that's not his name," the vampire muttered as she summoned the Frost Atronach. The chaurus seemed to hear the commotion, but Weiss had already sent out her summon to charge the beast. The giant insect tried to bite into the crystalline Atronach, and the others rushed out as the distraction succeeded. M'rissi tried to burn it while Weiss hit it with a stream of sparks. Ruby dashed up a scaffolding in a burst of rose petals and began focusing ice magic into her hands and fired it forward, focusing on the weave of Creeping Cold. The icy beam hit the bug in the torso and immediately began to spread over it. After a few seconds, most of it had frozen solid, M'rissi stopping her flames. Part of it began to crack, but then the Atronach slammed its head off in a hammer blow. Frozen green blood and chunks of chitin splatted against the stone ground, and the others sighed or smiled in relief.

"Whew, he should've chilled out!" Yang called up. Erevan looked at a post while Inigo laughed.

"Seems he got cold feet," the blue Khajiit said as he kicked a frozen piece.

"He did not need to give us the cold shoulder," M'rissi added. Erevan crouched down and began hugging his knees.

"Guys, you realize this probably means that there's-" Ruby stopped mid-sentence and looked down next to her feet to see a woman with a large puncture on her belly and part of her face affected by necrosis. She heard a gasp and looked down to see that the others had noticed another body, or part of one. It was a man who had been eaten from his bottom ribs down. Both of the corpses were wearing robes that matched Gavros'. "Oh no," she muttered.

"This isn't good," Yang sighed. "Weiss, how many of these researchers are there supposed to be?"

"I have no idea. They…weren't actually in official communication with us on it. We may…have been spying on them."

"You did not spy their numbers?" M'rissi asked.

"I wasn't the one spying. First Wizard Ervine was watching to make sure they didn't try to… I don't know, make off with some sort of ultimate weapon or something of that nature. She just let me know a Synod researcher entered the place."

"Well, hopefully something's left here." Yang looked at her little sister as she came down. "So, what's up with all the magic all of the sudden?"

"Eh, trying to get better so I can cast a special spell. Also, there's a lot of people around in cramped quarters and I don't want to hit any friendlies."

"What's the special spell?" Yang seemed genuinely curious.

"Something we found in the Magne-Ge temple ruin. Lydia said it translates to something like 'Rod of Power'. Here, let me try it!" Ruby focused the spell, her tongue sticking out and nearly touching the corner of her nose. She let it loose, and where the ball of light hit the ground, and a small column of light appeared with a crescent moon shape at its very top. Everyone else waited a moment, but nothing else seemed to happen.

"Uh, so what's it do?" the blonde asked.

"I really don't know. The book said something about using other spells with it, but I don't know any of them. I think they're in other volumes."

"Well, it is pretty to look at. If nothing else, cool Halloween decorations!"

"Hollow what?" Lydia asked.

"Special holiday on Remnant." Ruby then smiled brightly. "Especially since it happens on my birthday!"

The troupe picked up soon after laying the bodies to rest as well as they could, leaving behind small cairns made of loose rock and Dwemer metal. There was a rather well-done rock trap, but the group stopped in time and waited it out. Crawling amongst a cleanly picked mammoth skeleton was a handful of smaller chaurus, which were quickly killed by force of arms. Ruby was about to smash a couple of nests, but Weiss held her back from doing so and instead carefully extracted the eggs.

"Weiss?" Ruby's disgust was thinly veiled, but Weiss merely shook her head as she placed the eggs in glass jars.

"These can be used in a number of potions. Plus, there's this one group that's been studying live ant chaurus and their life cycle. They offered some money for giant charus eggs to see if they correlate."

"You are quite money-minded, Lady Weiss," Erevan observed.

"Well, I suppose I'm from a family of warrior-merchants. It's in my blood." Weiss paused. "Also, experiments are expensive."

"I can only imagine."

Just past the bones, they reentered the Dwemer ruins. After a short, uphill climb, they came across another pair of the animunculi tubes, one of which deposited something that appeared to be a ball. The ball then unfolded itself into a humanoid automaton on a set of semi-spherical wheels, one arm hosting a retractable blade, and the other a crossbow.

"Uh oh!" Yang said before having to dodge a bolt fired by the construct. Erevan immediately charged it from one side as Inigo flanked it. The knight's sword parried a strike from the machine, then Inigo swung into it with a shout. His ebony sword cut through the thinner portions of the robot, taking off the crossbow arm and severely denting the left axle. Yang then ran up and punched its head, decapitating it. A few faint sparks shot out before it crumpled to the ground, motionless.

"So this must be some kind of patrol or guard unit," Ruby marveled as she came up to the destroyed machine. Opening a section on the chest, she pulled out a Greater Soul Gem, this one aglow with energy. Yang picked up the severed arm, hoping to try out the crossbow it held, only to find that the device wasn't really usable at it was, with a dent and no visible trigger mechanism. She packed it away, hoping to maybe figure it out later, then took the bolts filling its shoulder mounted quiver. Pressing forward, the group came across three of the same sort, this time having to split up in the T-intersection they had reached. Yang, Erevan, and Lydia quickly closed with them to keep them from using their crossbows, then Ruby, Weiss, and Blake tried to get in behind them. Blake used her Daedric dagger to carve deep into one, while Weiss electrified another before Erevan struck a hydraulic with his buckler. Ruby happened to find herself in the perfect place to deploy her baby, and so brought out Crescent Rose and smashed the last of them.

After getting past a room with a sort of non-lethal pushing trap, Ruby spotted a familiar form lying down in a pool of blood. The others saw it as well, and walked up to it to see that it was a wrinkle-skinned, eyeless, sharp-eared creature.

" _That's_ a Falmer?" Weiss exclaimed, her face scrunched at the sight of the dead creature while Yang whistled.

"Wow! You weren't kidding when you said they were ugly." Yang then noticed a broken spider droid right next to it, dried blood on its clamps. "Oh, hey, looks like the two are fighting."

"I guess the defenses would see them as intruders, too." Weiss hummed and looked up the next incline. "It's not looking good for the researchers at this point, but we should try to find what we can. Even if none of them are left, we still need to get the staff."

"I'll look ahead real quick. M'rissi, follow me quietly. Inigo, I'll whistle."

"Right, my friend." As the two girls went forward, Inigo looked over to his comrades and smiled. "So, does anyone else think this place is an eyesore?"

"I actually kind of like it," Ruby admitted. "Although I could do without the evil, blind creatures and the murderous robots."

"Ruby, you do know why the Falmer are like this, right?" Weiss asked her partner.

"No, Weiss, I don't know. I don't know what makes someone act so cruel as to go out of their way to kill people to feed them to their bugs, and frankly I don't care to know."

"Perhaps if every other person you ran into wanted to kill or enslave you, you might." Ruby recoiled at that, visibly hurt, but then Weiss immediately covered her mouth in shame. "No, Ruby, I didn't- I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

"Weiss, dude…" Yang muttered in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's just…" Weiss sighed and rubbed her head while Ruby looked at the heiress, awaiting an explanation. "This isn't a black and white issue like you'd think. The Falmer were driven from their homelands by the Nords' ancestors long ago, and the survivors fled to the Dwemer."

"Oh, I remember Vilkas and Farkas telling me about that," the blonde realized. "That was way back before even the first Empire."

"How does that explain why they kill people and feed them to their bugs?" Ruby asked, confused about the direction the talk had gone. Weiss sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know why, but the Dwemer poisoned the Falmer in exchange for a safe haven, rendering them blind, then made slaves out of them," Weiss continued, wincing when she thought of how few steps there were to reaching a point like that in other places. Ruby looked taken aback at the declaration while Yang's jaw hung loose. "Whatever the Dwemer did, they... destroyed the Falmer's minds, turning them into what they are today. They've only recently begun to heal from the damage the Dwemer inflicted upon them. They are the victims of exploitation, and I can only guess at the bitterness their broken minds must feel. It's possible that it may only be a few generations from when the Falmer were first enslaved, and while I know it doesn't excuse what the Falmer today may do, there's more to it than them just 'being evil'."

Ruby seemed to hang her head at that. Biting her lip, Weiss stepped forward and embraced the younger girl.

"I didn't…mean to be…"

"It's okay. You didn't know," Weiss comforted her.

Inigo's ears went up, and he looked in the direction Blake and M'rissi had gone. "The coast is clear. We should move ahead." As he went, Yang looked back to her sister and teammate. Erevan and Lydia looked to her, as though for guidance, and then the other two separated.

"Come on. Let's go and get out of this dreary place."

"After you, ladies," the knight offered with a bow. Moving along with the others, they all began to incidentally follow a trail of carnage, with slain Falmer and broken animunculi chassis littering the halls. Occasionally a straggler from one side or the other would be found, but the fellowship was able to quickly put the offending party down. However, more and more were turning out to be Falmer, and soon they were running into two at a time.

"I think we've stumbled upon a warzone," Erevan stated as they passed another destroyed robot and a dead Falmer pock-marked with stab wounds. "The Falmer may be trying to claim the ruins as theirs, but the animunculi are holding them back."

"If my theory is right, it's not really a battle they can win," Weiss explained, "just an eternal struggle they can stay on top of."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The spider droids are workers. We've seen them repair the pipes and doors. I wouldn't put it past this place to have an area that broken droids can be taken to for automatic repairs. As long as one spider is left to pick up the pieces and enough spare parts are lying around, this place can always get back up and running." Weiss paused and looked around. "Gods, what Atlas would give to have access to this place!"

"Try every single kingdom on Remnant," Yang corrected, and they all nodded in agreement.

The group then came into a more open room. Three archers and two armored warriors turned in their direction, then began to attack. Ruby and Blake dashed past the fighters and into the archers. Working in tandem, Erevan and Weiss made short work of one warrior, both slipping their blades around his shield at an opportune moment. Lydia bashed one back as he tried to block, then Inigo stabbed straight through his chitin shield and into his neck. M'rissi launched a fireball, then quickly followed it up with a shot from the Blackbow, both hitting the remaining archer, the arrow hitting as he was launched backwards.

"Looks like a prison," Blake said as she cleaned her blade off. Around them were four large cells, each with a barred gate on them and a bench inside. Ruby started to imagine what being in a Dwemer prison might have been like, then realized that she didn't know much about being imprisoned at all. She planned on keeping it that way.

"Do prison cells sometimes have giant holes in the back?" M'rissi asked.

"To my knowledge, no. Sometimes, very small holes," Inigo answered as everyone came over and saw the hole that had been busted through the thick stone walls, which were nearly a foot thick from the looks of things.

"Shortcut!" Yang declared and started heading down.

"I highly doubt it's a shortcut," Weiss objected, despite following her. "More likely this will lead straight to more Falmer."

"And they definitely busted down more than one wall. Besides, I didn't see any other way to go. Did you?"

Weiss tried to think back, but she couldn't recall another path. As they went, the group came across a hut made of chitinous material. Weiss quickly looted it of valuables, including a few more chaurus eggs. Through another tunnel, curiously lined with planks of wood in some places, they came upon what looked like an encampment. The first Falmer to detect them made a cry and raised one hand in their direction. Sparks flew from his fingertips, but were stopped by a ward with a glyph mixed in. Ruby sped around him and brought her scythe to bear on a small chaurus' neck, then the entire place broke into melee. Ruby paused at the sight of one of the Falmer, who summoned a nearly amorphous Bound Blade and had hair tied into braids. From the shape, she could tell that it was a female. Mind a whirl, Ruby prepared to launch a Scattershock volley at the Falmer witch, but she seemed to hear her spell and charged her with the ghostly sword. Ruby unleashed the Scattershock into her, but had to let the spell go after five orbs crashed into her to dodge an overhead strike. Ruby then spun her scythe around and brought it up, stabbing up through the female's chest. A moment later, the battle was ended, and the group was moving forward. This time, the tunnel brought them back to stone walls and floors.

"Told you guys it was a shortcut," Yang said.

"It also lead to a bunch of Falmer," Weiss countered. At the sight of a door, she attempted to open it, only to find that it was locked. Blake prodded at the lock, then looked over to Ruby.

"You know what, I'll let you handle this one."

"Uh, what's up?" the younger girl asked as she came over.

"Another sixteen tumblers, that's what. I'd rather not go through all of that again."

"Uh, okay." Ruby pushed against the door, but it remained in place. The handle barely budged one way or the other no matter how much she tried. "I…don't really know how my Zodiac powers work."

Blake sighed and began working the lock. Ruby watched with interest and then squatted next to her to get a better look at what she was doing. "So…how does it work?"

Blake looked at her for a moment, then went back to her task. "Well, different ones work differently. This one actually has spring drivers and key pins. Each key pin is a certain length, so when a key is inserted it pushes them up to match with the sheer line, which lets you turn the lock." As Blake explained the functions of locks and how to feel out a lock with the hook of a lockpick and a tension wrench, Ruby readily absorbed the information like a sponge before Blake handed the tools to the younger girl and guided her along. As they did so, the others began to look around. M'rissi backtracked a little and started looking into a window. Yang and Inigo went forward with Erevan watching their backs to see that the hallway leading from their current position was lined with boilers, fans, and vents. Weiss simply waited patiently while looking over some old Dwemer pottery.

Ruby gasped when she felt the tension wrench turn without resistance, and Blake smiled. It may have cost her five lockpicks, but the look of accomplishment on Ruby's face was more than worth it.

"Got it!" she announced as they stood up. Blake then pushed open the door and her eyes went wide. It seemed like it may have once been an average room, with a stone bed, a stone table, and a single stone chair, but on the bed was a fleshless skeleton with a book clutched to its chest. The two walked in as the others came to see their success, but nearly jumped when they saw M'rissi standing on the other side of the window.

"What…?" Blake began.

"She was looking in the room the whole time." The girl smiled, but then pointed towards the table. "There is a key there. Maybe it is important." Blake followed her hand and saw a key of Dwemer make sitting next to a container that Ruby was already going through. She picked it up and realized that it may have matched the very room we were in.

"Looks like he locked himself in."

"She," Ruby pointed out as she walked over to the skeleton. "See the way the rib cage is shaped? And the pelvis's pubic arch is more u-shaped with a more than one-hundred degree angle." She then turned the skull a little. "The jaws is also narrow, and the temporal bone is smoother than most humans. Likely an elf."

"Could it be a Dwemer?" Blake asked in interest as Weiss came into the room..

"Not likely. This place is humid, so bones would decay quicker. Couldn't be more than fifty years old, but has to be pretty old for everything else to go first." She poked at a rib, which made a crackling sound that caused her to wince. "It's maybe less than ten years from disappearing completely. This book though," she gently took the book from the skeleton's hand, but some of the fingers came apart anyway. "Yeah, enchanted against decay. Still, it'd be gone after a millennium or two. _The Lunar Lorkhan_."

"I'm surprised you know all this forensic stuff."

"I had to catch up on my non-combat subjects, but I ended up reading ahead of the syllabus on crime scene investigations. It was kinda cool though."

"Well, let's move on," Weiss suggested. "We can't really move these without just damaging them anyways." As the girls caught up with the others, M'rissi looked back at the room.

"She wonders what happened."

"Might have been hiding from the Falmer and locked herself in. Could have died from any number of reasons, like poison or starving." Ruby shrugged. "It's kinda sad to think about, but I guess that just means you should never go alone into some ancient ruins or tomb without backup." She suddenly stopped and looked at everyone intensely. "Remember that! Never go alone!"

"Yeah, sure," Yang agreed before reaching over and rubbing her head, causing the team leader to cry out and duck from under her grip. Inigo then waved to grab Blake's attention to another door.

"Geez, remind me to put you through the ringer so that I'm not the only one doing this," she said before pausing and taking out the key she'd just pilfered.

"I would, but my memory is not the best. Also, I don't want to." Inigo's statement was punctuated with a smile, and she shook her head.

Blake unlocked the door and opened it, but a small chaurus was within and turned towards her, chittering angrily once its beady eyes locked onto her form. It shot out a spray of poison, which she dodged with a shadow clone, but then the spray landed near Yang's feet. Seeing the bug, the brawler leaped forward and stamped down on its head, causing a green splat to form around it. It twitched a moment, but Yang stamped down again, destroying its head and sealing its fate.

"Bleh! Gross!" she complained as she tried to scrape the ichor off of her boot.

"Ooh, a helmet!" M'rissi exclaimed as she picked up such an armor piece from a table. Yang walked over to an odd pile of dust and began grinding her boot into it while Weiss and M'rissi picked through the contents of the room.

"How did that thing even get in here?" Weiss wondered, to which Erevan pointed out a small hole in the wall next to the stone bed. "Oh."

There were a few more rooms, each one seemingly being a living place for the Dwemer that called the place home long ago. The group then emerged into a chamber full of boilers and with a sort of cistern that was extremely drained, but slowly being filled. A number of Falmer noticed their arrival and went to challenge them, but then something one of them called out made them all back off before the fighting began. The group watched as the creatures retreated with some hesitance.

"Uh, what happened?" Yang asked.

"Self-preservation, I'd assume," Weiss answered. "We've been able to get through their forces…well, I would say easily, but we haven't had any casualties on our side. If word got back to them, or even if they just realized what us being here means, they'd be right to be afraid."

"Good, let's hope it stays that way," Blake said as they started back on the path. They went toward the other door, rather than the one all the Falmer had gone down, but opening it just revealed a massive chaurus nearly the size of Toggle being fed some mushrooms by a smallish Falmer. The Falmer turned its head up in surprise, but the chaurus was too focused on its meal. Blake immediately shut the door and counted to ten.

"Okay, I'm really glad I used the restroom before we got here," Inigo said as he began to slowly walk away.

"Uh, I'm fairly certain it was a dead end anyways," Weiss agreed. Almost as though she was unperturbed, Ruby went forward to check, but was dragged back by her sister and housecarl.

"She's right," Lydia said plainly. "It was an enclosed room."

"But should we really leave them there?"

"It's not gonna hurt, Ruby," Yang argued. "We're here to get the magic McGuffin and get out so Weiss can… What is it supposed to do again?"

"All I know is that the Augur said "To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff." I don't know if that means literally or if it's some sort of metaphor. Probably a metaphor."

As they entered a more broken down hallway, the group had to duck out of the way or shield themselves from incoming arrows. A few clanked against Lydia's shield and bounced off of Weiss' ward as they all took cover. Ruby looked past her cover to see a dozen or so Falmer all firing down the hall. Groaning, she took out her own bow as her fellows did the same or similar things, like Weiss summoning a bound bow and Yang thinking a moment before pulling out her new Dawnguard crossbow with a grin.

"Been meaning to try this out." The blonde looked over her cover and took aim, firing at the cluster of demi-elves. The bolt missed, but seemed to alarm the Falmer enough to make them pause in their assault. M'rissi and Blake then took aim with their own bows from either side of a pillar while Inigo rolled out from his. One Falmer went up in flames while another stumbled back as a stream of energy flowed from him to M'rissi. A black arrow then shot through the skull of the one seemingly in charge of the archers. Ruby shot one in the arm, then Yang fired again, hitting the same one M'rissi had injured, knocking him back and into the wall behind them. The Falmer then began retreating again while yelling in their throat-scratching language.

"You know, I kinda feel bad about doing this," Ruby said as she slowly came out from her cover.

"I know what you mean." Yang put the safety back on her crossbow and holstered it. "I feel like an invading force right now. What happens if we push into their home where their kids are at and stuff?"

"I…have no idea," Weiss admitted. "I don't want to just kill them all when they're defending themselves, but we can't just let them kill us."

"It's a hard decision, but one you have to make," Erevan agreed. "If they're in the way of the staff, and you need the staff to prevent a greater disaster, what are you willing to do to get to it?"

"Maybe we could scare them?" Blake suggested. "Cause some explosions, loud noises. SDC guards used to use things like that to keep some Faunus with sensitive hearing at bay. And I know some fear-inducing spells that should make them turn tail with a little encouragement."

As they talked about how to tactically get around the Falmer obstacle, they soon came upon a large, open chamber where a number of chitin huts were set up. Several Falmer ran while others seemed to be acting as rearguard. The eight, once again, took cover. This time the group only laid down suppressing fire, trying to scare the Falmer away more than anything. The demi-elves were certainly more numerous here, but they could see that there were far more than fighters in the ranks. Several were too small to be adults, and a lot more had done up hair and feminine shapes. These were among the retreating mass that the fighters were seemingly defending, putting themselves between the non-combatants and Team RWBY and their allies.

"Wow, I really feel like a piece of crap," Yang groaned as she threw a fireball halfway between them. The loud explosion caught the Falmers' attention and definitely was frightening them. Blake tossed red bolts of Fear at them, but they seemed to be resisting the spell. One of them, however, suddenly ran over to a chitin fence and opened a gate, bringing out a number of dog-sized chaurus, which he then directed towards the attackers.

"We've got bugs coming!" Ruby warned the group as she fired one more arrow before putting her bow away. Drawing Crescent Rose, she sped up a number of stairs to attract several of the insects to her. Erevan and Lydia came out of cover to engage some of the chaurus directly, depending on Weiss and M'rissi to defend them with wards as they did. After Ruby sliced her third chaurus in half, a female Falmer seemed to notice her and began casting frost spells in her direction. Ruby dodged out of the way of a rolling vortex of ice and wind and then spun her scythe to knock a series of ice spikes away. The Falmer seemed to hear her attacks failing and snarled as she summoned a bound blade in one hand and charged the girl. Ruby blocked the powerful slash and tried to return it, only for her scythe's blade to be halted by a strong ward spell. She backed out of the way of another slice and readied herself as the spellsword pressed the attack. The Falmer was furiously trying to overtake her, and for a moment Ruby was planning to simply kill it and move on, but then noticed something from the corner of her eye. She pushed back against a deadlock and then burst away with her Semblance, leaving the Falmer confused for a long moment that she could have easily taken advantage of. Over at the tunnel they were retreating down, she saw a knee-high Falmer crying out as one of the archers pulled him along. The mage yelled back at them, then refocused on Ruby. Feeling a lump form in her throat, Ruby went back to fighting against the Falmer, but stayed light on her feet as she guided her away from where they were towards the ledge. She then dashed around the Falmer, earning a nick in her armor for the effort, but took in a deep breath.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** " she Shouted, concentrating the force within to send her target forward a distance, but not very fast. The Falmer screamed as she went airborne, then landed against one of the archers, who stumbled as he caught her.

"Just leave already!" Ruby yelled as she sheathed Crescent Rose and began focusing magicka into her hands. Working with the weave of an Ice Shiv spell, she formed the shape slightly differently and then set one loose. The spike of ice gave out a high-pitched whistle as it sped through the air, and the next one was even higher. Her third made a sound so piercing that even she felt the need to cover her ears. She began sending out several just like that one, all crashing harmlessly around the Falmer. They screamed and covered their ears as they ran, the ones trying their best to resist and fight on going wobbly armed as they felt the pain ripping at their eardrums. Some of them began running into walls and each other, and soon the last of them had gone into the tunnel. Ruby stopped casting the spell and her friends came out from the cover, all glad that the battle was over.

"Good job, Rubes!" Yang congratulated her sister as they walked up to her.

"What?" the Dragonborn yelled. Yang stopped and blinked a moment.

"Ruby, you didn't deafen yourself, I hope!" Weiss yelled at her.

"Maybe," she responded, loudly but conversationally, while rubbing at her ears. "Those things were kind of loud. Kinda made them up on the spot."

"You crafted a spell of your own make while in the middle of combat?" Weiss asked in wonder.

"What?"

"Nevermind," she said loudly before a thought appeared. "Try healing yourself."

"Weiss, how could you?!" Ruby yelled with a look of hurt on her face.

"What? No, I said _heal_ yourself!"

"Oh!" Ruby then concentrated on a self-healing spell. "I thought you said something…well, very mean. Oh, it's working! I'm hearing much better now!"

"That's a relief."

"Crap!" Blake suddenly yelled after looking at a large set of doors.

"Something wrong?" Yang asked, looking at her partner in concern.

"This lock… It's a fully custom unique lock. It has a hybrid construction with a warded part, and, from what I'm able to see with my mirror, there's a pin and a lever… Basically, it's so completely different I couldn't hope to get it with any amount of picks or skeleton keys. I'm gonna need the original one or a very good copy."

"I could try to break it down," Ruby offered.

"You might as well break down the walls," Weiss told her. "This might not even be the way. There's a hall in that direction." Ruby looked where she was pointing to see another hall connected to the chamber.

"Huh, okay. Well, we…" the girl looked around, noting the position they were in. "Crap, if we leave here and it's a dead end, the Falmer might come back or something. Okay. Lydia, Erevan, do you guys think you can watch that tunnel and make sure they don't come back? If they do, come get us immediately.

"Yes, my Thane."

"I will do so."

"Okay. And we need someone to watch out if that other guy brings the giant chaurus. Inigo, M'rissi, can you guys watch for him? Let Erevan and Lydia know if he's coming."

"Sure thing," the blue Khajiit agreed. "The big bugger won't get the drop on us."

A loud sound erupted followed by a slap, and everyone looked in shock at Erevan, who now had a hand clasped over his mouth.

"Was that a laugh?" Yang asked.

"My laugh is…not the most pleasant to hear," he said from behind his hand before lowering it.

"It sounded like a dying goose was stepped on by a mammoth," M'rissi said.

"Nice description, M'ri. At least now we know what was up with you when we were telling jokes. You were just afraid to laugh." She patted his shoulder. "It's okay, dude. Feel free to let it out."

"…Maybe later."

"Okay. So, Team RWBY's going to go look ahead," the leader explained with a nod. "If we find anything, we'll come back and get…Team LIME."

"LIME?" Lydia asked.

"Lydia, Inigo, M'rissi, and Erevan," she explained. "Yep, you guys are officially Team LIME until further notice, with Lydia as the leader." Lydia couldn't help but straighten at that, but Ruby pressed on. "All right, teams, let's do this." As Ruby began to lead her own team down the hall, M'rissi looked over at the two warriors and smiled.

"She wants to be the leader!"

"No," Lydia immediately shot down.

Team RWBY steadily headed downwards until they entered another chamber, this one looking somewhat like a lecture hall in its structure. Through the door at the back was a more zig-zagged hall that led to a smaller room, where two Falmer corpses lay just before a doorway. Ruby quickly opened it to reveal a few more corpses and one of the rolling automatons at the very center. It unfurled itself, looking larger, more solid, and better equipped that the ones before it. The roller came at them and Ruby jumped away from an attempted stab. It let off several bolts in their direction before Yang took out her war axes and began swinging. Her ebony axe hit the crossbow arm, damaging it with a number of sparks, and her holy axe knocked the droid back with a small chink made in its body.

"This one's a bit harder guys!" she warned before chasing after it into the room. Blake came in as well, pulling out her daggers and going low. Weiss let off a series of sparks to stumble the construct, then Blake carved into both its axles. The machine nearly brained her, but she was able to roll to the side before its fist hit the stone floor and cracked it. Ruby took Crescent Rose out in glaive form and charged it with her Semblance, impaling the machine's body but not stopping it, as shown by it trying to reach out and stab her.

"Weiss, shock it!" Blake yelled.

"Hey, hold on!" Ruby called out.

"Ebony doesn't conduct!"

While Ruby tried to imagine that, Weiss hit the machine with a cascade of sparks from Myrtenaster. She saw that her blade didn't let the electricity travel up it, and so started charging a spell up from her right hand. Her Scattershock rapidly filled it with even more lightning, then all the girls backed away as something exploded out from one of its pistons and started leaking steam and oil. Once the last bit of static seemed to have faded, Yang charged it with a yell and brought both of her axes down into the animunculi's shoulders. She kicked it away while ripping her weapons free, tearing loose a triangle of the machine's chest as its head fell off. Cogs and gears spilled out along with the oil, and Ruby started eyeing the bits with interest.

"I guess that wasn't your average bucket of bolts," Yang quipped before sheathing her axes. As Weiss started going around the room, carefully stepping over the deceased Falmer, she hummed in interest.

"This place seems to have been a cross between a barracks or dorm and a workroom. Tools are everywhere, as well as spare parts… And some more ingots." As she picked up one of the metal blocks, Ruby looked into a large container and pulled out an odd key.

"Hey, Blake! This look like it goes to the big door?"

"Great Brothers, it does!" Blake took the key and began looking it over. "Yeah, it should be right. If it isn't, I'll eat my own bow."

"Hairbow, right? Not the arrow shooting one?" Ruby asked as they started heading back up. Back in the large chamber, Lydia and Erevan were both watching the Falmer tunnel vigilantly while the two Khajiit were at the other end of the room.

"Found it!" Yang yelled out for them as Ruby slowly fit the key into place and turned it. The lock clicked, and then the door opened. With the other four rejoining them, they started heading down the newly opened path.

"M'rissi went salvaging. She found some neat things." She showed the group a jewel-encrusted dagger, a necklace made from carved bones, and an odd object with crystals embedded into it.

"That's weird. Doesn't exactly look Dwemer," Weiss realized as she took it and looked it over. "No, I think this is just bronze."

"Maybe they didn't do their magic to it?" Yang suggested as they came upon a door.

"H-hello?" a voice called out from the other side, surprising them. "Who-who goes there? Is Gavros with you?" Some of the group flinched at that before Ruby began to speak up.

"Sorry, sir. We found Gavros at the entrance but his wounds were too great. He's gone."

"Damnation! Confound it all!" There was a soft bang on the door. "Curse these blasted Falmer! They've ruined everything! If Gavros is gone, there's no hope. He was supposed to return with the crystal... Without that, all our efforts are wasted. And you. If you're here for treasure, or wisdom, or anything, I'm afraid you've wasted your time."

"We came for other reasons," Weiss replied. "The Falmer are gone for now, so if you come on out we can get you out of here safely."

There was a slow sigh. "Fine. Stand back now. And don't even think of trying anything." The door opened and swung in, revealing a Cyrodiilic man in Synod robes. "I can't believe it's really come to this. After all of my work, and now the…" He saw the object in Weiss' hands and paused. "Wait, you found it? The focusing crystal!"

"Oh, so that's what that one is!" M'rissi exclaimed.

"What exactly did you need this for, anyways?" Weiss asked. "Why were you all out here in a deadly ruin so far from Cyrodiil?"

"I am on official business of the Grand Council of the Synod. That's all you need to know. I might well ask the same of all of you, running around by in this dangerous place."

"Half looking for you, half looking for the Staff of Magnus."

"The Staff of Magnus? Well, I can't really… No, maybe now that we have the crystal. Alright, follow me. I'll explain it on the way." The mage began to lead the group down the hall. "No matter what Gavros said, this was my idea first. The Council is going to know that when I get back," he declared as they passed another door.

"I was the one who thought of using this... this Oculory. I don't know what the dwarves called it. Something unpronounceable, I'm sure. From all our research, it seems they were intent on discerning the nature of the divine. This machinery, all of it, was designed to collect starlight, and then... I'm not sure. Split it, somehow?" M'rissi began to look at a basket holding some foodstuffs, but Blake quickly grabbed her and dragged her along.

"It was my idea to replace one of the key elements with our focusing crystal. Months of enchantments went into it. Let's just hope they got it right this time." What looked like a simple turn in the hallway turned out to be an emergence to a chamber with a gigantic, orb shaped device composed of Dwemer made metal and crystals. As the group looked on in wonder, the man couldn't help but smile. About halfway around the chamber was a ramp that led upwards, allowing them to get to the top of the massive device, where a large ring with lenses situated on an armillary upon it waited. From the ceiling, a beam of concentrated light poured down upon the rings.

"Here it is. Magnificent, isn't it? Took an incredible amount of work to get it running again. Now I'm hoping it'll all be worth it. Place the crystal in the central apparatus, and we can start the process for focusing it."

"Right." Weiss took the device and placed it in the blank space of the lenses' armillary, and they all seemed to spin themselves into place. The light was refracted through the crystal and then the lenses, aiming the split beams at different places in the ceiling.

"Okay, that's cool, but what's it do?" Yang asked.

"We're not quite there yet. The crystal still needs to be focused. It was created so far away, we knew that some adjustments would have to be made. Heating and cooling the crystal will cause it to expand or contract, which will change how the light passes through it."

Weiss hummed and let a little spray of frost hit the crystal. Sure enough, the lights began to change direction. Ruby noticed a series of pedestals up on a ramp and went to investigate them as Weiss switched between adding minute amounts of frost and heat to try and get the lights to line up.

"Perhaps I put it in backwards," Weiss suggested.

"No, it wouldn't have fit in that case."

"Hey, I found some buttons," Ruby announced to the two mages. "Can I push them?"

"She wants to push a button!" M'rissi demanded before running up the ramp.

"Just be careful," Weiss warned them. "We have no idea what they-" Ruby pressed the first button and the outer ring of the ceiling spun around like a dial, moving its crystal disk a quarter of the way around, lining it up with one of the lights, reflecting it back at the center. "Keep pushing buttons!"

Ruby and M'rissi began tapping the other two. After a few turns, the other two parts of the ceiling lined up with the lights and reflected their parts of the beams back as well. The combined light then shone down onto the stone just below the pedestals, and everyone gathered to observe the outcome, a map of Tamriel created out of light, almost like some sort of projection.

"Years of work, finally going to pay off...but what's this? These results... They're not at all what they should be. This projection should be lit up like the night sky... Something is creating an incredible amount of interference. Something in Winterhold, it looks like." The man then looked over at Weiss and the College of Winterhold pin on her robes. "What are you playing at? Is this some attempt to stall my work?!"

"Whoa buddy, back off!" Yang ordered in a commanding tone. "We didn't even know what you were doing down here. Besides, if we were going to steal your work, you'd be chaurus food right about now."

"What in the… All of the…" The furious look in Yang's eyes calmed the man down, and he looked away with a sigh. "Sorry! I'm just…tired is all. It's just that this…interference. After everything, colleagues and friends lost, years of work ruined and… You have something at your College, don't you? Something immensely powerful. Beyond anything I'd anticipated. What is it?" He looked over at Yang and raised his hands. "Not that I'm accusing you or anything! It's just the map!"

"I think I see what you mean," Weiss said as she looked over the projected map. "There's two points on here, and one of them is at Winterhold, but the other…" Weiss was about to pull out her map, but the man beat her to it.

"That can only be the Labyrinthian. I can't explain the details, they're Synod secrets, but this was designed so that we could find sources of great magical power. Purely for the protection of the Empire, of course. One's at Winterhold, and the other is at the Labyrinthian. But the source at Winterhold is so great that we can't detect anything else."

Ruby softly elbowed Lydia. "Remind me to come by here."

"Winterhold… That must be the Eye of Magnus," Weiss realized.

"The Eye of Magnus? Well, I suppose if that means what I think it does... Well, that's interesting."

"Then the Staff must be at Labyrinthian, right?" Yang asked. "We've been there before. Actually found a neat…thing. All we need to do is go there and find the Staff. We can do it on the way to my thing."

"I suppose so." Weiss sighed. "I'm a little disappointed that it wasn't here, though. Still, this is better than nothing. Paratus, yes?"

"How did you know my… No, Gavros must have told you. What is it?"

"Would you like to get out of here?"

"I would, actually. I have bad news for the Synod. But maybe something can be salvaged from this."

With their tagalong, the group left the Oculory room and Blake went to try her key in the door they'd passed. Suddenly, the world seemed to freeze around Weiss in a familiar way, but Blake, Yang, and Ruby kept moving with her. As the other three looked about in shock, an elf appeared, as Weiss had expected.

"You have done well, thus far," he began, "but trying times are ahead. It is imperative that you return to your College at once. You will be called upon to take swift action. Rise to the challenge, and discover what you are capable of."

"Wait, are you one of those Psijic guys?" Ruby suddenly asked, catching his attention. "What gives? You couldn't have told us where the staff was?"

"We did not know where it was, but now you do. Worry not, Dragonborn. You, your friends, and your partner here are on all on the right path. You will prevail." Before Ruby could ask him any other questions, he disappeared as though into dust, and the world continued on.

"Imperative I return?" Weiss took out her scroll and opened it as Blake opened the door. She started up a call, which was answered by Onmund, but the picture became blurred by static.

"Weiss! We were just thin- ca-ing you! Something's going –ith Ancano."

"Onmund, what's going on? Quickly, you're breaking up!"

"H- arted going crazy and then started casting spe- the big orb. No- ll –eird –"

"Onmund!" Weiss yelled as the call became too static and white-noised to comprehend. She hung up and then tapped another contact, and Ruby picked her scroll from its pouch as it rang.

"Uh, Weiss?" Ruby asked as she answered.

"Our call's clear. Something's happening at Winterhold." She looked toward the north, where Winterhold lay. "We need to get to the College, quickly!"


	45. Opus Planctus Magnus, Pars Prima

**Sorry this took a while. Came out longer than expected, and we had to split it in half. A little note, if you make a guest review, I cannot respond to it. And I don't want to go out of my way to make a response to it, but I'll do it here this once. After this, no more.**

 **No, the reviving of a dragon will not pull its scales from armor someone made from its own. It'll just grow new ones.**

 **Other than that, forever give thanks to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for making this as top quality as it can be.**

 _ **Opus Planctus Magnus, Pars Prima**_

* * *

The group headed north quickly, only pausing at Kynesgrove to let Tolan know that their delay was going to be a little longer than expected. He was obviously displeased by the development, but Yang was able to convince him to wait while they headed up to Winterhold, describing it as a possible rogue wizard attack. Weiss had attempted to call the booth several times, but each time her scroll gave her the same _number unavailable_ response. As they neared the old city after two days with only minimal stops, they could immediately feel an unnatural bite to the air. The horses were huffing and whinnying, and even Toggle was letting out tired grunts. The only thing keeping the group from getting strained muscles and saddle sore was their occasional switching to let everyone have a decent leg rest.

After they pressed through the light snowfall, leaving their beasts of burden at the stables, they went straight up to the College of Winterhold. While nothing destructive seemed to be occurring at the moment, several students and faculty were gathered in the courtyard, looking in at the Hall of the Elements. Just past the foyer, a sort of magical shield closed off the Hall, and as a consequence the Eye of Magnus, from the rest of the College. Weiss caught sight of her classmates and walked over to them. J'zargo noticed her first, quickly followed by Brelyna.

"Weiss! You're here!" the Dunmer woman said with a sigh of relief.

"What's going on?" the vampire quickly asked, now noticing Savos and Mirabelle up at the magic shield observing it closely.

"No idea," Onmund answered. "Ancano started doing things with the Eye. After the Arch-Mage told him to stop yesterday, he seemed to get… Antsy's not the word, but he went right back to it and made that…ward."

"He forgets to mention all the strange things Ancano's meddling has done," J'zargo added. "Just yesterday, the sea began to stir and it rained for a few moments."

"Wait, rained?" In Winterhold, there was only ever rain for maybe a month in the very middle of summer. This deep in autumn and so close to winter it should have been impossible, even with magic.

"Literally for only a minute," Brelyna said. "But it was enough to catch Arch-Mage Aren's attention. Now… Well, no one knows what he's up to."

"I see." Weiss looked back over to the two leaders and then back at her team and classmates. "We should let the Arch-Mage know about the Staff before anything else."

"We'll follow you," Ruby told her. "You know the place better than any of us."

Following Weiss, the group slowly pushed their way up to the front. Eleanor nearly dropped a stack of books moving out of their way, but kept her grip on the tomes. Talia began looking in their direction, and was soon staring at Yang in captivation, before a muscular Orc woman suddenly wrapped an arm around her neck and yanked her in.

"I don't care what it is, I want it down now!" Savos fumed. "I want to know what he's doing in there!" As Mirabelle continued looking over the barrier, he noticed Weiss approaching. "Ah, good to see you, dear. I was afraid you'd left us for other pastures for a moment, but your classmates assured me you were keeping in touch. I believe Mirabelle mentioned you asking about the Synod?"

"Yes. We got in contact with a research team, what was left of it. They came across a settlement of Falmer in the ruins of Mzulft."

"Well, I can only assume that didn't go well."

"More than that though, we think we found where the Staff of Magnus is."

"Truly?!" A zapping noise from Mirabelle interrupted their conversation, drawing everyone's attention to the Master Wizard.

"Right, we should be able to bring it down with enough lightning," she said while shaking a hand.

"Good. We'll talk more about the Staff _after_ we stop whatever idiocy Ancano is doing. In the meantime, help us take this down, would you?"

"No problem, sir." Weiss began preparing herself as Ruby walked up.

"Ooh, I wanna help!" she offered.

"Very well," Savos said with a chuckle. "Just watch for any backlashing arcs."

Mirabelle and Savos began firing lances of electricity into the barrier, quickly followed by Weiss and Ruby adding to it. It went down, half-shattering half-melting, and then the mages walked in, hands at the ready. Ancano was at the other side, completely focused in on the Eye and interacting with it through magic bolts of blue energy. It almost looked like electricity, but seemed far more streamlined and directed. Actual arcs of electricity would have branched, but these energy bolts stayed solid, if erratic.

"Ancano, stop this at once!" Savos demanded of the Thalmor. "Ancano!"

Lightning began swirling around the High Elf like a cloak as he managed to tear his eyes away from the orb and he snarled at the group.

"Don't go near him!" Mirabelle warned. Yang and Blake ran in with Lydia right behind them, all seeming amazed at the sight of the Eye. Ruby reached back for her scythe, instantly putting them on their toes, and Savos began readying spells in both his hands.

"You," Ancano slowly said, a bright glow coming from his eyes. His hand meeting the flow of energy from the eye suddenly clenched, and sections of it moved and began turning and re-sorting themselves. His other hand pointed towards the gathering crowd. "Be gone!"

The Eye seemed to erupt. Weiss was blinded by a bright flash that seemed to burn into her skin. It wasn't until she felt her throat hurting that she realized she was screaming. Seemingly an eternity later, the white that had washed out all other color faded away and the deafening silence disappeared. The first thing she saw was Ruby looking down at her in concern, an empty vial in her hand. Erevan was just behind her, breathing a little raggedly.

"What…happened?" Weiss got out as she slowly sat up.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted as she helped her partner. "Anaconda did something to make… I think everything just exploded. He was aiming at the Arch-Mage."

"Savos?" Weiss asked in worry.

"I pulled you out as fast as I could. Blake grabbed the Mirabelle lady, and Yang tried to get the Arch-Mage."

"Tried? What happened to him?" Weiss looked around and saw the Arch-Mage laying right next to one of the magic-focusing wells. The crowd seemed to have scattered, but many still remained, looking on in anticipation and worry. Weiss jumped to her feet and stumbled over to Savos, then saw Collette going over him with yellow Restoration magic flowing from her hands.

"Is… Is he…"

"He's alive, but barely," Collette assured her. "Please, give me time to look him over. This won't be easy." The scent of blood hit her nose, and she looked down and saw the edges of a red pool growing from beneath him. "Damnit! Riane, find where the bleeding's coming from and stop it!"

"Yes ma'am!" As the healer began using a spell to seek out specific damage, Collette looked over to another in the crowd.

"Eleanor, go get Urag and tell him what's happening with the Arch-Mage. He'll know what to do."

"Y- yes ma'am."

Weiss heard a groan, and looked over to see Yang leaned against the focus well, rubbing her head. Realizing who else had been in the Hall, she quickly searched the area and caught sight of Blake and the two Khajiit looking over Mirabelle, who looked much better than Savos, but worse off than her.

"Yang, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She looked over at the fallen Arch-Mage and winced. "I…tried to block the guy, but…I couldn't get him in time."

"It's not your fault. Something… Ancano's somehow using the Eye and he…" The Augur's words came to the forefront of her mind. "'To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded…'" She looked back at the Hall of Elements and saw the new barrier swirling around Ancano and the Eye, the enthralled elf now completely ignoring their existence. "He didn't mean literally blinded. It's driven him insane."

"Yeah, noticed." Yang stood up and rolled her shoulders. "What do we do now?"

"Hey, something's going on in the town!" someone shouted. A few people went to go and see, but then those started beckoning to others. Tolfdir was suddenly running up from the main gate, huffing as he slowed to a stop.

"Something's happening in Winterhold! It's… I don't know what they are, but they're attacking!"

"What? What do they look like?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know! That's the thing! I thought it was wisps at first, but those can't exist on their own, and they're much too fast and large." At that, Ruby looked back at the unconscious Dunmer and then to her team.

"We're not doing any good standing here worrying. If the town needs us, we need to help them."

"Right." Weiss nodded, then pressed a hand to her head. Her mind was in a whirl after what had just happened, and right now thinking about any of it seemed to just make things worse. As they started hurrying over to Blake to let her know, she looked over to Erevan.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Miss Weiss. I was outside of the blast when it happened, but Lydia was thrown back a good bit." Said Nord was still following Ruby like the loyal bodyguard she was, so that couldn't have been that bad. "Out of all of us, you seemed to get the worst of it. I think the power may have burned into you like sunlight at its peak."

Weiss was going to concur when she heard screams from the townsfolk as they started down the bridge. People were running into their homes or shops, and strange floating creatures were chasing them. A quick glance showed they were clearly not wisps, but something else entirely. One of them sped towards a man who had stumbled and slammed him into the ground, leaving a frozen wound in his back. A guard tried slashing one, but it dodged the attempt and retaliated, bouncing off of his shield. Several turned towards the group as they approached, and Weiss could see a sort of rocky carapace on the front of the glowing blue magical anomalies.

Ruby was the first in, using her Semblance to close the distance on one and slice into it with Crescent Rose. The creature shrieked and shattered, leaving behind a pile of dust and a Soul Gem atop it. Two others tried to attack her, but Blake flashed in and stabbed up into one, resulting in another dust pile and Soul Gem. Yang smacked the other into a tree before swinging her ebony axe into it. This one left behind a Black Soul Gem, which caused Weiss to nearly balk before she shook her head and refocused. Quickly, she summoned up a Frost Atronach and pointed it towards the creatures.

"Keep them from hurting the townsfolk and destroy them," she commanded. The elemental obeyed and trudged forward, its vague head nodding. She drew Myrtenaster and stabbed towards one, but it spun away and let out a sort of roar before launching itself towards her. The creature bounced off her ward and she sent a lightning bolt into it, only for it to seem unaffected by the spell. She side-stepped another charge and this time coated it in flames, doing her best to hold down her own fear of the element as she did. This time the creature seemed harmed, but it was still coming. An arrow then hit it and the creature disintegrated. Weiss looked back to see Inigo smirking before he pulled three arrows from his quiver. He charged into a melee between several guards and the anomalies, kicking up off a porch railing and quickly let loose one arrow after another in the blink of an eye, each hitting its intended target. Before he landed, he grabbed another arrow sticking to the wall, drew it, and fired into a fourth creature. He landed and spun around, drawing three more arrows and loosing them into another three creatures, all in different directions. The guards were able to bring down the last two, and looked at the Khajiit in amazement. Weiss realized that the entire thing had taken him less than three seconds, and shook her head.

"Geez, I only ever saw Aela move like that," Yang declared as she came up to her, searching for targets. "I think that was all of them."

"What were those things?" Blake asked as they regrouped.

"I don't know, but I'm almost certain they have something to do with what Ancano's doing with the Eye."

"This is why people hate the Thalmor!" J'zargo growled as he came up rubbing several of his fingers. "We can't have anything nice with one of them around. Now there are magic resistant monsters popping up."

"What do we do?" Brelyna directed towards Tolfdir.

"The town seems safe, for now, but we need to find a way to stop this before it gets any further out of hand. Come, we should see if Mirabelle has recovered enough."

Back up at the College, things didn't seem much better. Mirabelle was barely able to stand with help, and Collette was still at work trying to save Savos. As they returned, the rest of the school body looked at them expectedly.

"Tolfdir, what is it?" the Master Wizard asked.

"Whatever it was, we fought it off, but we don't know if it will stay that way."

"Damnit!" she muttered before clutching her side. She looked back up at Weiss and cleared her throat. "You said you know where the Staff of Magnus is? If I'm right, then that might be the only thing that can really stop him now. We need it, as quickly as possible."

"It… It will take a while. It's in the Labyrinthian."

"Labyrinthian," a weak voice said from the side. Everyone gasped and looked to see Savos, bleary-eyed but conscious. "You're…sure…?"

"Arch-Mage, you need to conserve your strength," Collette advised.

"Have to…give…" He reached into a pouch at his side, a sort of spell coming undone as he did, likely meaning it was enchanted against anyone but him ever opening it. From it he pulled a large, iron ring-like object embellished with knotting patterns. "Take…the Torc… Open the gates…to Labyrinthian." Weiss gingerly took the object from her teacher's bloodied hands, looking at it and then at him. She saw tears leaking from his red eyes as his hand fell away. "Forgive me…"

Weiss almost felt her heart stop when his eyes closed again, but Collette shook her head. "He's unconscious. He shouldn't have woken up in the first place, but it might be a good sign. He'll be fine, child. You do what you need to."

Weiss looked at the Torc of Labyrinthian again and then nodded. "Yes ma'am." She stood up and looked towards her team.

* * *

"All we have at the moment is four teleportation scrolls keyed to Winterhold," Sergius said as he passed the enchanted scrolls to Weiss. "The Eye's making it impossible to teleport in and out of the College grounds. Safely anyways. It's good that Phinis knows how to swim."

"So only four of us can go?" Weiss looked back to Ruby and the others. Inigo and M'rissi met eyes and nodded to each other.

"We can stay here and keep watch in case anything else happens," the blue Khajiit offered.

"She owes the people here a lot, so she'll keep them safe."

"Erevan?" Weiss asked.

"I'll guard the place with my life."

"Okay, so, that leaves me, Yang, Weiss, Blake, and Lydia." Ruby winced at that and looked over to her housecarl, who seemed to immediately understand what was coming.

"My Thane, I'm not sure if I feel all right with letting you…" Her words faltered and she began to look downcast.

"Lydia, you are the number one person from Nirn that I would trust with anything, and right now, I need to trust you with this." The Nord looked back up as Ruby stiffened herself, seeming to come up with what she needed to say on the spot. "Right now, I need someone that I _know_ will protect and serve to the utmost of their abilities. The mages need all the help that they can get, especially since those anomalies are magic resistant. These guys are Weiss' friends, and Weiss is my friend, so that makes them my friends by default, and I protect my friends. What is your vow?"

"…To defend all that is yours."

"Will you protect my friends?"

"I will," Lydia steadfastly declared, and Ruby smiled and patted her arm. With that, the two teams split up, Team RWBY heading down the bridge from the College. Tolfdir and Mirabelle were awaiting them, the Master Wizard now looking far better than she was earlier.

"Were there enough?" she asked when they came close.

"More than we feared, less than we'd hoped for," Weiss answered. "Just four, but that's basically perfect."

"I knew we should have stocked up, but the damn things are expensive to craft." The woman sighed and looked over to her colleague. "Alright, you stabilize the points, and I'll cast the spell."

"Right," Tolfdir agreed as he began gathering magicka into the ritual.

"Over here," Mirabelle indicated to the girls, who walked to where she was pointing. "I'll teleport you just outside of the Labyrinthian. There are old magics and wards that prevent direct teleportation, but it's not much of a walk to get in. I'm not sure where you need to go once you're there, but the Torc should be a clue. Once you find the Staff, leave the Labyrinthian, _then_ use the scrolls. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Ruby answered with a small salute. "We'll have that Staff back here in no time."

"That's what I like to hear."

"Ready when you are," Tolfdir announced.

"Right then, hold still, and keep your breath steady," Mirabelle said as she extended her arms from opposite sides, one hand with her index and pinky finger held out while the other hand had all the knuckles curled and spread. She slowly brought the two together, blue-green and dark purple energies slowly mixing until they came out a pinkish shade. With the spell in hand, she threw it towards the feet of Team RWBY. They saw the energies swirl about them before it faded, revealing a different, snowy landscape. They looked around and saw that they were, indeed, at the mouth of the main entrance of the Labyrinthian.

"Okay, so we're here. What do we need to look for?" Blake asked.

"I'd assume an entrance of some kind," Weiss suggested. "This is an ancient city, so there's going to be a lot of ground to cover."

"Okay, we can split up, but everyone keep their scrolls on," Ruby began. "I'll go up that way. Yang, you try the east side. Weiss, head down the middle. Blake, head around that bend over there. If anyone finds a possible entrance, call the others. If anyone runs into trouble, call the others. No doing anything alone, okay?"

"Right," the three answered.

"Then let's move."

The team started to split up, with Weiss and Blake walking side by side for a few moments. Weiss began looking inside the old huts that likely once served either as minimal housing or some form of storage.

"Weiss, what happens if we don't find this Staff?" Blake asked. The heiress paused for a moment and looked back towards the east.

"I don't want to think about it."

"Not wanting to doesn't make me stop thinking about it." Weiss sighed at that and took in a deep breath.

"If the Eye of Magnus is the actual eye of said Magnus, then that means its connection to the world would be second only to the Heart of Lorkhan." She looked over to Blake and shook her head. "I don't know what the limits of the Eye are, but, theoretically, it could unmake the world."

"Would he do that?"

"It's driven him insane. There's no telling what he would do. We need to get it away from him either way."

Blake nodded. "We will." She looked over to the bend Ruby pointed her towards and thumbed to it. "I'll head on. Be careful."

"You too."

* * *

Yang found a couple doors where she was, but had no way to tell if they were the right ones. The fact that they looked like plain iron doors wasn't a point in their favor, but one set was down a ways into the floor, giving it a bit of an important air. Deciding to test it, Yang opened the other door that was more visible, but positioned in a spot that made it hard to notice. She went in, but immediately noticed that it wasn't a room like she'd expected. Rather, the place was like a cave, though it had a bit of ancient structure inside, perhaps statues and tables. The most interesting thing, however, was that at the very back a Draugr was standing, almost looking peaceful. It was unarmed and unarmored, and had a feminine shape. Grinning, Yang figured she could easily end it then move on. She started towards the undead, which looked over to her but made no move to attack.

" _A subject approaches…,_ " it said, causing Yang to halt in her steps. " _No, you must not look at me… Not like this…_ "

Yang almost leaned back in shock. The draugr was talking, and the first words out of its mouth were about how it looked. Wanting to inject some levity into this already surreal encounter, she offered an awkward grin.

"Yeah, you could use a little lotion, or maybe some aloe. Don't mind me though. Been there, done that." Finding the idea of a talking draugr novel, Yang took out her scroll and set it to record. _'If nothing else, I'll need the proof when I tell the story.'_

" _You choose to use humor, but if I laugh, it is only because my sadness exhausted all tears._ " The draugr then raised her hands and watched as she rubbed her fingers together. " _I once had skin that glistened without the aid of oil, and only seemed to grow smoother and softer with age._ " Her hands curled into fists and she lowered her arms. " _I was once the envy of all…a queen. Queen Iorel of Mereth, and my subjects averted their gaze out of respect, and not disgust._ "

"Oh, uh, that's neat." Immediately regretting her tactless attempt to enliven the morose undead, Yang quickly decided to change the subject by focusing on the names she just heard. She wracked her brain for a moment before giving up. "Where's Mereth?"

" _Do you mean to mock me, stranger? Surely you know the name of the land we stand on. Mereth, settled by the descendants of the first men. Or has history erased all that I am as punishment for my deeds?_ "

' _Okay. This is a little awkward.'_

"Well, there was a Merethic Era, but it was…very long ago. If you're from then, how're you still around?"

" _I am a draugr_ ," she answered plainly. " _Drah-kgon Servants such as myself are despised for our loyalties, as we are thought to have betrayed Man in our service to the dragons. Neither tome nor song will sing my praises, if they sing for me at all. For the dead can suffer no greater wound, no harsher penalty, than the hollows of empty silence._ "

"Well, Queen Iorel, the people of today call this land Skyrim," Yang explained as she set her scroll aside.

The draugr almost seemed to scoff. " _If you believe this to be the rim of sky and heaven, then your people have not ventured further north. In my time, this land was to the south, a land whose winter was far warmer than the summers in Atmora._ " Yang winced at that. It wasn't even winter yet and she felt like she was going to freeze to death every other day. She couldn't bear to imagine a place where the _summer_ was colder. _"There were many who fled south to escape the war, but I led my people here because the crops tended to flourish in lands baked in the sun. Those who migrated here named this land Mereth, in honor of the Mer who called it home._ "

' _This is so cool,'_ Yang thought as she realized the implications of what she was hearing. _'I might be getting a firsthand account of some of the earliest migrations by humans onto Tamriel. I'm literally talking to history.'_

"So what was it like when you first came here, with the locals and all?"

" _Our people learned to cooperate with the Mer, just as we had with the Dov-rha, the dragons who were worshipped and served._ "

For a long time, the two kept talking, with Yang asking questions and Iorel giving as good of an answer as she could. She talked about how she communicated with the Snow Elves, trying to bridge the gap between their peoples. How she was trained as a Dragon Priest, and the responsibilities that came with it. But then the subject became something familiar to both, to an extent. When Yang mentioned how history talked about Ysgramor being the one who established Saarthal, Iorel grimaced.

" _On the ruins of a kingdom. Our kingdom. Ysgramor came as a settler, and stayed as a conqueror. He was a tyrant._ "

For a second, Yang wanted to object to that. After all, he was the founder of the established guild she was a part of. Then the memory of how Kodlak mentioned the Companions hadn't always been so honorable came back and she bit her tongue. Remembering that Iorel was, or at least claimed, to have been there made her decide to hold back any sort of accusatory tone.

" _Thus, my reign lasted no longer than a season. All that effort, all that goodwill I had established…shattered by the blade of his inglorious axe._ "

"But why?"

" _The Nedes came to Mereth to escape war, not find themselves entrenched in another. However, they are a prideful people. The massacre in Saarthal gave Ysgramor the perfect excuse to eradicate the Mer from this land._ " She seemed to gnash her teeth at that." _He baited the Mer into an attack on farmers, hunters, and maids. All the while he and his sons built an army of Companions in the caverns to the north._ "

"It was said that the Mer attacked Saarthal to try and drive the Nedes away because they felt threatened."

" _History rarely tells the whole truth. It was true that the Mer attacked Saarthal, but it wasn't for fear of our strength. They sought that which was promised to them. A great source of power, a shimmering orb of magicka, encased in runes of an ancient tongue._ "

' _Oh, you have got to be shitting me!'_

" _The Mer thought it to be older than the world itself. The all-seeing eye of the Great Architect, the blind witness to all of creation; Magnus. The Eye was the price of peace. Only when our kingdom was conquered by Ysgramor, he deemed it too heavy a price to pay. Then came the Night of Tears, and Ysgramor's Return, when all beginnings came to an end, and all ends came for a single beginning._ "

Yang took that all in silence for a moment, before nodding. She wasn't sure how much of what Iorel said was true, but it was at least worth looking into and thinking about.

' _Ysgramor was kinda…murderous, from what I know. But people say he was smart too. Not exactly a good mix when you think about it.'_

"There's gotta be some kind of record of you, though. Something from old Mereth?"

" _All that remains of who I am…my beauty, my fears, my heart…lies in this caricature of a human being. And it seems I myself am a poor caretaker of that legacy._ " The draugr hung her head as she said this, before looking back up at Yang. " _When I look back at everything I was, from my flesh to my name, it feels like I am staring at a portrait of someone else's memories._ "

"Damn," Yang muttered. "I guess there really isn't… Huh, I just realized, no other draugr ever talked to me. They said things, but I never understood it."

" _The draugr exist as but a whisper of life, granted by the word of a Drah-kgon Priest, who themselves were given eternity by the Dov-rha. It is normally blasphemous for anyone not of the priesthood to use this tongue, but as queen it was my duty to serve and speak for the Dov-rha gods. The same is true of my existence. I am not a draugr bound to the will of any priest. I have been granted life and speech by a Dov-rha. A dragon._ "

"So that power's still in you keeping you alive."

" _Yes. Some would call this a blessing. How am I blessed? What sort of madman would call this anything but a curse? I can never again feel the warmth of another, or be able to reward that warmth with a smile. Not even the wind deigns to acknowledge my presence. It passes through my body like a cold shoulder._ "

"Well, at least you still have your mind," Yang supposed.

" _It's a small comfort to keep a mind, when the spirits of others have passed on. How I long for the same._ "

"Well, can you die? If something killed you, I mean."

" _I… I do not know. Many draugr who are slain rise again, but only because they are granted life by the priests they serve. The Dov-rha who imbued me with life was slain many centuries ago, and with him gone, perhaps I too can finally rest._ " Iorel then held out her arms. " _Will you grant me this kindness stranger? My body may resist, but my mind…my voice…it will not shout."_

"Whoa! Um…" Yang took a breath and rubbed the back of her head. "Okay, that's a really…heavy request. I mean…" Yang looked back at the draugr, and could feel the misery waving off of her. As far as the blonde knew, the Merethic Era was around four thousand years ago. That meant that Iorel had been around every day since then, likely having to go into hiding once her body simply became too old and dry to feign simple old age. That likely meant thousands of years of loneliness, with most of the world hating her by default. She wasn't even meant to live half that long. Hell, elves didn't live even half that long without magical interference. Yang then sighed and nodded.

"Alright, I'll do it. Just make sure you end up in the good place."

" _Thank you. You are both kind and merciful, and while I may be a queen, I am humbled by your grace. The old Nedic tradition says that there is no greater honor than to die in battle, and this is my final request; that you slay me as you would any nameless draugr, and that you forget that I was anything else. I beg you, forget that you ever spoke to this rattle of bones, this ugly carcass, this foul, stinking corpse. I ask that you forget who I was…so that someday perhaps, in the great halls where spirits are laid to rest, we can meet again, and you can know me for who I truly am."_

"...I doubt I can just forget about you after everything you've shared with me." Yang straightened her posture respectfully. "But I can at least promise you that just as you've entrusted your story to me, I'll pass it on to the rest of the world. The history of your Kingdom won't disappear quite yet. My name is Yang Xiao Long, and I will remember you not as a draugr, but as Iorel, Queen of Mereth."

The ancient being nodded her head. _"Goodbye Yang Xiao Long, and thank you. May the wind forever be on your back, and kindness forever in your heart."_

* * *

As Weiss searched the derelict city, she came across an ancient set of double doors just east of the shrine Ruby and Yang had described to her before. Past the doors and down the stairs she came into an opening where two trees were planted on either side of the square. Walking forward cautiously, she kept her eyes peeled for threats. When none were forthcoming, she eased up on her tension and kept going, passing by the wall opening and heading to what seemed to be a dead body on a sort of pad. Suddenly four staves rose out of holes in the ground by some magical means, each in a different style. She went around what was now obviously an actual corpse and took the one with a crystal orb, and let her power run through it. It was a focus staff which, unlike an enchanted staff, would allow her to cast most any one-handed spell through it, simply with less magicka expenditure and to greater effect. After observing the staff, she noticed that in the corpse's hands was a Soul Gem and an old, tattered piece of paper. She picked them both up and looked at the blurry words written on the paper.

 _Enter Twice - Exit Only Once._

 _Alteration will lead you to Destruction._

 _Only Illusion shows the way to Restoration._

 _Conjure not, but be conjured instead._

' _I feel like I've heard this before.'_ Weiss thought it over for a moment before snapping her fingers. " _A Minor Maze_! Wait, then that means that this is…" She looked forward to see two iron columns just past the twin carved ends of two stone walls, leading into what certainly looked like the beginning of a maze. "The Labyrinth."

Weiss took out her scroll and quickly sent a group text. Seconds later, Ruby called, and she answered.

"You found it?"

"I think I did. But there's a problem. This maze is made for one person at a time."

"Weiss, I don't normally advocate for this kind of behavior, but maybe we can skimp out on the rules for this one. Hold on, Blake's calling."

"Hey guys," their Faunus teammate greeted before an explosive sound erupted, followed by animalistic shouts.

"Blake, are you okay?"

"Just a troll nest. Turns out baby trolls are just as ugly as the adults, and just as savage. Also, trolls are cannibals." Another explosion rang out. "Using Frenzy works wonders against large groups of stupid creatures. Takes a minute to build my magicka back up though."

Yang's call then came in. "You found it, Weiss?"

"Yes, I believe I did. Just head east from that shrine. Don't head into the maze, though."

"Weiss, I really think we're allowed to break the rules on this," Ruby restated.

"Ruby, it's a magic maze. It might zap us to death or send us halfway into a portal where we'll be eaten from the waist up by scamps and clannfears. Don't worry. If this is too much, I'll stop and turn right back around."

"Fine, but don't you die or I'll never forgive you."

"I won't, promise."

"Hey Yang, are you okay?" Blake asked, just now noticing the sad look on her partner's face..

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Well you've got this faraway look in your eyes, and I half expected some joke about being eaten."

"Eh, just not feeling it, I guess. Besides, you're the one with the dirty mind."

"Hanging up," Ruby and Weiss said in sync before doing so. Weiss took a deep breath and headed into the maze, the first test being practically in her face, a glowing symbol representing Alteration in front of a gate. She cast a Magelight upon it, and the gate slid down, letting her through. She walked in, and, a moment later, the gate closed. She started going at a brisk pace, turning at a sharp corner and then heading in what was practically the opposite direction. Similar turns kept coming up, making Weiss feel a little dizzy after a few. She had to stop to keep her head from spinning, and almost screamed when she thought she had lost her path, only to find relief when she saw a number of skeletons that she hadn't seen before in one direction. The relief was soon gone when she realized people had actually died in this place.

"It'll be fine, it'll be fine," she reassured herself. "If it really comes down to it, I can always jump out." With that thought as a small comfort, she continued forward again. After a few more zig-zags, she came upon a trap door with the symbol for Destruction over it. Smirking, Weiss fired a bolt of lightning at it and the trap door opened. Hopping down safely, she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"A test for Archmages. This is like reviewing the basics with some light exercise." Down a small hallway, she noticed a symbol for Conjuration, but it wasn't aglow like the other two had been. "Conjure not, but be conjured instead." She turned and headed down what seemed to be the hall of a crypt, which brought up a number of questions, but when she noticed how she was heading to a rock wall, the wall seemed to slide and reveal a staircase. She entered, and the structure rose up like an elevator. Humming in appreciation for such an application of magic and the ideas it was giving her, she walked up and out of the elevator stairs, which then sunk back into the ground once she exited. Looking around, she realized she was likely at the other end of the maze. "Enter twice, exit once." She walked over to where she believed the secondary entrance to be, finding it between a pair of trees and across from a familiar wall. Weiss quickly took a picture of the Word Wall and sent it to Ruby. A moment later, Ruby sent her a less than three.

After briefly smiling, Weiss sighed as she once again had to enter the maze, this time using a Calm spell to enter. Its twists and turns were once again dizzying to the vampire and made her groan as her head began to spin once more. When she finally reached the next trap door with the Restoration symbol above it, she just lazily flung Leech Seed from her staff and dropped into the room with her glyphs. Groaning miserably, she stood stiff when she heard something that sounded eerily like a Conjuration spell at the other end of the hall. She looked forward and saw an orb with a blue, translucent outer side and a dark, shadowy center, appearing almost like an eye. Steeling herself, Weiss walked forward.

"Guess it's time to be conjured," she muttered. The portal enveloped her, and for a second she felt weightless. Then things came into focus and she was somewhere that seemed to be nowhere at all. Before she could really take in the emptiness of where she was, a Dremora apeared and snarled as he brought up his hands, both casting.

"You meet your end, mortal!" he shouted before releasing the spells, only to draw a steel scythe from his back and charge her. Weiss hesitated for a moment, and then leaped out of the way of his attack. Immediately she launched a Hailstone at his feet before drawing Myrtenaster. A Fire Atronach appeared and began launching fireballs in her direction, forcing Weiss to evade the projectiles. She dashed at the Dremora and slashed at him, only cutting half as well as she could thanks to his magic armor. She side-stepped his slice and brought her staff around, a Cold Touch ready on it. As the Daedra fell back with his arm half frozen, Weiss prepared to skewer him, only to feel something pull the both of them and teleport them both away.

The two reappeared in what Weiss recognized as the entrance to the Labyrinth. Her attack had fully missed the Dremora and now two more beings had been thrown into the mix on top of things, Lightning and Frost Atronachs. Weiss skated away from a lightning bolt loosed by the first elemental and summoned up her own Frost Atronach as far as she could to deal with that one. The enemy Frost Atronach charged at her and brought a mace-shaped fist down, which she barely got out of the way of. The Fire Atronach continued throwing fireballs to harry her, and then the Dremora charged in once again with a yell. Weiss summoned a directional glyph beneath the Frost Atronach, causing it to topple over before being sent rolling away from her. As the Dremora chopped at Weiss, she easily ducked under his swing then stabbed upwards, piercing his belly.

"I've trained with someone who puts you to shame," she declared before channeling a lightning spell into the Daedra. He cried out and pulled himself loose just before Weiss heard the crackling shriek of the Fire Atronach. Looking in its direction, she saw that Blake had just gone by it and sliced through its body in two places, killing it. Yang was running up and bringing her fiery axe to bear on the Frost Atronach that had yet to pull itself up, and Ruby rushed the Lightning one, sending a Frost Breath at it before a number of jagged ice pieces and then a water beam. Weiss then came in at the Dremora with a series of thrusts that found their way past his defenses before the last pierced his chest. With blood pouring from multiple wounds, the Dremora dropped his scythe and stumbled back.

"You've done well. You have passed, Archmage." Taking the circlet from his head, he offered it to Weiss, who skeptically reached out to take it just before the Daedra collapsed and expired. The others walked up to her, Yang brushing bits of ice from her bangs. Weiss looked over the circlet, realizing that it was likely the token given to those who proved themselves in the Labyrinth.

"Uh, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that's not the staff we're looking for," Ruby reckoned.

"And neither are those three free-floating over there," Yang pointed out.

"No, they're not," Weiss admitted with a sigh. "It wasn't here."

"Yeah, I think I found the real entrance," Ruby pointed out while indicating the exit with her thumb.

"You did? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did. I texted you right after I found it. Then I called." Perturbed, Weiss took out her scroll and saw that she did have an unread message, as well as a missed call. "When you didn't pick up I came right over and found you fighting a bunch of Daedra, so I guess that's why you missed it. Was that part of the maze, because if it was then we helped you and nobody got busted for breaking rules, so that's an 'I told you so'."

"Okay, yes, that was silly in hindsight, but what exactly did you find?"

"It's just over there. Follow me." Ruby walked away, the others immediately following.

The team walked up the stairs towards the highest point of the ruins, each of them either feeling miffed or mirthful. As they topped the stairs though, they all paused in their steps, and Weiss almost broke down in tears, shoving a knuckle into her mouth and biting down as she forced herself not to cry out, a faint taste of copper on her tongue. Just before them was a ghostly version of Savos Aren, looking at the ruin's entrance excitedly.

" _Come on,"_ he eagerly called out, _"we're finally here. Let's not waste any more time."_

Almost instantly, five more ghosts appeared out of thin air, four of them humans or elves, their features difficult to make out thanks to their ethereal countenance, with the last one being an Argonian.

" _Are we truly sure this is a good idea?"_ the female Argonian asked nervously.

" _We'll be back at the College before no one even knows we're gone,"_ a woman answered.

" _You would care about that, since you're the Arch-Mage's favorite,"_ a man accused the woman.

" _Don't forget, this whole idea was Atmah's to begin with,"_ Savos defended.

" _Let's just get inside, see what's in there,"_ the other man, Nordic by his accent, concluded. The ghosts disappeared right after that, leaving the girls to themselves.

"What was that?" Ruby asked. "I've never seen ghosts do…that."

"Those weren't just ghosts, those were impressions. Ghosts of memories more than ghosts of people," Blake answered. "They're similar, but they're not necessarily dead people. It just means that something very impactful with a lot of magicka happened here."

They heard a crunch of snow and looked over to see Weiss having fallen to her knees. Ruby rushed over and pulled her up, nudging her a little to get her out of her semi-catatonic state. The vampire shook her head, then looked forward before taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I just… I really thought he was dead when I saw that ghost."

"It's okay, Weiss. Savos will be there when we get back."

"If she could fix up my guts after they got shredded by lightning, she can fix whatever problems he has," Blake added.

"Yes, I guess you're right. Let's… Let's go and do this then." Team RWBY walked up to the ruin's entrance, a circular door deeply engraved with runic carving and a stylized goat head at the center.

"I noticed this while I was looking around. You still have that Dorc thing?"

"Dorc? Ruby, do you mean the Torc?"

"What's a Torc?"

"It's like a stiff necklace ring," Yang answered.

"So a choker?"

"Not exactly, but close." Yang shrugged as Weiss pulled the Torc from her belongings and handed it over. "Why do you need it anyways, sis?"

"Well, I thought it was called a Dorc because it had something to do with doors, but now… Nah, should still work." Ruby went over and pushed the open end of the Torc into the goat carving's mouth. It seemed to fit perfectly, and then the young girl raised it up and knocked against the door a few times.

"Oh, so it was a knocker," Yang realized as the door slowly slid to the side. "Yeah, that makes sense. Looked too heavy for wearing around."

Inside the ancient building, the girls were able to see stellar examples of Pre-Reman Dynasty Skyrim architecture. Columns were carved like tapestries with stylized iron animals hanging from near their tops. An almost lifelike dragon skull carving blended seamlessly into the stonework above on a bridge. The floor was covered in intricate carvings that offered a story to any that knew their language. Unfortunately, the awe ended when they all noticed the inordinate number of complete skeletons around them.

"Sweet daddy dragon, this is more bones than a necromancer's lair!" Ruby shouted.

"There's at least a dozen," Blake reasoned before making a quick count. "Okay, ten complete ones, but there're scattered bits. I see at least three extra left arms."

"Guys, don't worry," Yang tried to calm them. "We went in a couple of tombs filled with draugr and came out okay. What's a few skeletons?"

"I guess…" They started forward, but then ghosts reappeared before them again.

" _I can't believe we're doing this,"_ a girl said.

" _Can you imagine the looks on their faces when we come back?"_ Savos asked them giddily.

" _You keep talking like we'll find something useful in here,"_ the Nord complained.

" _Given the history of this place,"_ the other man argued, _"it's more than likely there's still some amount of power down here."_

" _Enchanted weapons, tomes of ancient knowledge, Shalidor's secrets themselves,"_ Savos declared the possibilities aloud, _"who knows what we could find!"_

" _And what if… What if there are things guarding this place?"_ the Argonian asked, her tail moving around nervously.

" _Against six College-trained mages? I think we'll be fine,"_ Atmah reassured her.

The ghost disappeared and Ruby winced. "Oh no!"

"What?" Weiss asked

"That was a red flag. Whenever anyone says something like that in a thriller or horror movie, bad things happen."

"Don't be absurd."

"No, she's got a point," Blake agreed, nodding while she cupped her chin. "I don't remember ever meeting any of those other people at the College."

"Savos is centuries old you guys, and this was obviously in his student years. This was likely back in the middle of the Third Era, and all the others have died from old age since then. Now, no more of this silly speculation stuff. We need to find that Staff, yesterday." Weiss marched up and through the door to the next room. The other girls looked to each other for a moment before following her. The hall they entered was almost like an underground street, with a wide cobblestone path and walls that wouldn't have looked out of place as the walls of buildings on either side. The ceiling then drastically lowered and they were funneled back together just before reaching a small gate with a lever. Ruby pulled it, opening the gate, and looked over at her team.

"Okay, so this place looks pretty…" the gate slammed shut, and they looked back to see that it had closed. Ruby saw the lever had gone back up and pulled it again. The gate went back up, and, a few seconds later, closed again. "Uh, the gate's timed."

"This smells like a deathtrap," Blake interjected.

"Yeah, but we gotta go forwards. Okay, Yang, wanna go first?"

"Might as well," the blonde said nonchalantly while walking down. Ruby opened the gate and she ducked through, Blake close behind. After it shut again, Ruby nodded to Weiss, who prepared to go through it and shot by as soon as it opened. Ruby then zipped in, trailing rose petals, right before it closed shut. Ruby smirked a moment, but her smile was wiped away when she realized that they were surrounded by dozens of skeletons, all readying themselves to attack the group. Several began bashing their shields with their weapons tauntingly, while others ran their bony fingers across their ancient blades. One archer flipped up his middle finger at them. The four stood in a defensive semicircle while Ruby began to calculate a plan.

"Okay, Blake, Weiss, you guys pull a Checkmate on those heavy weapons guys while I take Dawnbreaker to the opposite side and try to take down as many as I can. Yang, hit the center with your holy axe ready, and then-" A gurgled roar interrupted Ruby's planning just as a dragon's skull popped out of the ground from the far end of the massive chamber. A whole dragon skeleton pulled itself loose and began walking towards them, its eye sockets glowing blue like the other undead around them. "New plan; scatter!"

The dragon skeleton came in and snapped as the girls split up. Blake and Weiss decided to go with what they had and started bashing apart skeletons with larger weapons before going at the archers. Ruby took out Dawnbreaker and swiped off three heads, causing a trio of holy explosions that shattered several more and turned a few into ashes. She quickly sheathed the sword, not wanting to risk harming Weiss with it, and took out Crescent Rose. Several skeletons went down quickly, like dry twigs to a machete. Yang started mowing through them, taking at least one down with every swing of her axes. Weiss slid through the masses, blasting them down with spells and parrying their blows with her sword. A summoned scamp was causing chaos by aiming for their ankles and knees, often toppling them by filching a supporting bone before they even realized it. One undead in particular tried to surprise her with a swipe at her waist, but she ducked down and went to her knees, passing under the blade as a glyph formed beneath her and slid across the ground with her momentum, allowing her to strike the skeleton's back. Blake managed to kill a couple before catching the bone dragon's attention and then distracting it from the rest of her team. Yang then came in from the side and tried swinging the frost axe at the skeleton's wing, but barely managed to dig it into the bone. The draconic thagomizer slammed into her, knocking her across the massive room and into a wall. Yang picked herself up, only for a piece of rubble to fall onto her and make her wince.

"Yang!" Ruby called out before rushing to her. The elder sister shook herself and looked up at the skeletal creature with raging red eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm good. Hit me."

"Huh?"

"I'm gonna charge up my Semblance, and then hit that thing with everything I got."

"Yang, that's a terrible plan."

"Normally, but this is different. I knocked that joint out of place for a second. This thing doesn't have vitals we can hit, but we can break it apart." She looked around at the scattering of bones that were still being kicked up by their teammates and their bony enemy. "Kinda like the others. We just need one good hit."

"Okay, I see your point, but… I don't think I can hit you."

"Ruby we hit each other all the time! You literally hit me three days ago right after we grouped up!"

"You were hogging all the sweet rolls!"

* * *

Blake yelled as she wrapped her legs around the neck of the dragon skeleton and tried jabbing her daggers between two of the vertebrae. She attempted to pry them apart, but even when she was making ground she could see magicka working to hold it together.

"Damnit! Don't you have some anti-undead spells?"

"Why would I have anti-undead spells?!" Weiss yelled back as she blocked a facsimile of Frost Breath with a ward.

"To fight undead!"

"I _am_ undead!"

"What kind of excuse is that?"

Before Weiss could answer, Blake was slung off, but landed against a glyph that slowly drifted to a stop, keeping her from hitting the sudden stop the ground offered. As she got back to her feet, she looked over and sighed. Weiss saw what she was looking at and shrieked.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Guys, you're supposed to be beating this thing up, not each other!" Blake shouted to them. Yang currently had a playful stranglehold on Ruby, who was repeatedly punching up at Yang's head.

"We are, just hold on a moment!"

"How is that helping?"

"Just a –oof– sec." After taking a few more wallops to the head, Yang let Ruby go and her hair began shining. The dragon seemed to notice the light and turned towards them.

"I can't believe you noogied me!" the younger sister accused.

"Well, it got you over your tizzy." Yang punched her fists together as flames began to surround them and her hair, before drawing Volendrung from her back and slapping its haft into her other hand with a hefty smack. "Now, are you going to throw me at that thing or do I got to do it myself?"

Ruby smirked and reached out to take her sister's hand before they started running towards their foe together. The bone dragon let out a gurgling roar as it closed the gap between them and both Ruby and Yang began to coalesce into a swirl of red and bright yellow petals. The dragon tried to snap the two bundles of rose petals, but completely missed as the twin swarm spun from its jaws, around its neck, nearly straight up and then down. Halfway back down the sisters reemerged and Ruby was throwing Yang at the dragon skeleton's back. Yang raised both her arms and brought the Hammer of Might down onto its spine. A ripple of force traveled across the bones as several came apart. Magic tendrils tried to hold the whole thing together, but then Ruby came down with her ebony scythe, swiping through the neck before catching the skull in her spin then throwing it away. Giant dragon bones scattered about, with Yang at the very center and Ruby at the head, both standing proudly in victory.

"Yeah, we rock!" Yang declared.


	46. Opus Planctus Magnus, Pars Secunda

**Here's the second half for your visual enjoyment. Remember, you can always enjoy chapters a day or two earlier at the SpaceBattles forums.**

* * *

"What the heck is it about siblings and beating each other up?" Blake asked as the girls recollected themselves and moved forward.

"What do you mean? Is that not normal?" Before Blake could answer Ruby's question, Weiss entered the conversation with a smug harrumph.

"My siblings and I don't beat each other up," she declared proudly while Ruby stared blankly at her.

"You once told me about how your sister pummeled you," Ruby accused her.

"That was training."

"And those were love taps."

"I am so glad I'm an only child," Blake said in relief, ignoring the two partner's bickering. Luckily for her, they soon subsided and pressed on. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, where Ruby saw an etched tablet and began reading it.

"'Hail All, Brave City North King…' No wait, it's one word, Bromjunaar, North King Servant, Northern Kingdom. 'Hail All, Brave City Bromjunaar, Forever Shall These Walls Stand, May Enemies See Her Majesty, May All Quake To Behold Her.'" Ruby paused and looked upward, then nodded to herself. "Well, the walls _are_ still up."

Suddenly, the ghosts reappeared around them. Ruby jumped up and then back, being caught by Weiss before she could trip over herself.

" _We…We have to go back,"_ the woman that wasn't Atmah said shakily. From this distance they could finally make out that she was an elf. _"We can't leave Girduin…"_

" _We barely made it out alive,"_ the Nord man objected, _"and you want to go back in?"_

 _"It's too late,"_ Atmah objected. _"There isn't enough of him left to go back in after."_

 _"Gods, what have we done?"_ the Argonian lamented.

 _"We can't go back. Might as well go forward. We can still do this,"_ Savos declared, trying to rally them despite his voice starting to slightly quiver.

" _Savos is right,"_ Atmah agreed. _"We can make it if we just stay alert."_

After they disappeared, Ruby frowned and looked down.

"This didn't go well for them," Yang concluded , eyeing the spot where the ghosts previously stood.

Weiss said nothing, but continued on ahead of them. The other three went after her. As they came into another chamber, the four suddenly felt something like icy tendrils wrapping around their souls. Weiss was the most affected, as their magicka seemed to be siphoned out from their bodies. At the same time, a deep voice seemed to echo out from the depths of the ruins, powerful enough to rattle their bones.

" _ **Wo meyz wah dii vul junaar?"**_ the voice called out in Dovahzhuul, which Ruby recognized immediately.

"What…" Weiss gasped out. "What was that?"

"Dragon language," Ruby groaned. "He was asking who we are."

"Not the best way to greet guests," Yang quipped through a wince.

"He, uh, didn't ask in a welcoming way."

"Yeah, kinda figured that out on my own."

Cautiously, the girls went on the move again, but had to stop to melt down an elemental barrier and destroy the spirit within it. Ruby almost expected it to be difficult when it marched out of the icy door, but it went down rather quickly. As they made it through, the voice from before echoed out again, only this time they were more prepared to brace against it.

 _ **"Nivahriin muz fent siiv nid aaz het."**_ Once again, the four felt their magicka being siphoned from them, and through gritted teeth, Weiss came to a realization.

"Oh gods, he's going to keep draining us," Weiss cursed as she forced herself to stand on two feet.

"It'll be all right. He can't stop us from regenerating magicka," Ruby argued before stumbling forward. A draugr was in her sights on a bridge across the chasm before them. Almost like a lightbulb went off in her head, Ruby prepped a spell and launched it at the undead. For a second it was being zapped, then it suddenly disappeared and reappeared a few feet off the bridge, then fell the hundreds of feet to the bottom. Satisfied with herself, the girls continued going down, smashing through draugr as they went and collecting valuables as they came across them. Weiss was uncharacteristically focused on getting through the place, only ever stalling to search something thoroughly when they came across an old lab where she picked up a spellbook. As they crossed an old stone bridge, the voice called out as they felt their magicka being sapped away a third time.

" _ **You do not answer… Must I use this guttural language of yours?"**_

Ruby shook herself and looked around. "Were you expecting an answer?" The voice didn't respond, and the Dragonborn huffed. "Well, fine then. Didn't want to talk to you, anyway."

"What is that thing?" Yang asked.

"I don't know, but it's ancient. He called this place his kingdom a minute ago, but I don't think it's a dragon."

"Maybe a sort of undead?" Weiss posited.

Yang hummed and started rubbing a lock of hair between her fingers. "A Dragon Priest?"

"A what?" Ruby asked, unfamiliar with the term, and Yang nodded.

"You remember what Valdimar said about Dragon Priest masks? Well, I recently…learned a bit more about Dragon Priests. Apparently the dragons could make people immortal, and those Priests could make draugr from the dead bodies of their servants."

"Huh, where'd you learn that from?"

"…I'll tell you later. Let's focus for now."

"Yes, we need to hurry," Weiss agreed before going ahead of them. "We can worry about dragons and priests when we run into them."

They went on, through a stone hall and down into a stream that was pouring against a rusty iron door at the other end. Weiss and Ruby walked in with no hesitation, but Yang flinched back when she felt how cold the water was. Blake just looked at the other two in disbelief before Weiss looked back at them and sighed.

"I have a spell that will dry your clothes. Come on."

"That doesn't stop this from being cold as all hell," Yang complained as she gingerly made her way in and waded towards them. After a few steps, she yelped as something landed against her and wrapped around her waist and neck.

"Don't let me fall," Blake said to her as she straightened up. Yang turned her head to look up at the cat Faunus incredulously, spreading her arms wide.

"Seriously?"

"Yep." Blake's voice held no ounce of shame, which only served to irritate Yang further.

"Can't you walk yourself?"

"Nope."

Before Yang could tell off her partner, Weiss reached towards the door and the voice called out again.

" _ **Have you returned, Aren?"**_ it asked, making Weiss' blood run cold. _**"My old friend?"**_

The vampire winced and shook her head before pushing through. They walked up onto dry land, Blake hopping off Yang as she did, and Weiss quickly used a spell that created a whirling gust of warm air around them. The heat quickly dried the wet cloth, though Yang had to take her boots off for a moment to get to her socks. After downing a skeleton and a draugr, another skeleton showed up at the end of a short corridor. Weiss readied a bolt of lightning to strike it, but then she felt her magicka slipping away again as the voice came up, her spell failing.

" _ **Do you seek to finish that which you could not?"**_

The skeleton charged her, but then Yang whipped her crossbow up and fired, hitting its sternum and causing it to stumble back. Weiss snapped out of her confusion and struck out with Myrtenaster, lopping the skull off and felling the bony summon. Breathing a sigh of relief, they continued on through the winding passages until they came out into an open area, where a rather scrawny looking troll was picking through bones and chewing on them. Upon seeing them, it let out a roar that reminded them of a hippo and started charging. Weiss and Ruby jumped clear of it, but Blake dashed forward and dug her sword and Daedric dagger through it. As the troll staggered, Yang came in and bashed down on its head with her fiery axe, chopping through most of its skull in one hit and setting it alight.

"Bleh! And I thought the rotting corpses smelled bad," she quipped before going forward with the others. As they exited the chamber, they felt the draw on their magicka again.

"Seriously?" Ruby griped, thoroughly annoyed at the voice's presence.

" _ **You only face failure once more!"**_

" **Nahlot rotiil!** " Ruby yelled, causing some dust to loosen from nearby walls. The girls halted and looked at their leader.

"Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"Hey, I don't like him constantly draining me either."

She continued on, entering a much larger chamber where some scattered skeletons began closing in on them or firing at them from a distance. Blake and Yang took potshots at a pair of archers while Ruby and Weiss rushed the fighters coming at them. Once the skeletons were down, they started looking at the closed up gate before them.

" _ **You… you are not Aren, are you? Has he sent you in his place?"**_

Weiss seemed to growl at the voice before she yanked the lever opening the gate. Team RWBY then came upon what seemed to be a graveyard. Weiss stopped in her tracks and held out a hand as she saw a twinkling, glowing orb circle around a grave marker before floating upwards.

"That's a wisp," she warned them.

"What about it?" Ruby asked with an unconcerned shrug.

"Wisps are extensions of beings known as wispmothers, which are icy creatures that drain the life from living things. If a wisp is here, then…" The wisp suddenly zipped away and the girls followed it with their gazes as it came to what appeared to be a pale woman floating in midair. Her legs were missing, their place taken by a strange sort of mist, and her forearms appeared to be made out of ice. Weiss readied herself and the others followed suit. As the wispmother let out a shriek like ice shattering atop of an ice sheet, it released a hail of frozen spikes at them. Yang, Blake, and Ruby dodged, but Weiss slipped through and sent a lightning bolt at the creature. Two wisps headed straight towards her, but Weiss zeroed in and skewered one, which then fell like a rock. Yang got out of the way of the wispmother's follow-up attack and launched a fireball at the thing, which exploded and sent it back through the air.

"Maroon!" Ruby called out as she jumped up behind the wispmother. Blake leaped up in front of it with Gambol Shroud in sickle mode and hooked it from across its lower chest as Ruby hooked it from behind. Both girls planted their feet against each other's and pushed against one another while pulling their weapons. Both sliced through, meeting in the middle of the creature and letting its two halves fall. The upper half tried to pull itself upright, but it began crumbling into ash and shrieked just before it completely disintegrated. The remaining wisps flickered out and fell to the ground, where Weiss picked up a couple and looked them over.

"Well, that proves that the wisps depend on the mother and not the other way around." Internally, Weiss was pleased at this information. She could finally settle that debate with Onmund once she got back.

"What the heck was that thing, anyways?" Yang asked as she kicked one. "Some kind of ghost?"

"Some think that, but I'm not sure. There aren't exactly that many of them to experiment with."

Just a little past where the wispmother had been was a fiery door similar to the icy one from earlier. As Ruby and Weiss discussed the possibilities of the wispmothers' existence, a spirit wreathed in flames came from the construct and drew a pair of swords.

"Uh, guys?" Yang warned them as she pointed at the oncoming elemental. Weiss turned her head and screamed as it came at them, but Ruby balled up a hand and launched a Hailstone forward. The icy spell exploded outwards, hitting Yang with some of its frostiness.

"Ah! What the hell?!" she shouted as an unnatural chill overtook her.

"Sorry, Yang! I forgot that one explodes."

Weiss put a hand over her heart and took a deep breath. "Ugh, what's the point of being undead if I can still get a heart attack?" Ruby shrugged and headed towards the fiery door, only for the voice to ring out again.

" _ **Did he warn you that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?"**_

Weiss gasped and looked at her hands as she felt the drain take hold again. Blake's ears flicked around as she looked from side to side.

"There's no way. Everyone has a limit to how much magicka they can hold, right?" she asked the mage.

"Yes, but…it's not a hard limit. Someone can practice and expand how much magicka they can have at a time, but too much is…not recommended. Skill is at least as equally as important as power. However, he might be using it to charge himself, or something in his grasp."

"Don't worry, guys. We'll make it." With that, Ruby blasted the door with twin cones of frost, opening it. They passed through and headed further down, opening an iron gate as they went, only to pause when the ghosts of the past came up again.

 _"Come on, we can't stop now,"_ Savos tried to convince his fellows. _"We have to keep moving!"_

 _"Where's Elvali?"_ Atmah asked in growing worry. _"She was right behind me."_

 _"Dead,"_ the Nord answered sadly. _"Something grabbed her from behind. Gone before I could do anything."_

 _"This is insanity!"_ the Argonian declared as she leaned against a pillar, clutching her side. _"We never should've come here!"_

 _"You're right. This is all my fault,"_ Atmah lamented. _"Should we turn around, head back?"_

 _"I don't think going back is a good idea."_

 _"Going back would be the end of all of us,"_ Savos agreed with the Nord. _"We keep pushing forward, and we'll make it. We will!"_

 _"Come on, you can make it,"_ Atmah said to the Argonian. _"Let's go."_

When the ghosts disappeared, the girls noticed the Argonian skeleton resting against the pillar in the center of the room, the college robes now little more than scraps of cloth atop the bleach white bones. Unsure of how to take what they just saw and what their minds put together, they pushed on, hoping that whatever was ahead was something they could all get past.

" _ **Come,"**_ the voice called to them as they walked down a circular hallway, undead beginning to rise at its mouth, _**"face your end."**_

The draugr now seemed almost spectral, and ghostly hounds began attacking alongside them. Yang took out her axes and began hacking through while Blake jumped ahead and started cutting at limbs with her daggers. Unsure if Crescent Rose could harm them or not, Ruby elected to start throwing spikes of ice. Weiss seemed to drop all semblance of composure and began slicing and raking through the undead before her with her teeth and fangs bared, her rapier coated in lightning, and her eyes aglow with a poisonous yellow. As she rushed forward, two Soul Gem traps began blasting her with cold air, which only served to open her eyes to a rune trap just a ways before her and a trio of Soul Gem traps that were beginning to charge a fire attack. She simply stepped back while knocking the two down, then sent a Hailstone at both the other traps to disable them. The other girls tried to keep up but by the time Ruby had picked up one of the ghostly swords and collected the Soul Gems, her partner was nearly done ripping through the next force of spectral draugr.

"Weiss!" Ruby called out as she sped by Yang, skewering an undead hound and then kicking it off of her sword. She looked over at Ruby, panting, and slowly seemed to calm herself back down, but not enough that her eyes would return to their blue color. "Weiss, what's wrong?"

"I…" The vampire looked around and hissed. "I just…hate this place. I hate what's going on. I hate that the College is in danger, that this thing keeps sucking us dry, that we're seeing the last moments of some of Savos' old friends…" By now she was clenching the hilt of her weapon so hard that it was creaking from the strain. "I hate all of this!"

"Geez, Weiss, I get that this is stressing…" Yang began, only to stop when the heiress glared at her, briefly baring her fangs. Weiss then blinked and shook her head before looking at the fighter remorsefully. Ruby came up and patted her arm.

"Weiss, it'll be fine. We'll get out of here with the staff, fix up the Eye, and then Savos will heal up and you can ask him about this place yourself. But right now, we need you collected and focused."

She sighed and nodded. "You're right. Sorry."

"It's okay. I know what it's like to get worked up. Now, let's go kill some ancient, unspeakable evil and stop the possible end of the world."

"Thursday again?" Weiss joked, gaining a small laugh from everyone. Just as they were about to continue on, Ruby suddenly spun around in mid-step and walked over to a closed gate and looked inside at a sword stuck straight into a burning brazier, likely lit by magical means. On top of the sword's hilt was an old helmet that hadn't so much as rusted, a pair of antlers mounted into the sides.

"Looks like something straight out of Black Souls," Yang stated as they looked it over.

"Yeah." Ruby took out the lockpicking set Blake gave her and began fiddling with the keyhole. She seemed to get frustrated after a moment, but then her smile returned and the lock came undone. As she entered the room, she took up the ancient helmet and looked it over, finding it to be cooler to the touch than expected. "Huh, this is cool. I think it's enchanted with…fire resistance."

At the same time, Yang plucked the sword up and rolled the hilt around with her fingertips while blowing on it. Weiss offered a hand with frost magic and Yang turned and let her cool it down. Taking it up, Yang hummed in appreciation.

"Cool, longsword enchanted with fire. It's got some etching on it, too."

"So's the helmet," Ruby pointed out. "'Helm of the Unburned', and that's 'Sword of Burning'. Well, it could also mean scorching. Hey Weiss, want a helmet?"

"Thank you, Ruby, but I don't think that will work for me. It looks very…heavy."

"Oh, okay." And then she placed it on Yang's head, who turned around to glare at her and then started shifting her head around.

"Huh, this actually fits pretty good. Here, Rubes. You can have the sword."

"Thanks. The ghost sword was kinda weird feeling. Too light." She looked the sword over in her hand. "Wonder if it'll sell…"

After pulling everything together, the girls went on down the hall, pushing open a pair of double-doors to enter into a large chamber. Some bats scattered at their presence, but Ruby ignored them and honed in on a Word Wall at the far side of the room. As she walked forward, ready to read it, the other three noticed a throne sitting at the end of the raised stone section. As they came close, a spectral draugr stood up from the throne and turned towards them. Ruby immediately snapped out of it and drew the Sword of Burning as the others readied themselves for battle. Yang charged in first, her shoulder level with the undead, but it took in a breath and Shouted.

" **Fus…ro dah!"**

Yang stumbled back, but kept on her feet even as it came at her with its own axe. Blake flashed by, cutting across an arm before coming to a stop. Four spectral dogs came at her, barking and howling, and the Faunus ran back to her comrades with a scream. Seeing the problem, Weiss focused and summoned up a wolf familiar, but then, in a moment of inspiration, suddenly brought up a second one. Amazed at her accomplishment, she hardly noticed when Ruby and Yang started picking apart the draugr bit by flaming bit with their fiery weapons. Luckily, the familiars were able to fight without her direct instruction and took down two of the ghostly hounds before she shook herself out of it and sent a lightning bolt into another. The familiars then took the last down and gave happy howls as Weiss was able to smile at her achievement. At the same time, a bony arm landed right in front of her, clutching a translucent axe and bringing her attention back to the sisters and Blake, who was somewhat hiding behind Yang, but seemed battle-ready.

"Found the miniboss!" Yang happily declared.

"Does anybody know where Dunkreath is?" Ruby asked after looking at the Word Wall for a moment. After receiving a series of shrugs, she let it go and moved on with her team. A number of draugr and skeletons tried to get in their way, only to be destroyed by the Huntresses as they pressed on. At the end of a corridor, three ghosts appeared, the ghost of Atmah looking distraught and, from what Weiss could see, tear-stained.

 _"We shouldn't have left her there to die!"_

 _"What else could we do?"_ Savos asked in frustration, regret seeping into his voice. _"Stay there and die with her? She refused to go on, we didn't have a choice!"_

 _"This is it, you know,"_ the Nord said with finality as he stared at the door ahead of them. _"Through this door. Can you feel it?"_

 _"We're not going to make it, are we?"_ the woman asked her companions.

The Nord looked back at the other two. No fear lingered in his eyes. Only a calm, nearly serene acceptance. _"We stay together, no matter what. Agreed?"_

Atmah sniffled before standing up straight and rubbing her face with her sleeve. She looked towards the man and nodded. _"I'll be right with you."_

Savos nodded as well. _"Agreed. We all stay together."_

As the ghosts faded, the girls looked at the closed doors. Weiss reached over and felt the dark power twisting behind it. She put a hand to the door and began pushing, gasping at what she saw beyond. On two raised platforms were the ghosts of Atmah and the Nordic man, both seemingly channeling a spell at a floating creature that formed a dome around it. The thing was definitely undead from what little she could see of its flesh, cloaked in cloth that may have once been a splendid color but was now dull and dark, with armor all around its chest and down its arms. On its face was a mask of brilliant blue, a hood thrown over the rest of its head. In its right hand was a staff with an orb that looked like a miniature Eye of Magnus, suspended in the air between clawlike prongs. Weiss knew -if not from its appearance then from the feeling of power that was far and away distinct from that of the being's dark energy- that this was the Staff of Magnus. The creature looked at the approaching Huntresses and seemed to laugh.

" _ **So he has sent children to face me? Very well. Do your best to stop me. When you have failed, just as he did, I will be free again."**_

Yang went up and pushed against the dome, but it didn't so much as budge. Weiss looked back at the ghosts channeling the spell and then at Ruby. The Dragonborn seemed to understand and nodded before dashing up to the closer one while drawing Dawnbreaker.

"I'm really sorry about this," Ruby apologized before plunging the sword into the Nord's back. The ghost dissipated and his contribution to the spell ended. She went over and did the same with Atmah's ghost, but the woman managed to look back at her with a sad smile before she completely faded. With the spell cut off, the dome around the Dragon Priest faded and it rose up into the air. It pointed the Staff of Magnus at Yang, who braced herself, only to be sent flying back by a lightning spell that began to arc off of her and into nearby objects. Ruby ran up to help her, and barely stopped in time for the second bolt to miss her. She responded with a ball of fire, which hit the Dragon Priest and scorched him while sending him back.

" _ **You stand no chance. Fall to Morokei."**_

"Not happening!" Ruby declared before bringing out her scythe, swinging it around, and standing at the ready. She rushed forward, but then came to a stop and brought Crescent Rose around with her momentum. The Dragon Priest backed away, barely getting out of the way of the blade at the last second. He clenched his free hand and released a spell, and then was covered in a dark aura, signaling the use of Ebonyflesh.

"Monochrome!" Ruby yelled before zipping to the side. Blake came in and slashed at Morokei's back eliciting a dusty yell. He reached for her with a lightning wreathed hand, but instead only grabbed a clone that disappeared instantly. Weiss then came in, having been pulled a second earlier by Blake's ribbon. With her staff she cast a Backlash, making his lightning run up his own arm, and then with Myrtenaster she slashed while coating it in ice. Part of his armor froze over as he hovered away. He leveled the Staff of Magnus at her and Weiss began to fire a stream of electricity, to which he responded by firing out beams of his own that seemed to greedily catch and absorb the lightning.

"Code Orange!"

Back on her feet, Yang picked up Ruby and threw her at the Dragon Priest before charging in herself. Ruby started bringing down her scythe, but then Morokei turned his head and lifted a hand, summoning a ward. The tip of Crescent Rose's blade made it through the first magical barrier, but was stopped by the magic armor. She kicked off from his shoulder and then Yang swung her fist in a hook, smashing his face and slinging him away. Weiss cut off her channel as she repositioned herself with the hovering figure. Yang drew both of her axes and closed in again, first swinging Black Whisper then following up with Holy, carving a deep rent in his arm then his armor. He raised a hand in her direction, but when nothing happened he seemed surprised.

"Enjoy the silence, buddy," Yang taunted him. As she came in again, he thrust his staff forward, hitting her with its power. Yang shouted in pain as the beams of the Staff coursed over her.

"Yang!" Blake shouted as she came in, but Morokei hit her with a lightning bolt that arced out and hit Ruby as well before she could move to help either. Weiss, seeing both stunned teammates, focused and set a glyph under Yang that launched her off the raised portion, then summoned another one to cushion her fall. Yang shook her head and Morokei looked at them before turning back to Ruby and Blake.

"Crap, that's supposed to last for at least eight seconds," Yang complained after nodding her thanks for the save. "Or do 'silencing' effects affect staffs?"

"No, they wouldn't. Enchanted staffs are used as workarounds for magicka-heavy or complex spells for those not quite at the ability to do it themselves. But they could also be used for when natural magic can't be."

"Well, it stopped him for a bit. Shoulda took his head." Yang rolled her shoulders and looked at her teammate. "Send me back up! And bring out your friends. We need to end this guy."

Weiss nodded before giving Yang a series of directional glyphs slightly slanted upwards. She rocketed off back into the battle as Weiss snapped out her focusing staff to summon a Frost Atronach. It began heading towards Morokei, who waved a hand in its direction while casting. The Atronach stopped, then turned and stabbed towards Yang, who was knocked back by the attack.

"Ow, what the hell, Frosty?!"

"He used Command Daedra!" Ruby realized as she jumped above a ball of sparks. She tossed a firebolt at the elemental, melting away a large portion of its upper body. Yang summoned up fire as she swung both axes, hitting the Atronach explosively and destroying it. Just as they were about to go back on the offensive, two more appeared, only this time summoned by Morokei.

"Come on!" Yang complained as she began hacking through one of them, blocking its downward swing and absorbing the crushing force. Weiss groaned in frustration and took out the Sanguine Rose while letting the focus drop for the moment.

"I _need_ something that another person can't turn!" she announced before using the staff. Purple energies swirled around and then a Dremora-like Daedra was before her, sipping from a mug.

"Hm, you need something?" it asked calmly.

"I need you to fight that," she said while pointing at the Dragon Priest. He looked and then shrugged.

"Do I have to?"

"What? Oh, are you…" Weiss looked at the staff in annoyance and then put it to her back before picking up the other. "I can't believe this." She began firing bolts of lightning and spikes of ice, hoping that she was somehow chipping away at the undead being's defenses. Morokei's Atronachs were quickly killed and then he looked over at Weiss' latest summon taking a drink before waving. The Daedra halted and then looked at the Dragon Priest with wide eyes.

"Did you just **try to control me?!"** he shouted before he became surrounded in flames, molten rock spikes bursting out of his back as he shouted a battlecry and then leaped, flaming bound swords appearing in each hand. As he attacked, the girls took a second to back off and catch their breath.

"Weiss," Ruby called over, "do you think we can hit him with Bullet Time?"

"Ruby, the only Lightning Dust I have left is at Winterhold."

"Can you use magic?"

"…I'll try, but be ready if this doesn't work." Weiss took a deep breath and began focusing on her glyphs, trying to apply lightning magic to it like she would Dust. For a second nothing happened, then she gritted her teeth and switched her approach to something more like a Lightning Rune spell's weave and the glyph responded. For a second she was shocked, then tried it again. Satisfied, she nodded and started creating a time dilation glyph under Ruby's feet. The younger girl readied herself, just as the Dragon Priest came out of the flaming area where the Daedra was now falling down and disappearing. Much of Morokei's left arm had been burnt, but nothing too debilitating had occurred. Weiss then focused and made a series of glyphs around him. He looked around at them in suspicion, but then Ruby was charging forward, her Semblance and Weiss' glyph pushing her to new limits. She sped by the undead rapidly, hitting and cutting him several times a second. Weiss then tuned some of the glyphs from directional to frost and began firing spikes of ice that weaved between Ruby's attacks. For six seconds, they managed to hit him over a hundred times. Suddenly, Ruby came to a stop as his hand came out, hitting her with a Repulse. She landed on her feet and Morokei waved the Staff, hitting all the glyphs and absorbing those charged with magicka.

"Long Cat!"

Yang and Blake went in separate directions while Ruby charged forward. The Dragon Priest was then hit by Black Whisper and the Blade of Woe simultaneously, but managed to release a rune spell underneath them. Both girls balked before it exploded, damaging all three and tossing the two back. Blake rolled while clutching her stomach a moment, while Yang hit the dirt in a heap. Morokei simply floated in place for a moment before Ruby came down at him. This time her scythe dug deep into his right shoulder, but then she was hit with the Staff's power. Ruby screamed in pain, but the beam ceased as a Hailstone slammed into Morokei's back. The Dragonborn pulled her weapon loose and backed away as more projectiles flew from Weiss and into him, each stumbling him but none doing much damage. Ruby looked at her downed teammates and then at her options. Quickly she sheathed Crescent Rose and then drew Dawnbreaker.

"Weiss, stay back!" Ruby called out before she ran and jumped at her enemy, ready to bring down her full weight and the power of her swing. She could feel the undead slaying blade quiver in excitement, then Morokei turned to her.

" _ **Fus Ro Dah!"**_ he Shouted. Surprised, Ruby felt herself hit with the power of the Shout and sent up into the air. He reached a hand towards her and she could feel a pull tug her down. Another ice spell hit him, breaking his concentration, but Ruby's fall was already out of control. Her back hit the stone bridge and she bounced off and under it, her Aura flickering as she did. Morokei fired a lightning bolt at Weiss, who put up a ward to guard herself, then looked at Ruby's fallen form. He sent a massive ball of fire at the bridge, shattering many of the pieces loose from its stonework, which then began falling down towards Ruby.

"No!" Weiss screamed as she reached out, trying to grasp as many of them as she could. A golden blur then came down and stopped right on top of Ruby. Several chunks of masonry hit Yang's back, but the girl winced and took them all. Ruby blinked and managed to look up and see her sister grunting while shaking off several hundred pounds of stone.

Weiss looked back at the Dragon Priest and clenched her teeth in anger. A directional glyph formed and she fired herself forward, aiming Myrtenaster for Morokei's torso. He raised his left hand and the rapier's tip went in but a few centimeters after catching in his ward before it began to bend. Too late, Weiss couldn't stop as he pushed forward and Shouted.

" _ **Zun! Haal! Viik!"**_

Pushed beyond its limits by so many conflicting forces, the thin blade of Myrtenaster shattered apart and its pieces scattered, leaving Weiss with only the hilt and revolving chambers. She was stunned for what felt like an hour, but couldn't have been even a second before Morokei aimed the Staff at her and began firing its beam into her. Weiss screamed as she felt her Aura being pulled away like the layers of an onion and tried the grab the Staff with her left hand.

" _ **You cannot win. Now, die!"**_

Weiss' screams morphed as the image of her friends being killed came to mind, and then a deep rage echoed from within her. She grasped the Staff of Magnus just behind the prongs. Pain was replaced with wrath as a spell she didn't know weaved its way from her soul to her hand.

"I'm already dead!"

A red beam fired from her right palm and at the Dragon Priest. Weiss could feel herself draining what little lifeforce the flying corpse had into her and pushed against his grip on the Staff. Its beam turned away from her and at the ceiling where it seemed to suck the life out of any unlucky moss or insects in its path. Morokei struggled, but then Weiss grabbed him and held him still as she continued to drain his life and turn the Staff slowly. He reached towards her and her mouth clamped down on his wrist, her teeth pushing against the magically protected skin but refusing to break even as her mouth exerted as much pressure as was inhumanly possible. The Staff's beam was nearly pointed at Morokei, but he no longer held control over its power. Weiss felt it draining him of his magicka, an enormous font like she'd never imagined, then it began pulling at his lifeforce. He shrieked as what little remained was completely taken from him and let go of the Staff while ripping himself out of her grasp and trying to get away, but Weiss kept both the Staff of Magnus and her own vampiric drain on him. Slowly, he began to crumble away as the magic holding him to life was siphoned and unable to replenish what was taken. With a final scream, he fell while disintegrating into ashes, and Weiss finally let up the magic.

With Morokei finally down, Weiss looked over and rushed to Yang and Ruby's aid, making sure both were unharmed before going and checking on Blake, who had managed to sit up despite bleeding from her scar. The vampire quickly took out a healing potion and fed it to her, and the Faunus sighed as she felt her wounds closing up a bit.

"Good job," she complimented the heiress, who sighed and smiled a bit before looking at the Staff of Magnus. Now at peace, she couldn't help but marvel at what she was holding. She could _feel_ the power it possessed. It didn't have just its enchantment, which hardly seemed like an enchantment at all. It also worked as a focus, but it was the sort that she didn't think she could ever fully take advantage of. Not even Savos, the most powerful mage she'd seen cast spells, would reach its full potential limits. It truly seemed to be the staff of a god.

"Damn!" Yang groaned as she stood up before helping Ruby to her feet. "So we got it. Can we leave now?"

"Yes. This…has been quite taxing."

"Please tell me that's the right one," Ruby said after dusting herself off.

"It is. There's nothing else this could be." Weiss looked it over again before nodding. "Alright, let's get out of here."

"Hold on," Ruby said before going over to the armor atop of Morokei's ashes. She pulled the blue mask off and looked it over before brushing away some ashes. "Just like the wooden mask." She placed it on her face and gasped. "Oh, this is nice," she said easily, causing everyone's eyebrows to rise up. "It's making magicka regeneration go so much smoother."

"Makes sense," Weiss said before groaning and rolling her left shoulder. She looked down and picked up the hilt of her old sword and sighed while Ruby gasped and took the mask off.

"Weiss, your Myrtenaster!"

"It's fine. I'll get a new sword."

"That doesn't mean this is okay! Here, have this one until we can get you a new one," Ruby offered, taking the ghostly blade she'd pilfered from a spectral Draugr and handing it over. Weiss appreciated how light it was, despite being a bit thicker than she was used to. Ruby then gasped again and ran over to where Dawnbreaker had fallen and sheathed it back before returning to her friends. "Okay, so we need to leave the Labyrinthian and teleport back to Winterhold. Oh, me and Yang should show you guys that thing before we leave! I think these masks might unlock something."

"You sure we have time?" Blake asked while she rubbed her scar gingerly.

"It should only take a minute on the way out," Yang explained with a gesture, "assuming this place doesn't have a backdoor that exits way out behind the mountains."

"Well, there is a path back there," Ruby pointed out with a thumb over her shoulder. "Let's go?" The rest of the team agreed and began following her out of the ancient tomb. As she began heading up an inclined ramp, they saw the ghost of Savos' memories appear once more.

 _"...I'm sorry, friends. I'm so sorry! I had no choice! It was the only way to make sure that monster never escaped! I promise you, I'll never let this happen again! I'll seal this whole place away..."_

The ghost then disappeared, and Weiss hung her head in resigned disappointment. Ruby looked at her and patted her shoulder.

"Hey, you saw what happened back there. We had a tough time just getting there, and they had to have brought down some of the horde. And then Morokei… Well, you saw what he did."

"I know, but it feels like…I trusted him explicitly, and yet I never really knew anything about him. Still, if that monster had gotten out…"

"It would've been almost as bad as Potema," Ruby filled in, the memory of the Wolf Queen springing to mind.

Weiss nodded, and then the girls began heading up, each internally relieved to be headed that way instead of down again. Weiss, however, began to pause when the scent of unfamiliar blood came up, older than the smell of Blake's freshly spilled blood and far too new to be that of any undead down here.

"Someone's down here," she warned them. The girls readied themselves, grabbing weapon hilts or readying themselves to cast. When they opened the next door, however, what they found was the corpse of a High Elf in Thalmor garb, pinned down to an altar by a javelin. Team RWBY looked on at the scene for a moment before coming over to investigate, finding a note set under a ruby on the opposite end of the table and another impaled on the hilt of a dagger stabbed into one of his eyes. Grimacing, Yang took the note from the dagger and looked it over.

"'Agent Estormo,

"We've received a Communicae Telepathica from Agent Ancano, stationed at the College of Winterhold. He requires the elimination of one Weiss Schnee and any accomplices accompanying her, as well as the retrieval of an item known as the Staff of Magnus. She can be found at the Labyrinthian ruins. Warning: Subject is dangerous and possibly a vampire. Take caution.'"

"'I caught this lurking around outside," Ruby read from the other note. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Remember, you've got some friends in high places. We might be able to meet soon. Just listen for One and look for twenty-three.'" Ruby blinked at the oddness of the note and looked at her companions. "What does that mean?"

"It means someone in the Thalmor ranks was looking out for us," Weiss deduced. "It might have been Ulquarrion, or one of his close associates."

"If Ulquarrion did it, he'd expect us to owe him," Blake pointed out. "He might be okay…compared to the rest, but he's still a Thalmor."

"Wonder what he'd want to meet about." Ruby hummed and then pocketed the note.

* * *

"Well, that was simply amazing!" Weiss declared as she returned with the wooden mask in hand, her mind racing with the possibilities of what it was. Blake was currently looking over the note she'd found in the old bag Ruby had left last time.

"You know, they didn't _have_ to resort to murder to quit their job."

"Some people don't really think much of it. And some don't think much at all. This seemed to be a case of both." Weiss shook her head. "Anyways, the Morokei mask definitely fits one of the spaces, and there are probably more out there. Given what we know, these were enchanted by dragons, which means the power behind them is probably second only to godly weapons. If these powerful items are simply the keys to something else, I can't imagine what it must do."

"Neat, so we can go around, collect 'em all, then unlock the ultimate dragon priest mask," Yang stated.

"We're kinda busy at the moment," Ruby pointed out. "But it does sound like something we can keep in mind."

"Speaking of busy, we should head on. Is everyone feeling better?" Weiss asked the team, who all answered in affirmatives. "Then let's head out, and hope there's still something left of Winterhold." The four then headed out of the decrepit city and went on a ways until they were certain they were far away from any effects it may have had on their teleportation. Each of them started using their separate enchanted scrolls, and they began to feel the displacement of the magic within.

Seconds later, they reappeared in the middle of Winterhold, and, for the first time since Weiss had first arrived, the city seemed to be bustling with activity, almost all of it from displaced mages. Several were trying to find missing fellows. Eleanor was asking around if anyone knew where Urag gro-Shub was. A group of young men were trying to keep the heat of a terrarium with several ant chaurus inside warm while another held two jars, each with a bird-sized, buzzing insect contained within. Tolfdir seemed to be trying to direct the mass of students while the guards seemed helpless to do anything but keep the streets open enough for people to get through. Weiss started headed his way but stopped and gasped when she looked to her left. Mirabelle was sitting on an old stump, her face haggard and disheveled, but most shocking was her left arm. It was gone from at least the elbow and the stump was now bandaged with Riane tending to her, a mass of red bandages lying next to them both. Lydia was nearby, and looked to see her Thane and team returning.

"You're back!" the housecarl exclaimed in relief as they came up. Ruby looked at her and then at the injured Master Wizard, and Lydia began to look ashamed. "I…tried to save her, but I was a bit too slow."

"No!" Riane declared as she stood up. "You saved her life is what you did! If it hadn't been for you-"

"Riane, please, calm yourself," Mirabelle got out as though she hadn't been recently maimed. "But she's right. I'd rather be alive even if I'm short both arms and legs. And I have you to thank for that, Lydia. But enough about me. I'll live; that's been established. Were you able to get the Staff?"

Weiss nodded and held up the implement in question. Mirabelle stalled and marveled for a moment, and then nodded.

"Good, then we need to get up there and stop Ancano, before he throws the whole city into the sea."

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," the voice of Tolfdir scolded her as the older man approached. "The others fought off that last group of anomalies. Weiss and her friends are back, and while we can, we're going up there." Tolfdir looked at Weiss and the Staff and then let out a sigh. "I hope that Staff is as powerful as they say. Alright, your friends are at the bridge. Let's go. Mirabelle, you stay here and let that young healer tend to you."

"No point in arguing, I suppose," the woman said as she sat back down.

"Okay, let's go stop a madman before he collapses the world," Weiss said as they followed Tolfdir over to the bridge leading up to the College. The barrier from earlier had expanded, and some of the professors were attempting to beat it back with spells or summons. Weiss looked at the barrier, then at the Staff before leveling it and pushing forth its power. The beam fired out and came into contact with the shield.

" _01010101 01101101 01010110 01101000 01011010 01000111 01101100 01110101 01011010 01111001 01000010 01111010 01100011 01000111 01000110 01101010 01011010 01010011 00110001 00110000 01100001 01010111 00110001 01101100 01001001 01000111 01010010 01101000 01100010 01011000 01000010 01101100 01100010 01101101 01010110 01111001 01001001 01001000 01001110 01101111 01100001 01010111 01010110 01110011 01011010 01000011 00110100 01100111 01010010 01001000 01001010 01101100 01011001 01010111 00110001 01110000 01100010 01101101 01100011 01100111 01100011 00110010 00111001 01110011 01100100 01011000 01010010 01110000 01100010 00110010 00110100 01110101 01001001 01000101 01000110 01110111 01100011 01000111 01111000 00110101 01100001 01010111 00110101 01101110 01001100 01100111 00111101 00111101."_

Weiss could practically feel her brain ringing from the information trying to pour through it.

" _01010100 01110010 01100001 01101110 01110011 01101100 01100001 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 00100000 01100101 01110010 01110010 01101111 01110010 00101110 00100000 01000001 01110100 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101110 01100101 01110111 00100000 01100110 01101111 01110010 01101101 01100001 01110100 00101110._

" _UmVhZGluZyBzcGFjZS10aW1lIGRhbXBlbmVyIHNoaWVsZC4gRHJlYW1pbmcgc29sdXRpb24uIEFwcGx5aW5nLg=="_

' _Oh gods, that might have been worse!'_

" _VHJhbnNsYXRpb24gZXJyb3IuIEF0dGVtcHRpbmcgbmV3IGZvcm1hdC4=_

" _Reading space-time dampener shield. Dreaming solution. Applying."_

' _Yeah, that sounds good. …Wait, what?'_

Weiss felt the energy of the barrier collapsing as she absorbed it into the Staff. The colossal dome seemed to wick away as the beam ran across the surface closest to them, all to the amazement of everyone watching. When it had completely fallen, Tolfdir, Team RWBY, and Team LIME readied themselves and rushed up and in. Once they were past the courtyard, they could see Ancano, still connecting himself to the Eye of Magnus. The Altmer seemed to be snarling, but against the light the Eye gave off Weiss couldn't tell.

"So, you've come for me, have you?" he yelled at them. "You think I don't know what you're up to? You think I can't destroy you? The power to unmake the world at my fingertips! And you think you can do anything about it?!"

Inigo aimed and loosed an arrow, but the ebony tip merely bounced off. Tolfdir threw a fireball at the elf, but the flames merely washed over him.

"No spell or attack is working!" the elder man realized in alarm.

"Ha! I am beyond your feeble attempts at magic! You cannot touch me!"

"Weiss," Ruby called out. "Try the Eye! Use the Staff on the Eye!"

"To see through Magnus' Eye…," Weiss muttered before pointing the staff and activating it again. The beam sprung forward and linked to the Eye, which began to open itself, the separate pieces spinning and hovering about the core.

" _Alert! Anuic overabundance! Padomaic unmaking imminent! Beginning balancing protocols. Alert! Multiple users! Find solutions. Dreaming…"_

As Weiss continued to lead the beam, Ancano looked at her in rage.

"Still, you persist!? Very well. Come then, see what I can do now!"

Light exploded out from the Eye, and then Weiss had to duck out of the way as the elf threw a ball of fire at her. Everyone moved into action, with fireballs thrown back, a couple of arrows loosed, and even Ruby sending an arc of lightning his way. Everything seemed to hit an Aura-like barrier surrounding him. Weiss tried using the Staff against him, and then the beam connected.

" _Unprepared user of Eye detected. Resolving conflict…"_

Weiss ducked from under another fireball, breaking the beam, and Yang tried to close in with Ancano, punching his face with enough might to cause a small thunderclap, but the Altmer barely seemed to notice. With a wave of his hand, ice formed around Yang's lower body almost instantly and sharp slivers began stabbing at her arms and neck. Ruby came in with a scream and tried to bash him away, but he sent her back with a stream of electricity. Inigo continued shooting while M'rissi tried to freeze him to the floor, but with a mere wave of his hand the young Khajiit girl was sent flying back into her fellow. Both Lydia and Erevan then closed in, slicing at him only for their swords to slide off ineffectually. The Altmer began laughing madly as he summoned two swords to his hands and started lashing out with them.

"Weiss," Ruby got out as she stood back up. "What's going on with the Eye?"

Weiss looked back at it and saw how its disparate pieces were still floating about, randomly it seemed. She looked back towards the elf toying with everyone as they tried to figure out a way past his defenses, or in Blake's case trying to free Yang. She then looked at the Staff in her hands and nodded.

"I'm going to try to realign it. He's getting his power from the Eye. If I can close it…"

"Then he won't be so powerful," Ruby finished. She nodded and readied herself. "How long will you need?"

"At most, five minutes." Ruby's expression changed, and her partner looked at her. "What?"

"Nothing, just… Well, he's kinda been kicking our butts and it's barely been a minute… Eh, I'm sure we can handle it. You just do your magic." Ruby then sped over to help free Yang a little before coming up with a plan of action. Weiss looked towards the Eye and readied the Staff once again.

" _Link established. The Eye is Open. Alert! Energy output exceeding safe levels! Searching for-"_

' _Close.'_

" _Closing the Eye. The figures of dP over dr equal Gm over r squared times pi…"_

Weiss tuned out the voice, concentrating only on keeping the flow of the Staff and what she wanted clear in her mind. Slowly, the pieces began putting themselves back in order and fitting themselves together. Once it was fully closed, Weiss smiled and looked over only to see that almost everyone was down except for Ruby, Erevan, and Blake. Everyone else was either glowing green and frozen from a Paralysis spell or down and out. Scared for her friends, Weiss, immediately used Sense Life to confirm that everyone was still alive, then looked at her foe. Erevan had carefully gotten past his sloppy guard and jabbed, stabbing into the other elf's shoulder. Ancano screamed and stumbled back, then looked at his bleeding shoulder. Fear seemed to take him for a moment, but then faded, replaced by rage.

"Give it up, Ancano!" Ruby demanded before taking a stance with Crescent Rose behind her back. "You're outnumbered, and your power's gone. We would've killed you a hundred times over at this point, and now we actually can."

The Thalmor looked at his hands and then over at Weiss. Ruby went to move, but Ancano jumped up while flailing his arms, leaving Lightning Walls in random patterns until he reached Weiss. He surrounded them both, and the heiress tried to hit him with a spell only for the much taller being to step in and grasp both her wrists.

"You…ruined everything!" he shouted before shoving her against one of the walls. Weiss screamed in pain as the electricity coursed through her. Unfortunately for him, it flowed through her and into his arms indiscriminately. As he was forced to let go Weiss lashed out, reaching up and grabbing something soft before biting. The Thalmor screamed again and Repulsed her, laying her onto the ground. Ruby was just outside, yelling something and trying to get through, but Weiss couldn't hear. Ancano stood over her, his neck bleeding and a pair of fire spells beginning to wrap around his arms.

"You bitch!" he spat as he readied the fiery spell. Weiss made to lift the Staff, but somewhere she had dropped it, and now she was seeing fire. Fire was going to burn her. Burning. Flames.

Something in Weiss seemed to snap, and her fear seemingly washed away. She didn't care that she didn't have a sword or a staff. She reached up and pushed back with frost magic as the flames came down, her determination to snuff it all out and stop the madman in front of her overriding anything that might have resembled fear. Even as the flames began to push through, she refused to accept defeat. Compared to the truly powerful adversaries she'd faced and overcome before, this up jumped fool was nothing. Her Aura reached out and formed a glyph behind her.

There was a familiar roar, and then Ancano looked forward before screaming. A pair of white, scaled jaws slammed shut around the upper half of his body, reaching from just over Weiss' head. The jaws lifted away, and the lower half of the Thalmor dropped, blood and gore pouring out from the severed waist. Weiss looked up and saw a head that looked almost exactly like Nahkrensos, the dragon she had killed months ago, coming from out of one of her glyphs. The head then slung itself to the side and opened its maw, tossing Ancano's dead upper half to the other side of the room. The head and glyph then disappeared, leaving the room clear of its presence and that of Ancano's spells. For a long moment, everyone stood in silence, then something began to appear. Weiss stood up, grabbing the Staff, but then her tension faded when she saw a Psijic monk standing before her.

"We knew you would succeed," he said as he turned toward her. "In fact, I daresay you've exceeded our expectations. You've managed to save far more than you realize with your actions here."

"I'm glad that I could save anyone, but what's going to happen now?" Weiss looked up at the Eye and the Psijic followed her gaze.

"The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy this College, and the world." He crossed his arms and shook his head. "Ancano's actions proved that the world is not ready for such a thing. It must be secured."

"And when will the world be ready?"

"It is hard to say, but someday. Perhaps a day long after all standing here are gone." Two other monks appeared, and they seemed to be getting ready to do something with the Eye.

"Wait!" Weiss called out. "I want to know what you know. Tell me everything you can about our home. Do you know how to get back? Do you know how we got here? Do you know anything useful at all?"

He stopped and looked back at her, a somewhat sorrowful expression on his face. "What little we know…is not of much use. There have been less than a dozen cases like your own in all of history, all of them over a hundred years ago. Yours is the first since before the Void Nights that ended in the Year One-hundred of the Fourth Era. We do not know why each case occurs, as each seems to be unique. As for how to return, we cannot help you. Your world is unknown to us."

Weiss bowed her head and sighed. "Thank you for telling us that much, at least." She looked back up. "And please, try to be more…interfering when it comes to people misusing pieces of gods."

The monk offered her a small smile, then turned back and raised his hands. Soon, all three monks and the Eye of Magnus had vanished.

* * *

Three days after the Magnus Event, Winterhold was nearly back to normal. Most of the town had started blaming the mages for what happened, but others had borne witness to them defending the town from the magical anomalies and heard of how it was a Thalmor that caused everything. More and more blame seemed to be shifting towards the Thalmor, which for a Stormcloak controlled Hold was only normal. Undoubtedly news of this had already reached Windhelm, and it wouldn't be long before word reached Solitude and the rest of Skyrim. How Ancano's actions would affect relations with the Thalmor was anyone's guess, but it would undoubtedly be bad.

Weiss walked alongside Arch-Mage Savos, who sat in a contraption Yang best described as a 'magical wheelchair'. After the first confrontation, his spine had been badly damaged beyond even Collette's ability to heal. He could still feel some things below the waist, but he would likely never walk again. Yang and Ruby had thrown the contraption together with some wagon wheels and a broken chair, then had Weiss enchant it in specific places with her directional glyphs. After nearly a day of rest and recovery, the two had been ready to do something, and so elected to do one of the best things they could. Of course, now half the College was making plans to add an elevator so that the Arch-Mage's room would actually be accessible to him.

"I never meant for it to go that way. None of us did. We were just a group of young students, looking to find quick and easy ways to power for power's sake." He looked up at her. "That's why I so admired you and your group. You all had some purpose, some greater drive. You wanted to see your friends safely home. J'zargo wanted to never be caught at a disadvantage by others. Dear Brelyna just wanted to make it without relying on her family name. And Onmund? Wants to fight the stereotypes and follow in the footsteps of the battlemages of yore. We just wanted power, and we paid the price for that. _They_ paid the price."

"I know you probably blame yourself," Weiss spoke up, "but it's not your fault. You went in without knowing what was down there, and when it became apparent what was you tried to do what you thought was right."

"I did, didn't I? That is almost exactly how I've consoled myself for years about it all." Savos stopped and turned so that they were heading out of the Hall of the Elements. "Yet, I still did. Five prospective mages, all with bright futures, all dead. Maybe I'm not the only one to blame, but I'm the only one left alive. Weiss, my dear, you and yours have done something not even I could have done. You put their memories to rest. You saved them, what little could be saved. You stopped that monster, that Dragon Priest, from coming out into the world with the Staff of Magnus in hand. My mistake isn't erased, but neither are your accomplishments." He held up the Diadem for her to take back. "You are a worthy archmage and, I believe, someday you will be a worthy Arch-Mage."

"I still have a lot to learn." Weiss smiled as she took the diadem and, after an approving nod from the Arch-Mage, placed it on her brow, shifting her ponytail out of the way.

"We all do. I learn more every day, and I have much more to learn still. It'll never stop." He looked over to where Yang and Ruby were looking at the ant chaurus terrarium, getting small lessons in how their life cycle functioned. "I have this feeling, though…"

"Yang wants me to come with her to a certain place that may or may not contain vampire artifacts," Weiss confirmed. "Mostly to talk down any vampires we run into while we're there. It shouldn't take long."

"I hope not. If it does, you always have your communication device. How goes the construction of the second version?"

"Good, but I need a few more specialty parts ordered. At least this one will be portable."

"Hm, that will be useful."

* * *

"Okay, so the hunters are adults," Ruby stated while pointing at the jarred, flying insects. "Wait, oh god, does that mean caves are going to be full of giant versions of this?"

"No, from what we've heard, it takes just a tad longer for the giant versions to hatch," the Redguard student answered.

"Besides," his Argonian companion added, "they stay in their caves until nightfall, and only come out to go straight to other caves. They follow faint smells humans and most elves can't detect to find a mate, then they look for carrion to eat, then the females lay the eggs, then they all die before spring ever gets here. Ant chaurus wasps just come out a little earlier."

Ruby still shuddered and made a small mental note to steer clear of any caves during the winter. While Yang was asking something about how they were planning to keep the giant ones they were going to hatch, a man clad in the uniform of the Courier's Guild suddenly came up to her and cleared his throat.

"Ruby Rose?"

"That's me," she answered cheerfully. The man then handed her a letter.

"Express delivery. Someone really wanted you to get that. Have a good day, ma'am." The courier then ran off and headed back down the bridge to Winterhold. Ruby looked the letter over and hummed before opening it to find a short, simple message.

 _Ruby,_

 _I think I've found a window. Come to the Bannered Mare immediately. We don't have much time._

 _D_

"Aw, man!" Ruby griped. She was not looking forward to dealing with Delphine again.


	47. Nightmare in Dawnstar

"Did you have to kill her, though?" Ruby asked her older sister as they rode along. Blake, M'rissi, and Inigo had split up a little while back after they left Windhelm to go through Dawnstar once it became apparent that the delays for boats was too great, and then Yang had started telling the others about her meeting with Iorel as they traveled. "You could have convinced her to try and live a little, see the way Tamriel is now maybe."

"Look, Ruby, it's not that simple." Yang sighed and shook her head, a remorseful look on her face. "She was already dead to the world. She couldn't feel anything, couldn't taste, couldn't smile… Remember that Orc guy who got killed by that dragon?"

"Yeah," she sadly answered.

"Imagine that, times a thousand. He just figured it was time to go with a roar rather than a whimper. If I didn't kill Iorel, she might have never died. She'd just be stuck wandering the world for eternity until something else came along and finally did her in. She wanted to go, and honestly, it would've been cruel to leave her."

"At the very least, her testimony has given everyone some insight into what really occurred all those millennia ago," Weiss stated as she began scratching behind one of Toggle's ears. "Master Urag looked joyous at being able to pen the transcription of your conversation with her. Good call recording that."

"I really didn't expect it to go that deep or that far. I just thought I'd found a cool draugr that I could post a video of on the 'net once we get back. Still, I don't think the Nords are going to like it once they find out one of their greatest heroes was a murderous asshole."

"Yang!" Ruby objected. "Language!"

"You may be right, but considering how the war with the Falmer went, and how he also warred against the Giants, who had been their allies in times before, it's certainly believable."

"As much as a part of me chafes at the idea of the founder of Skyrim being a treacherous manipulator," Lydia began, "I'd have to concede that he seemed far more a warmonger than a saint."

"Even if your history paints him as the hero?" Erevan asked, his tone neither accusatory nor surprised.

"Well, he's the one who wrote it. In the end, I can't imagine him writing down the parts he felt wouldn't have flattered him."

"You are quite open-minded."

"Thank you, I suppose." Lydia nodded at the Dunmer knight. Part of her thought that her so-called 'open-mindedness' was simply a byproduct of being with her charge over the past two months, but she wasn't complaining. The group continued onward, talking among themselves about various topics, ranging from Remnant to Nirn, magical to mundane, before finally Kynesgrove came into view. Once they entered the village proper, the erected walls still standing and guarded, the group dismounted and hitched their mounts to a stable. While Ruby and Lydia went into the general store to replenish their supplies, Yang headed straight for the Braidwood and stopped when she saw Tolan outside practicing with his hammer. As she approached the Vigilant, he ceased his movements and looked over to her while taking a few deep breaths of air.

"Stendarr be praised, you're finally back!" he declared while shouldering the weapon. "We can finally get a move on!"

"Yeah." Yang winced at the restless expression on Tolan's face but pressed on. "Just sit and hang tight. We'll be heading out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? It's still morning," Tolan emphasized with pointed movements with his arms. "What's wrong with today? We need to hurry to Dimhollow before the vampires get a hold of whatever they're after."

"Yeah, I know, but trust me, we'll make it. Today's mostly about getting ourselves together. I don't know if you've heard but…a lot went down in Winterhold, and after a few days of travel, we need the rest," Yang countered with a sympathetic tone. Truth be told, she did understand his impatience. Had she been in his shoes, she might feel the same thing, but throwing themselves from one job to the other was just asking for disaster. The fact they got away with it during the whole crisis from earlier in the week was partly luck, partly Weiss suddenly being able to summon dragon heads. "This place is practically on the other side of Skyrim, so we're not going to get there very quickly. Just hold your horses, and tomorrow we'll be off." She looked over to where Erevan was speaking with the stablehands and then over to Weiss purchasing a cart. "Me and my buddy are going to go grab something just outside of town. While we're getting ready for that, why don't you and Erevan go over traveling supplies? It'll help take your mind off your worries."

The Vigilant muttered something under his breath and started stomping off towards the inn's doors. Yang sighed, rubbing the back of her head and idly noting how much longer her hair was getting, and then walked over to where her sister and her housecarl were getting ready to head off again.

"You sure you're good with just the two of you?" she asked, to which Ruby nodded.

"I am. We don't know how serious what Delphine wants is, or how much time we have for this window. Hopefully it's nothing too narrow, and I'll call you guys if there's any sort of emergency."

"Alright. Be a good girl, and play nice with the elven supremacists," Yang joked as she hugged Ruby with one arm and rubbed her shoulder.

"Seriously?" Ruby blew a raspberry at her elder sister before her eyes locked on some green ore chunks on a stall. She held one up and began looking it over in interest.

"That's some genuine orichalcum," the Bosmer with short antler spikes explained with a grin. "I was able to buy it from some Orcs when I was on the way here from Falkreath."

"Yeah, looks good. Hey, I'm gonna get a couple of these before I go. I have an idea that needs a few. Just let me go ask my partner for some money." Yang watched her go do so and then looked over at the other wares available. Most of it seemed like random if useful junk that he'd bartered for on the road to the place, like an array of boots and shoes of varying wear, or sets of jewelry hanging in a fashion somehow both haphazard and eye-catching. Ruby then returned, a bag of coins in one hand and a horned mask on her face that made Yang smile for some inexplicable reason.

"So, how much for the ore, my friend?"

* * *

After riding through thick snow for several hours, Blake began to curse her slip of impatience. Windhelm had frozen all movements from the docks after the Magnus Event, and it was going to be at least a week before the Jarl was planning to let business go back to normal. Thus she had decided to go up to Dawnstar, where the effects would have been less worrying and she and her companions could get a boat from there to Solitude. However, the fall snows were laying on thick in this part of the world, and the Pale was one of the coldest Holds, second only to Winterhold, but that place hadn't exactly been business as usual while she was there. They also could have stayed a while longer at Helarchen Creek and the Nightgate Inn, but once again, Blake let her impatience get the better of her the moment she felt reasonably warm. M'rissi had complained, but Blake was able to bribe her with promises of fish.

"That Moris was a very rude man," the Khajiit girl complained as they rode on, a fur coat, leather, and a gambeson guarding her against the cold. "But at least the Orc fellow was nice and shared a cream treat."

"You really need to be careful about who you accept food from," Blake warned her before rubbing her arms.

"That is true," Inigo agreed with her. "You never know when someone is giving you a poisoned apple, for instance. You could just be crunching away and then suddenly die in your seat. Of course, they'd have to want to kill you, for some reason, and most of the people who want us dead are now dead instead. Other dangers would be people with filthy hands poking your pies, or rude waitresses spitting in your drinks. Of course, people selling you food and drink want you to come back, so they usually do their best."

"My folks always said you should treat your servers well."

"She does not know if hers ever said such." M'rissi then whimpered before looking towards the passing woods, snow-covered evergreens as far as they could see. Blake looked back and tried to think of something to say to steer her friend's mind away from sadder thoughts, but Inigo spoke up first.

"You know, I think I see a Giant fire up ahead. Maybe we could get warm there, if the Giants let us."

"Crap, I don't have a Giantspeech amulet," Blake lamented. Still, Giants weren't normally hostile. She figured that if they just came close to the fire and didn't bother anything then the big folk would just leave them be. As they came up closer to the fire, they saw what looked like a group of bandits fighting against two Giants and a bull mammoth before being utterly, and sometimes literally, stomped. There was also a man helping them, wearing primitive looking furs with bones dangling from it in decoration. As the cat people got close to the flames and let themselves be warmed up, the Giants, mammoth, and Nord came back. The two Giant men eyed them warily while the mammoth went on ignoring them, digging through snow to find bits of grass and other shrubbery. The Nord man looked at them in caution as he slowly came up and M'rissi waved towards him before putting her hands back to the fire.

"Hello!"

"K'voja! Well met, big one," the man greeted, his voice deep, as though coming up from the bottom of his diaphragm. The trio all looked on in confusion, as each had to look up to meet his eyes.

"You aren't exactly small yourself, friend," Inigo pointed out.

"Ah, Berg is…very puny for Giant. Puny mammoth still is more size than…big flea."

M'rissi looked back over at Blake, worry etched across her face.

"Blake, man is doing crazy talk," she whispered in fright.

One of the Giants said something and then Berg looked over and said something back, making big pauses in order to take in the lungful of air needed to speak to them. He then looked back over at the group.

"Tabaaki just keeps mind, no hurt, no take. Ha'mari cat fine."

"That's good to know," Blake stated before looking back north. "We were just getting a little warmth for the road. We should try to reach Dawnstar before nightfall. You have a good day watching over your mammoth, Berg."

"Unh, goodbye."

As the three walked away, Blake let a small groan escape her and her friends looked towards her.

"Something on your mind?" Inigo asked.

"I'm tired of running into crazy _everywhere_."

"I know how you feel. Sometimes the people around are so crazy they make _me_ feel sane."

"That is verybad, because you are not sane," M'rissi pointed out. "She and Yang proved it."

* * *

As the sun was beginning to set, Yang, Weiss, and Erevan rode back into the village with Toggle pulling along a cart full of the purer Dwemer metals. Weiss had gauged prices and purity of the different types of pieces and ended up picking out the ones that would bring in the most profit for the least weight. Yang had also claimed several pounds for her own use, believing that they could be used in her projects effectively. She already had a sample of the sort of armor she was planning that she'd managed to put together in Winterhold, but she was always coming up with new angles and improvements on the main design, like adding plates of Dwemer metal in certain places for extra protection. She still hadn't figured out what to use for the stretching buffer layer though.

"You know, you don't see too many mixed pieces," she contemplated. "I mean, mixed sets, yeah. You'll see the guy with a plain iron cuirass, steel greaves, and orichalcum gauntlets, but you never see a guy with a custom cuirass made of steel with orichalcum reinforcement. Even the things that are technically mixed are done so uniformly, like the moonstone in glass armor. Huh, that's another thing. You don't normally hear glass and think of it as an effective armor."

"It's normally meant to serve as a light alternative to plate," Erevan explained. "The sort of armor you normally see Thalmor justicars wear, elven armor, is essentially a lighter laminar in comparison. A bit better than a single layer of leather, but nearly every metal is stronger. They're also all heavier as well. Despite the name, glass armor is nothing like what they use in the panes of a window. It's more shaped crystal than anything else."

They talked a little more on different materials before coming to a stop. While Weiss and Erevan went to see about selling some of their loot, Yang headed inside Braidwood, stretching out and seemingly catching a few men's eyes.

"Okay, Tolan, we're back! Next time we head out it's straight to Dimhollow," she declared, half expecting either a joyous response or one of annoyed relief. Instead, she received no response at all. "Uh, Tolan?"

"Your Vigilant friend headed out a while ago," Iddra said as she set aside a mug she'd just dried. "Not long after you left, actually. Looked mad."

"Aw shhhhhhh-" Yang smacked a palm to her face and rubbed it around. "Did he happen to say where he was going?"

"Sorry, no. He was kind of in a hurry. Had that look in his eye, the sort that makes you get out of a man's way and keep your questions to yourself."

"Crap! Thanks anyways. Tally up whatever he owes you, I'll be right back." Yang began cursing herself for not taking into account the man doing something bullheaded like that. _'Gotta stop him before he gets himself killed. Man, Weiss is not gonna like this.'_

* * *

The last and only time Blake had ever been in Dawnstar, she had seen it from the deck of a boat and never even left the docks. As she entered the town by land, she was grateful that she hadn't gone through it before. The place looked absolutely dreadful. Every other person was giving them suspicious glares, and she had already heard the Jarl making threats towards a pair of retired soldiers. Not to mention the cold was unbearable to the cat Faunus, despite her fur coat. Doing her best to keep them away from watchful eyes, Blake dragged them all to the inn, only to run into another problem.

"It's a curse! It has to be! I… I've got to get out of this town!" a woman in miner's clothes stuttered out fearfully, loud and clear enough to be heard over the sailors talking about sea monsters, fishfolk, and manatees.

"Irgnir, get a hold of yourself," another miner tried to calm her. "They're just dreams. Please tell her, Erandur."

"Listen to your friend," a Dunmer in priestly robes with a golden hood tried to comfort them. "They are just dreams, my dear. I assure you that it's quite normal."

"It's the same dream over and over," she argued. "You think that's normal? It's evil I tell you!"

"Erandur, she has a point. You keep telling us no harm will follow these dreams, but they must be an omen."

"Give him a chance to speak," the bartender said. "He's trying to help us."

"Everyone, please. I'm doing what I can to end these nightmares. In the meantime, all I ask is you remain strong and put your trust in Lady Mara."

"I… I will," Irgnir got out. "Thank you."

As the small crowd dispersed, Blake finally felt comfortable enough to go forward and get herself and her friends something to eat. After wolfing down a warm bowl of saltwater fish soup, Blake could already feel the cold of the road leaving her. Inigo seemed greatly satisfied with his horker steak and sweet roll. M'rissi practically licked her bowl clean, but then looked back at the priest before getting out of her seat and heading over to him.

"What troubles you, my daughter?" the Dunmer asked when she stopped before him.

"Um, there was talking of nightmares. M'rissi does not want to have a lot of nightmares if she stays here." Blake stood up and walked over to them, Inigo watching from his seat. "How bad are they? Who is having them? Can M'rissi not have them?"

Blake half expected the elf to smile, but instead he sighed sadly.

"They're horrible. In fact, these nightmares are actually a great danger to the town," he said lowly before looking around to confirm none of the townsfolk were nearby. "Unfortunately, there's little I can do about it."

"Wait, the nightmares are…dangerous?" M'rissi asked in a frightened whisper before moaning in discomfort and fear. "Maybe we shouldn't stay here."

"How can a nightmare be dangerous?" Blake asked. "Dreams can't hurt you."

"These dreams are manifestations of the Daedric Lord Vaermina," Erandur explained, causing both the women's ears to shoot up in alarm. "She has an awful hunger for our memories. In return, she leaves behind nightmares not unlike a cough marks a serious illness. I must end her terrible influence over these people before the damage becomes permanent."

"Daedra. Great." Blake cursed as she was certain there was a quiet voice laughing somewhere. "Something tells me you'll need help."

"Yes. While I would have preferred to do this on my own, I need the assistance of at least one other person to accomplish what needs to be done."

"Blake is one person," M'rissi pointed out.

"Yeah, and so are you," she fired back while poking M'rissi's shoulder, but then looked back at Erandur with a serious gaze. "Alright. If there's really something threatening the townspeople, I can't in good conscience leave it be. What's the plan?"

"I need to return to the source of the problem, Nightcaller Temple."

Blake blinked before reaching up and rubbing her chin. "Return? So you've already been there?"

The elf looked away nervously and cleared his throat. "I've already said too much. If anyone overhears us we could start a panic." He took in a deep breath and looked back to her. "I would simply ask that you trust me and help me to end Dawnstar's nightmares."

Blake's eyes narrowed a moment, but then she nodded. "Fine. I'll go with it for now."

* * *

Nightcaller Temple, known to the townsfolk as the Temple of Dawn, was only a short distance from Dawnstar, visible up on a hill from the town itself. In fact, it was usually the final marker showing people that they were close to the Pale's capital. The three had noticed it coming in, but had written it off as another crumbling ruin, which Skyrim seemed to have in droves.

"So Vaermina makes the nightmares and steals memories?" M'rissi asked with a small mewl of sadness. "She really does not like how this one sounds."

"I have to agree. It does not sound like a fair trade," Inigo concurred. "But I can especially see why you would dislike such a being."

"Just how bad can it get, anyways?" Blake asked. "I mean, there's only so many memories you can steal before people…forget to… Oh, I just figured out how bad this can get. A town full of people forgetting most of their lives and driven paranoid by constant horrible nightmares…"

"That's why we have to stop it," Erandur agreed as they reached the door at the front of the old ruin. He stopped and then turned towards the others. "Before we enter, I must warn you about the dangers that could be lurking within. Years ago, this temple was raided by an Orc war party seeking revenge. They were being plagued by nightmares just as the people of Dawnstar."

"I see. Did they win?"

"No. Knowing that they could never defeat the Orcs, the priests of Vaermina released what they call "the Miasma," putting everyone to sleep."

"Okay, how's that dangerous? We don't have to go where it's lingering around, do we?"

"That's not it. The problem is that once this place is unsealed, the Miasma will begin to dissipate and they'll awaken, both Orcs and priests alike."

"And that's bad, because the priests will be fighting off anyone they don't recognize, and the Orcs will be trying to gut anyone not an Orc by default."

"Worse, I'm afraid. If it were so simple, we might have a chance at diplomacy. Not only does the gas place the affected into a deep sleep, for the purpose of rituals and the like, but because these rituals could take months or even years, it was designed to slow the aging process. Unfortunately, the longer one remains exposed to the Miasma, the more the mind can become damaged. Sometimes people would lose their minds entirely. Some would simply never awake at all. After all these years, I doubt we'll even run across more than a handful who have kept their sanity intact."

"We'll be careful," Blake said before they headed inside. The space before them was about the size of a chapel, complete with a podium and broken pews. At the very back was a slab of stone that reached the ceiling, an icon of a woman with serpents rising from her shoulders carved upon it. Erandur approached it and began using a magic spell that appeared as purple flames. The stone icon seemed to fade until all that was left was a transparent purple image that looked almost like a hologram to Blake's eyes. Erandur walked through it and the others followed him, though they were wary of the purple mist gathered around their calves and ankels that was beginning to slowly disperse.

"Now I can show you the source of these nightmares. Over here," he indicated a steel grate along a window. Blake looked through and down to see another icon with an object in front of it that looked like a ram's skull set upon a thin, spine-like pedestal, a sort of energy field surrounding it. "Behold, the Skull of Corruption, the source of Dawnstar's woes. We must reach the inner sanctum and destroy it. Come, there's no time to lose."

At first, Blake wanted to argue that there was no need to rush, but then recalled that the place was basically on a timer until its unstable residents started waking up. The three followed the priest down the stairway, watching as the Miasma thinned before them. Blake halted for a moment when it seemed to reach up to her waist, but then it faded away again and she continued forward. They began passing by several Orcs and a couple of men in purple robes with deep cuts on their bodies, the blood spilled next to them still looking red, but dry. Just before they reached a doorway, the Orcs began to shift and pick themselves up. Everyone went for their weapons, Blake grabbing her two daggers while Erandur pulled out a bronze mace.

"Uh, maybe they will be willing to talk," Inigo suggested.

"Destroy… Destroy this place!" one of them screamed before taking out his sword and charging the Khajiit. Inigo blocked him and then kicked his gut, knocking him back.

"Never mind."

Blake crossed the blades of her weapons to block an axe strike then shoved back before throwing the Daedric dagger, hitting the Orc in the throat. Another came at her from the side and she flipped back under his hammer before coming up while drawing Gambol Shroud. The Orc fell from the slice she rent up his leg and then she chopped down, taking his head off. Erandur smashed one across the face, putting the last of the Orcs that had just awakened back down. He then turned back towards the doorway, which had a sort of shield over it.

"Damn it. The priests must have activated this barrier when the Miasma was released."

"Looks difficult to get past," Blake stated, silently wishing that Weiss or at least her godly staff was here.

"Impossible, actually." The priest of Mara then stroked his beard. "Hm, I wonder… There may be a way to bypass the barrier, but I must check their library and confirm it can be done."

" _He knows far too much for a simple priest of the Divines."_ Blake groaned as the voice of Mephala once again echoed through the Ebony Blade.

' _You know, I really didn't need that pointed out to me.'_

" _But what is he hiding?"_

Blake internally sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay, why do you know so much about this place?" she shot towards him. "You know the history, you know about this Skull, and you even know what these cultists did to lock it up, which we now see should be impossible for an outsider to know."

The elf looked away in shame and sighed himself. "I suppose there's no point in concealing the truth any longer. My knowledge of this temple comes from personal experience. I was a priest of Vaermina."

"What? You were lying to us?" M'rissi shouted. "She thought you were a kindly priest!"

"I didn't lie, I swear! I just…wasn't telling the whole truth." M'rissi hissed, but Blake held up a hand to keep her from moving towards him.

"Hold on, M'ri. Erandur, thank you for sharing this, but what exactly were you keeping it a secret for? It's not like we couldn't figure it out eventually."

"Because…when the Orcs invaded the temple, I fled. I left my brothers and sisters here to die. I've spent the last few decades living in regret and seeking redemption from Mara, and by Her Benevolence, I will right my wrongs."

Blake nodded and then looked back down at the Skull of Corruption beneath them. "Alright. Let's go then."

"Blake, you trust him?" Inigo asked.

"It'd be hypocritical of me not to," she admitted. "We're not here to point blame at anyone or berate people for their pasts. We're trying to get down to that Skull and get rid of it."

"Thank you, child." Erandur smiled. "Come, the library was up here."

They went back up the stairs, but Blake paused when she realized she was forgetting something. Inigo noticed and reached over and pulled her Daedric dagger out of the Orc it was still in. He was about to hand it over when he shouted and tossed the dagger up. It landed with a few clanks and Blake scooped it off the ground.

"What happened?"

"Your dagger just hissed at me! Does it do that often?"

"What? That's impossible."

"Is that Daedric?" Erandur asked, to which Blake nodded while showing him the impossibly sharp dagger. He sucked in a breath and shook his head. "Best be careful with that. The spirits of the Daedra such things are made of tend to linger on within."

Blake blinked and then looked at the weapon again. It never gave her any problems as far as she could tell. It did tend to cut through things that metal had no right cutting through as easily as it did, even with her Aura reinforcing it, but that was really it. Deciding to look into it more later, she sheathed it and went on.

"So how exactly is this Skull doing its duggery?" Inigo asked after a moment.

"Lore holds that the Skull of Corruption possesses a constant hunger for the memories of others. The Skull has been out of touch for so long, I fear it's gained the ability to reach out on its own and try to feed. What it does with these memories is just conjecture and an argument for scholars and historians to this very day."

"So it's almost like it can think on its own. …Not a very comforting thought."

Almost involuntarily, Blake reached back and brushed three fingers across the hilt of the Ebony Blade. It had been a while since she last had to resort to using it, though she had given it serious thought against Morokei and Ancano. That thought then reminded her of something else and she reached down to feel the scar on her abdomen. Things still weren't back to normal, which Collette had noted. The fact that she was late was also giving her some worries in that regard.

As they passed through a door, the sounds of clashing metal and elemental magic hit their ears. The group rushed forward and saw reawakened Orcs and cultists all battling, each of them with wide eyes.

"Defilers… Kill the defilers!" a Redguard woman screamed before an Orc bowled her over. Before he could stab her prone form, another cultist set him ablaze. Another Orc then chopped one of his arms off, eliciting a scream and then an electrified grasp from his remaining hand. The entire area devolved into an orgy of violence until none remained standing except an Orc holding a pair of axes. He was still looking about frantically for any opponents, until an arrow sank into his chest, felling him.

"This stuff really did drive them mad," Blake stated before shouldering her bow.

"Indeed." Erandur looked around, sighing in despair as he did. Blake began searching around, realizing that she had no idea what they were even looking for, and that many of the books were burned or weathered.

"What do we need?"

"It's a book of alchemical recipes called _The Dreamstride_. The tome bears the likeness of Vaermina on the cover. It should be in here somewhere. Try searching around the balcony. I'll look around the bottom."

As he headed down to do so, Blake began going over every book she could find. A few had survived whatever catastrophes had taken the others, seemingly thanks to protective enchantments, while other were worn, but still legible. M'rissi had stopped and had her nose stuck in one for a while even as the others continued their search.

"Wait, Blake, she has a question. What does it mean to find a frisky lad or several?"

Blake nearly toppled over at that and Inigo seemed to be doing an impression of being frozen.

"Uh, I'll explain it later." M'rissi harrumphed before looking back into the book. Blake shook her head and started rubbing her face as she went, stopping in front of a bookshelf next to the one she had just combed. Several of the tomes were destroyed on this one, but she picked one up and found it to have an image on its face just like the two icons.

"I think I found it," she called out to Erandur before leaping down. The priest approached and took the book in his hands.

"Let's take a look…" he muttered before flipping through some of the pages and then running his fingers along the lines. After a few moments of searching, he let out a grin. "Mara be praised! There _is_ a way past the barrier to the inner sanctum. It involves a recipe for a liquid known as Vaermina's Torpor."

"That's a potion, right?"

"Yes. The Torpor grants an ability the priests of Vaermina call "The Dreamstride"; using dreams to travel distances in the real world." Blake's eyebrows arched up as one ear tilted down.

"Wait, teleporting through dreams? Are you sure about that?" Blake was skeptical of that, something the priest picked up on easily.

"I assure you, the Dreamstride is well-known in Vaerminian lore. Sadly, I have yet to see it function in person."

"So you don't really know." Blake sighed and crossed her arms. "Well, as long as we're not the ones drinking it." Erandur's lips curled in as his eyes looked over to the side. "Come on. No?"

"As a sworn priest of Mara, the elixir won't work for me," he explained. "The Torpor will only work for priests of Vaermina or the unaffiliated."

Blake thought about the sword on her back and its master and creator.

"I guess being picked by one doesn't count either?"

"Not unless you've devoted yourself to something in particular. Why? Is something the matter?"

"Eh, nothing I can't handle."

"Wait, you have not asked M'rissi if she is capable," the Khajiit woman objected.

"No, you're not doing it," Blake told her firmly, remembering that out of the past five nights, M'rissi's night terrors didn't come up in only one of them. When she looked ready to argue, Blake quickly tried to think up an excuse. "If something happens outside of the dream, I'm counting on you and Inigo to protect me."

Her ears went up and then back down as she swiftly went from surprise to pride. "Of course she will protect you, like a noble warrior protecting a sleeping princess. Do not take too long with the magical dreaming then."

"I'm fine with remaining outside of the nightmare creature's potion-induced dreams as well. It does not sound like a pleasant experience. Not that I'm wishing it upon you, of course."

"Great." She looked back to Erandur. "So, how do we make some?"

"We may not have to. The laboratory is in the east wing, connected to the library. If we go there, we should be able to locate a sample."

"Lead the way," Blake said with a gesture of her arm. As the priest bowed his head and continued on, she let out a sigh.

" _He may lead you to harm with this potion."_

"So how safe is this thing?" Blake asked him as they entered a hallway. _'Can you not, for today?'_ she directed inwardly.

"I will not lie to you, there is some risk involved," he admitted as he looked back to her for a moment. "The last time the Torpor was imbibed could have been decades ago. But I swear upon Lady Mara that I will do everything in my power to prevent any harm from befalling you."

They came across a few bodies as they went, likely freshly killed going by the wet pools of blood that had yet to finish spreading, from both the cultists and their invaders. As they came closer to the laboratory, the sounds of a struggle were heard again and Blake dashed forward. A Bretonnic man was struggling against an Orc that quickly overpowered him, shoving him into a wall before grabbing him by his tunic and then pulling him overhead. The cultist's neck snapped into an unnatural angle, and the Orc let the body hit the floor before looking over to an Imperial woman who was crawling up the stairs while clutching her bleeding side. As he hefted a hammer to crush her, Blake shot forward, slicing off his arms with Gambol Shroud. Just as he began screaming from the pain, she turned and stabbed into his neck from behind. Once he was dealt with, Blake searched the points of the room for threats, even looking up like most people forgot to do. Once she saw it was clear of standing enemies she went over to the woman, who from the looks of things couldn't have been out of her teens yet. One hand started summoning healing magics while the other sheathed her blade and then began a calming spell. Erandur came up and looked down at her as well.

"Is she…?"

"She'll live. From what I can tell, it's mostly just a graze. You know healing, right?"

"Of course," he said before throwing his own Restoration magic into the mix. After a moment, her injury began closing as though zippered from either end, leaving pinkish, not quite scarred flesh where a gaping wound had once been.

"We'll need to tie her up or something." Inigo came over and offered a few strips of leather, which Blake took and used to bind her hands. "Also, maybe we should put her somewhere comfortable," he suggested further.

"Just take those furs from that shelf and pile them up," Erandur indicated with a nod of his head. Once done, the other two took the woman over and set her atop them. As they did, Blake noticed a man struggling, reaching up to grasp at the axe embedded in his chest. She hit him with Calm and he stopped, giving her a chance to observe the wound closely.

"Looks like this guy got lucky," Blake stated as she pressed a hand down and grabbed the axe as close to its head as she could. With a sharp tug, she pulled it loose and immediately sent healing energies into him. While his flesh wound sealed up fine enough, she could feel that the damage to his ribs and sternum would need far more time. Rather than spend the next hour trying to heal bones, Blake cut off the spell, dug out a healing potion, and fed it to him before giving him the same treatment as the woman.

"Are we going to stop and save everyone?" M'rissi asked as she came over with a large bottle in hand.

"We're just saving who we can," Blake answered. "If someone isn't trying to kill us, then there's no reason to kill them."

"She supposes that's true, but we were not killing those two in the first place. Oh, and she found your dream potion." M'rissi held out the bottle, which Blake now saw had a likeness of Vaermina drawn onto a piece of paper glued to it. She took it in hand and then showed in to the former cultist.

"This it?"

"Yes, that's the one," he said with a sigh of relief before looking around. "Good luck to us for finding it. This place looks like it was ransacked by the Orcs before the Miasma settled." He nodded and then looked at Blake in the eyes. "So… I've taken us this far, but you need to guide us the rest of the way."

"Right. Let me get comfortable." Blake took one of the furs that weren't currently under their muddled prisoners and set it out before sitting upon it. With a deep breath, she looked over to Inigo. "While I'm out, search the place we've gone through so far. Bring any survivors we might have missed here for Erandur to look over, and bag up anything we can use." That those could be valuable to pawn off at a later time went unsaid.

"No problem. Don't take too long for your beauty rest. The world won't be able to handle much more from you."

M'rissi's ears suddenly shot back as she looked at Inigo angrily. "What? What do you mean by that?" Inigo's eyes widened and he looked to Blake for help. In response, the Faunus uncorked the potion while holding his gaze then downed it, tasting something like minty dirt that chilled her throat as she swallowed the concoction quickly. Once it was gone, Blake laid back and closed her eyes, the feeling of falling into sleep coming over her.

As her mind reeled at the feeling of suddenly going from one's back to their feet, a bright, blurry image came into view. There was a Dunmer with a red Mohawk and a bald-headed Nord with a braided beard, both in the robes of Vaermina's priests, standing before her.

"The Orcs have breached the inner sanctum, Brother Veren," the Nord told his comrade, who sadly shook his head before scowling.

"We must hold. We cannot allow the Skull to fall into their hands."

"But…no more than a handful of us remain, brother," the Nord lamented.

"Then we have no choice," Veren decided. "The Miasma must be released."

"The Miasma? But, brother…"

"We have no alternative. It's the will of Vaermina." He suddenly turned towards Blake and looked directly at her. Rather than run or brace herself, as she wanted to, she met his gaze, though shakily. "And what about you, Brother Casimir? Are you prepared to serve the will of Vaermina?"

"I've made my peace," she answered, though her voice sounded more like that of a young man in his late teens. "I'm ready."

"Then it's decided," the Dunmer cultist declared before nodding and crossing his arms. "Brother Casimir, you must activate the barrier and release the Miasma. Let nothing stop you." He then looked over to the Nord as Blake slowly backed away, the feeling of control over her legs returning slightly. "Brother Thorek, we must remain here and guard this Skull with our lives if necessary."

"Agreed. To the death."

"Then let it be done. Farewell, brother."

Blake began to leave the room they were in, the sounds of battle echoing out from all around her. Her hearing seemed as dulled as her vision was blurred and darkened and brightened in all the wrong ways, but she could still hear flesh being torn, magic erupting, and bloodcurdling screams. She dashed past both people caught up in combat and those lying down and dying. An older woman reached out towards her, trying to staunch her bleeding stump where a foot once was.

"Brother, help!" she cried out before an axe swung in and chopped through her neck, courtesy of an Orc who had blood splashed across half his body. A man came at him with a shout, firing electricity from his hand and into the foe. Blake tried to reach for a weapon, but her arms refused to follow instruction, and her legs were doing their damnedest to run. As she sped away from the battle, she realized that the heavy, shaky breathing she was hearing was her own.

After dodging around several more fights and scenes of death, she came upon the doorway where she remembered the barrier was. She grasped a chain and pulled, and the sounds of something like massive billows began to echo out across the temple. Again, as though on autopilot, she turned and grabbed a Soul Gem from a shelf and walked over to a holster on the wall. She held it up and, trembling, began to set it in. Everything seemed to freeze in place for a long moment, brightness fading away, dark corners becoming visible as they should have been, sounds becoming clearer, and the general blurriness she had experienced for the past minute or so going away. Next thing she knew, her hand was upon a Soul Gem with a barrier spell arcing from it towards the barrier at the doorway. Erandur, M'rissi, and Inigo stood at the other side, looking at her in amazement. Shaking her head to clear it of cobwebs, Blake took the gem from the holster, canceling the barrier it had been making.

"It… It worked!" Erandur exclaimed as she stumbled through. "Mara be praised!"

"Don't sound so surprised," she muttered while rubbing her eyes.

"Blake, you completely disappeared!" M'rissi shouted as she came up to her. "She was afraid you were gone forever and was going to avenge you on the priest, but then Inigo said we should come up here. He said it made, uh, narr'tive sense."

The blue Khajiit just shrugged. "This was our goal, after all. Oh, and I found another woman and an Orc. They are tied up with the others until we figure out what to do with them."

"Thanks." Blake coughed a few times and then looked back to the path opened up before them. "Gods, there's a lot more down there. Or there was. The Miasma would've been cleared out a while ago, so I can't imagine anyone will still be asleep. We'll need to be more careful, but we've got to get down there."

"Yes, we must go forward," Erandur declared. "The inner sanctum lies ahead. We must reach the Skull and put an end to Dawnstar's troubles. Lead on, my friend."

Blake nodded and began re-trekking from the opposite direction she had just come from. Bodies lied all about, both pools of dry blood and fresher ones scattered around the temple's halls. She saw the corpse of the woman who had called out to her –or rather, the person whose memories she had viewed – now cold and gone. Towards the end of their journey, Blake had begun feeling an intense unease. She knew several people were still alive and well when the Miasma was released, and yet not nearly so many corpses were on the ground. At the inner sanctum, she could see their objective ahead, and resisted the urge to believe it was all over. Her suspicions proved valid when the four paused and the two priests from her dream slowly came from around the corners.

"Wait…" Erandur said as he lowered his stance. Blake held herself at the ready, seeing as the Dunmer held an Orcish mace and the Nord had what looked like a lightning enchanted sword. Erandur slowly walked forward while they approached.

"Veren, Thorek, you're alive!"

"No thanks to you, Casimir," Veren spat, startling Blake. Before she could really absorb what was going on, Erandur shook his head and responded.

"I no longer use that name. I am Erandur, priest of Mara."

"You're a traitor," the other Dark Elf accused. "You left us to die and then ran before the Miasma took you."

"No, I… I was scared," Erandur stuttered out. "I wasn't ready to sleep."

"Enough of your lies!" At that, half a dozen other Vaermina cultists came out of hiding, each of them with spells at the ready. Some of them still held a wild look in their eyes, but whatever insanity they had seemed focused on their four enemies. "We can't allow you to destroy the Skull, priest of Mara," Veren mockingly told him. Erandur braced himself and went back at the ready.

"Then you leave me no choice!"

Veren snarled and swung his mace at Erandur, who backpedaled out of the way before swinging back. Several cultists readied spells, but two black arrows sinking into two of their heads and a bolt of lightning hitting a third caused them to redirect their attention to those who had almost halved their number within seconds. Thorek came in going for Erandur, but Blake stepped in the way while drawing her daggers and blocked his blade. Like she'd come to learn, the ebony material didn't let the electricity flow through. She kicked the man back, but he caught himself and slashed as she rushed him. The Blade of Woe held back his strike, allowing her to slash with the Daedric blade. She barely missed as he craned himself away, but she kept up the offensive, coming in close as she pushed back against his sword, driving the dagger up into his diaphragm, where she could feel it sink through flesh and carve past bone. The man let out a pained grunt before she drew back and let him collapse.

"Vaermina, forgive me…" he begged as blood leaked from his mouth. Blake was about to turn back to help Erandur when a ball of ice came at her head. She let a clone from her Semblance take it and zeroed in on the Wood Elf cultist who had taken the shot, who was now backing away in fright. Blake dashed in, but sidestepped a blast of ice from the Bosmer and threw her dagger at him. It struck his neck, and then Blake felt something. A woman's war axe swung through her clone as Blake reappeared, surprising the woman but not enough to slip past her guard. She swung the weapon again and Blake caught it on the Blade of Woe while reaching towards her back. Her hand wrapped around the hilt of the Ebony Blade, but rather than pause she swung forward, slicing almost cleanly through the woman's waist. Her two halves fell, to the cultist's surprise, and Blake felt the life-force flowing into her in an intoxicating ecstasy.

" _Her brother's return brings only ruin."_

' _Well, that's what happens when someone in your cult has a prick of conscience.'_ Seeing as Mephala and her Blade had nothing to say to that, she sheathed the blade while looking at the last cultist standing, who was now being beaten back by Erandur. Veren's face was bashed one way and then the other, his magic armor doing only so much to save him from the priest's blows. He finally fell onto his back, his grip on the Orcish mace faltering as he did. Still, he looked up at his former comrade with anger and seething hatred.

"How could you, Casimir…" The Dunmer shook violently a moment and then stilled. Erandur sighed and then hooked his mace to his side.

"It's time. The Skull must be destroyed," the priest said with finality. He walked up towards the dais where it lay, stopping just short of the reddish dome around it. "If you'll stand back, I'll perform the ritual granted to me by Lady Mara. First, an incantation to remove the barrier." He held out his arms, his palms upturned.

"I call upon you, Lady Mara." His arms then lowered. "The Skull hungers. It yearns for memories and leaves nightmares in its wake." He raised his hands up, with fists clenched towards the Skull. "Grant me the power to break through this barrier and send the Skull back to the depths of Oblivion!"

The barrier then faded away, leaving the Skull of Corruption and its pedestal bare to the world. As Erandur raised his hands and twinkles of light began to gather around them, a voice echoed out through Blake's ears.

" _He's deceiving you."_

' _That…wasn't Mephala,'_ Blake quickly realized, not even bothering to look around for a source.

" _When the ritual is complete, the Skull will be free and then Erandur will turn on you."_ Blake looked at the Dark Elf silently mouthing words to a prayer and then back at the Skull. _"Quickly! Kill him now. Kill him and claim the Skull for your own! Vaermina commands you!"_

With that, Blake couldn't help but break into laughter. Scared she might have distracted Erandur, she looked to see that his concentration was fully on his ritual. Blake looked up at the icon and crossed her arms as she smirked.

"You've got to be kidding me," she directed at the carving. "I have had the Goddess of Lies and Plots constantly whispering into my mind to try and convince me of every evil thing under the sun. Save your efforts for the next Era." Inigo and M'rissi were both looking at her strangely, but the echoes of Mephala's laughter started ringing out from what she could hear.

If Vaermina was livid, amused, annoyed, or whatever, Blake didn't know. Soon, the Skull began to wick away as purple flames seemed to consume it, signaling its sinking back into Oblivion. Once it was gone, Erandur ceased the ritual and let out a long sigh. As he turned to Blake with weary eyes, he pulled back his golden hood and rubbed his forehead.

"Forgive me if I don't appear relieved. This temple has taken its toll on me."

"Will you be all right?"

"In time, I believe I will." He looked up and rubbed his neck. "I'd constructed a meager shrine to Mara in the antechamber where we entered. My intention was to spend the rest of my years here, burying the past and praying for forgiveness. But instead, after we've taken care of those we've rescued here, I wish to offer my services to you."

Blake was taken aback by the proposal, but took it in stride and thought it over for a moment.

"Are you sure about this? You don't really know anything about us."

"Perhaps not much, but anyone who can resist the direct temptations of the Prince of Plots and say no to power personally offered by Vaermina is nothing short of a paragon in my eyes."

Blake laughed nervously at that while scratching behind an ear. "So you _did_ hear me."

"Yes, but don't worry. I won't judge whatever past you may have, just as you decided not to judge me for mine. I may not know exactly what you're going through, but I believe I can help."

"Maybe you can." Blake took in a deep breath and let it go slowly. "Alright, but we should probably get everything out in the open before we do anything together."

"Such as one of you being a member of the Thieves' Guild?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Actually…"

* * *

"Still no sign of him?" Ruby asked Yang through their scrolls as she approached Whiterun. As she closed in on the city, she saw farmers across their harvested fields, preparing their homesteads for winter. Every so often, flakes of snow would drift down, only to melt almost as soon as they hit the ground. It wouldn't be long before that wouldn't happen, and the entire province would be covered in a blanket of snow.

"No." Yang shook her head regretfully. "I've been following his trail, but he had practically a whole day to get ahead of us. Even when we left Erevan to take all the cargo to Whiterun we only started making slight gains. It's like he knows exactly how long we're willing to go before stopping and he just goes the same amount."

"More vexing than that, he's taking the most bramble-covered, roughest of backroads," Weiss complained. "You'd think a nomadic monk would know the best roads to take to any given location."

"At the very least," Yang continued on, ignoring Weiss' complaints, "we know he didn't go to Whiterun _or_ Dawnstar. He's just making a beeline to Dimhollow with minimal regard for shelter or food. Who does that?"

"A man with no sense of proper navigation, that's who," Weiss complained again. Like her sister, Ruby ignored her partner's complaints and pressed on.

"Okay. I hope you get to him in time. He's a good guy. He doesn't deserve getting eaten or dying in a booby trap." Ruby looked up and sighed. "Well, I'm about to face the music. Hopefully Delphine keeps her paranoia down this time around."

"Just be sure to hold your ground and ask questions," Yang reminded her younger sister. "Oh, how's the patch job holding up?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," Ruby answered before tugging at the white scales on her armor. Nahkrensos' scales were pretty much sitting around with only a couple being studied, so the College let the sisters pick through them for what they wanted. Yang packed up enough to make another suit and then some while fixing in a few on Ruby's current armor. The Dragonborn planned to have Eorlund give it a second look over just in case, mostly at Yang's behest, and then leave the large sack of scales she had with him. From what she heard, he had already bought the few Weiss sold after killing Mirmulnir, but it wasn't enough for more than a pair of boots, gauntlets, or a helm, and the bones had none of the skin needed for the inner layer of a suit.

"That's good. Maybe after another dragon or two we can just suit everyone up in dragon scale armor. Ooh, maybe we could use dragon bone?"

"Maybe." Ruby smiled at the familiar excited look that was on her sister's face for once. "Alright, I'm gonna let you go now. Guards are giving me sideways looks."

"They're more curious than anything," Lydia spoke up, which Yang shrugged off.

"Okay. You have a good one, sis. Love ya!"

"Love you too, Yang. You too, Weiss."

"You too. Wait, hol-" Ruby hung up and then snickered to herself before pocketing the device. After entering the city, she headed towards the Bannered Mare and zeroed in on a hooded figure in a corner seat. Slowly, she made her way over to the person as though she was sneaking carefully, but ended up tripping on a chair leg and tumbled forward. Luckily, years of calisthenics kicked in and she caught herself, rolled forward, and came up on her feet.

"Phew!" she sighed as Delphine put her fingers to her eyes and rubbed them. Ruby continued on as if her trip was completely intentional and smiled as she sat across from her. "Hi."

"Hello…Ruby. I trust you got my message."

"Yeah. So what's up? Or can we mention it here?"

"Upstairs." Ruby nodded and followed along. They went to one of the rooms near the back and Delphine checked the room on either side before entering it and barring the door. "Like I said, I've found a window to get into the Embassy. A contact of mine was able to slip me an invitation to a party happening a little more than a week from now, on Emperor's Day."

"Emperor's Day?" Ruby asked. She had heard the holiday mentioned before, but never what it was or about.

"The birthday of Uriel Septim VII. Tradition used to be that it changed to match the birthday of the current Emperor whenever a new one was crowned, but Titus I decided to keep it there in memory of the lost dynasty. The Thalmor are getting a lot of heat thanks to what people are calling the Magnus Event, and this seems to be them reaching out. Damage control, if you will. Elenwen herself is hosting the party, and security is going to be mostly focused on the section with the party-goers."

"So you're going to sneak in?"

"No. " Delphine shook her head. "They know who I am. If I tried to sneak in, I'd be caught in an instant. You're the one going who's going in."

For a long moment, Ruby's mind ran with the thought of her infiltrating a super-secret base by going through a bourgeoisie party like something out of Lakeside Ten. She was snapped out of her thoughts by Lydia clearing her throat.

"I'm afraid that's not going to work," the housecarl explained. "My Thane is about as stealthy as a hungry mammoth calf. No offense, Ruby."

"I…" A look of surprise crossed the Blade's face. "Then how are you hiding away from all those who want to kill you?"

"Who wants to kill me? I mean, the Dark Brotherhood kinda did, but then Blake killed all of them. Huh, now that I think about it, who paid them to do that?" Ruby though on it a moment and then shrugged. "But yeah, not that many people are gunning to kill me, and Lydia tends to take care of them."

Lydia shrugged while Delphine looked on in astonishment. Ruby then suddenly snapped her fingers.

"Of course! Blake can do it! She's pretty stealthy; she's the one who pulled that group Chameleon trick on you when we first met. She's basically a ninja _and_ a cat."

"Your Khajiit friend?" Delphine hummed and rubbed her chin in thought. "Yes, that could work. I know for a fact that she worked against the Thalmor before, although whatever was going on suddenly stopped for some reason I haven't figured out."

"Oh, she killed the person after her friend," Ruby stated nonchalantly, again causing Delphine to look at her in surprise.

"Is your friend some sort of professional assassin?"

"Um, not really? She's just more geared for the stealthy approach than anything, and she's kinda been doing all of the wetwork we might need. Most of it goes back to the time the Dark Brotherhood tried to kill us. Last I checked, she got a lot of nobles in the holds arrested for using the Brotherhood's services, both in Imperial and Stormcloak hands."

"Still… Very well, how soon can we expect her?" the Blades member then looked about. "She's not in here, is she?"

"She's heading to Solitude, so I'll send her a message. The Embassy is a walk away from the city, right?"

"Higher up on Mount Kilkreath, but yes, it's a small hike away from Solitude. We actually have to go to Solitude for the next steps. We'll still need to infiltrate the party, so whoever's going needs to look the part."

"Oh boy, Taarie and Endarie are gonna have a field day." Ruby shuddered while Lydia smirked in anticipation.


	48. Slithering in the Deep

**I hate to keep** **y'all, but I need to lay this out. Guest reviews are annoying. I like to respond to reviews whenever they earn** **a response, either by asking a question worth asking or detailing what they enjoyed in detail. Some people have gotten multiple responses. However, someone left a review that really needed to be responded to, to set record straight and whatnot, but it was a guest review.**

 **Let me say this again, I'm _not_ going to respond to a guest review in the chapters. If you have something to say, log in and say it on an account so I can respond and we can discuss it. If I can't discuss it, then I'm just going to delete it. And that's the end of that.**

 **Now, with that out of the way, let's get to something funner and happier, kinda. My thanks to my co-writer and editors, trestwho and naancontributor.**

* * *

Blake and the rest of her party arrived in Solitude after a few days at sea. Cold was the best way she could describe it, with ice floes growing thicker and snow beginning to accumulate more and more. Even the warmer waters surrounding Solitude weren't entirely enough to abate the cold, but she welcomed whatever relief she could find. After paying the shipmaster for their lodging, the group went into the city itself, noticing a large group of angry protesters outside of the Thalmor Embassy. It wasn't hard to imagine why they were there, and Blake didn't blame them in the slightest. Neither did the guards for that matter, although they did keep the protest from turning into a riot. Still, she and the others kept to themselves, Inigo splitting off to go towards the marketplace and Erandur going towards the Temple of the Divines to speak with the priests there. Blake and M'rissi were content to follow Erandur a few ways back, happy to let him converse with his fellow clergy.

"Good news, my friends," Inigo announced as he came back from the marketplace, a bundle of scrolls in his arms. Blake and M'rissi were both waiting just outside the Temple of the Divines, where Erandur was speaking with the other priests. "Skyrim is a big and confusing place sometimes. As we are bound to lose each other from time to time, I have procured us some special maps." He handed two rolled up maps to the women, who immediately unfurled them to see identical drawings of the Skyrim landscape.

"This is pretty detailed," Blake admitted with a nod, admiring the intricate artwork on its surface. "But I already had a map."

"Not quite like this one. Let me show you. My brother once found one just like them on the remains of some poor old adventurer in Cyrodiil. It can easily mark locations on command, and also show the position of items and people too. Watch this." He held a finger onto the compass part of the map, which Blake noticed was actually functioning as a real compass. "Where are you, Inigo?" A moment passed, and then a triangle appeared on the city of Solitude. "There!" he pointed out, earning a smile of pleasant surprise from Blake.

"That's actually pretty handy," Blake agreed before pressing her finger onto the compass. "Where are you, Yang?" When nothing happened, she raised an eyebrow and tried again. "Where are you, Yang Xiao Long?"

"Oh, that is another thing. The person you're looking for needs to have touched the map, at least once. Still, like this, we can always find each other if we find ourselves separated."

"Then we should poke each other's maps, yes?" M'rissi asked before doing so to the other two. After being shown a few other features of the enchanted maps, such as a self-destruct passcode system and the ability to mark down different destinations at once, Blake rolled up and stashed the new acquisition away. Erandur had finished speaking with the priests, and so the group moved on to the Winking Skeever.

"Why don't we go to Ruby's house?" M'rissi asked after a moment.

"Because the guy we're looking for will be at the inn," Blake answered before pushing open the door leading in.

"Come on in," Corpulus Vinius called out to them as the group entered. "We've got warm food, warm drinks, and warm beds.

Blake looked at her comrades and nodded, and they went over and sat down at a table a short distance away. She then looked over and saw a dark green Argonian male with longs horns growing from the back of his head. His beady eyes locked with hers after he took a swig from his mug, and he seemed to have a grin appear as he shifted his attention.

"So, what do we have here?" he asked as she approached before placing the mug down. "Hmm. Let me guess. By your scent, I'd say you were from the Guild. But that can't be true, because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore."

Blake knew very well it wasn't her scent giving her away. He could clearly see the Thieves' Guild gloves on her hands, complete with the insignia on the back of the wrist. She wore it to this very meeting to use as evidence of who she represented.

"I'm here because of Goldenglow Estate," she said plainly.

"I don't deal in land or property," he stated lowly. A sly grin then ran across his face as he brought his mug to his lips. "Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person."

Blake held her face even, stood up straighter, and looked down on him.

"Yeah, you can stop pretending like you don't know. We already know about your involvement, Gajul-Lei." Seeing his grin fade and his eyes widen brought immense satisfaction to Blake, but she held her face and revealed none of her pleasure to him as he squirmed.

"Oh wait… Did you say Goldenglow Estate? My apologies." He took in a breath and calmed down a little. "I'm sorry to say I know very little about that... bee farm, was it?"

"We have evidence pointing to you as the broker for the new owner."

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." He grimaced, and Blake was beginning to realize he had a lot of facial expressions for an Argonian. It probably actually helped to put customers at ease when she thought about it. "I can't be expected to remember every deal I handle."

"Just tell me who it was. The Guild is ready to forget this whole thing for that."

"I don't care what you promise," he whispered in a hiss. "If I tell you the buyer's name and word gets around, it could ruin me!"

Blake wanted to sigh, but held it in. Instead she pulled up a chair and sat down on it. Now with her head even with him, the Argonian's tension dropped a bit. She let up on the hard look she was giving him, letting go of her immediate intimidation factor.

"Look, there's obviously something that can be done," she said as sympathetically as she could muster. "This one-time buyer's bringing you a good deal of trouble, and they've already stirred up the Thieves' Guild and Maven Black-Briar. Surely, everyone would understand if you had to cut everything with someone like that and let a few wronged parties know who's responsible for some terrible circumstances. Especially if they were willing to do something for you in return?"

Gulum-Ei looked to the side and hummed before looking back at Blake. "Well, now that you mention it, there is something I've been trying to get my hands on. I have a buyer looking for a case of Firebrand Wine. There just so happens to be a single case in the Blue Palace. Bring it to me, and we'll talk about Goldenglow Estate."

"Glad we could come to an agreement." Blake flashed him a smile and stood up. "Take care now. I'll be back real soon."

"Of course." He nodded, and Blake headed over to where her fellows were.

"We heard everything," Inigo confirmed.

"I didn't," Erandur admitted. "I'm afraid my hearing isn't quite as attuned as any of yours."

"Well, everything's going okay. Not as bad as I feared, but not as good as I'd hoped."

"At least this one is not as slimy as Salthasar," M'rissi groaned. Blake couldn't help but agree then turned to face Erandur. He was noticeably uncomfortable, and it wasn't hard for her to realize why a Priest of Mara would feel so.

"You don't feel too uncomfortable about this, do you?" Blake asked him, to which he sighed and shook his head.

"While I'd prefer we didn't go to these lengths, I at least understand why you're doing this. Better it being done in a controlled manner than by some scoundrel slitting throats here and there all along the way." Blake smiled and nodded at his answer. Truth be told, that had been her thought as well. Better her than someone else.

"Thanks for your understanding. I promise not to mix you up in anything you don't want to do." She paused for a moment, tapping her chin before pointing upwards. "While we're on this, I guess you could stay at the manor. We'll take you up there in a bit."

"That sounds lovely." Erandur smiled. After a moment passed, the group left the inn and began heading out and towards Proudspire, but stopped a moment when they saw Sorex talking with an Argonian sporting extremely pale purple scales, a brown head, and brown feathers.

"I'm not interested, Jaree," the young man told him. "It doesn't matter how many times you ask." As Sorex walked away, the Argonian watched him go and crossed his arms.

"You _might_ want to rethink that. You're missing out on some wonderful opportunities working in that bar." As he leaned up against a post, Blake looked forward and then turned to her companions.

"M'rissi, go ahead and bring Erandur to the manor. It's right next to the Bard's College."

"Okay. You do not take too long talking to the lizards."

"Don't call them that," Blake admonished her before she and the Dark Elf went ahead.

"You know, I actually used to be a member of the Bard's College many years ago," he began to tell the Khajiit. Once they were getting out of human earshot, Blake walked up to the Argonian with Inigo watching her back.

"Jaree-Ra?"

"Depends on who's asking."

"I'm with the Guild. We got your letter."

"Really? I'm actually a bit surprised. I was practically sending those by habit at this point. Wasn't really expecting a response. What changed?"

"Me," she stated while pointing her thumb at herself. "So, what exactly do you need?"

* * *

"So," Jordis began as she helped to serve the evening's dinner, the soup kettle much larger than what she normally cooked, "you are a friend of Blake Belladonna?"

"Indeed I am, my dear," Erandur answered while Niri began laying out bowls and utensils. "There was some...nasty business in Dawnstar that Blake helped me solve, and afterwards I felt that my services were better served with her than staying in a small chapel almost no one would ever visit."

Jordis nodded at his answer and began spooning the rabbit stew into the laid out bowls. The housecarl was proud of this one, and the expression on M'rissi's face heightened that feeling. But before any of them could dig in, the door slammed open and revealed a fuming Blake who wordlessly stomped to the nearest cushioned seat and plopped down. The Faunus let loose a sigh and rubbed her forehead, telling everyone that something was wrong.

"Blake?" Inigo called out in concern. "Something the matter?"

"Yes." Another sigh escaped her lips and she frowned. "Sneaking out that wine was a damn waste of time. Gulum's still hiding something, but I don't have any real leverage."

"Is this about that…'special task' you have to perform?" the maid asked.

"No, I…" Blake looked back over to her and looked up and down. "What… Where did you get that?"

"Oh, this?" She indicated by lifting the hem of her shirt with one hand. "Endarie offered it to me with Lady Ruby's discount. I know it's not really Nordic tradition, but this style of maid outfits has really become popular the past few years."

The outfit she was wearing was practically the stereotypical maid outfit known far and wide in all of Remnant media to a t, even including the often forgotten frilly headpiece. It was mainly a red that accentuated her skin very well and made her hair seem all the more vibrant, with the apron and accents a cream that fit well. Blake had to shake her head out of her contemplation and blink a few times to straighten her thoughts back out.

"It, uh, looks good on you," she honestly said to the maid.

"Thank you, ma'am. It's also very easy to work in. Much better than…" As the Altmer went quiet, Blake was painfully reminded of where her life had been not so long ago.

"Here, sit down," Blake offered, while indicating a seat. "No need for you to work while supper's ready."

"Oh, thank you." The woman offered her a smile and took the seat while Jordis passed her a bowl of the stew. Blake closed her eyes a moment to try and get some peace, but it was soon interrupted by something against her cheek. She looked from out the corner of her eye and saw M'rissi poking her with a spoon.

"You were talking about business problems. Can she help?"

"I don't think so. I'm going to have to shadow Gulum for a while. I need to figure out where he goes and what he does day by day and see if I can dig something up. Pretty sure he's hiding something big. If not, he might have records somewhere."

"That's not so bad," the Khajiit replied before humming. "But M'rissi thinks you are having a problem with something else."

"Jaree-Ra," she answered simply.

"That slime?" Jordis asked as she set the cauldron back on the iron rod. "That bastard would have never set foot in this city if King Torryg was still alive. Unfortunately, he's been sneaking around the streets lately. Don't tell me you listened to anything that tripe crawler had to say."

"Barely." Blake remained quiet a moment as she picked up a spoon and poked at her stew. "Say, do you have ground canis root?"

The housecarl seemed to think a moment before shrugging. "I'll check the basement. If we don't have any ground we might have a whole piece somewhere I can grind up." After the Nord's head disappeared, Blake looked over at Niri.

"Don't mention anything we're about to talk about."

"Uhm, yes ma'am," the maid answered fearfully, Blake's gaze more than enough to cow her.

"Right, so Jaree wants some help in a seemingly simple task. To put it bluntly though, it's with piracy." If everyone's attention wasn't on her before, it was now. "With the weather getting worse the closer winter arrives, the Solitude Lighthouse is more needed than ever to ensure safe passage of any passing merchant ships. One of these ships is the Icerunner, a merchant vessel containing supplies for the Imperial Legion stationed here as well as a good bit of general merchandise. Jaree wants me to...'turn off' the lighthouse, allowing it to run aground where his men would pose as saviors while also getting its cargo."

"Pose as saviors?" Erandur asked, curious as to what that meant.

"I made it clear I couldn't be on-board if there was killing, citing Guild rules and all, but, apparently, there doesn't have to be. Less piracy and more like a big con, but it's not exactly guaranteed to be bloodless. A ship hitting the beach can still be deadly depending on where in the ship you are and how unexpected or hard it hits. Still, I have a bad feeling… The Icerunner comes in tonight, around midnight, so the lighthouse has to be put out at the right time, a little after the patrol around ten, in order to be effective. If I don't do it, he'll get someone else. Someone possibly far less interested in the well-being of sailors. He's not exactly pining for options, but I think he'd prefer a proven sneak over an untested one. There's plenty of dockworkers without a moral bone in their body and more addictions than I care to count. A Guild thief is just...better. I _could_ try to stop them wholesale, but then they might just go to ground and come up later. Perhaps they'll plan something else that could be even worse. They might just give up on the subtlety altogether and attack the vessel. I don't really know what these guys have up their sleeves, be it ships, boats, or trained seals and horkers, but I'm assuming the worst."

"Hm, so in the end, damned if you do, damned if you don't," Inigo realized while stroking some of his whiskers. "Well, in that case, I suppose we ought to."

"But then there's the Gulum problem," Niri pointed out. The catfolk stared at her, causing her to blush and look away.

"She makes a good point," M'rissi agreed.

"I really don't want to think like this, but Solitude is making me hate Argonians," Blake grumbled. She shook the negative thoughts away and tried to think of the more positive interactions she had experienced, like with Keerava and Talen-Jei. _'Wonder if they've set a date for the wedding yet?'_ she idly thought.

"Ooh, she knows! You don't have to do it," the Khajiit woman offered.

"No, M'rissi. I have to."

"You don't understand her. _You_ don't have to do it," M'rissi insisted. A confused look crossed Blake's face, one replaced with realization at the smug look on M'rissi's. "She is very capable."

"I... I don't..."

"Actually, I agree with her," Inigo piped up. "Not on her own, obviously. I don't trust these pirates as far as I can throw them. But, the fact remains that there are three of us available to do two jobs. M'ri and I can play pirate for an evening while you shake down Gulum-Ei. It's the best way to get this over with, for everyone involved. You'll be happy from a job well done. The Guild will be happy from us doing a good job. The pirates will be happy with a ton of loot. The sailors will be happy because they are not dead. And we'll be happy…uh, for participating. Everyone's happy! Eeeeexcept Gulum-Ei, but no one cares about him."

Blake thought it over for a moment. Part of her still wanted to say no for a number of reasons, but then she looked back over at her friends. Inigo was an experienced adventurer even before she ever met him, and M'rissi had an uncanny fighting instinct on top of her range of talents. The job was simple, so long as there wasn't a hitch, and a part of her wanted to believe they were more than capable of getting out of a tight spot should they end up in one.

"Alright, you two can take on Jaree's request. Just be careful, don't get caught, and stay safe."

"I promise," Inigo replied with a nod while M'rissi saluted. Blake smiled at them as Sarullo and Jordis came down and up the stairs at the same time, the Altmer man pausing to let her go ahead with a polite wave of his arm.

"I say, the stew smells lovely. And is that canis root?"

"It is. I managed to find some and crushed it, Blake."

"Ooh, would you happen to be making canis root tea?" the former captain asked, seeming delighted by the prospect.

"I…suppose?" Jordis guessed, realizing that she didn't know what the canis root was intended for in the first place.

"A suggestion then, before you set it to boil. About a half measure of cow's milk added to the pot will truly bring out the flavor. I don't intend to tell you what to do, of course, but I promise you will all love it."

Blake smiled and went along with it. "Actually, that sounds like it'd be pretty good. If you don't mind, Jordis."

"Not at all…" the housecarl said uncertainly as she went back into the kitchen. With their conversation essentially over now with the two in the picture, Blake went back to her lunch and took a bite, finding it to be quite to her liking. Holding herself back from gobbling it up, she began to eat away while listening to the Nord flip through pages.

"So many elves," Jordis mumbled where no one except for perhaps Blake could hear. "Well, at least they aren't Bosmer."

* * *

Ruby strummed her lute's strings to what she had told the other ladies was 'The Song of the Golden Dragon', which she had been practicing since leaving Whiterun, trying to copy what the man in her recording was able to do. It was a song that required rapid plucking interspersed with plenty of strumming that ranged from soft and quick to even more rapid than the plucks. Often, the two had to happen at the same time. The breakdowns were hard for her to get a grasp on, but she had nearly gotten the song in its entirety. Part of her was hoping to show the Bard's College what she could do, but another part was nervous that she'd screw up in front of everyone.

Of course, that was something for _after_ the business with the Thalmor was over.

"We're nearing the gate. We have just three days to get everything ready," Delphine reminded her.

"Three days of picking out dresses and trying on shoes," Ruby groaned as she put her scroll and lute away. "At least Blake will share my pain this time..."

"Speaking of which, we also need to get my man on the inside to speak with her. Only certified guards will be allowed to bring any weapons, and we don't have a way to get that."

"So he'll be sneaking in her gear?" Lydia asked, thankful that this part of the plan didn't affect her. As a housecarl to Ruby, Lydia was one of the few that would be allowed to bring her weapons to the Embassy, although she would have to leave her armor behind.

"Precisely."

"Okay." Ruby nodded and thought back over the plan. They had discussed it several times, usually after making sure there was nothing hiding around to listen in on them (Delphine was paranoid about it, but Ruby figured she had good reason to be), and so far the plan was that Ruby, being a fairly known face in Haafingar, would bring all the attention to herself, cause some sort of distraction giving Blake a chance to slip away unnoticed, and then just mingle along until the end or if Blake gave her the signal or returned. They still needed to talk over the plan with Blake, but it was already mostly cobbled together.

After they entered the city, a figure stepped out of an alleyway to reveal that it was Blake waving them over. The three humans paused a moment before cautiously going over and joining her in the shadows.

"What's up?" Ruby asked her.

"Waiting for Gulum to move out ." She frowned. "He's stiffed me on a deal for info, and so I'm going to have to balance the scales, so to speak."

"What exactly is going on?" Delphine asked.

"Guild business," Blake gave for a short answer. With a visual prodding from the others though, she sighed and shook her head. "He was the broker for the sale of Goldenglow Estate. I _know_ he knows who the buyer was. I don't need Mephala's guidance to tell me he was lying." A pleased feeling escaped the Blade but Blake ignored it.

"You sure he was?" Ruby asked, willing to give someone the benefit of a doubt.

"I was able to find his tell. He tries to keep his eyes partially closed rather than wide open like an Argonian naturally tends to do, probably to keep from off-putting potential customers. Whenever he's caught off-guard, they go back to their natural position for a moment."

"Okay. But what do you think you're going to find that can convince him?"

"I'm not sure, but I remember Mercer and Brynjolf talking about how they've been getting less and less shipments from him. If it turns out he's been short-handing them, they won't like it. That, or I could use the law like a guillotine over his neck once I get proof of him skimming off the top." She looked back at Ruby. "Might need your help with that. The threat of a Thane bringing that to the courts would have a lot more weight behind it."

"No problem." Ruby then looked back and hummed in thought. "Where's the others?"

"Inigo and M'rissi volunteered to take the other job. A ship ran aground up the eastern coast thanks to… Eh, never mind. Basically, they're helping save the sailors and 'salvaging' the wreck."

Delphine raised her eyebrow and Lydia had a disappointed look on her face, but neither said anything. Part of Ruby wanted to speak up, but at seeing the flash of regret pass Blake's face, she decided against it.

"Okay. How about the priest guy?"

"Erandur's up at your manor. He's been talking to Niri and Sarullo a lot. Jordis seems okay with him, but I heard her mutter something about Bosmer."

"Yeah, she…has a thing about them."

"Wait, who are these people?" Delphine asked.

"My maid, my tenant, and my other housecarl." Ruby then blinked a few times. "Oh, that's a series of words I never thought I'd seriously say. Weiss, maybe, but not me."

Before anyone could speak again, the door to the Winking Skeever opened and a dark green Argonian stepped out. Blake looked at her comrades and nodded.

"That's him. Wish me luck." She concentrated a spell between her hands and released it, turning invisible in a silent wink of pink-purple. For a moment, the humans were unsure of what to do, then Ruby shrugged.

"Well, let's go on home. Maybe this Erandur guy can help me figure out how exactly I'm supposed to pray to Akatosh."

"…What?"

* * *

When M'rissi and Inigo showed up at the wreck of the Icerunner, they had expected to see about a dozen pirates swarming it. Therefore, the half dozen pirates with vein-like tattoos on their necks were no great surprise. What was surprising, and alarming, was the number of sailors floating in the water or scattered along the shore. Blake had said that Jaree-Ra _specifically_ stated that they were going to feign benevolence and rescue the crashed seamen with the idea being that they'd reward their 'rescuers'. Obviously, something had gone terribly wrong. A pirate in mage robes turned to them as they approached, carefully masking their caution, and smiled with a polite nod.

"Ah, greetings. You're the ones who put out the fire in the lighthouse, right?"

"Yes, that was us," Inigo answered.

"M'rissi did most of it," the girl bragged. While true, it was mostly thanks to her using magic. Inigo's plan had been a bit more manual and required a few trips up and down the stairs with pails full of water. She let him start, then finished off the fire with a soft Water Stream spell. She laughed for nearly half a minute at his expression when he returned with more water.

"Ah, that was some good work. Deeja's in the hold of the ship, down two levels. Mind your step."

"Thank you," Inigo said before climbing up to the ship's deck with M'rissi behind him. Quickly, he noticed a few bodies scattered about, being dragged off the side of the ship and thrown into the water.

"Damn shame what a wreck can do, isn't it?" one of the Blackbloods asked with a wry grin. "Wouldn't think it'd killed so many, but there you go."

"Yes. Quite a shame." Inigo looked towards one of the corpses and saw how his neck was sliced open. He knew for a fact that nothing about a shipwreck could cause such a clean wound. He might not have been a maritime expert, but he knew the difference between inflicted wounds and wounds from accidents. As they headed down below, he swiveled his head and ears about, doing his best to listen for anything nearby.

"Careful, my friend," he warned M'rissi in a whisper. "This situation smells deceptive."

"She thinks something bad is going on too," she admitted.

"Yes. Keep your wits sharp, and be ready to fight your way out."

The Khajiits headed deeper into the ship, passing by one of the Blackblood Marauders here and there. Most seemed to be relaxing, despite the bodies spread about. A couple had even started eating some of the ship's provisions at a table. Each one they passed only made their tension rise, making it more difficult to mask it. But manage it they did, even as they entered the cargo hold, where they came up to a green, female Argonian in leather and hide armor.

"My brother told me you were coming," she said while turning towards them. "I'm supposed to give you what you earned."

"Very well," Inigo answered, putting on a smile to hide his tension. "We'll take our fair share of the loot and head on home." When the Argonian smiled wickedly, Inigo's fur stood on end.

"Ha! I'm afraid the loot's already been moved." Inigo suddenly heard the sounds of several boots on the move, at least four pairs taking position just outside the part of the cargo hold that they were in. "You've been useful to the Blackbloods, though. You've earned a quick death."

Two men popped in, swords drawn, and Deeja pulled out her own blade.

"Damn it! We're had!" Inigo yelled as he quickly drew his sword. The Argonian woman jumped out of the way, but his swing towards her then turned into a windup for one of the other pirates, whose arm came flying off. As the pirate screamed, M'rissi ducked down and drew her own elven style sword and met Deeja in a deadlock before hissing and baring her teeth.

"You will regret that," the Khajiit girl said before kicking her into the wall. Inigo quickly cut down the other man and then pulled out his bow in a flicker of movement to shoot two more heading towards them. M'rissi swung her blade down at the Argonian, but she moved into her swing and caught her arms before kneeing the smaller woman in the belly. M'rissi resisted the urge to double over before letting go of her sword with one hand and raking her claws across Deeja's face. As she yelled fromm the pain, Deeja bit down on M'rissi's shoulder and pushed her arms away. The Khajiit woman screamed, and Inigo turned to see her being overpowered.

"Get your filthy hands off of her!" he shouted as he plunged the arrow he was holding into her back. She yelled again, and then he pried her jaws away and threw her fully across the room. Her back hit a mounted horker head, and the three tusks pierced into her. For a moment, she struggled to get back up, but then Inigo took his sword and sliced through her throat. He turned his attention back to M'rissi, who had started healing her extensive bite wound.

"M'ri, are you okay?" he asked in worry.

"She is fine. The lizard woman did not bite her too hard."

"I'm also worried about you getting sick. I doubt a pirate's mouth would be very clean."

"Then let's get home and clean it. The pirates are nothing but murderous backstabbers." She made to stand, but hissed in pain as she shifted her arm. She focused on healing it again while she started picking through the dead woman's pockets. Once she was done, the two began to move. On the mid-deck, three more of the Blackbloods tried to stop them. Inigo slew the first so quickly he was still falling by the time he shifted his concentration to the second. The third immediately turned tail and ran, but M'rissi hit him with a lightning bolt that sent him careening before he barely made it back to his feet and scrambled out.

"Damn! There's still the ones outside!" Inigo said as he tried to listen for them. The cacophony was confusing, however, and his ears weren't so keen as to start differentiating which were which amongst the yelling and screaming. "Okay, how's your arm?"

"Better. She can fight."

"Okay, but keep close. We watch each other's backs." M'rissi nodded and readied herself. "On three, throw up a fireball. One, two,... Three!"

M'rissi launched a fireball from her left hand through the doorway and Inigo jumped out, slicing through one man's neck and then skewering another onto the black blade. He pulled loose in time to parry an axe and then jumped out of the way of an ice spike. M'rissi charged in and cut across the man's back with a catlike scream then cut into his neck. Inigo charged at the mage, whose eye went wide with terror before he tried to block the incoming sword with a ward. Inigo backed up a step and then slashed down, overpowering the spell and slicing through the marauder mage's arm. His bald head went flying next, and then Inigo took out his bow and rapidly loosed a trio of arrows at three men, each of them seemingly being hit at the same time before they fell. His eyes then went to M'rissi, who was locked in a sword fight with a Redguard wielding a scimitar. He slashed at her twice, quicker than most humans could perceive, and M'rissi buckled under the blows, her injured arm giving out and letting go. The Marauder took advantage of that and sliced up, hitting her side and slicing up the right side of her chest.

"NO!" Inigo screamed before loosing an arrow at the man's back. The pirate turned and sliced the arrow along the shaft, but another one came right after it. Inigo grabbed as many arrows as he could hold and started rapidly shooting them, with at least three coming at the man every second. The Redguard slashed them equally as fast from the air as he began walking towards the blue Khajiit, a devious smirk stretched across his lips. Inigo realized he was running out of arrows on hand and space between them, and so held his last one a few seconds before letting it go. The Redguard knocked it away like all of the others and charged him, but Inigo pulled back his bowstring again and let it go while also releasing his hold on the bow. The man paused a moment before knocking it out of the way with his hand, but Inigo had already made his move. Ducking low, the Khajiit rammed his shoulder into the man's chest, wrapped his arms around him and lifted before throwing him down onto the deck. He quickly jumped up and landed with his knees driven into the man's chest, cracking at least a few of his ribs with the full weight of his body and armor. The pirate tried to force him off, but Inigo wrapped his fingers around his throat while kicking his scimitar away and squeezed hard. The man struggled, then managed to kick one leg up and knock him over. Inigo refused to let him get away, and when the man turned to get up he grappled him from behind, holding his legs back with his own and trying to put him into a stranglehold. The Redguard tried elbowing his way out, but the Khajiit's armor took most of each blow, and the few he felt he deigned to ignore in favor of keeping the pirate down and applying more and more strength into his growing grip while pulling. Both shouted with exertion, the man with a gurgling voice, and as his desperation grew his hands blindly reached over his shoulder to scrabble at his strangler's face. The Khajiit shook his head back and forth to keep the pirate's filthy fingers away from his eyes, then Inigo yanked up and back while his legs pulled down in a move he recalled his father once showing him. The man's neck popped and he went quiet and limp.

Inigo's muscles finally relaxed and his limbs practically collapsed to his sides as he started gasping for air. After a moment, he pushed the corpse off of himself and slowly got to his feet. His first muddled thoughts were to pick up his weapons, but after collecting his sword, bow, and a few salvageable arrows, he gasped and ran over to M'rissi's side.

"M'ri!" he shouted in fear and worry as he sped over to her. "M'ri! Please speak to me!"

"…Good job, Ini…" She sucked a breath in as she clutched her side, trying to heal it. "Oh, it aches!"

"Hold on! I'll get you back to Solitude! Just hold on!" he scooped her up into his arms and practically jumped off the grounded ship before taking off for the nearby city.

"She's sorry…"

"No no no no no no! Do not be sorry! Just focus on healing yourself." The Khajiit girl nodded and winced while focusing on her magic. Inigo breathed fast and deep as he leaned into his run, determined to get back to Solitude as quickly as his feet could take him.

* * *

Gulum-Ei entered the East Empire Company's warehouse, pocketing his key after locking the door behind himself. He started walking through the warehouse, checking random items off a checklist he had as he went by them. There were entire sections dedicated to furnishings, raw resources, and armaments, with special places filled with a mix of luxury and magical items. He took note of some artworks and made his way by the steel covered ship that no one had come to reclaim yet. For a moment, he looked back and over his shoulder, making sure that no one was watching him before he went down a set of safety stairs into some waist deep water and then headed around the bend. A ramp led up out of the water, just behind several crates of several different kinds of alcoholic beverages, where the door to his special hideaway was. For a second he paused when he thought he heard something, but turned only to see a rat scurrying across the floor. He smirked and then went on.

He passed through and began nodding to his employees guarding the 'specially acquired" merchandise. Throughout the grotto were shelves stocked with an assortment of items, altogether coming up to be worth hundreds of thousands of septims, of which he paid nothing to obtain, and was actually paid to look through. It was the fruit of years of secretive movements. A crate here, a bottle there, one of a hundred enchanted swords missing. He was one of the people writing down the numbers, so all he had to do was make sure the numbers matched up with what was left.

He spied two of his workers swimming around, but decided to say nothing to them this time. They were probably on break, seeing as how they waved at him unabashedly, though they should have been at least a little, in his mind. The clothes the Dunmer woman had chosen to swim in were practically transparent when wet, not that her Nord swimming partner seemed to mind at all. Judging by the look on her face, neither did she. He went on and passed by several more guards and then the guard dog, Cerby. The dog sniffed at him affectionately and he gave it a scratch behind the ears. Cerby then sniffed the air and barked. Gulum looked back, but saw nothing.

"Save it for when we've got intruders, boy." The dog made a small whine and rubbed against his leg before suddenly following a scent with his nose on the ground. Gulum-Ei tensed as he watched the dog at work, only for the tension to cease when he leaped and pounced upon a skeever that had been hiding in a corner. The Argonian laughed as the dog brought the oversized vermin over and set it down.

"Good boy," he congratulated the hound before giving him another pet. The dog let out a small bark and then picked up the dead skeever and carried it off, likely to show it to the others. Gulum-Ei continued on until he reached the back end of the grotto, where most of the goods were placed, many of them being prepped to be sold to buyers. Two of his workers were there, keeping a fire lit for warmth. Suddenly, the woman drew her bow and the man his axe. Gulum-Ei went wide-eyed, but then turned and saw someone in black and red armor behind him, a veiled hood hiding their face, and a pair of daggers in hand.

"No," he muttered in fear as he backed away. "No! It can't be! The Brotherhood…"

The man charged the figure, who side-stepped and hit the back of his neck with the pommel of one dagger, then kicked up with a knee into his gut before kicking his head and knocking him to the ground. The woman shot, but the assassin ducked under the arrow and threw a jagged, black and red dagger that sliced through the wood of her bow as though it was warm butter. She, for the attacker was definitely a woman, charged in and uppercut the archer hard enough to send her several inches into the air and onto her back. Gulum backed away in fear as the assassin looked at him before she pulled off the hood, revealing Blake's face.

"Y- you?"

"Me," she declared as she marched over to him. "I told you, Gulum, you owe us _all_ the information. Now, are you going to give it over, or should I let the Jarl and the Solitude court know about this little stash you've built up?"

"Okay, okay! No need to be rash…" His face seemed to break down as he shook in fear. "Please don't tell anyone! I was going to let Mercer know, I swear! Please, he'll kill me!"

"Tell me first, then I'll decide what I'm going to do."

"Alright, alright. It was Karliah! The buyer's name was Karliah!"

For a moment, silence hung between the two.

"Who's that?"

"H- Mercer never told you about her?" Gulum seemed to calm back down and stood a little straighter. "Karliah is the thief responsible for murdering the previous Guild Master, Gallus. Now she's after Mercer."

"She…murdered him?" Brynjolf, Delvin, and Mercer were some of the longest-standing members of the Guild alive. If the previous Guild Master was anything to them like what they were becoming for her and had been for the other members, then Gallus was likely someone they respected greatly. "And you're helping her?!" Blake shouted.

"Help…? No, no! Look, I didn't even know it was her until after she contacted me. Please, you have to believe me!" he begged.

Blake growled, but held herself in check as she flexed the fingers of her free hand and sheathed the Blade of Woe.

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. When I asked her where she was going, she just muttered "Where the end began."" The Argonian nervously gulped and walked over to a strongbox. Blake readied herself for anything, but when he flinched, she just looked at the box and nodded for him to go ahead. He shakily unlocked the box and pulled out a small stack of papers.

"Here, take the deed for Goldenglow Estate as proof. And when you speak to Mercer, tell him I'm worth more to him alive."

Blake took them and looked them over. Most of it was the bill of sale repeated, but the last page held the actual deed.

 _'_ _Maven really wanted this last we spoke.'_ Blake shook her head and set the document down on a desk. _'I can think of some better uses.'_

"I'll let Mercer know. I'll _think_ about vouching for you," she said as she yanked her daedric dagger out of the crate it had sunk into. She then grabbed a quill and an inkwell and set them down next to the documents. "Although, I think maybe you can make it up to me for having to go to these lengths."

The Argonian whimpered and sat at the desk before taking the quill in hand.

* * *

As Blake came back to Proudspire, the signed deed to Goldenglow Estate safely tucked away into her knapsack, she walked into the main room where everyone was in commotion. M'rissi was on the floor, undressed with a blood-stained towel across her chest and lying on several blankets with a pillow under her head, Erandur and Ruby feeding healing magic into her while Niri pressed a wet cloth to a bloody spot on her side.

"What…? What happened?!" Blake asked, feeling nothing but blind panic fill her soul.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled as she looked up. "Blake, those pirates… They tried to kill Inigo and M'rissi!"

"WHAT?!" The Faunus slammed the door shut behind her and kneeled down by her friend's side , throwing her knapsack off to the side as she did.

"Ooh, do not yell," M'rissi groaned before opening her eyes. "Her head is swwiiiiiming enough. Mm, she does not like this."

"She lost a lot of blood," Erandur explained. "She was coming dangerously close to death's door, but we managed to heal her in time. She's going to need to drink plenty of water and rest for at least a day to recover, but the danger's passed, at least. We're just finishing up on the nicks to her ribs." Blake nodded and looked down at her friend before brushing her hair back from her paled face. After a moment, she looked back up at Ruby.

"What about Inigo?"

"He's okay," Ruby revealed, and Blake let out a sigh of relief. "He wasn't hurt, we checked, but he ran all the way here. His adrenaline must have crashed him hard."

"He's in the basement," Niri told her. Blake nodded and looked down to M'rissi again.

"I'm going to check on Inigo and then I'll be right back."

"Mkay," M'rissi breathlessly let out. Blake stood up and went to the staircase before going down into the basement. Inigo was lying down on an old cot, his armor splashed with blood all about. He looked over to Blake and frowned.

"My friend, I am so sorry." The fur around his eyes was wet and his ears were drooped down. It wasn't hard to tell that he had been crying.

"No, don't be sorry," Blake immediately replied. "I'm the one that decided we should work with that scum."

"But I am the one who decided to go off and do it." He sat up with a pained groan. "I should have realized a long time ago, we really depend on you for a lot, Blake."

"Hey, you're no slouch." She squatted down next to him. "You've been more helpful to me than you realize, and I'm the one dragging you from one end of the world to the other, not the other way around."

"That may be, but where I can shoot three men down in the blink of an eye, you move, cut them, and loot them in half that." He giggled a little before wincing. "But it's not just ability, I am terrible at looking out for others. We've had you watching for us both. I turned my back and let that man get to M'rissi, and she nearly died because of it."

"I seriously doubt it was that simple." Blake shook her head. "Look, it doesn't matter. The real people responsible are the ones who attacked you. What exactly happened?"

"Simply put, we were betrayed. Heh, guess I know what that feels like now." He groaned while pulling himself up and Blake stood and offered him a hand. He took it and finished getting up to his feet. "We went into the ship. They had killed all the sailors and guards, and I knew something was wrong. Looking back, we could have stayed inside and let them come to us. Tight quarters do large numbers no good. Eh, anyways, Jaree-Ra's sister said they'd moved all the loot, and said she'd give us a quick death. We refused."

"And her?"

"Dead." A pleased snarl crossed Inigo's face that quickly became a wince. "All of them that were there are dead now. The last one… I think he might have been an Alik'r before. Unfortunately, I have no idea where they could have taken everything."

"And I doubt we're going to see Jaree-Ra in town anytime soon." Blake sighed. "I'm just glad you're both safe." She then pulled the Khajiit into a hug, which he quietly returned. The two stayed that way for quite some time, until the two heard someone coming down the stairs and turned to see Ruby.

"Hey. You okay?" she quietly asked.

"I'll live," Inigo answered. "I'm more concerned about M'rissi's well-being at the moment."

"She's better, but she's going to be out of commission for a few days. Erandur said there's nothing magic can do for her at this point, and we just have to wait for her body to do the rest." Blake heard a grinding sound and saw that Ruby's jaw was moving about. "But…M'rissi gave me something. She said she got it off that Deeja tramp's body." The girl held out a note, which Blake took and read.

 _Sister,_

 _Once you have picked up the packages send them on to me at Broken Oar Grotto. The fools who did our work at the lighthouse should arrive shortly thereafter, make sure they are taken care of._

Blake practically snarled at that and looked up to meet Ruby's enraged, dragon-like eyes.

* * *

A few hours later, Ruby, Blake, and Inigo went to the Castle Dour dungeons. While they knew where Jaree was likely hiding, they didn't know where it was, and so were hoping the guards there could provide an answer.

"Excuse me," Ruby began, speaking to a guard sitting near a fireplace who immediately snapped to attention when he saw the spear in her hand.

"Y- Yes, Thane?"

"I was hoping you could tell me where Broken Oar Grotto is."

"Broken Oar?" the guard mumbled while rubbing his chin. "Think I've heard of it before."

"Hold on," another voice interrupted, and they all turned to see a big and stout Redguard. "You're lookin' to go to Broken Oar Grotto?"

"Yes," Ruby answered honestly.

"Follow me for a second then. I need to talk with you about something."

Ruby looked back at the other two and shrugged before following him. The man led them to a room that made Ruby nearly jump out of her skin. There was a rack, a gibbet, and a table so stained with blood that it was practically dyed a dark red. The man shut the door behind them all and walked over to the center.

"Thickest walls aside from the one around the city. So, you're planning to go to Broken Oar. I suppose you know what's there?"

"Pirates," Ruby answered quickly. "They hurt a friend of ours, nearly killed her."

"Ah, I see. Well then, that makes things easier. Perhaps you can help me out with a problem."

"What problem?"

"I _may_ have accidentally let a prisoner escape, the leader of the so-called Blackblood Marauders, Hargar. I told everyone he died during questioning, so I'm in need of someone to take him down so he doesn't show up and disprove that. Luckily, I have him tracked down, right where you're lookin'."

"Broken Oar Grotto."

Inigo growled. "If he's the leader of those bastards, he's as good as dead."

"That's what I'd like to hear." He turned and pointed at a map on the wall. "Right here, north of the peninsula. Look for the wrecked boats and a small islet just off the shore. You might run into trouble, so make sure you're prepared. Get rid of Hargar, and I'll make sure you get a sack of coins when you return."

"Thanks a lot, uh…" Ruby tried to search for a name in her memory.

"Ahtar. And don't mention it."

"Right. Thank you, anyways."

* * *

The three rode towards the north along the shoreline. As morning began to peek around, they found exactly what they were looking for. Several ships were run aground near the large mouth of a cave, where they tied up their horses and headed inside. Ruby immediately brought Crescent Rose to the ready while Blake took out Gambol Shroud and her Daedric dagger. Inigo simply notched his bow and kept his eyes and ears open. As they entered, they saw what looked like a large scaffolding turned platform, where two men were talking at the top. Inigo took aim and loosed an arrow followed by another, and then both men were sent to the floor. With little regard to subtlety, the group then ran in. One man was completely blindsided by Ruby, who swiped him aside with her scythe, sending him into the water below in two halves. A man on lookout was taken down by an arrow and fell from his perch.

The group then came up to a repurposed ship, and a few of the pirates spotted them as they came. They went out in force to meet them, but Ruby took a large breath and held her ground.

" **Yol Toor!** " she Shouted, setting the dozen or so Marauders ablaze and burning a few of them to death on the spot. Several jumped into the waters, but others struggled before collapsing. The rest looked at her fearfully, but they began moving to flank the group rather than come at them from straight ahead. One came at them with a Dwemer metal greatsword, who Blake engaged with her weapons crossed to block him. As Ruby dashed from target to target, Inigo sped past the others towards the sole Argonian amongst their numbers. Jaree blocked his first strike and tried to reciprocate, but Inigo ducked under the slash and swiped up. While Jaree barely moved out its reach, he couldn't hope to dodge the follow-up and was forced to block it awkwardly, which pushed him back into a column. Inigo let go with one hand and clawed, digging several furrows across his foe's chest. As Jaree screamed, Inigo kicked him, where he dropped his sword. The Argonian tried to get to his feet, but was met with Inigo's ebony sword held to his neck, practically resting against his shoulder. He looked up at the Khajiit's scarred face, fear completely overtaking everything in his mind as he was looked down upon.

"Who will mourn you?" Inigo asked as his sword shifted. "Nobody." Inigo pulled his blade, drawing it across Jaree's throat and slicing through neatly. Jaree-Ra barely noticed for a moment until he reached up and felt the deathly wound. He slowly fell over as death took him and Inigo turned back to see Blake having beheaded Hargar and the remainder of the pirates completely destroyed. He took a deep breath and let it go.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

"God, I hate the cold!" Yang complained as Lucky Day trudged on below her. As they moved, large swaths of snow were pushed aside, and a gust of icy wind caused Yang to bundle herself up and shiver.

"It's not even that cold," Weiss pointed out. Toggle seemed to oink in agreement.

"Weiss, there is snow _everywhere_. Look right, it's snow. Left, snow. The trees are all covered in snow. That hill? Just a big pile of snow." Yang didn't know whether it was because they were in the Pale or if it was because winter was so close, but regardless the brawler did not like it. She dreaded to think that soon all of Skyrim would be like this.

"You wouldn't last half a day outdoors in Solitas," the heiress remarked before slowly shaking her head.

"Whatever, we're almost there." Yang pointed towards the mountainous area ahead of them. "Damn you, Tolan," she griped with a small snarl before taking a calming breath and looking back to her teammate. "How far out you suppose Erevan is?"

"A few hours, at the least, though I'm willing to bet a day."

"Can't wait a day to go in and save that idiot's hide. We'll have to dive in." Yang hopped off her horse while Weiss slid from her own saddle then tied a lead rope to the hog. "Watch over Lucky, Togs."

Toggle let out a few oinks and the girls headed up an old trail. There were some ancients steps that seemed to have been dug out a time ago, along with a few cairns set with lanterns to light the way. The trail led up and wrapped around the mountain, ending at a shard of ruins where a lit torch had been left. Yang picked it up and sniffed the air and the handle.

"He was here, recently. Come on! We might be in time!"

She tossed the torch behind herself as they both headed into the cave before them. Weiss drew Drainheart while Yang readied Holy in her left hand. As they came close to an open chamber, they began to hear voices.

"These Vigilants never know when to give up," a man stated with a hint of annoyance. "I thought we'd taught them enough of a lesson at their hall."

"To come in here alone…" a woman contemplated. "A fool like all the rest of them."

Yang looked forward and saw the two speakers, a Nord man and a Bosmer woman with a shaved head, both clothed in the leather armor the Volkihar clan sported.

"He fought well, though," the Nord admitted, grudging respect evident in his voice. "Jeron and Bresoth were no match for him."

"Ha, those two deserved what they got." The Bosmer haughtily laughed. "Their arrogance had become insufferable."

A few more steps to the left and Yang could see three bodies laid out close to each other. Two of them were vampires as well, but the third she could plainly see was wearing the robes of a Vigilant.

"No," she muttered before clenching her teeth. "Damnit."

She went still when she heard something else padding along the cold ground and looked to see one of their undead dog things sniffing about. It turned in her direction and snarled, but Yang quickly took up her crossbow with her right hand, loaded and ready, and fired the bolt from it. The missile zipped through the air and hit the beast in the head, killing it instantly, but the vampires quickly took notice.

"I was really considering asking for surrender," Yang started as she holstered the weapon and drew Black Whisper, "but I've decided against it."

"I must concur," Weiss said as she readied herself.

"Get them!" the woman yelled as she charged. The man went behind her and the Huntresses met them. Weiss gracefully jumped over the woman while cutting across her throat, whereas Yang slammed one axe against the man's sword then smashed the other through the iron weapon and his shoulder. She then struck down a third time before kicking him off her blades, his upper body practically chopped into thirds.

"Those were grunts," Yang stated as she dipped her axes into a cold stream going by and sheathed them. As she began looking around, she went over to Tolan's body and looked him over, finding stab wounds in his left thigh, gut, and chest, as well as a deep gouge on his throat. Still, the other two vampire corpses let her know that he had gone down swinging, one of them with a caved in chest and the other with her head smashed like a melon.

"You idiot," she muttered at the dead man. "Gods, if you've ever been just, take your hardheaded servant to rest." She crossed his arms over his chest and then laid his hammer upon them. For a moment she just kneeled by the dead man, then reached over and took his Stendarr amulet. She held the horn-shaped piece between her fingers for a moment and then pocketed it. "I'll let your brothers and sisters know." She stood up just before a metal gate opened up nearby, then Weiss came back from a section of the ruins towards the front of the chamber.

"Found the switch, and I also found an ancient enchanted sword." Weiss help up a glass sword, shaped more akin to the Nordic style, only slimmer. "Weight's a little different than I'm used to, but the fact that it has a Paralysis enchantment makes it worth it." The heiress then looked over at the fallen Vigilant and sighed. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't made us backtrack…"

"No, Weiss, don't blame yourself for this. What's done is done. Tolan made a choice and it cost him. Just wish he had waited a little more." Yang nodded at the body and began to head down. "Come on. We need to figure out what these guys want from here."

The pair traveled down into the tomb, going through a winding hallway for a moment before coming up into a cavern filled with iron caskets and a stream running through the center. Weiss gasped and looked around at the architecture.

"I don't believe this… This is different than the other tombs."

"I don't see it," Yang admitted. Granted, she hadn't been in too many ruins as of late, but they all kind of looked the same to her.

"Look, normally the Nordic tombs held dragon motifs everywhere, but see on the coffins and those braziers? Those are bird motifs. And while I've seen standing coffins I've never seen them set like this."

"So, what does it mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to compare it to other known tombs and look at the history, but this may be indicative of who exactly built this place." With that the two hopped down and walked along next to the stream. After a bit of a walk, Yang held her arm out then took up her crossbow, loaded it, and aimed. The bolt went flying and hit a vampire that Weiss hadn't quite noticed in the back, causing her to stumble forward and fall to her knees. The heiress ran forward as another vampire came up and struck out. He managed to parry, and just then a pair of skeletons popped out of the ground. Yang smashed one apart with Holy then shoulder slammed the other into a wall while Weiss riposted and then sliced up, felling her foe just before several more skeletons came from upstairs. Yang started smashing them apart one after the other while Weiss summoned a Flame Atronach behind them. The brittle undead were quickly destroyed, and then all was left was the other vampire struggling to get to her feet.

"All right," Yang said calmly as she walked up to the vampire. "We can-"

With a shout, the vampire turned and tried to bring her axe down on Yang, only for the blonde to catch her wrist and look at her with an unamused expression.

"Yeah. No." Yang punched her across the chin and the undead woman went limp. "Now, as I was saying… Uh, hello?" She reached over and poked her neck before dropping her to the ground. "Oh…shit. I killed her."

"How hard did you hit her?"

"Not that hard, I thought. I mean, I hit that one vampire harder and he… Ah, never mind. I'm guessing there's a level of power difference at play."

The two went up and around, going by a line of graves with headstones that had swirling symbols and pictures engraved and painted upon their surfaces. The next room also held a number of coffins, with four of them set deep into the floor and three set in corners more normally but without lids. Further down they came upon a battle between risen draugr and a vampire and her hound. The beast managed to mangle one of the mummified corpses' legs, but was still struck in a deathly way on its neck before the vampire managed to send an ice spike through her foe's head. The other then sliced open her side, spilling some of her insides as she screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her wound. Yang threw Holy, hitting the other draugr in its chest and splitting it nearly in half, but it still managed to stab the vampire in the throat as it fell. After Yang recollected her war axe, they pressed on.

"Oh, that doesn't look good," the blonde commented when they entered the next chamber to see another graveyard, only this one had become submerged by a pair of waterfalls pouring in. A few steps closer and a number of skeletons began to rise out of the water. "Aw man!"

"What?" Weiss asked as she readied herself.

"I wish I had recorded that! That was menacing as all get out! It would have been perfect!"

Weiss stared at her teammate for a moment, her expression blank and unamused while Yang had the audacity to actually look put out, before they began destroying the bony things. A vampire from across the subterranean pond noticed them and tried to drain Weiss as she approached, only for her to fire her own drain right back and close the gap with him. Her sword pierced him all the way through and then threw him off the blade. They went into the hall beyond the cavern and made to turn, but both girls gasped and nearly screamed before they calmed themselves.

"It's okay," Yang said reassuringly as she went up and kicked the dog-sized spider corpse. "It's already dead."

"Yes, that's good." Weiss took a few breaths and looked to her side before pushing against some of the webbing at the doorway. "Yang, I just had-"

A vampire suddenly popped around a corner and looked in their direction. "I thought I smelled mortal blood!"

"Must mean me," Yang said with a chuckle before the vampire threw a spell at the dead spider. It began moving and picked itself up and Yang screamed before kicking it at the vampire and throwing an explosive Fireball after it. It exploded into a green splatter and fiery orange and the vampire screamed in pain. The Atronach sent another at her for good measure just before a pair of undead dogs came charging. One was smashed aside by a pair of axes while the other found itself jumping onto Weiss' sword. Two more vampires appeared and started throwing ice and drain spells, only for them to ram into Weiss' ward. She concentrated on the power of the Staff of Magnus and felt it reach out and begin sucking away at the magicka and life-force of one vampire while Yang met the other in melee, quickly chopping him down with overpowering force. Just past them they came upon a massive spider, perhaps the size of the one they killed back in Bleak Falls, fighting a single vampire. Both were covered in wounds, but the vampire was still going strong before he managed to jab the creature in the head. Weiss' Atronach threw a firebolt at him when he turned, and the vampire was sent to the ground smoldering.

"Whew, there are a lot of these guys. They really want whatever's down here," Yang remarked as she and Weiss moved gingerly through the exploded spider bits.

"Yes. You know, I had thought they might be open to communication, but it seems they don't care about who I might be."

"Yeah, seems like it. Maybe it's a clan thing." The two went between a pair of overlooking gargoyle statues and through a door into a room with two large paneless window grills, an open doorway, and several gargoyle statues standing at the exit. Idly, Weiss noted that the architecture had changed almost entirely from something Merethic to a design far more sophisticated.

"I'll never tell you anything, vampire," the girls heard as though across a canyon, surprising them both. "My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me."

"I believe you, Vigilant," an oily voice answered. "And I don't even think you know what you've found here. So go and meet your beloved Stendarr."

The girls gasped and almost ran to the other side and looked over the balcony to see a pair of vampires and an enthralled Orc standing over the body of a half-dressed man who now had a slit throat in addition to his hands being bound behind his back. Yang's eyes burned red and golden hairs began to stick out of her upper body while Weiss clutched her Staff tightly.

"Are you sure that was wise, Lokil?" the female vampire asked her male companion who was now licking his knife clean. "He still might have told us something. We haven't gotten anywhere ourselves with-"

"He knew nothing," the man cut her off before sheathing his blade. "He served his purpose by leading us to this place. Now it's up to us to bring Harkon the prize." He began walking away from the slain Vigilant, tossing a book down to land near his head. "And we will not return without it. Vingalmo and Orthjolf will make way for me after this."

"Yes, of course, Lokil." The woman nodded before wagging her finger at him. "Do not forget who brought you news of the Vigilants' discovery."

"I never forget who my friends are, Galla. Or my enemies." Lokil said the last statement warningly, to which Galla merely smirked.

"Any objections to me killing these scumbags?" Yang asked her friend, anger still evident on her face.

"None." The two then jumped down and landed on the dais the vampires had been about to leave. The thrall charged them with a sword in hand, but Weiss slashed at him, cutting across his arm. Rather than flinch back like she'd planned, the Orc fell over stiff from the enchantment of the sword taking hold. Taking advantage of this fact, Weiss focused ice into one of her glyphs and caused ice to erupt from the ground and around the thrall's body, locking him into place to the point he couldn't even wriggle. The female vampire stared at the display with something near disbelief before clenching her teeth in anger.

"That…was my favorite, you little wench!" Galla screamed at her, seemingly mistaking the prison for an ardent kill.

"Don't see why, unless you meant something aside from a meal."

The vampire growled, but Lokil held his hand out to stop her.

"You should run along now, child. There's no blood here for you."

"I don't know. You two look like you bleed," Yang quipped as she took up her axes. He looked over at her and snarled.

"I see. Very well then." He looked over at his companion and lowered his arm. "Don't hold back. Allow us to show you how mortal you still are, vampire."

Red liquid began surrounding him and started to surround her a second later, and then both charged forward just as the bloody change finished. Galla glided at Weiss and then grasped her before flying upwards and then kicking her away. The woman still held a feminine shape, perhaps even more feminine than before, with her face still present, but now framed by monstrous claws, feet and wing-like protrusions. Somehow, her outfit had also changed from the armor of before into a scanty covering.

"Wha- what?" Weiss got out as she stumbled from her landing and gazed up to fully take in her opponent's new appearance.

"You're going to pay for killing my favorite slave," the vampire promised darkly. "If you're lucky, I'll kill you, but I haven't decided yet."

Yang pushed the other Vampire Lord away and accessed the situation. The platform she was on was too small for a proper battle against something with as much mobility as one of them, which meant she needed to get over to the much larger platform in the center. As he prepped a spell, Yang braced herself and leaped away before charging towards the area. Luckily, there were plenty of pillars and the like to duck behind and force him to come closer. While she could hit him with fireballs or her crossbow, she preferred to finish him off as quickly as possible, and that meant taking off as big of a chunk out of him as possible.

The vampire took the bait and hovered in closer, within reach if Yang was quick enough. Another ball of red light came at her and Yang jumped up and forward as hard as she could, performing a flip midair and coming down on her foe with an axekick. The Vampire Lord stumbled down on his feet and Yang came in swinging, Holy digging a deep gouge in his right side and Black Whisper carving his left. Before she could get a third hit in, he reached out and grabbed her wrists before pulling her arms apart as far as they could go and then trying to pull them even further. Yang screamed at the strain she was feeling as he shook his head and looked at her.

"You're strong, mortal. Perhaps strong enough to consider-" His words halted as Yang's leg kicked out, knocking him away and into a pillar, the impact thoroughly cracking the stone column. To both of their surprise, her leg was longer with a swath of yellow-gold fur exposed between the greave and cuisse. Yang was dumbfounded for a split second before she focused and shifted it back into human form.

 _'_ _Okay, that loosened my greaves, but I think I can work with this.'_

Weiss blocked the rapid claw strikes coming for her before reaching out and hitting Galla with a Vampiric Drain. The Vampire Lord shrieked at the feeling and threw an orb at Weiss that the heiress blocked by flipping the Staff of Magnus from under her arm and absorbing it. Enraged, Galla took wing and zoomed over to the side before dashing again behind her. Weiss turned, only to see a cloud of bats. For half a moment, she was still, but managed to turn in time to see and duck under the sickle claws of her enemy. However, caught in an awkward position, Weiss couldn't fight back as Galla surged forward and pushed her to the ground. As her back hit stone and dirt, the larger woman grasped her wrists and stepped onto her ankles. Weiss struggled to get loose, but the other vampire's strength greatly outmatched her own. Galla looked down at her with a smirk that slowly widened and morphed into an evil smile.

"Oh, you are pretty. And unlucky. I decided I'm _not_ going to kill you." She moved and pressed her knees to Weiss' thighs. "Bitten young weren't you? Lucky me…"

Horror sank into Weiss' mind at the implications. Her struggles renewed, but it only seemed to excite the vampire holding her down even more. Galla laughed and tightened her grip while bringing her face closer.

"Don't worry. It only hurts once." As the vampire opened her mouth wider and brought her fangs towards Weiss' neck, she screamed and pushed out her magicka in every direction, not caring for the consequences. The scar around her eye burned and one of her feet seemed to be sending arcs of electricity about randomly. From her left hand came a chill so cold even she was feeling it bite into her, and her attacker was noticing it as well. Galla looked over in worry and screamed as she picked herself back up to her knees and clutched a half-frozen half-frostbitten hand. Weiss screamed louder as she grasped her glass sword and swung up, slicing across her foe's face and sending her back further. Weiss followed and kept screaming as she slashed again and again, hitting her arms as Galla tried to block the cuts. One slice swept through her frozen wrist, cleaving off her hand and she screamed while reaching for it, only to go still. Weiss paused when she realized the sword's enchantment had managed to sink in and then stabbed into the ground where one of her glyphs formed beneath it. A copy of it bearing an elaborate sword pattern appeared behind her and the Vampire Lord's eyes widened as a greatsword longer than she was tall and wielded by two metallic arms emerged. The white blade was then brought up, ready to come down upon her.

"Rot in Oblivion!" Weiss cursed her with eyes a poisonous yellow before the sword swung down, slicing through the remaining arm futilely raised between them and cleaving Galla in half. As the second hand fell next to the first, the Vampire Lord's body melted into blood and her bones turned to ash, all mixing into a filthy, red puddle. Weiss' summon disappeared, and the girl shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Yang bashed her foe away, leaving two deep cuts that were quickly sealing up. She sent a fireball after him and Lokil ducked under it and charged her. She went to get him in an uppercut, but he stopped just before the blow could touch him and then reached out with a swing of his claws, knocking Yang back and nearly into a pillar. Before she could go back, he rushed up and grabbed the handles of her war axes.

"No more of that," he said with a laugh. Yang then let go of both and brought her right fist around in a hook, knocking his face away from hers. As he straightened, her left came around in a haymaker.

"Not your call," she taunted while cracking her neck. He growled and she jabbed at him. He blocked with his arm, then she closed in for a quicker one, only for her hand to open and her fingers to turn into yellow-furred claws that gripped his arm hard enough to break through the skin and draw blood. Caught in her grip, the Vampire Lord was at the mercy of several of Yang's punches, each with some of the force she had been hit by in their battle coming back at him. Lokil managed to rip himself away and tried to jump into the air, but Yang caught his foot and tugged him back down. His claws scrabbled against the stone floor as she dragged him around and began swinging him around herself like an axle, smashing his head against a pillar on the third turn and cracking it while letting go. As he tried to get up, Yang scooped up Black Whisper and threw it at him, the ebony axe sinking into the flesh of his belly and closing off his magicka yet again. As his body tried to heal, Yang ran up and shoved him back into an arch before kneeing the back of the axe head, pushing it further into him. As the vampire cried out, Yang pulled loose Volendrung, which had been little more than dead weight to her throughout most of the battle, spun, and swung it around and smashed it into his chest. Lokil tried to cry out, but could do little more than squeak out a hiss of air as he reached forwards. Yang let the spiked hammer go, which stayed stuck in his chest, and pulled Fiery free. She brought the axe around with a yell and chopped into the vampire's skull, right above his nose. Dead, the Vampire Lord dissolved into blood and ash, and all the weapons embedded into him fell into the mix.

After Yang caught her breath, she looked down and grimaced at the mess surrounding her weapons. "Ew," she groaned before looking to see how was Weiss was doing, only to see the friendly vampire crossing the bridge to the central platform. "Hey, Weiss. Kill yours okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it," the heiress muttered.

"Okay." Yang decided not to press for details. The look in Weiss' eyes was more than enough for her to know she seriously meant it. "Hey, you know a spell to make water, right?"

Weiss nodded and summoned up a ball of water that she poured onto the bloody weapons. Once clear of the blood and ash, she stopped and Yang began picking them up and wiping them off.

"Thanks, Weiss."

"You're welcome." Weiss started looking around, trying to figure out what the vampires wanted from the place. She started walking around and looking into the empty braziers, but nothing about them really stuck out to Weiss except how they were placed around a sort of pedestal in the center. She hummed as she went over to the singular object, and noticed how the circle at the top seemed like a button. She looked around, but could see nothing that could have been a trap, unless the braziers themselves were the traps. As Yang came back from checking the Vigilant's body, Weiss pressed down on the button then screamed in pain as a spike shot up and through her palm.

"Weiss!" Yang shouted as purple light seemed to erupt from below in a circle. The girls were still for a moment, but nothing else seemed to be happening. "What happened?"

"If I were to guess," Weiss ground out while trying to heal her hand, "this thing needed blood given to it to be activated."

"Here," Yang offered while uncorking a healing potion. Walking through the purple light seemed to do nothing to her, so she looked at it a little more closely and noticed a branch of the light going out from the circle past one of the braziers. "Hey, these do anything?" Yang asked while pointing at it.

"I don't think… Well, they didn't a minute ago?"

"Did they have purple stuff in them a minute ago?" Yang asked while looking down into it.

"What?" Weiss walked up and looked down as well. "I don't think so. I'm sure I would have noticed that."

"Huh. Did they move, too?" Yang asked as she pushed the brazier's stand, making it slide along the purple line.

"Definitely not." Weiss looked at her newly healed hand and clenched it while Yang pushed the brazier to the outer edge where it locked into place and purple fire sprang to life from it while some sort of energy seemed to be siphoned from Weiss. "What…?"

"Whoa! The line got longer," Yang pointed out toward the purple light that had gone from the lit brazier and turned to touch the circle, going through another unlit one.

"I guess we're supposed to put them in the right order," Weiss surmised while walking over to it. She pushed it to the outer edge, only for nothing to happen.

"I think you've got to follow the line."

"Oh, of course." Weiss pushed it back, this time taking it to the inner circle just before the circle of light, where it lit itself while drawing more of the same energy from her.

"You okay?" Yang asked in concern.

"I'm fine. It's barely noticeable. Not like Morokei at all."

"That's good, I guess. Still, even a mini-Morokei would be bad news."

Weiss couldn't help but agree as she went over and pushed the next brazier into place, with Yang already ready to shove the next right.

"What kind of shape is this making?"

"No idea. Some sort of rune, maybe? A family sigil?" Weiss shrugged before pushing the last one into place. As the line of purple met back with itself, the center of the platform seemed to split apart and release a ton of pressurized air and magic. The braziers shot back, Weiss barely getting out of the way of one, and the whole floor shifted, lowering itself from the center out in tiers like compact bleachers, with the very center staying put as a pentagonal obelisk.

"Whoa," Yang mumbled in quiet amazement. "Okay. So what's that?

"I don't know. We'll have to see." They walked up to the column and looked around it for a moment before stopping at the two sides with linear divots down most of their centers.

"Well, I don't really know what else to do about it," Weiss admitted. "Try opening it, but be ready."

Yang nodded and pulled against them then pushed. When nothing happened she tried to pull it down, but still nothing budged. She stopped and moment and hummed in contemplation while Weiss walked up and looked it over before looking at her hand.

"Oh, how silly! Of course it'd be something magic." Weiss pressed her hand to the monolith and immediately it shifted. Stone slid against stone as part of it fell away. Both the girls gasped when a young woman was revealed within, seemingly asleep while standing. Her knees gave and she fell over and caught herself before standing back on her feet and opening her eyes, showing them her orange irises.

"Unh… Where is…" She looked at them both in confusion as the girls stood at the ready. "Who sent you here?"


	49. Playing in the Lion's Den

**December is here. We're on our holiday season and dread fills me. Times like this I really wish I didn't work in retail. Well, here's a chapter I know you guys have been waiting for. Thanks go to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for being awesome dudes.**

* * *

"Uh… Were you expecting someone specific?" Yang asked awkwardly, scratching the back of her head.

"I was expecting someone from my family," the woman explained before looking at Weiss. "I don't recognize you. Are you one of my father's little acolytes?"

"No," Weiss answered with a shake of her head, filing away the snippet of information given for later. "We're here on behalf of the Dawnguard. Well, she is. I was a tagalong."

"Dawnguard?" The woman shook her head while crossing her arms. "That's not a name I know. And it doesn't sound like a name a group of vampires would choose." She looked back over at Yang. "Or werewolves."

"Wait, how could you tell?" Weiss asked in surprise while Yang subtly sniffed herself. Occasionally in Whiterun, guards would complain about the smell of wet dog when she got near, especially if she had gotten sweaty recently. Yang quickly found that she did indeed smell like a wet dog, and she had taken to wearing perfumes to mask the stench. She was worried the fighting had caused her latest application to be washed off.

"You think I can't tell my own kind?" she asked with a gesture. "I could smell you almost before my eyes were open. Just picked up on your friend, though. You two have each other's backs or something?"

"You could say that," Yang inserted while sighing, knowing she would have to bathe or mask herself soon. "Okay, so we just fought through hell to get here, and I gotta ask, what were you doing six feet under stone under sixty feet of mountain?"

"That's…complicated," she said while wiggling her hand. "And I'm not totally sure I can trust you. But if you really want to know more, help me get back to my family's home."

"Well, I guess we could do that," Yang supposed after a brief pause, then chuckled. "Turns out the so-called vampire artifact was just a vampire." She stopped a moment and looked back at the woman. "Wait, you're not evil, are you?"

"Seriously?" The woman held out her arms, her face warping into a look of indignation.

"Yang, that's hardly appropriate," Weiss admonished her teammate.

"Hey, " Yang began to retort, "we just fought, like, a dozen evil vampires to get here."

"I'm aware," Weiss seethed, telling Yang to back off the subject.

"Look," the woman sighed and shook her head, "if it makes things easier, I promise I'm not going to slaughter the innocent or enthrall the countryside."

"Eh, I guess that'll do," Yang waved away. If it turned out she was lying, Yang was confident that they could take her down. "What do you say, Weiss?"

"I say we should get some rest before we make any further plans, " Weiss answered curtly, "but that's not to say I'm against the idea of helping."

"Thanks. I appreciate the thought." The woman smiled brightly, appreciative of the assistance.

"Where do you live anyways?" Yang asked with a raised brow.

"My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do." She started to walk away from the stone she had been interred in before looking back at the Huntresses. "By the way, my name is Serana. Good to meet you two."

"Good to meet you, Serana. I'm Weiss Schnee," the heiress introduced herself with a curtsy.

"Yang Xiao Long. Good to meet ya."

Serana nodded at both, idly beginning to wonder how long she was in that sarcophagus. As they started walking one way, the group paused and began looking around, scratching their heads.

"Know where the shortcut's at?" Yang asked as she began eyeing some statues on the far end of the room.

"Well, it's been a while. Your guess is as good as mine," Serana admitted. "It looks totally different from when I was locked away."

Yang shrugged in acceptance. "Well, we've done this a few times. I'm guessing the direction of the angry looking statues." Everyone looked at the statues in question and shrugged. It did seem to be the most likely place, and as such, they began walking towards it.

"So, you were in there a long time," Weiss began. "How long do you think it's been?"

"Good question. Hard to say. I… I can't really tell." After a groan and pausing in her steps to think, she looked back over at Weiss. "I feel like it was a long time. Who is Skyrim's high King?"

"Right now?" Yang asked with a shrug. "That's up for argument."

"Oh, wonderful. A war of succession. Good to know the world didn't get boring while I was gone." Yang grinned while Weiss just shook her head with a small smile. "Who are the contenders?"

"On one side the Empire is backing Jarl Elisif, but there are many people in Skyrim who are loyal to Ulfric Stormcloak."

"Empire?" Serana shot back with a confused look. "What…? What empire?"

"Ya'know," Yang tried to explain awkwardly. "The…Empire in Cyrodiil."

"Cyrodiil became the seat of an empire?!" she asked in amazement. "I must have been gone longer than I thought. Definitely longer than we planned."

Weiss blinked in astonishment as she brushed back her hair.

' _This is going to be something else.'_

* * *

After fighting through more draugr, including one with an ebony sword that Weiss had taken as spoils of war, and snapping a photo of a Word Wall next to a large arena-like area, the three women found the secret exit, hidden away amongst the mountain's rocky and forested side. Just outside, they came upon the settlement of Dunparwall, where they entered the Frozen Mug Inn. Yang had quickly run back out and regathered their steeds and happened to come across Erevan on her way back to the quaint village. The four now sat in the mostly empty place, with the innkeeper snoring quietly in an extravagantly cushioned chair that was, in Yang's opinion, one step away from being a recliner.

"So, it should be around here," Weiss indicated to her map while pointing out the location described to her by the other vampire. "That's quite a way out into the sea."

"We should be able to find a boat," Serana pointed out. "I know we used to keep one near this shore. They'd still need occasional supplies from the mainland, so there'd have to be one somewhere."

"If not, we could always rent one in Solitude," Weiss suggested. "My partner and I did that fairly recently, actually."

"Maybe, but I'd prefer to stay out of any large towns or cities for the moment, if we can."

"Well, by the time we get over there, Ruby should be done with her stuff," Yang explained before looking back at the wrapped up object on Serana's back. When she'd first seen the vampire wrapping the golden cylinder in linen, she'd asked what it was only to get a defensive response from the vampire, so Yang decided not to press for more details than necessary. Once Serana assured her it was safe and not a weapon of mass destruction, she let it go. "So you'll either be home, or we can get Ruby and Blake to help us get you there." The werewolf hummed a moment as she thought over the situation for what felt like the hundredth time. "What is this place, anyways? A small town? A mansion? An old castle?"

"Castle and palace," the vampire answered quickly before leaning back in her seat and taking a drink of mead. "At least, I hope it still is. A lot could happen in," she paused to scoff and shake her head in near disbelief, "a few thousand years. Still, it's my family home. Not the most welcoming place, but depending on who's around, I'll be safe there."

"You fear you wouldn't be safe in your own home?" Erevan asked pointedly.

"Yeah, what gives?" Yang added. "Someone you don't wanna run into?"

"My father and I don't really get along." At that, she rolled her eyes and set the mug back on the table. "Ugh, saying it out loud makes it sound so…common. "Little girl who doesn't get along with her father." Read that story a hundred times."

"No, I completely understand you, trust me," Weiss tried to assure her.

"I don't know if you really do, but I appreciate the effort." Serana began folding up the map while looking at the group. "So, what's all this about these people, Ruby and Blake, being your partners? Is that what people call it now, or are you all part of some kind of team?"

"We're a team," Yang began with a grin. "Where we're from, we're called Huntresses, professionally trained monster slayers and occasional crime fighters."

"The Huntsmen academies teach us in team groups of four," Weiss continued. "While the selection process varies depending on the school in question in different ways, ranging from pre-selected by complimentary abilities to random chance, the result is usually about the same."

"Does your homeland normally allow vampires and werewolves into their 'monster slaying' schools?"

"Our respective afflictions are…rather recent developments."

"So you're new to all of this. That's great," she said with a sarcastic sigh. Serana could only hope that Weiss knew how to comport herself as a proper vampire beyond the basics. "Don't suppose you're some kind of Daedra?" she asked Erevan.

"No. I am but a simple Dunmer."

"A what?" Serana cocked her head while Erevan looked surprised, thinking over his next words carefully.

"A…Dark Elf."

"Never heard of them. Are they new?"

"We have _so_ much to explain…" Weiss realized, drawing Serana's attention.

"They kinda popped up like the Orcs did," Yang filled in. "Speaking of which, did we forget that guy? I think we forgot that guy."

"Oh, he'll be fine."

* * *

"Almost…melted…enough," Dokkum said as he rubbed his limbs against his frozen restraints to build up heat, his newly freed mind allowing him to work against his binds beyond just mindlessly pushing against them. He was certainly thankful for the pair that freed him from his former master, but they seemed to have completely forgotten him afterward and left him stuck to the floor. "At this rate, I should be free within three hours. Four at the most." He stopped to rest and catch his breath.

"…I'm hungry."

* * *

With a large pack filled with her armor and weapons, Blake entered the Winking Skeever and darted her eyes around for Delphine's contact. He was fairly easy to spot, but only if one was looking for him, sitting in a secluded corner that she didn't see until she reached the center of the floor. M'rissi and Inigo had come along, but only to help make the visit seem more natural and less suspect. Luckily, aside from themselves, Malborn seemed to be the only non-human in the inn at the moment. Blake slowly walked over and shot him a smile as she sat down, placing the bag on the ground near him.

"Hello. I believe you were expecting me?"

"By the Gods, I was beginning to get worried." He looked her up and down and sighed. "I hope she knows what she's doing." He leaned back and looked down at the bag. "That everything you need?"

"Gear, potions, lockpicks, all there. Can you get it in?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll make sure it's there for you when you're ready. Just make sure that really is it. The Thalmor take security very seriously. Whatever's in there is all you're getting in."

"Good thing it's everything I need."

"Yes, good." Malborn stood up and pretended to lazily stretch. He picked up the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll get this in. The rest is up to you."

Blake nodded and the Wood Elf left. She hoped no one else would pick up on his nervousness like she did as she stood up from her own seat and walked over to where Inigo was sitting with a mug. As she took a seat across from him, he nodded and took a sip.

"So that was it, huh?" he asked while nursing his drink.

"Pretty much. Gonna be without my blades until the day after tomorrow. And until then I'll have to be trying on dresses. Ruby's orders, said I had to "share her pain."" Blake couldn't help but chuckle at Ruby's demand, both now and when she first gave it.

"Eh, could be worse," he said before looking over to where M'rissi was talking to a Redguard woman, who seemed to be even shier than Ruby when Blake first met her and Yang. However, the catwoman was warming up to her rather easily, smiling with her tail flicking as she conversed with the stranger. "At least you're supposed to be plain-looking. Ruby has been dressed up in some of the frilliest things I've ever seen. I did not mean to laugh so much, though I suppose I could have tried a little harder to stop myself from continuing."

"No, it convinced them to change their minds. I'm sure Ruby's grateful, in the end." She certainly wasn't appreciative of Inigo when he started, but Blake was confident her leader would come around shortly. She seemed to bounce back from things quickly.

"Maybe." They saw the woman stand up, with M'rissi focused on her intently. She cleared her throat while looking around nervously and began singing.

"~Snow falls on all the land, all the land, all the land. Snow falls on all the land, shrouded by dark wings. A child prayed unto the Gods, "Save the land, save the land," and the Gods said unto the child "To Skyrim comes spring.""

* * *

"Ack!" Ruby cried out as Endarie pulled the string of the corset as tightly as she could. "Can't breathe!"

"Oh, you'll be fine." The Altmer waved off Ruby's concern. "Give it a minute and you'll be used to it."

"I've worn corsets!" Ruby squeaked out. "This is not how you wear corsets!"

"Oh no, absolutely not," Taarie objected while softly slapping her sister's hands away. She practically tore the piece off Ruby, allowing the girl to breathe in utter relief. "That puts _far_ too much emphasis on her chest. No one will ever look at the rest of her like that."

"Thank you," Ruby sighed before glaring at Lydia, who was giggling at the whole thing.

"Here, try this one," Taarie suggested before fitting a different corset around her torso. This one went over her bust rather than pushing it up like the last one did, and curved in to her waist before going back out at the top of her hips. The Altmer tied it securely but left it loose enough for Ruby to breathe easily. "Yes, this will work. I'll get a red one and replace the strings with black to match the dress."

"I'm not sure, Taarie. It makes her look childlike," Endarie pointed out.

"Seeing as she is a child, that's somewhat the point," Taarie replied. "So long as she looks like a child of nobility and not a waif."

"Lydia, what's a waif?" Ruby asked, annoyed that she had been called that for the second time now.

"It's like a ragamuffin," Endarie answered before she could.

"What's a ragamuffin?"

"An urchin," Taarie filled in.

"The spiky sea critters?"

Before anyone could explain any further, there was a knock on the door of the dressing room before it opened up a crack.

"It's me," Blake announced before walking in. M'rissi darted in behind her and started looking Ruby over. The girl was currently dressed in a three layered skirt that fell until just past her knees, with the top and bottom both made of red silk and the middle one black. The top of the dress had been a simple affair, now covered mostly by the corset with only its shoulders visible. "Looks good so far."

"Wait until it's your turn," Ruby half-seethed.

"She thinks it's not finished," M'rissi pointed out.

"Well yeah, they're still working on it." Ruby was more than aware of that, and her frustration was easily seeping into her voice. If M'rissi seemed to care, she didn't show it.

"Ooh, she has an idea!" The Khajiit ran over to a shelf and picked through a few things until she pried up something red and lacey then ran over and draped it across Ruby's shoulders. The seamstresses were ready to object, but then Taarie held up her hand and looked it over.

"Hm, I think we could work with that, actually. Sister, do we still have that rose pattern lace?"

"I believe so." The other Altmer walked over and more calmly searched through the fabrics until she pulled out a bolt of similar cloth. Looking it over while comparing it to Ruby's current dress, she hummed in contemplation. "Yes, I think this could work. A black corset instead of red and the color scheme will be perfect."

"Ah, glad we're on the same page there. While you're working on that, let's see what we have for shoes."

"Not heels," Ruby quietly begged, but the sisters ignored her.

"Hold on, what about these?" Blake asked as she picked up a pair of heeled boots.

"No," Ruby let out quietly, dismayed at Blake's apparent betrayal.

"Come on," Blake declared with a roll of her eyes, "these are only about an inch, not those five-inch monsters Weiss thought was a good idea. It's only a little more than your normal combat boots. Here."

Ruby groaned, but reluctantly put her foot out and slipped it into the offered footwear. Once the other one was on, she took a few hesitant steps before her confidence picked up and she began walking a little more normally.

"They're still a little awkward, but I think I can get used to this," she admitted with a small smile. "Yeah, not bad. A little big, though."

"I think we have more in your size. Give me a moment," Endarie requested. Blake smirked and then looked over at Ruby.

"Feeling nervous?"

"A little bit, but it'll be fine. It's just a party, after all. Just gotta walk around, act like I'm interested in what people are saying, and drink some wine here and there. Weiss gave me pointers. I'm more worried about…that note."

"That note? From Labyrinthian?"

Ruby nodded. "I still don't know what that was about, or whether we should even trust the person who sent it. How many times have agents from the Thalmor tried to kill one of us? But then at least one of them might be helping us?"

"It's confusing, I know. I think it's kinda working to our favor that a lot of them seem to be self-serving to one extent or another. Not enough to topple everything, but enough to get in each other's way. In Ulquarrion's case, what he was doing was, in a roundabout way, helping the Thalmor and Dominion. If this is him, or even someone else, you can be sure they have a similar branch of thought."

"Ugh, I hate politics."

"Yeah, but when you live in a society, you have to have them."

"Here we are," Endarie said as she returned from the shoe closet. "If these aren't a perfect fit, I'll eat the left one."

* * *

"Thanks for the lift, Jarl Elisif," Ruby expressed towards the woman.

"It's no problem at all, Thane Ruby," Elisif replied with a wave of her hand. "Considering what you've done for me before, this is little more than a kind gesture to a friend. I'm surprised you got an invitation to Elenwen's party, although I suppose your name is getting around."

"Yeah, I'm getting a little famous, I guess," Ruby admitted with a slight blush.

"And that dress looks like it was made just for the occasion. Let me guess, Radiant Raiment?" Ruby smiled and tugged up at the skirts of the new dress. The sisters had finished it up and threw on a velvet shawl and sleeves for added warmth, with thick cotton hose beneath for her legs. Going the extra mile, M'rissi had found her a black-laced choker with an onyx stud.

"They're basically a sponsor for me at this point. Besides, yours looks like it came from them too."

"You got me." Elisif smiled and shrugged. "What can I say? They have an eye for clothing and fashion. They could use a little adjustment on how they present, however."

"Yeah." Ruby nodded at that. "At least for the business. It's like they say back home, when you feel down but the customer needs a smile, fake it 'til you make it."

"Oh, an interesting phrase!"

While Ruby continued to converse with the Jarl, Blake stood up in her more plain, black dress and looked over the high-class carriage's roof. The Embassy was coming into sight, and looked a great deal different than it did at night, much more lively and less obviously ominous. Already some guests were present, likely those from much further away than Solitude. A few she saw wearing the sigil of Markarth, a few more from Falkreath, and then there was the surprising presence of Maven Black-Briar. She almost ducked down as a knee-jerk reaction, but instead hummed in thought before taking out her scroll and snapping a photo of her.

' _I somehow doubt Jarl Laila's going to like her cozying up to the Dominion,'_ she thought before reaching into her back pocket and pulling out her old ribbon. She looked at it for a moment before tying it around her ears. She was only a little out of practice, but after the months of donning it after every shower at Beacon, it was easy to get back into the swing of it. The carriage soon pulled to a stop inside the perimeter fence of the Embassy and its occupants started walking out.

"Ah, my lady!" Erikur greeted Elisif the moment he saw her. "Glad you're here. Didn't want to think I'd be the only one representing Solitude today."

"Yes, but whether I'm here or not, I do expect you to be on your best behavior," Elisif reminded the nobleman, who unashamedly threw his arms to the right and bowed slightly.

"Why, when am I ever not, my lady?" he replied with a smile as he straightened himself. It was then that he noticed the Jarl's companion, and he turned his attention Solitudes' latest Thane. "Ah, hello, Ruby."

"Hi, Gisli's brother," Ruby greeted him. The man looked downcast at that.

"It's…Erikur. Do you really even know Gisli all that well?"

"I spoke with her a time or two. She worries about you, you know."

"Yes well…family is one of the tightest bonds in the world, after all."

The three continued speaking as they headed into the indicated building, each one showing their invitations to the guards at the door.

"Here you go," Ruby said as she handed hers over before the Altmer nodded and handed it back. "Also, with me are my housecarl and my assistant."

"Here's my Writ of Covenant," Lydia offered, handing over the proof of her oath to Ruby, signed by Balgruuf. The Altmer guard looked over the Writ and hummed to himself before nodding and handing it back to Lydia.

"Everything here seems in order. I suppose your assistant will be your guest, then. No weapons save for the single sword of your sworn servant, yes?"

"Honestly, I wouldn't even know where to put one," Ruby said as she held out her skirt just a little and somehow accidentally pulled off a curtsy.

' _Oh, and of course Weiss didn't see it! She'll never believe me!'_

"Very well. You may proceed, miss."

Ruby nodded and walked in after the others. The main ballroom was wide, but kept warm by two separate fireplaces. A string group was playing a tune off in a corner, and a few servants were going about, offering silver goblets. Ruby began to walk around, with Lydia and Blake just behind her, looking for anything that might be out of place or significant. A Bosmer woman offered them all a drink, but they all told her no one wanted anything yet. A guard walked by them and took up position at a corner opposite of the band, then an older looking Altmer walked up to them.

"Welcome," she greeted them, but paid special attention to Ruby. "I don't believe we've met. I am Elenwen, the Thalmor Ambassador to Skyrim."

"Ruby," the Dragonborn squeaked out before clearing her throat. "Ruby Rose, pleased to make your acquaintance." She tried to curtsy again, but nearly fell back. Before she could completely fall over, Blake reached out and stabilized her. _'Ah, come on!'_

"Ah yes." Elenwen nodded, a fake smile plastered onto her face. "I remember your name from the guest list. I believe I've heard of you before, but it was the insistence of-"

"Madame Ambassador, I am so sorry to interrupt," a voice came up from behind the woman, catching her attention and making her scoff.

"What is it, Malborn?" she shot back while turning towards the source of the disruption.

"It's just that we've…run out of the Alto wine. Do I have your permission to uncork the…Arenthia red…?"

While the two elves talked, Ruby began hearing the tune from the band stop and something else start. The Cathay-raht Khajiit at the long-necked bass moved his bow and began plucking the strings in a solo start, the three notes sounding very familiar to her ears.

' _No way,'_ she thought as she turned to look back at the band composed of Bosmer, Altmer, and the one Khajiit. Her eyes followed the bassist's hands as he continued, repeating the line before a slight variation of four notes came, then went back to it. After the second repeat, the viola and violin joined in, running their bows along their strings as a cello began to echo the bass, and it became unmistakable.

"One," she whispered, her throat tightening a bit as her mind ran with the implications. Blake elbowed her and brought her attention back just as Elenwen turned back to them.

"My apologies. We'll have to get better acquainted later. Please," she said while indicating to the ballroom, "enjoy yourself."

"Of course. Thank you, ma'am."

As the Thalmor left them alone, Blake sidestepped over to where Malborn was and nodded to him.

"You made it in, good," he whispered. "As soon as you distract the guards, I'll open this door and we can get you on your way."

"Thanks," Ruby said before looking back to the crowd. "I'll go in and…do stuff. Blake, wait over here for something to happen. Lydia, go around and see if you can find something distraction-y."

The two women nodded and Blake turned and started looking very interested in the cups sitting on the counter before Malborn. Lydia went off into the outer circle of the growing crowd and seemed to disappear into it. Ruby walked out and started heading towards where the band was playing.

'" _Just listen for_ _One_ _and look for twenty-three." Twenty-three of what, though?'_ She looked at the different instruments, but none of them seemed to have any sort of marking upon them. Most of the players seemed fairly normal, but then she did a double-take when she realized the lead violinist was wearing the purple inner garments of the Thalmor, with the outer coat hanging on a coat rack next to him. More surprising, when she looked up and saw his face, his skin was the brown of a Bosmer rather than yellow or golden. If that wasn't enough, from his brow two antlers had grown, this pair larger and far spikier than any she had seen on an elven head before. Her eyes flitted around, trying to count them, but in the end she was certain that she had counted twenty-three spikes. Their eyes then met, and silver stared into red for a long moment before he smiled at her, closed his eyes again, and focused on playing. Ruby nearly stumbled back, but held herself steady as she looked him over again, her eyes eventually going back to his antlers and the hair below them. It seemed wheat-colored, but toward the ends where his hair thinned it took on a silvery sheen.

"Ruby," she heard before jolting in place, Elisif having come up to her and pulled her around. "Sorry, but you were staring. I already have one Thane's eyes glued to an attractive elf, and I don't need you adding to it."

"Sorry! It's just… I mean…"

"I'll be honest with you, the antlers caught me off-guard when I first saw a Wood Elf with them as well," Elisif admitted, believing she understood why Ruby was staring. "They're not too common, and from what I hear, they've only gotten rarer. Still, it's hardly appropriate to stare."

"I understand. He just… Never mind." The band's tune then changed, their tempo having increased at the part where the song got harder in its original version before going into the solo and then finally ending. The two listened, Elisif in far more interest.

"My, it sounded so melancholy before, but now it sounds…raging."

"It does," Ruby agreed. "It…reminds me of another song I know. Maybe I could sing it one day."

"Really? That sounds wonderful."

"It's no Velveteen Rhapsody, but it's definitely one of my favorites."

A minute later, the song ended, and the Bosmer set his violin down before taking up his uniform's coat. He slipped in on almost instantly and put the buckles together before walking over towards the Jarl and Thane. He bowed politely and smiled to them both.

"Lady Jarl, wonderful to see you. And you must be Ruby Rose. I'm glad we finally get to meet. I had hoped you got my invitation."

Ruby's mind went for a whirl before she forcefully stopped it.

"Uh, well, you know. It was such an…ambitious occasion…"

"You mean auspicious?"

"Yeah, that. Being a party for Emperor's Day and all, and it's my first Emperor's Day in the country, and my birthday's tomorrow while I'm trying to get things done around this part of the kingdom while slaying dragons and saving people… I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"A little bit." The Bosmer chuckled. "Lady Elisif, do you mind if I take your Thane away for a moment? I was actually hoping to discuss some things about dragons with her."

"Go on then. I think I'll try and see if Jarl Idgrod is around." He watched Elisif go and then looked back to Ruby.

"I see you got my message, that's good. I was afraid I might shed these before we got a chance to meet. Right one's already a little loose. Sorry, I'm Capric Thorn."

"Nice to meet you, Capric." Ruby looked over at the band and then back to him, her eyes narrowing in slight suspicion. "So...what is it that you want, exactly?"

"Well, I started hearing rumors out of Skyrim about a group of four women taking down the dragons that had just as suddenly appeared. After some investigation of my own, I figured out that four new Thanes of Whiterun appeared right when the rumors started, and it wasn't hard to determine it was you four, especially given how active you are. The dragons are a threat to us all, and I've decided that cooperation would benefit us both. Let's discuss this later, though. In private. I bought a place down near the river. Almost no one goes there. Once the party's over, we can meet and discuss things further. Until then," he looked over at Blake and smirked, "your friend needs a distraction."

"Yeah, I…kinda got distracted myself."

"I seem to have that effect on people." Capric smiled then shook his head. "Well, let's get it on out then. You can breathe fire, can't you?"

"Uh, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea indoors."

"Come now! A simple puff wouldn't hurt anyone," he said loudly, catching more than a few people's attention. As several onlookers turned to them, Ruby realized what he was doing.

"Oh, well, okay. Um…" She looked up and saw that there was plenty of clearance between her and the ceiling. "But you asked for it," she reminded him before taking a deep breath and concentrating on her Thu'um, willing the Voice to speak Fire as small as it could.

" **Yol!** " she Shouted, releasing a small puff of fire that went out almost as soon as it appeared. Party-goers and guards alike had their attention stolen by the display, surprise and awe clearly seen on their faces, and Ruby saw Malborn quickly slip Blake out through the servant's door from the corner of her eye the moment every Thalmor's eyes were locked onto her.

"What in the world is going on here?" Elenwen demanded as she stomped up to them.

"Sorry, Madame Ambassador," Capric swiftly apologized with a slight bow. "I was just wanting to see a small display of Miss Rose's power. I suppose we should have taken it outside."

"Yes, you should have." Elenwen scowled and pointed at his chest, subtly reminding everyone of who was actually in charge here. "Don't let it happen again, Thorn."

"Absolutely, Madame." He smiled at Ruby as the woman huffed off.

"Nicely done, I must say."

* * *

The first thing Blake did when getting past the door was pull up a mask over her mouth and nose and then pull the ribbon from her ears. Up ahead someone was stirring a pot, and when they came into the kitchens, she saw a Khajiit woman attending to some sort of stew.

"Who comes, Malborn? You know I don't like strange smells in my kitchen."

"A guest, feeling ill. Leave the poor wretch be."

"A guest? In the kitchens? You know this is against the rules…"

"Rules, is it, Tsavani?" he said while turning to her. "I didn't realize that eating moon sugar was permitted. Perhaps I should ask the Ambassador-" The Khajiit interrupted him with a hiss.

"Get out of here, I saw nothing."

Malborn nodded and led Blake into the larder, where he closed the door. "Your gear is in the chest," he indicated with a nod. "I'll lock the door behind you. Don't screw this up. If you do, it's both of our heads."

"Don't worry about me," Blake said as she took out her belongings and laid them out. After a second, she was about to prepare, but paused and looked at the elf with a frown. He jumped a little, his face turning red, and turned away, allowing her to change into the Shrouded Armor, though she kept looking back to make sure he wasn't stealing a look back at her. Once she was done, she stuffed the dress into the chest and closed it. Malborn nodded and left out one door and she went on out the other, winking herself out of sight with Invisibility before slowly moving forward. Her already silent footsteps were deafened by her armor's boots, and she progressed through the Embassy without making a sound.

"Did you see those robes march in this morning?" she heard someone asking from a nearby room. "Who're they with? More of the Emissary's treaty enforcers?"

"No. They're high mages, just in from Alinor. I guess Herself is finally getting worried about all the dragon attacks."

"Ah, good. I was wondering how we were supposed to defend this place from a dragon." Blake backtracked from the hall where she had just gone down and looked into the room they were in. Just at the other side was a door, but the two were blocking the way to it.

"If a dragon does show up, maybe we'll get lucky and it will eat the mages first. Might give us enough time to kill it."

"Ha! I'd like to see those arrogant bastards taken down a notch. Always looking down their noses at us lowly footsloggers." The two laughed a moment before going quiet again, and then he let out a harrumph. "Then there's that damn Bosmer. What was his name again?"

"You mean Thorn? I'd be careful about him if I were you."

"I don't see what the big deal about him is, aside from somehow becoming a Justicar despite being a lesser elf."

"That's just it. It's hard enough for pure-blooded Altmer like ourselves to get this far. What do you suppose he's done to make it?"

For a moment, the guard stood in quiet contemplation before suddenly shivering. "Gods, what has he done?"

"He's half the reason we succeeded at the Great War, is what." Blake's ears turned upward and she concentrated on what they were saying. "Beyond that, it's almost entirely state secrets. What little I ever hear about him comes up right at the peak of some of our worst points, just before they go down and get under control again. The West Insurgents, the Anequinaean Riots, the Siren Rebellion. Every time something like that happens, he shows up, and then everything is straightened out. And everyone knows he was a part of the Thrassian Expenditure. He may have even been one of the main ones behind it. I may not know what he's doing here, but I know enough that I'd never want to cross him." The two began walking out of the room, and Blake moved out of their way.

"You think he's going to straighten up everything happening in Skyrim?"

"Depends on what you mean by that. If you meant stop the whole dragon situation, well I doubt even he could do that. It's as out-of-context as could be, short of those Magne-ge rumors coming true."

Blake shook her head and made her way out. For a moment, she was outside and almost in the open, but she was able to go to the centermost building's doorway and slip inside just behind the coattail of another Thalmor.

"But I need that money. I earned it," she heard a man say from within the building. "I have my own expenses, you know."

"Silence!" another demanded. "Do not presume, Gissur. You are most useful, but do not presume. We have more informants who are less…offensive." Blake found a chest in an office on the ground level and opened it to find a few folders filled with files. One was labeled 'Delphine', which immediately made her suspicious enough to open it and scan its contents, only to find that it was an investigation _on_ the older woman. She pocketed it, knowing that the Blade would want to know about it.

"But no one else has brought you such valuable information, have they?" Gissur asked before pausing for a moment. "Etienne, he's talked, hasn't he? He knows where that old man you're looking for is, he told me himself." She leafed through the folders, pausing and taking the one on Ulfric Stormcloak, as well as the one on Viarmo, the Dean of the Bard's College. Why they were investigating a bard, she didn't know, but the elf knew them and occasionally spoke with Ruby. That alone may have been enough. The last one she took was labeled 'Dragon Investigation', which she put away with the other stolen files before moving on.

"You'll get your money when he's told the rest of his story, as agreed."

"So he has talked! I knew it!"

"Everyone talks, in the end. Now, I have work to do. Leave me to it, if you ever want to see the rest of your payment." Blake checked around the floor she was on before finding a secluded corner. Seeing no one there, she stood up and began looking through the Dragon Investigation files. While a lot of them were simple field studies showing nothing, one file seemed to indicate that they thought that the Blades may have had something to do with it. It also said that someone they were interrogating might have information on someone who knew something more about the whole situation.

' _Yeah, looks like nobody knows what the Hell is going on._ ' Blake mused, knowing Delphine would be disappointed that her paranoia was slightly unfounded.

"Can I... I could help you. He'd talk to me. He trusts me."

"You'd like to come downstairs with me, is that it, Gissur? Shall we loose his bonds and put you in a cell together? You can ask him anything you like and see how he answers."

"No, no. I... I'll wait outside."

"That would probably be best. Now get out!"

As a man left the building, an elf came down from the upper floor as well. Figuring he might lead to something important, she followed along after an application of Chameleon.

' _They've got a prisoner here,'_ she thought while heading down a set of stairs. _'So, I've gotta get him out. Hopefully whatever he isn't telling them he'll tell me.'_

Following him, Blake came into a wooden dungeon. A single prisoner was shackled to the walls in one of the cages, bruises up and down his arms and torso. The elf headed down the stairs while an armored guard unlocked the cage and walked in before the prisoner at a gesture from her superior. Blake came as close as she dared, hiding in a shadowed corner.

"Stop. Please," the chained man begged the elven woman holding a blunt mace before him. "I don't know anything else. Don't you think I'd have told you already?"

"Silence," she commanded before slapping him across the face. "You know the rules. Do not speak unless spoken to. Master Rulindil will ask the questions."

"Let's begin again," the robed Thalmor said as he took a seat and picked up a quill before holding it over an inkwell.

"No... For pity's sake... I've already told you everything..."

"You know the rules," the Thalmor said nonchalantly while nodding at his subordinate.

"No!" the prisoner, likely the Etienne they mentioned, cried out before the woman smacked the mace against his shoulder, hard enough to bruise flesh but not enough to break bones. Blake felt her teeth gnashing as she grabbed the hilt of Gambol Shroud, but held herself back.

"Start at the beginning, as usual," Rulindil demanded. "If you persist in this stubbornness I'll have..."

"No, wait! I was...just catching my breath... Why wouldn't I tell you again? I don't even know anything... There's an old man... He lives in Riften. He could be this Esbern you're looking for, but I don't know. He's old and seemed kind of crazy. That's all I know."

"And his name is...?"

"I don't know his name. Like I've already told you a hundred-" The guard hit him on a leg. "Ahhh!"

"You know the rules. Just answer the questions. And where is this nameless old man?"

"Like I said, I don't know. I've seen him down in the Ratway. Maybe he lives down there, but I don't know for sure."

The Thalmor sighed as he dropped his quill and stood up from his seat "That will be all for now. I must say I continue to be disappointed in your lack of cooperation. I hope next time you will do better."

"What else do you want from me? I've told you everything. Listen, if you let me go I can take you to Riften, show you where-" The woman then hit him in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. "Gha!"

"Silence, prisoner!"

After the Thalmor left, Blake looked over at the guard who had left the cage the man was in and closed it shut. Blake listened for the other's departing footsteps until they were extremely faint, then headed over to where the guard stood. With a swift movement, she unsheathed her Daedric dagger and then slid it across the Altmer's throat. The elf gurgled in shock before collapsing and bleeding out all over the ground. Once she went completely still, Blake took the key from her belt and swiftly entered the cage.

"I told you," the tortured man groaned out pitifully without even looking up at her. "I don't know anything else about it."

"Hey, I'm not here to torture you. Etienne, right?" He looked up and gasped.

"Belladonna?"

"What?" Blake felt herself stiffen while her ears shot up at the man's recognition. "You know me?"

"I… I saw you a time or two down at the Ragged Flagon. Most of us know about you pretty well at this point." Realizing that meant he was a member of the Guild, Blake breathed a little easier while he began to cry. "Oh thank the Gods, they sent you to rescue me?"

"Not exactly," she said while undoing his shackles. "But, I will get you out of here. What were they trying to figure out?"

"They kept asking me about an old man, Esbern. I don't know what they want with him, and I don't really care. That agent's been taking some notes, though. He has a whole bunch of them in that cabinet over there." As he pointed to the furniture piece, Blake heard the door leading into the dungeon open and saw Rulindil return, this time with two guards holding Malborn between them. Blake felt her breath hitch, and Etienne whimpered and backed into the corner of his cell.

"Listen up, spy!" the agent called down to her. "You're trapped in here, and we have your accomplice. Surrender immediately or you both die."

' _Damn it!'_ she screamed internally. While she was certain that she could defend herself, Malborn was right there in their clutches, Rulindil holding up a dagger almost lazily near his throat.

The Wood Elf looked up at her, disheartened, but not cowed. "Never mind that. I'm dead already…"

"Silence, traitor!" the female guard commanded while shoving him forward. Rulindil turned and grabbed the shorter mer by the shoulder.

"Go down there and get those two in-" The agent's words were cut off as a translucent sword shot up from seemingly nowhere and buried itself into his gut. As the Altmer gasped and stumbled back, a purple-cloaked figure dashed in, both hands casting spells on either side of him. One hit Malborn and then surrounded him with a green barrier, while the other summoned up several tiny portals that fired out thin wires which wrapped themselves around the male guard's limbs and them pulled him in every direction while glowing blue. The woman readied her weapon, but then the figure's other hand moved again and cast another spell, this time summoning conjured shackles that clamped around her neck and wrists before yanking her to the floor, her sword clattering away and a cone of flames uselessly hitting the banisters next to her. A bound axe and mace appeared, hovering above the combatants, and Blake finally got a good look at the person who came to their rescue. She recognized him as the Bosmer that Ruby had been talking to earlier.

Capric looked on in disinterest as he threw his floating weapons at the woman, smashing the blunt one against her face and chopping deep through her ribcage before striking her skull one last time, leaving her face a bloodied broken mess and her torso split open. He then turned toward the suspended guard and summoned up a new axe while the other weapons disappeared.

"No!" the Thalmor soldier yelled in fear before the axe flew up and into his gut as though wielded by an invisible being. It yanked out then came up and down into his chest, slicing most of the way through. As the victim gurgled in his death throes, the axe came again, this time chopping most of the way through his neck before it and the wires disappeared. As the lifeless body fell, the Bosmer turned towards Malborn and waved his hand, dissipating the barrier.

"Capric?!" the Bosmer asked in shock. "You saved me!"

"Well, it was partly my fault you ended up in this-" The antlered elf stepped back and ducked as a spark of lightning flew out from Rulindil's hand at him. The dying Altmer was looking at him with rage, even as he clutched his mortal wound and slipped from his feet to his knees.

"Thorn, you…traitor!" he got out past his blood-filled lungs.

"Ah, thought I'd forgotten something." Capric pointed a hand at the dying elf and a spectral arrow flew from his wrist and through his throat. He then lightly shoved forward with his foot and sent the corpse toppling over to collapse against the banister between them and the lower floor.

"Sorry for the mess," he called out to Blake. "Once I saw our friend here was being secreted away, I came to make sure everything was all right. A good thing, then." He bent over and took a key from Rulindil's belt before handing it to Malborn. "You should be able to get out through the cave below, but mind the troll. I have your dress hanging out a little past the exit. Come back around to the front when you have a chance, and I'll get you back in unnoticed."

"What about me?" Malborn asked. "After everything…"

"I'm afraid your role has been fulfilled, my friend," the Thalmor told him before patting his shoulder. "Morrowind should be fairly safe. There's almost no presence of the Dominion there. I'm afraid this may be our last time seeing each other."

The other elf nodded. "Well, for what it's worth, thank you." As he headed down the stairs, Blake refocused on Capric and then looked at the carnage surrounding him, disturbed at how nonchalantly he was moving the corpses around.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?"

"You helped us. There's nothing for the Thalmor to gain by doing this."

"Debatable, given what it is you do, but at the same time, you're assuming I did this for the Thalmor's sake." He smiled lightly and then looked atop her head before laughing and heading towards the door. "Gods, it's been a really long time since I saw another Faunus."

Blake nearly jumped out of her skin at that. "What?" Capric continued on, saying nothing else to her as he closed the dungeon's door behind him. "What did you say?"

"Belladonna, let's go," Etienne called over to her and he held up the trapdoor while Malborn climbed down. "If there's really a troll down here, then I'd prefer the Shadowkiller take it on than me without a weapon. Or even me with a weapon, for that matter."

Blake looked back to where the man had left one last time, then headed over to the tunnel.

* * *

As Ruby flicked her tongue in and out a few times, she accepted a goblet of wine and took a swallow to wash out the taste that Lightning Breath sometimes left in her mouth. The crowd was still clapping at the display for a moment, and then she turned to them with a smile and a theatrical swirl of her skirts.

"And now, for one of my newest learned Shouts, a greater example of Akatosh's sacred gift! I have recently come to understand the meaning of _tiid_ , the dragon word for time. Be warned, while it may appear that I am going faster, in truth, I have made all of time around me go slower." She took in a deep breath and then released it into a Shout. " **Tiid!** "

As the world around her went into a crawl, Ruby calmly released the goblet, walked forward to a cat-eyed Ohmes holding a tray of "horse durves" as gravity belatedly started affecting the suspended cup, and then picked up a small sandwich before taking a bite. She chewed for a moment before nonchalantly returning to catch the falling goblet before it had descended even an inch as everyone's gazes slowly tried to keep up with her, but then time resumed and everyone was looking at Ruby munching away as though it was a perfectly normal occurrence. The guests all clapped again, a few laughing at her casual disregard of the laws of nature, though most of the Thalmor looked on grimly. None of them seemed hostile or aggravated, but they certainly weren't as entertained as the humans, Bosmer, and Khajiit. Either that or they were much better at hiding it. Ruby then spied Blake coming out of the door of the building, Capric Thorn right behind her. A few others started noticing and some of the women began whispering while blushing and giggling, while most of the men seemed to look on either approvingly or jealously. It only took Ruby a moment to put together what they must have thought, and she couldn't help but groan.

"Well, I guess that's it, everyone. My throat's getting kind of sore. Let's all head back in and enjoy the rest of Miss Elenwen's party." As the guests started filing back into the building, many of them talking about the powers they had just viewed or quickly spreading a newly crafted rumor or two, Ruby walked over to Blake and made sure they were out of anyone's earshot, human or not.

"Find everything okay?"

"Found things, but about as much as we expected."

"They don't know anything?"

"They know about someone who might."

"And us?"

"I think I can dig him up."

"That's good." Ruby looked back at the crowd that had mostly gone back inside at this point. "Um, I think they saw you coming back with Capric and now…"

"I couldn't care less what the nobility of a country considered a backwater by the standards of a medieval world thinks about me." Somehow, from her tone, Ruby figured she did care a little.

"Yeah… Wanna finish up the party with me?"

"Might as well. At least I've got an alibi."

* * *

"Guess you do," Ruby muttered while blushing and rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yang, I feel like this is a tad unnecessary," Serana cautioned the Companion.

"No, no, let her finish," Weiss said with a wave of her hand.

"I'm sorry!" the reluctant witch screamed while flailing her arms around as tears poured down her face. "I promise I'll go to a temple and become a priestess! I'll give up on gaining power and smiting my enemies!"

Yang shifted her grip, letting the girl feel as if she'd dropped for a second. She shrieked as she dangled from over the edge of Bird's Eye tower, Yang's strength being the only thing keeping her from plummeting four stories to her death.

"Promise you'll never even _think_ about so much as helping a Hagraven."

"I swear! I swear to the Gods!"

"Don't swear to the Gods, swear to me!"

"I swear to you, I'll never look for a Hagraven or a coven ever again!"

"Good!" Yang yanked up the young girl and set her onto the solid floor, where she collapsed to her side and immediately rolled into the fetal position while shivering. "And don't you forget it."

"Are these Hagravens really so bad?" Serana asked while eyeing the pitiful girl on the ground.

"Yes," the Huntresses answered at once. Yang then dusted her hands and looked out across the horizon.

"Well, now that I'm done scaring the Dagon out of that girl, I can appreciate the view. Hey Sera, is that your home over there?" The older vampire walked up and looked to where she was pointing before giving a nod.

"Yeah, that's it. We're pretty close."

"Well that's good. Hopefully we can drop you off and then we can run over to Solitude in time for my little sister's birthday." As she headed towards the stairs, she looked back at the crying pile of a woman. "Hey, I'll be coming back here, and if you haven't packed up and left I'ma eat ya, and not in the fun way!"

"I don't know what that means," she got out through sobs. The other three continued on down, pausing at the second level, where Erevan had been conversing with the oddly calm Dremora Dravos while warming himself at a fire pit.

"Ah, I take it the heart to heart with the apprentice witch went well?" he asked them as they returned.

"More or less," Weiss said with a sigh.

"Hopefully she takes the advice to go up to Winterhold. I'd really hate to have to kill her."

"As would I. She seems somewhat decent, just in need of direction. Farewell, Dravos."

"Have a good one," the pleasant Daedra said while raising a mug towards them. "Don't stay out of trouble, now!" Yang waved back and almost laughed at the thought of 'Sam' selling tomes to teach novices how to summon Dremora, only for them to get someone like Dravos. Back on the ground, they headed down the road and then off onto a trail that took them to the shore. It actually felt a little warmer next to the water than out in the open, which Yang was grateful for. As they neared closer to their destination, she took a whiff of air and then sniffed it a few times before looking towards a nearby fort.

"Whew! That is a lot of elves!" she exclaimed.

The vampires smelled the air as well, and Serana nodded. "Yep. Altmer. How'd so many settle here?"

"Seeing as that banner is one for the Thalmor, it's not a settlement," Weiss indicated. Yang looked over the fort, and then saw the purple flag waving slightly in the breeze.

"Huh, I'll be. Guess that's where a lot of them are stationed at."

"Wait, who are the Thalmor again?"

"Political faction of the Aldmeri Dominion," Weiss described. "Haven't met a pleasant one, yet. If you listened to just the rumors you'd think they were the worst examples of their race, and you'd only be a little wrong."

"Didn't that Ulquarrion guy help you and Blake?" Yang asked her friend.

"Begrudgingly, with complaint, and not without his own gain." Serana looked at her questioningly. "It's complicated. All you need to know is never trust a Thalmor completely."

"Right." The four stopped as they came across an old dock and a couple of rowboats moored to it. "Well, better than I expected." They all looked forward and saw the castle and its island. Weiss looked around it and noted how much of the island was rocky and barren, with the castle taking up much of the flat ground. "Let's head over then."

They all hopped into the boat and Yang and Erevan grabbed the oars and started rowing. As they came closer, Yang swore the sky seemed to darken even as hawk-like creatures flew around the place in lazy circles. They eyed them warily, only to duck and cover when one swooped down low right over their heads.

"Gods damn!" Yang shouted as she ducked, Weiss doing the same. As the creature flew back up, she glared at it. Next to her, she could hear a faint crackle of electricity as Weiss prepared a shock spell. "Sera, how the hell does your family have Nevermores at your castle?!"

"Nevermores? Is that the name for bone hawks now?" Serana seemed nonplussed by their violent reactions to the admittedly unsettling bird. "Don't worry, they're harmless."

"They better be," Weiss said as she dispelled. The trio sat in silence while Yang took the time to look everything over more closely. The more she did, the more unease she felt.

' _Okay, no surprise that the vampire castle looks and smells like death. All it needs now is a flash of lightning behind it,'_ she thought to herself as they brought the boat to shore next to a more well-kept dock. The group stood up and walked onto the sand while looking up to the castle just before them. Weiss rubbed her arm and then looked over at Erevan.

"Do you mind watching the boat for us?" she asked him, really just wanting an excuse to not drag the most vulnerable of them any closer to whatever dangers lurked within.

"It will be no trouble," he replied. If Erevan realized why he was asked to stay behind, he didn't show it.

"Thank you."

With that, the three women started heading uphill towards the castle gates. Just before they passed the first pair of gargoyle statues, however, Serana slowed to a halt.

"Hey, so…before we go in there…" the vampire woman paused and looked down at her feet.

"You okay?" Yang asked as she turned towards her.

"I think so," she sighed out. "And thanks for asking. I want to thank you for getting me this far, but after we go in there, whatever happens, I'm going to go my own way for a while." She looked back up at the fortress and closed her eyes while releasing a breath. "There's a lot of old feelings wrapped up in this place, and I don't think either of you are quite ready for them." She nodded and crossed her arms. "So let me take the lead in there."

Both the huntresses nodded, while Weiss held an arm forward to let Serana ahead. The vampire went on and led them up to the gate, where an elderly looking man holding a torch was posted.

"Who goes there?" he asked while standing up and looking at them. Weiss took one look at his face and knew he was a thrall. "No one enters without-" Serana pulled back her hood and the man's words stopped in their tracks. "Gods above," he finally muttered. "You're back. Open the gate!" he shouted upwards while banging a wooden mallet against the wall. "Lady Serana's back! Open the gate!"

Seconds later, the iron and wood gate blocking their entrance started rising up. The three walked in, the watchman's jubilant face following them, and then went through the doorway. As soon as the air from within hit their noses, the two girls were nearly blown back.

"Oh god," Yang muttered while shaking her head. "I never smelled this much blood before. That big Namiran cult didn't even cut it close."

Weiss, on the other hand, was wincing and cursing herself. Part of her was actually finding the smell to be appetizing. "Let's-"

"How dare you trespass here!" a High Elf declared as he grabbed the hilt of his sword and started towards them. After a few steps, though, he stopped in place, looked towards an old painting on the wall, and then back at the group.

"Wait, Serana?" he asked the woman in question. "Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes." He looked at the painting again, and the two Huntresses did as well to see that it was a family portrait. Weiss felt her throat tighten at its familiarity. It was a painting of three people, one of whom appeared to be Serana, and the two behind her seemed to be her parents, though there seemed to be claw marks going across the woman's face.

"Wow, hello ominous family painting, which Bela Lukus movie did they get you from?" Yang snarked, to which Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose while Serana just looked confused. "How old is that thing?"

"It was old _before_ I left. They must have restored it a few times."

"My lord! Everyone!" the elf announced from a balcony as the three walked forward. "Serana has returned!" Mutters and hushed whispers rose up, and Serana herself shrugged as they went.

"I guess I'm expected."

Weiss and Yang's eyes quickly scanned the room, seeing vampires sitting at a trio of large banquet tables, set with goblets full of blood, platters with blood marinated meats, and even saucers with blood that a couple were using as a dip for bread. One vampire had even just had someone lie down on the table in front of them to take occasional sips. Yang did her best to put scents to faces while Weiss felt her sixth sense reacting to all of her fellow undead. Most of them felt just like Galla, threatening, but nothing she couldn't handle. The one before them and a couple others felt like more significant threats. But then there was one who was walking from behind the main table, who held the same appearance as the man in the painting. Weiss felt her footsteps grow heavy in his presence. He did not feel just threatening, but overwhelming. Part of her wanted to fall at his feet and hope for mercy, while another part wanted to run away and hope his sights never landed on her. Luckily, his sight was focused on the woman they had brought from the Pale.

"Ah, my long-lost daughter returns at last!" he intoned with a thick, Nordic accent. "I trust you have my Elder Scroll?"

"After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me?" Serana shot back with a scoff before pulling the cloth from the golden object on her back. "Yes, I have the scroll."

' _Honestly, the first thing he says to her…'_ a part of her mind that had pulled itself from the fear began griping. The familiarity of the dynamic certainly wasn't helping matters. _'What kind of… Wait, did he say Elder Scroll?'_

She would have stumbled over had she not stopped walking. Weiss looked over at the object in question and felt her breathing simply stop. She only read sparse details about the Elder Scrolls, but there was one thing oft repeated enough to be taken as bold-faced truth: the Scrolls were prophetic, able to tell the future, or at least how to reach a certain future, to those that could read them. While it was far more complex, possibly far more than she knew, the fact remained that they were in the last step of handing over one of the most powerful items in the known universe to a clan of vampires.

 _'Oh, shit.'_

"Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter," he expressed amongst whispers as Serana walked up to his side. "Must I really say the words aloud?" He clapped his hands together and smiled brightly. "Ah, if only your traitor mother were here! I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike."

Yang nudged Weiss and leaned over to her. "Looks like he's gunning for 'worst father ever' at this point."

"Y- yes," Weiss muttered back. "Listen, this just got a lot more complicated."

"You mean about the Scroll thingy?" Yang guessed. "I think I've heard of those before. What do they-"

"Now tell me, who are these two strangers you have brought into our hall?" the man asked pointedly, eyeing Weiss and Yang as if they were nothing, at best.

"Father, these are my saviors, the ones that freed me." Serana introduced the two, who, now in the spotlight, walked forward.

"For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude," he cordially extended to them. "Tell me, what are your names?"

"Weiss Schnee," the heiress managed to get out.

"Yang Xiao Long," the warrior said with no reluctance. "Who're you?"

"I am Harkon, lord of this court."

"Holyshi- _You're_ Harkon!?" Yang shouted, her eyes wide with shock.

"So, you have heard of me?" he laughed. "And I suppose you know what we are."

Yang blinked and shook her head before looking from side to side. "Well, going by the blood-based diet, and the fact you all smell half-dead, you're vampires."

"Yang," Weiss tried to warn her teammate, not wanting to antagonize the powerful force before her.

"Not just any vampires. We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim. For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most." Both doubted that what he meant by that was his daughter, Weiss more so, but neither were going to say anything about it.

"And now?" Weiss asked after a moment of silence, hoping that maybe he would spill a little more information that they could use.

"You have done me a great service, and now you must be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood." He spread out his arms, as though the offer was within them. "Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

"Actually, we're already taken, so to speak," Yang told him. "I'm a werewolf, and she's already a vampire."

"Yes, I can smell it on you," he pointed at Yang, a dismissive frown on his face. "My blood, however, is strong. It will cleanse that filth from your body and make you whole. As for you," he continued while looking over at Weiss, "you've simply contracted a disease, but you are no true vampire. Accept my gift and I promise that you will learn the difference. Refuse me, and I will banish you from this castle. I will spare your life this once, but after that, you are prey."

Yang's eyes narrowed while Weiss froze in place. The kneejerk reaction to refuse him outright came, but then her eyes went to Serana and the Elder Scroll still strapped to her back. For one, she was already almost all alone and seemed out of sorts and on guard. If Weiss was in her place, one thing she'd want more than anything else would be someone to count on. Even if that weren't an issue, there was still the matter of the Elder Scroll. She didn't know what they wanted with it, but if this vampire clan was the same one that had begun stepping up and sending probing attacks against the Holds of Skyrim, going so far as to destroy the Hall of the Vigilant, then their ends could only be just as ambitious. The sheer number of vampires in the castle did nothing to alleviate her worries.

Yang was about to speak up, and from the looks of it, it wasn't going to be pretty, but Weiss reached forward and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her just in time.

"Lord Harkon, please, allow me a moment to speak to my companion," Weiss requested while bowing her head. When the man nodded his approval, she pulled Yang away from the vampires and to a back corner before silently putting up a Muffle Area.

"Listen to me, Yang," Weiss started, making sure the larger girl was blocking their vision of her mouth. "I'm going to stay here."

"What?! Are you insane?!" she shouted. Although the other vampires could not hear her, they could see how agitated Yang was getting. "There's literally a guy eating-"

"Yang, we just handed the instigators of all those vampire attacks an Elder Scroll!" Weiss laid down while gesturing. "Using an Elder Scroll to see into the future is one of the more _mundane_ applications of them I've come across. There is legitimate evidence that one was used to rewrite a man's fully erased history, undoing a Daedric Prince's own curse."

" _Why_ do you know that?"

"Because there's evidence pointing to Lie Ren being the one who did that. The point is, we don't know what they're planning. The Dawnguard is fighting against _this_ group of vampires specifically, right?"

"Yeah," Yang said with slight uncertainty. "Which is why we should go back, tell Isran and Kodlak about them, and then storm this castle."

"Which would get everyone killed," Weiss countered. Yang moved to retort, but then thought it over. The more she did, and the more her sense of smell expanded, the more she realized Weiss was right. These vampires outnumbered the Dawnguard at least ten to one, with several being Vampire Lords. If they attacked as they were now, they'd be slaughtered.

"Damn it," she grunted. Weiss wanted nothing more than to hug her, but she had to keep up the ruse from their audience's captive eyes.

"Yang, listen. This is a chance to get someone on the inside."

"But… I can't just leave you here on your own! Who knows what these creeps will do to you?"

"I can handle myself, and I won't be alone. Not really. If anything does happen, you can bet I'll have escape plans ready. And you're all just a scroll call away."

Yang reached up and began rubbing her eyes. "I… I don't know Weiss. This is way too heavy to be-"

"Yang, like you said, I'm already a vampire," Weiss pointed out while holding out her arms. "I can't get any more damned than I am right now. Maybe we'll get lucky and this sort will actually be easier to cure. Like this, at least, I can help you in a very meaningful way. Any information I can get I can instantly send to you, and you can give it to the Dawnguard."

Yang looked at her teammate for a long moment, trying to ignore the feeling of the scrutinizing stares of the court of vampire lords on the back of her neck, before finally releasing a sigh. "Okay. But you better promise to be careful," she said while putting her hands on Weiss' shoulders. "Everyone else is going to hate this. Especially Ruby."

"I know."

"Also, how's your acting?"

"Acting?"

"Well, we can't let it seem like I was okay with my friend joining a reclusive cannibal cult if I'm going to walk away."

Weiss almost smiled, but instead focused on faking an angered expression. "The spell will let up in five seconds. I'm ready."

"You be safe."

"You too." A moment later, Weiss ripped herself away from Yang's hands and then shoved past her. "I've had enough!"

"You think joining them is going to help you?!" Yang screamed after her.

"Far more help than you or any god has! I'm done being led around like a dog! If you can't handle it, then go!"

"If you do this, it's going to be the death of you!"

Weiss turned her back to Yang. "So be it." She kneeled down before Harkon, hating how right part of her felt doing so. "I accept your gift, my lord."

"And you shall receive it," he told her gladly. "As for you…"

"I'll see myself out," Yang seethed before turning on her heels and heading towards the entrance, leaping from the hall up onto the balcony just to get out a little quicker. As everyone watched her leave, Weiss took the chance to glance at the vampires. Only Serana seemed to be suspicious, but the others appeared to have bought their ruse. For her part, Serana didn't look like she was saying anything anytime soon. Harkon crossed his arms as she left, then waved Weiss up to her feet.

"You have made a wise decision, child. Now, behold, the power I give!" Harkon's skin seemed to turn red as his clothes became soaked in what seemed like blood. Soon his whole form looked to be covered by the substance before his arms and wings burst out, revealing his new, monstrous body. What Weiss felt before in his presence was nearly doubled and she had to resist the urge to fall back to her knees. "Hold still," he told her before coming forward, holding her head with one clawed hand and her shoulder with the other. His wings wrapped around her and his teeth came down onto her neck. Pain shot throughout her, lancing through seemingly every nerve, and then everything began fading to black.

* * *

Outside, Yang huffed her way back to the boat. While the act she put on was just that, having to go through with it really worked her up. Erevan turned to see her coming and looked past her.

"Is everything…"

"Small change in plans, Erry. Weiss is going to stay here for a little while." Yang made sure everything was in the boat and began unmooring it, even as he looked back at her and the castle with shock and alarm. "I'll explain on the way back to land, but first I need to get Ruby and Blake on the line."

"What exactly is going on?" he asked as he stepped into the boat with her.

"A whole lotta stuff, bud. A whole lot." Yang began rowing them away from the island, looking back at the castle with her teeth clenched. "Gods, I just hope we didn't mess up."

As the bone hawks flew overhead, Yang went on, leaving her friend and teammate to the mercy of the vampire den, feeling sick to her stomach.


	50. Happy ((Re)Birth)day

**Well, looks like this will be the last chapter of the year. No way I'm getting another ready by January 1st. Well, here you guys go. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you, especially xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor.**

* * *

"Are we sure about this?" Lydia asked as they walked along the river towards the large mansion set near its banks. The moment they got back from the party and changed into more casual wear (as casual as full armor could be), they headed down from Solitude and followed the directions to Capric's abode.

"I'm a little apprehensive myself," Blake admitted. "But we need to get to the bottom of this. What does he know, and why?"

"For one thing, we know he has something to do with Remnant." Ruby opened up her scroll and went into her music files. "The song he was leading was one from home." She played it, and Lydia listened for a moment to the tune.

"That _does_ sound like something I think I heard."

"Not just that, he mentioned something about Faunus when he came in and took down those others." Blake winced at the memory, the expression of terror that the bound elf had displayed before being nearly quartered now burned into her brain. "That's not a word people on Nirn would just know."

"What would an elf have to do with Remnant, though?" Lydia asked while looking at Blake. The Faunus looked at her after a moment of thought, then sighed and shook her head.

"Maybe he met someone? Elves live a really long time, right? I remember another Bosmer saying he was, like, three hundred or something. Didn't look a day over forty." Ruby hummed to herself. "Wait, that Psijic guy! He said something about the last transfer happening a hundred years ago. Maybe this Capric guy knows about them?"

"Possibly." They paused at the stairs leading up to the doorway before slowly heading up. Ruby prepared herself to rap her knuckles on the door but paused when she noticed the pull rope. She grasped it and tugged, causing a chime and a small gong to ring inside. A few moments later, the door was opened by a Wood Elf standing stiff and straight, clothed in black and red silk that gave off a very dapper appearance. His face had a few age lines, while his head was shaved completely smooth. He looked at them all with his features almost completely blank before holding his hands in front of himself.

"You must be the young Lady Ruby. Master Thorn is occupied at the moment, but you and your associates may wait in the foyer." He then stood aside, allowing them to walk into the house.

"Uh, thanks," Ruby said as she and her party entered. The vestibule was simply furnished with a small fireplace, a few chairs and sofas, a couple of hunting trophies set upon the walls, and a painting of a group of people. The painting itself had Capric within it, his antlers about half the size as they currently were. There was also a large number of Bosmer, several Khajiits of different forms, and a couple of Altmer. Each wore two insignias somewhere on their persons, one being the Aldmeri Dominion's eagle, but the other was a leafy branch and a thorny vine crossing each other on a starry field.

"Ah, the master's old war painting. Yes, he had that commissioned to honor his platoon. The 35th Mage Corp's 12th Division 6th Platoon, Xylo's Brambles."

"He was in the war?" Ruby asked in surprise. Blake looked over at the picture and focused in on it. Capric seemed to be at the forefront of it all, almost in a position of prominence, despite not wearing the Thalmor uniform then.

"I understand a young girl living in Skyrim like yourself may not understand it, but know that he fought very honorably. Most of his efforts were to secure his objectives as bloodlessly as battle allows and keep as many of his comrades alive as possible." The butler closed the door and then began heading further into the house. "I will see if he's ready for guests. Pardon me."

After the butler was gone, Blake looked back and felt one of her ears twitch.

"Guys, give me a sec," she said while readying an Invisibility spell.

"Blake, you can't go sneaking around someone's-" The Faunus suddenly disappeared, and Ruby sighed. "Just don't go peeking into anything private."

Blake shook her head as she headed down the hallway, following the sound of the butler's footsteps and pausing as she saw him come to a stop and knock on a door near the back of the house.

"What is it?" Capric's voice asked from within.

"Your guests are here, sir. I have them waiting in the foyer."

"Ah, yes. Just a moment then. Go ahead and finish prepping supper, then take the night to Solitude. Cost covers are at the back door."

"By your will, sir." He turned and continued on down the hall, opening a door that led to what looked like the kitchen and then closing it behind himself. Blake closed her eyes and then focused her ears on the room Capric was in.

"Well, seems I have to go, soon," she heard him beyond the wooden barriers. "We'll have to pick this up again later. Sorry, my queen."

' _Queen?'_ Blake wondered.

" _Oh, don't worry about it, Capric,"_ a voice that sounded like it was coming through an old scroll, or one with a weak signal, reassured him. _"These are supposed to be the people that can help with this dragon situation, aren't they?"_

"Indeed, they are. Mutual self-interest will ensure they work with us on this."

" _That's good. I hope they are as capable as the rumors paint them. We need you on your best here, Capric. With Rulinidil killed by the Stormcloak assassins, you're the only one left we can entrust with handling the dragon situation without pulling resources from other needy areas. I'll let the Council know you're taking charge, and I'll be having words with Elenwen about this security failure."_

"Do be kind to her. The failing seems to be more the fault of Rulinidil leaving such a gaping opening unguarded. True, he was her responsibility, but the guiltiest party seems to have paid the price."

" _You are too forgiving at times, but I will keep it in mind. Fair thee well, Capric Thorn."_

"To you the same, Queen Ayrenn." Blake heard something like a blip on a screen, then backtracked to the foyer where she dispelled her Invisibility, causing Lydia to quickly turn to her and Ruby to jump a little.

"Everything good?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe." Blake brushed her hair back and sighed. "Do either of you know who's in charge of the Aldmeri Dominion?"

"Nominally, Queen Ayrenn III, Aurinai Aldmeri," Blake heard from behind, causing her to spin around as her heart jumped. Capric suppressed a chortle at her surprise, covering his mouth with his hand as he shook his head. The Thalmor agent was now clothed in brown cotton breeches, a red shirt, and house shoes. If any of the three women saw him in this state upon their first meeting, they would have never known him to be a member of the shady organization. "But, a lot of the power resides in the Aldmeri Council. If I dare say, it mostly functions the same as the Empire. Why do you ask?"

"Just…wondering," Blake lied while fighting the urge to flinch back or rub her arms. "Someone has to be in charge."

"True enough. Organization tends to be more important than a central power, in my mind. So long as all the branches are growing right, the tree will prosper." A moment of silence stretched between them before Ruby stepped forward.

"Okay, so we've got a lot of questions to ask. Where do we start?"

"I'd say at dinner. Syndergoth will leave once everything's prepped and we'll have more than enough privacy to say what we want and need. Meanwhile, is there anything less than private you'd care to talk about? How was finding the place, for instance?"

"We found it okay. You can see it from Katla's Farm."

"Ah, the place with the stables. Yes, I didn't want to be _too_ far from civilization. A bit pointless to start up a small economy just to keep myself fed while on an assignment, though this one might be a bit bigger than ones in the past."

"Yeah, what exactly are you assigned to do?" Blake asked, making sure her suspicion wasn't evident on her face or in her voice.

"It can either be stated vaguely or long-winded, but the short of it boils down to 'solve the Dragon Crisis'. I wasn't a part of it, at first, but then I requested to be brought in when I heard about, well, you." He indicated the two of them. "Especially…you," he directed to Blake while looking over her face. She felt her nervousness grow for a moment before he laughed to himself and shook his head. "I'm almost certain of it, now. But more on that, later."

"Okay." Ruby shrugged. "Your butler said you were in the war. Does that mean you fought in the Great War here?"

"Yes, that." He nodded while closing his eyes. "Unfortunate, that, but I did what I could. I admit, I made a few mistakes, and some decisions a person like me should have no right to make. In the end, though, I think I accomplished what I set out to do and then some. It certainly got me some attention." He smirked. "And a nice, purple uniform."

"Sir," the group heard as the butler returned, "dinner is served."

"Thank you, Syndergoth. Take the evening, then."

"Yes, sir. I suppose I'll go and see this Solitude up close." Syndergoth bowed, and as he walked down one hallway, Capric motioned them to follow him into another.

"I apologize if you've already eaten, but I haven't yet, and my diet tends to…cause glares." A few eyebrows were raised at that comment.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Ruby asked slowly, remembering Jordis' feelings towards Bosmeri diets.

"It's not exactly normal for a Bosmer." The group heard a door close and Capric made a small sound of acknowledgment while activating a spell. His eyes followed something unseen by the others while he smirked. "Synd, you old goat, you were ready to go out for a while." He let the spell go as they came into the dining room, where a table able to seat eight was set with four plates, cups, and silverware, a spread set out through the center, of which the main piece was a large bowl of lettuce. "Please, have a seat and help yourselves."

"Uh, I don't see what's so weird," Ruby stated while pointing out the food. "Salad stuff, grilled fish, chopped fruits…"

"There's no red meat," Blake pointed out and Lydia nodded.

"Yes, I never developed a taste for it," Capric explained as he seated himself at the head of a table. "I take more after my father in that regard. Ah, speaking of which, you're all probably bursting with questions right about now."

"Yeah, like how did you know that song?" Ruby shot while noticing some strawberries sitting across from the sliced apples.

"Well, that's simple. I bought the album."

Both the girls looked back over at him, the admission not halting Ruby's subtle attempts to take the bowl of strawberries. Capric laughed at this and handed her the bowl.

"So, you've been to Remnant," Blake figured, to which Capric nodded.

"I've more than been there. I was born there."

That revelation actually stunned them. Ruby felt her words get caught in her throat a few times before looking at the side of his head to see the points of his ears.

"But you're an elf!"

"I am, I suppose. On my mother's side."

"And you take after your dad's diet," Blake said while indicating the vegetable-centered dinner set before them. "He was a Faunus, wasn't he?"

"He was a deer Faunus, to be specific. Forest Shields Prince. My mother was Tuinel Thorn." Capric continued on, casually fixing his plate with several grasps of lettuce, spinach leaves, apples, and diced chicken. "Somehow, by means I have not been able to discern in all my years, my mother ended up on Remnant. She was mistaken for a deer Faunus due to her antlers, but luckily she ended up in a mostly Faunus populated area. She met my father, and a few years later, I was born. We always figured the ears were just a fit of genetics, no different than having a certain eye or hair color. One day she disappeared, and we assumed the worst, especially since the Mistralians' aggression was growing at the time. If it wasn't the Grimm, it was probably one of them." An angry look crossed his face for a moment, before he dropped it for a slight melancholy, then brought back his polite smile. "Well, since I'm on that, how did the war over on Remnant go?"

"War?" Blake and Ruby met eyes for a second. "Uh, which war do you mean?"

"Well, goodness, how many have there been in the past hundred years?"

"Hundred?" Ruby let her mouth hang open while thinking. "There was the Great War, and then the Faunus Rights Revolution. I think that's really it."

Capric seemed to go stock still, looking at her as though in shock. After a moment, he let go of his fork and knife, letting them clink against his plate.

"Okay, what…year is it?"

"Um, Eighty AGW…"

"You're…kidding me…" Capric leaned back into his chair and stared at the ceiling while going still. The guests looked back and forth at each other for a minute, trying to figure out what was going on, before a chuckle rose up from the half-elf's throat. He finally sat back up, mirth coating his face.

"Gods damn, you mean… You mean to tell me…it's only been about twenty-four years since September of Sixty-six?"

"Uh… Yeah?"

His eyes went back over to Blake, his smile still stretched across his face. "Well, seeing as they called it a revolution, that means we won, yes?" He barely saw her nod before laughing and closing his eyes as it seemed to sink in. When he looked back at her, Blake couldn't help but feel like he was dissecting everything he could see about her. "Goodness gracious, you… I don't want to assume here, but…your name is Belladonna, yes?"

"Blake Belladonna," she confirmed.

"You know Ghira then?" Blake wanted to jump out of her seat and demand how he knew about her father, but she remained calm and reminded herself that pretty much any Faunus from Anima in the Sixties knew the name Ghira Belladonna.

"I do."

"Blake, isn't that your dad?"

"Ruby…" Blake muttered.

Capric let out a jovial laugh, tears coming from the corners of his eyes.

"Don't tell me! Kali finally got that man to notice her! Oh, Sweet Spring, this is some of the best news I've had since getting to this world! We won! Some of my friends led happy lives! There's still time!" As he laughed in honest joy, Lydia looked over to Blake.

"What exactly is going on?" the housecarl asked, and Blake moved to explain.

"My father was fairly well-known thanks to… Wait, friends?" the Faunus shot over to the host.

"I'm sorry," he apologized while wiping some tears away. "Yes, sorry. Friends might be stretching it, but my father… Our fathers were good friends. They were a part of the group leading the charge against the Mistralians. Well, before the Mistral government went from turning their backs to it all, to outright supporting the mobs. Things…happened after that. I was practically a boy at the time." He rubbed his chin while closing his eyes. Somberness seemed to take him a moment before he managed to bounce back. "It was in the middle of it all that I ended up just outside of Cori Silmoor, far in the west of Valenwood. I was badly injured and my Aura was drained completely. The healers that scraped me up off the ground were surprised when I recovered, but not too surprised when I didn't seem to have even basic knowledge of Tamriel. At the very least, I was able to play off my cluelessness as amnesia. That was…in Year One Hundred of the Fourth Era. At the time, I thought it had something to do with the moons returning, as it seemed to happen right at the end of the Void Nights. I've been looking into Dawn Magics this whole time to find a way, but with your group… Well, maybe the dragons have some answers. I have to wonder about the time disparity, though."

"Oh, it turns out the timelines are nonlinear," Ruby explained to him.

"Ruby," Blake said, getting her attention.

"What is it?" she asked, looking over at her teammate. Capric looked over as well, though he seemed to catch on a bit quicker.

"I see. It's fine if you don't trust me with everything, but believe me, I also want to get back to Remnant. It was my home, and while I have plenty of fond memories of this world, I want to see it again. My aging notwithstanding, I could never really fit in with any of what this world tells me is my people."

"For someone who doesn't fit in, you sure found a niche."

"Blake," Ruby quietly objected.

"Yes, the Thalmor. Believe me, it wasn't my first choice, but when it came to working _for_ them I had no choice. I clawed my way up into their ranks for two reasons, and the main one was to use their resources to find a way back."

"And the second?" Blake quickly asked.

"To try and keep them from going too far. You don't realize what kind of web these people have spun. I've barely plucked at a few strands and have seen so much." He sighed at that. "Trust me with this much, I don't want the Thalmor to have anything to do with Remnant."

Blake mulled his words over in her head, trying to weigh what she knew against what Capric had just relayed to her. Part of her managed to dig up memories of old stories her father used to tell her when she was little.

' _Lou, Louie, Gilly, Kait,…Forest… He did talk about a Forest sometimes. What did he say? "Forest went and clobbered those"… Did he say Huntsmen? No, something else.'_

"Blake?" Ruby tried to get her to speak up.

"Look," Blake started with a pointed stare, "we still don't really know you, or what you want. Trust is something earned, not freely given out."

"Fair enough," he agreed before taking up a forkful of salad and eating it. As he chewed, he collected a few cherry tomatoes and started slicing them in half. "Well, to start with, I'm willing to share a few resources with you. Mostly information, but the kind I think you'll find relevant. I know there are these places dotted around Skyrim with draconic writing, and you can read them."

"Yeah, Dovahzul. I can read and speak it, but it's…weird. It's sort of an intrinsic thing. Like when you see some parts and know they go together, but… No, that's probably a bad example. It just kinda is, ya know."

"It's fine. Good news though, my informants have already found a likely spot for one of those dragon word stones." At that, he frowned. "Unfortunately, it appears to be a vampire nest."

"Bad vampires, or…not bad vampires?" Ruby asked apprehensively.

"They destroyed a chapel of Arkay in a nearby village about half a year ago. I won't even say what they did with their victims."

"Okay, bad ones."

"How come nobody did something about them 'til now?" Blake asked.

"From the related reports, no one knew where they were based. Vampire investigations go under Iirerande's jurisdiction, and I can already tell her section is severely underfunded. From what I've heard, she's been seeking permission to work alongside that vampire hunting guild that sprouted up recently. Anyhow, if you want to get down there, you'll have to get rid of them, which can only benefit society."

"I guess. Where's this place?"

"Shriekwind Bastion, in the mountain north of Falkreath. Be careful there, and try to send me a message once you're done. A simple 'finished', will do. I'll try to let you know the moment I get more information."

A ringing suddenly sounded out and Ruby pulled out her scroll to see Yang calling.

"Uh, sorry. I have to take this." The girl pressed the buttons on its face and put it to her ear while leaving the dining room. "Hey, what's up? Whoa, hey, calm down!"

"Huh, phones have gotten really advanced since I left," Capric observed. "Back in my day, you'd need a backpack-sized contraption and a friend handling the antennae to make a mobile call."

"Yeah, there's been some advancement," Blake agreed.

"She did WHAT!?" Ruby screamed, actually causing the house to rattle.

* * *

 _He was walking down into the Corprusarium, the zombie-like 'patients' shuffling about around him. Where before he had been hiding his head and face behind a hood and a veil, here he felt no need. The only people around were other victims of Corprus, and most of them were far worse off. One looked at him and tried reaching towards him with a bloated hand, seemingly ready to claw at him with his nails, but the diseased being nearly tripped over himself._

'That might be me, one day,' _a stray thought told him, but he shook his head violently. Divayth Fyr offered him a cure, but, as he explained, there was a high likelihood that it would kill him. Still, he had to risk it. Just from seeing the people stumbling around down here, he knew he couldn't let himself become one of them. Outside, he would either go insane or get killed by someone afraid of him, if not just thrown back in this tower. Even if he thought he could avoid it, he wouldn't let himself just spread the disease. This cure was going to be all or nothing, and even if he survived but retained the infection, he would keep trying._

 _His footsteps slowed as he came upon a strange sight. There was another Corprus victim, his abdomen bloated to an unseemly level, resting on what looked like the legs of a Dwarven Spider. He was speaking to a Dunmer woman, likely one of those 'daughters' Divayth mentioned. As he approached, the two elves turned towards him, seeming to recognize his sanity._

 _"You're here for the Dwemer boots," the patient rightly guessed while reaching over and picking up a pair of bronze-colored, metal boots. "Tell my gracious keeper that I have done what I could. Only a Dwemer magecrafter could have done so much. But only idiots could have created these boots. It shames my race that we must be judged by the works of such lack-wit blunderers."_

 _As he slowly took the boots, he looked at the being who had given them to him._

" _You're a…Dwemer?" his rough and scarred voice managed to get out._

" _Indeed," the sick elf replied. "You stand in the presence of Yagrum Bagarn, Master Crafter, and Last Living Dwarf."_

" _You're…still sane?"_

" _Yes. Or at least, I am sane again, thanks to Lord Fyr. I owe him my life. He took me in when I was a mad monster, out of my mind. In time, I emerged from my dementia, and now I am quite lucid most of the time, though my body is still a grotesque and useless prison. And yet, I still have some feeble hope of a cure. Lord Fyr has tried many spells and potions. None have helped me, but neither have they harmed me. If anyone can cure this disease, Lord Fyr can."_

" _Yeah." He looked toward his hand, which was beginning to crack in places and already swelling at the wrist. He looked back towards the bloated mer and resisted the urge to wince. "Maybe we can talk later, after I get these to Divayth."_

" _Of course. The other inmates are scarcely good company, and dear Uupse here has her own duties to attend." The Dunmer woman smiled at that. "Perhaps you'll stay lucid for as long as I will."_

" _Hopefully." He nodded and headed back the way he came, looking at his hand again._

'That's the best I can look forward to?' _His hand clenched, causing a small section of skin over one knuckle to open and bleed._ 'I can't live like this. This has to work!'

* * *

Black and white seemed to split itself before Weiss's eyes, grainy images slowly becoming clearer before she realized the grain was the stony surface of a ceiling. Her vision doubled, overlapped, focused, and then doubled again until finally everything seemed to come together and stop swirling and moving so much. She sat up to begin picking herself up to her feet but felt her muscles coiling up with power. She was reminded for a moment of when she first unlocked her Aura and how much _stronger_ she felt then, and realized that what her body was feeling was very similar.

She looked forward and gasped. Before her, up three steps, was a shrine doubling as a fountain. Blood poured from the mouth of a monstrous head, carved from stone. Its likeness was exactly like that of the horned creature she had seen herself standing against in the Book of Fate. While her mind pondered it, a figure stepped in from the side, revealing itself to be Harkon. The vampire walked up to her with a devilish grin across his face.

"Awake at last, good," he intoned as he stood before her.

"What…" She looked back at the bloody fountain, part of her mind trying to convince her to take just a taste of it. "What is this?"

"A shrine to Molag Bal." At the mention of that name, Weiss went stiff. "The mighty Daedra Prince who is father to all our kind," he explained as he looked upon the shrine with admiration. "Our power is a blessing from him. It is he who first bestowed the gift of the ancient blood upon me."

"You… You made a pact with him," Weiss slowly got out, her heart pounding against her sternum so hard she thought it might bruise.

Harkon turned to her with a twinkling in his eyes. "In an age long forgotten to history, I ruled as a mighty king. My domain vast, my riches endless, and my power infinite." His gaze then took a dark turn as he looked back at the shrine. "And yet, as my life neared an end, I faced a seemingly invincible enemy; my own mortality. I pledged myself to Molag Bal," he declared as he reached out towards the fountain, "and in his name, I sacrificed a thousand innocents." His arm went back down by his side, while Weiss felt her heart slow, and a creeping horror sunk into her being. "In reward, he gave everlasting life to myself, my wife, and my daughter. And so I have defeated mortality itself."

The young girl looked back at the shrine. The only thing it seemed to offer her was a reminder of what she stood to lose to the Daedric Prince. She held a hand close to her chest, but nearly leaped out of her skin when she felt something land on her shoulder, only to look and see that it was Harkon placing his hand upon her.

"The power within you is growing, and now you must learn to wield it," he said with authority. "With my guidance you will become an instrument of terror, striking fear into the hearts of mortal men wherever you may tread. Now that your flesh has acclimated to the blood coursing through your veins, you have command over the powers of my bloodline." As he led her forward, closer to the bloody fountain, he continued explaining. "The true power of the ancient blood is found in the form of the Vampire Lord. Assume the mantle of the Vampire Lord. Breathe this air deeply and feel it fill your lungs. Reach for that point near your heart."

Weiss did as he instructed, mentally noting the odd feeling point near the center of her chest.

"Now bring it low. Drag it down to meet the point beneath your navel, and breathe out."

Weiss did, visually seeing it as two small dots within her about to collide in her belly. They did so, and then something within her seemed to simply _shift_. Her eyes went wide as the entirety of her abdomen felt as though a geyser was going off inside of her, washing out her innards with its spray. She feared she was about to vomit, but when she reached up her arms started locking in place and her body spasmed as though in a seizure. Blood poured from her mouth, leaking down and swiftly coating her chest, but then some of it went up and covered her face and head. She pushed and fought against the restrictive feeling, trying to somehow break free of her bloody prison.

Suddenly she burst out from the crimson cocoon and stumbled forward, grasping onto the horns of the shrine to hold herself steady. As she regained her bearings, she looked down and nearly gasped at the reflection looking back up at her from the rippling liquid. The face she saw was still hers, but noticeably warped. Her ears now stretched back from her head and were nearly the size of her hands. As she thought of them, she looked towards her left and saw that razor claws had sprung up from her fingers, as well as her skin taking on a corpse-blue coloration. She took a step back and felt a sort of weight on her back, and knew without looking that they were wings. Moving a muscle she never had before, Weiss made her wings bend forward and looked at them both to see the new limbs.

' _I'm…'_ she slowly thought as she looked up at her smiling sire. _'I'm a monster.'_

* * *

Yang, Erevan, and Misha rode up to the stables in the dead of night before heading up to Solitude. Yang's disposition had remained firm, even as she stopped to grab the young girl from the tower without a word. The former witch was seriously afraid that she was going to be killed, and then scared she was going to be sold into slavery, only for all of her fears to be unfounded when Yang explained that she was going to go with the knight to Winterhold. She also wasn't a fan of having to ride a great boar.

Yang herself was holding in a lot of emotion. She had explained Weiss' plan to Ruby over their call and could tell that her sister was upset. Yang couldn't blame her. There was no way to tell how Weiss was doing until she messaged or called one of them, and they dare not risk calling her themselves, lest it come at an inopportune moment and cause suspicion.

As they came into the manor, Yang saw her partner sitting by the fireplace, writing something down in a notebook. She looked up and nodded before setting everything down.

"How's everything?" Yang asked, straining to keep her voice neutral.

"Okay. Ruby was taking it pretty hard at first, but I think she calmed down after a run." Blake sighed. "Not the best way to start a birthday."

"No, but at least we're here." Yang set the sheathed sword down on the table, a tag tied to the hilt letting them see that it was from Weiss. Yang set her present next to it, then collapsed on the sofa.

"So, where do I sleep?" Misha asked nervously.

"There's some bedrolls down in the basement," Blake told her. "Um, who are you?"

"Oh, I'm…definitely not a witch." The girl seemed to look around nervously before shooting over to the stairs and heading down them. Erevan sighed and went down after her.

"What?" Blake asked, begging for some kind of explanation.

"Found where a coven was, but some bandits, and maybe a couple of vampires, beat us to it. Everyone was dead, Hagraven included, except for Misha. I…convinced her to give up on being a witch, and now Erevan's going to escort her to Winterhold while he grabs a few things for Weiss."

"…We pick up some of the weirdest people." Blake closed her eyes a moment before looking back at Yang. "You going to get some sleep?"

"Are you?"

"I'll try, I guess."

"Guess that's the best we can do right now." Yang picked herself up and started towards the stairs. Blake started after her, and the blonde looked back a moment with an awkward smile. "Help me out of my armor?"

The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sure."

* * *

Ruby awoke to the smell of sausages and eggs wafting through the air. She picked herself up and quickly got dressed before heading downstairs, pausing for a moment when she saw the most familiar head of blonde hair. Yang looked over to her and smiled as she set some plates on the table.

"Happy birthday, Ruby!" her sister greeted before the sixteen-year-old girl shot down and wrapped her in a hug. Yang laughed a little and hugged her back. "Come on. Breakfast is almost ready and M'rissi's trying to make you some kind of cake."

* * *

"This is actually pretty good," Blake said after taking a bite of the sweet confection.

"Rrro, do not say it with such surprise!"

"To be fair, I don't think any of us ever tasted anything you cooked," Yang pointed out before placing her fork on her empty plate. "All right, so I got you this." The blonde handed a wrapped gift over to Ruby, who took it and ripped away the paper to uncover a book.

" _Quicksilver Techniques_ ," she read the cover. "This about forging?" she asked before flipping through the pages.

"Yep. Figured it might help us out with our projects. It's already given me a few ideas for my armor."

"She got you this!" M'rissi announced while bringing over a box. "It is also from Inigo, since he helped her to find it." Ruby opened the package and took out a small ship replica, complete with realistic cloth sails and individual cannons on its decks.

"Oh wow!" the girl mused as she turned it in her hands. "This couldn't have been cheap!"

"It was! She found it in a pirate ship while exploring yesterday."

"You guys weren't supposed to be going anywhere," Blake said, mostly at Inigo.

"Uh, to be fair, we were in the city limits. M'rissi wanted to look at the lighthouse, then we tried to talk to some folks on a ship, then they tried to gut us. We do not have the best luck when it comes to maritime meanies."

"We beat them, and then we took their things. Even this shiny gem." M'rissi took out a velvet case and showed them the stone inside.

"Okay, that's like the sixth one of those I've come across," Blake pointed out while politely taking the gem in hand. "We need to see if someone knows about those."

Maybe one of your Riften friends can help?" Yang suggested.

"Maybe. Well…" Blake passed over a small box to Ruby. "Wasn't sure what you might like, but I figured this would be okay."

Ruby opened it and pulled out a dragon medallion, intricately crafted with malachite wings, an orichalcum body, and small rubies for the eyes.

"This is so cool!" Ruby declared while putting it on her neck, wondering just where the Faunus had gotten the piece.

"And…this is from Weiss," Yang said while passing over the sword. The group fell silent as Ruby gingerly took it in hand and pulled it halfway free of its sheath. It was double-edged, with the fuller coated in a resin that gave it a shine that looked almost like a starry night sky. "She figured you'd like it."

"I do." Ruby sheathed it back and looked a little downcast. "I just wish she was here."

"Don't worry, sis," Yang reassured her while scooting closer to hug her from the side. "I'm sure she'll call the moment she gets a chance."

* * *

So far, calling this castle a house of horrors seemed like it would be insulting such fun-loving places. Nearly every vampire was working towards their own gain, and that meant most of them felt threatened by Weiss' position as Harkon's newest childer. The ones who weren't powerful enough to see her as a rival viewed her with fear. The only ones that deigned to speak to her with anything resembling kindness were the ones who basically functioned outside the hierarchy of power that had formed itself around Harkon. Still, it was hilarious in her mind that the former Companion and current blacksmith, Hestla, thought she could take on her former organization with ease. Even discounting the werewolf members, Weiss knew that a careful and skilled enough mortal could kill a vampire. Rargal was firm in that she not kill any of the thralls. His visage was frightening, but he was cordial enough once the rules were made clear. There were several others, but none were really much for conversation.

Weiss heard a growling huff and looked to see the death hound CuSith padding up to her side. The creature was far from cute, but it still had the mannerisms of its living kin. Weiss reached over and scratched him behind the ears, and the undead dog thing lolled out his tongue happily.

"E-excuse me," a voice said nervously. Weiss looked up to see the Bosmer, Ronthil. "Lord Harkon asked me to get you and, uh, bring you to see him in the library. He's waiting for you with Master Garan."

"I see." Weiss pet the creature on the head then stood up straight. "Take me to them, then."

"At once, my lady." The vampire began leading her from one side of the castle to the other. For a moment, Weiss saw some of the thralls working on refurbishing a room she recalled someone mentioning being Serana's. The woman in question was somewhere else in the castle, likely trying to keep out of the gazes of her fellow vampires. The two then walked through the great hall, where a couple seemed to be enjoying a candlelit dinner, only the dinner was a man whose arms they occasionally took a sip from. Her guide then opened a door that led them to the library. Harkon and Garan saw them enter, and the vampire king smiled.

"Ah, I see you have become acclimated to your new home. How is everything?"

"I'm growing accustomed to it," she lied. "It's proving difficult to find common ground with some of my peers."

"They'll warm to you, in time. For now, I have a task for you. Garan will tell you all about it while I see to other matters. Garan, it is time."

"Absolutely, my lord," the bat-nosed Dunmer answered as Harkon left. Weiss and Ronthil both bowed their heads to them, though Weiss suspected Ronthil might have been doing it out of true respect. When he was gone and Ronthil had left as well, Garan smirked.

"Well, well. He wants the Chalice, then." He looked over at Weiss. "You've heard of the Bloodstone Chalice?"

"I'm afraid not."

"It is a rather well-kept secret," he admitted while picking out a book and then flipping through its pages. "The Chalice has been in Lord Harkon's possession for quite some time now. It is, when used properly, able to increase the potency of our powers."

' _Ash and Dust! What does he need_ more _power for? He could probably single-handedly wipe out half the Dawnguard on his own if he felt so inclined.'_

"He has neglected using it for ages," Garan continued on, not noticing her surprise. "If he wants it filled now, then grander things are afoot." He looked up at her with a toothy grin before setting the book back. "This is good. Follow me. I'll take you to it." Weiss followed the Dunmer as he led her from the library and out into the Great Hall.

"Lord Harkon has never cared to use the Chalice," he explained as they went, "relying on his more than adequate powers until now. This is an intriguing change."

"No one else ever thought to use it?"

"None would dare so without his express permission." Left unsaid was the warning to her, something Weiss picked up on immediately.

As they walked through the castle, a pair of vampires who had seemed to be glaring at each other looked over at them and then stepped in Garan's way. Weiss recognized one of them as the Altmer who had first seen Serana after they entered, while the other was a burly looking Nord man.

"Excuse us," Garan began genially. "I need to fetch the Bloodstone Chalice."

"The Chalice?" the High Elf asked in surprise. "Why?"

"What're you up to, Garan?"

"Lord Harkon's orders, Orthjolf," the Dunmer said to the Nord. "Calm yourself. Our friend here has been ordered to fill the Chalice."

"Really?" The elf looked at Weiss while rubbing his chin

"Indeed. She's off to Redwater Den."

"Well, then... Best of luck to you."

The two stepped out of the way, and Weiss could feel their eyes sizing her up as they walked by. After a few more meters were put between them, Garan looked back at her for a moment.

"Vingalmo and Orthjolf are Lord Harkon's primary advisors. I'm sure they're quite surprised to learn that you're taking the Chalice."

"I suppose one of them would have preferred the honor."

"Perhaps." They walked into a room, where a stone sat in the center with a massive chalice upon it, both covered and filled with spikes. "And here we are." He then turned towards her. "Now, this Chalice needs to be filled directly from the bloodspring that is the source of Redwater Den. But that's not enough. Once that's done, the blood of a powerful vampire needs to be added to it. Keep in mind that Redwater Den has fallen into… Well, let's just say that less reputable members of society now dwell there." His smirk didn't do much to assuage Weiss' fears of whatever lowlifes were lurking there. "It's your choice whether to attempt to deal with them or force your way through. Hurry back," he said as he took up the Chalice and handed it to her. "You don't want to keep Lord Harkon waiting."

"Of course." Weiss looked at the object in her hand as its weight pressed several of its spikes uncomfortably into her skin. Within minutes she was packed and ready to leave on the trip, checking her scroll the moment she was out of the castle. One of the bone hawks landed at the docks, causing her to pause in her steps, but she continued on while ignoring it. The creatures weren't Nevermores like she originally assumed, but appeared to be some sort of undead creation like the death hounds, if not just a natural creature that happened to be flying around a vampire populated castle. A thrall was there to row her across to the mainland, where Weiss held onto her scroll while looking at it, waiting until she was sure she was completely out of range.

* * *

As the afternoon was fading, Ruby wiped the sweat from her brow while overlooking her newest creation.

"I can't believe it actually worked," Yang mused while looking over one of the spare, light blue ingots.

"Yeah, me either. But it turned out you have to extract them separately since they go at different rates and have way different ratios. Once they're mixed, you don't have to worry half as much about the solution." She tapped and ran her finger across her scroll's screen, looking over the specs that she was working with. "'K, the weight's gotta be-" Her musing was cut off by an incoming call and she gasped when she saw it was from Weiss. She quickly snatched it up and answered. "Weiss!"

"Hello, Ruby. Sorry I missed your birthday party."

"It's okay! I'm just so happy you're okay and calling me- Wait, are you okay? What happened? They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"I'm fine, Ruby, really," Weiss curtly replied. Ruby wanted to press further but knew not to.

"Hey, ask her how she got away enough to make a call," Yang called out while continuing to look over the piece.

"Weiss, how'd you get somewhere to call us?"

"I've been sent out on a mission," she revealed, her voice heavy. "I'm supposed to fill this magic Chalice with some special water. Or was it blood? It wasn't quite clear what it was. It's probably going to be blood from what I've seen, their theme is pretty single-minded. Anyways, it's all the way down in the Rift, so I'm expected to take a little while on this."

"Wait, they're sending her to the hold where the vampire hunters are based?" Yang asked.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Weiss. Yang, stop listening in with your super hearing. Just head over here, Weiss, and we'll figure out what to do. As a _team_ this time."

"Okay. I am sorry, you know. It's just that we wouldn't likely have another opportunity to get to the bottom of this vampire conspiracy. At least now I'm getting something useful out of this stupid curse, and it feels like the sun isn't as bothersome."

Ruby sighed. "It's all right. Oh, by the way, look at what I'm doing." Ruby pointed her scroll's camera at her latest work and activated it.

"Ruby… It's beautiful! How in the world did you get it that color?"

"Well, that's just what happens when you make an orichalcum-quicksilver alloy. The knife I made for a test run proved the concept. Hard without being brittle. Light and flexible. You'd have to sharpen it more often than normal steel, but not as much as elven blades. I've been following the specs for Myrtenaster, but getting the right weight for a completely different metal was a bit tricky. Still have your hilt?"

"I do. I'm bringing it along."

"That's good. We can hook it up when you get here. I'll be done pretty soon. Just gotta straighten out and get the fuller in. Any special requests?"

"Yes. Can you etch something into it?"

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

"Strahlendjuwel."

* * *

"Ack! She cannot believe he would do such a thing!" M'rissi decried as she set down her mug harshly. "To lie about selling a farm for his love and then to have not sold it at all! Why must such men be liars?"

"I mean, uh, I don' blame him," Fironet got out, seemingly a little deep in her cups. "I's kinda my fault too, but we should be honest withhhh each other, and he wasn't honest with me," she said through little half-sobs.

"Honestly… Honestly," M'rissi softly repeated before looking over at where Blake was eating and talking with Yang and Ruby. "One second, Netta. She has to tell Blake something."

"Okay, M'ri," the bard hopeful told her as the Khajiit woman got up and walked over.

"You know, I never saw someone with rust chancre before," Inigo said to the Redguard. "But there was this one time I met a man with a terrible case of witbane. It did not help that he was not very bright in the first place."

"Blake?"

The Faunus looked over to her friend, offering a smile as she did. "Hey, M'rissi. Everything okay?"

"She…has something to tell you," the Khajiit got out nervous while pushing her fingers together nervously. "But you must promise you won't get mad at her!"

"All right," Blake answered with a raised brow. "I promise."

"It's just…the other day while you were shopping she saw a courier coming to you. She noticed how some people would send you things, and she is worried someone might get too close to you." M'rissi then seemed to blush and avert her eyes. "Euh…well… He had a letter for you. M'rissi told him that she is your new private bodyguard, and he should give the note to her… So…she read the note. Do you receive such notes all the time? Now she is worried that someone may try to trap you."

Blake let go of a sigh as she turned in her chair. Yang seemed to be holding back giggles while Ruby watched on in slight confusion.

"Do you have the letter on you?"

"Yes, here. But promise her to be careful!" M'rissi said while handing over a folded piece of paper. Blake took it and looked it over.

 _Please forgive us for troubling you, mighty Shadowkiller, but would you be kind enough to do a great deed for a small village?_

 _A monster recently appeared in the outskirts, and not a week goes by without someone from the area disappearing. Please help us! We will be in your debt._

 _Rorikstead. Ask Kjens._

"Okay, I'm a little upset, but I'm not angry." Blake folded up the letter and put it into one of her pockets. "Let's try not to hide messages from me anymore, though, okay?"

"What gives?" Yang asked while nursing a mug of mead.

"Something about a monster in Rorikstead. I guess I'll head down that way then while Ruby goes to Riverwood."

"Really wish Delphine would've just waited," the Dragonborn groaned.

"Me too, but we both know how dangerous that might have been. Can't say she would have liked us visiting a Thalmor either."

"Well, she also questions your decision for that," M'rissi chipped in. "But he did not betray you or do anything un-towered, so she is not plotting his death."

"I'm sure if anything happened, you would've busted in and taken him out," Blake told her friend, who smiled at that.

"Yes! She would have saved you much like you saved her, and killed another evil elf wizard. But it did not happen, and she is just as happy for that." M'rissi looked behind herself and then nodded to the others. "Now she is going to make sure Netta does not fall out of her chair."

The three watched her go tend to her other friend, and the sisters smiled over at Blake.

"What?"

"Nothing, just can't help but picture her watching over you kinda like an adopted sister," Ruby explained. "It's kinda adorable."

"We're not… Well, maybe, but I'm definitely not the little sister in this relationship."

"Isn't she, like, five or six years older than you?" Yang asked.

"Not the point."

The door opened, and the girls looked over to see a waterfall of white hair on top of a pale girl in a white cloak enter. Almost instantly, Ruby was dashing through the inn and wrapping her arms around Weiss, who had equally embraced her in return.

"I'm so happy to see you!" the younger girl got out.

"I'm glad to see you too," Weiss said before patting her back. "Happy birthday."


	51. Pieces of Apocrypha: 12, 13, and B

**An Analysis on Birthsigns and the Imperial Calendar**

 **Date: 4E196  
**  
When the Magne-Ge fled Mundus' creation into Aetherius, the holes they left behind, through which magic seeps into Mundus, became the stars. Over time, mortals began to notice patterns and shapes in the stars above them. These constellations were noted to only appear in certain times and seasons, and through extensive study over the course of years, the early calendars of Tamriel were formed. It wasn't until the creation of the Alessian Empire that the modern Imperial Calendar was adopted throughout the continent, where it remains in use to this day among all the races and political entities.

Although the study of the constellations or signs were important to the creation of the calendar, their importance does not end there. Contrary to popular belief, the Magne-Ge's effects on Mundus did not end with their flight into Aetherius. Over the centuries, subtle effects have been noted for individuals born in certain times of the year and under a certain constellation. Many of these effects are subtle and remain unnoticed by most individuals, whereas others are more obvious. However, focused observers have been able to observe and document the effects on an individual born under a certain sign. This has given rise to the idea of the Birthsign, and to this day it still remains an object of intense study by Imperial and Aldmeri scholars.

 _The Birthsigns_

The first and perhaps most important of the Birthsigns are collectively known as the Guardians. They are as follows:

· The Warrior

· The Mage

· The Thief

Each guardian has three charges under them, and their duty is to protect their charges from the Serpent Birthsign, the only constellation without a season of its own.

 _The Warrior_

The first of the Guardian Signs, the Warrior's charges are the Lady, the Steed, and the Lord, and its season is Last Seed. Those born under the sign of the Warrior are proficient with weaponry and are able to easily grasp its nuances. Like sponges, the Warrior born can pick up a new weapon and absorb its skills quickly. However, they are prone to temper, and many have to work to keep it in check, lest it destroy them. The planet Akatosh is located in this constellation.

 _The Mage_

Like the Warrior, the Mage is the Guardian Constellation for the Apprentice, the Golem or Atronach, and the Ritual. Its season is Rain's Hand, and for those born under it, magic comes easily, as does arrogance and absent-mindedness. The planet Julianos is located in this constellation. Due to their societal disregard for magic in general, the Dwemer called this constellation the Mechanist.

 _The Thief_

The last of the Guardian Constellations, the Thief's charges are the Lover, the Shadow, and the Tower. Its season is Evening Star. Contrary to what the name implies, those born under the Thief do not necessarily become thieves themselves. Any thought that this is the case is merely misguided prejudice. Instead, they are more prone to take risks and rarely come to harm. But, their luck will run out, and as such their lives are often tragically cut short.

 _The Serpent_

The only Birthsign without a season of its own, the Serpent wanders the night sky and threatens the other constellations. This unconventional sign is formed through the alignment of Unstars, and those born under it are noted to be simultaneously blessed and cursed in equal measure. The Imperial Orrery does not showcase this constellation.

 _The Lady_

One of the charges of the Warrior, the Lady is seen in Hearthfire. Those born under it are known to be much kinder and more tolerant of others than their peers.

 _The Steed_

Another of the Warrior's charges, the Steed is seen in Mid Year. People born in Mid Year are noted to be impatient and hurried travelers from one location to the next.

 _The Lord_

The last of the Warrior's charges, the Lord is seen in First Seed and is notable for overseeing all of Tamriel during the planting. Under his gaze, people are born stronger and healthier than others.

 _The Apprentice_

The first of the Mage's charges, the Apprentice is seen in Sun's Height. Those born under it have greater affinities for magic, both in terms of greater magicka reserves and magicka regeneration, but are more susceptible to it as well.

 _The Atronach_

Also known as the Golem, the Atronach is one of the charges of the Mage. It is seen in Sun's Dusk, and although those born under it have deep reserves of magicka within them, they cannot generate magicka on their own. They must absorb it from spells cast on them or through the consumption of potions.

 _The Ritual_

The last of the Mage's charges, the Ritual Birthsign has a varied ranged of effects, both to the individual as well as any undead a person may be unlucky enough to come across. These abilities depend on the moons and the Divines. It's season is Morning Star.

 _The Lover_

The first of the Thief's charges, her season is Sun's Dawn. Those born under her watch are graceful and passionate towards those they love.

 _The Shadow_

Another of the Thief's charges, the Shadow's season is Second Seed. Those born under it have the ability to hide in shadows themselves, no matter how small.

 _The Tower_

The last of the Thief's charges, the Tower is found in Frost Fall. Gold is easily found by them and they are sometimes able to open locks easily, no matter how complex they may be.

 **Conclusion**

Let it be known that, although a Birthsign may start the path an individual may go down, it does not necessarily determine one's destiny. There have been those born under the Warrior who go on to become great mages, those born under the Steed who stay in one place their entire lives, and so on. But their importance on the lives of mortals cannot be understated, and through better understanding of the Birthsigns, one can better decide just how they wish to live their life.

 _Trestus Whovinici, Historian at the Imperial Academy_

* * *

 _ **Notes by Ruby Rose,**_ **4E 201, 20th of Hearthfire**

 **So, Weiss and Blake were able to match Remnant's calendar with Tamriel's. We are** _ **so**_ **lucky that things matched out in terms of seasons and days. Is that a weird coincidence? Yes, but one that I'll happily take without question.**

 **So, moving on, the days of the week are pretty easy to understand and match. Morndas is Monday, Tirdas is Tuesday, Middas is Wednesday, Turdas is Thursday, Fredas is Friday, Loredas is Saturday, and Sundas is Sunday. The months were a bit more difficult, but we were able to match them up as well.**

 **Morning Star is January. First month of the year and all that made it easy to match up.**

 **Sun's Dawn is February.**

 **First Seed is March.**

 **Rain's Hand is April. Funny how on both Nirn and Remnant this time of year is known for raining. Also, Weiss' birthday is this month, which makes it super important. If we don't make it back to Remnant by then, I need to start preparing something for her birthday. Maybe a staff? Thoughts for later.**

 **Second Seed is May.**

 **Mid Year is June.**

 **Sun's Height is July. Again, hottest time of the year for both planets. Weird, but I'll take it.**

 **Last Seed is August. Yang's birthday would also be in this month and, if we'd thought about it, we could have celebrated it when we first got here. But, stuff kinda happened. We were actually on that boat to Patch in order to get her present in the first place. It was a nice one, too. Drat.**

 **Hearthfire is September, and is the month that we're currently in.**

 **Frost Fall is October, and is the most important month of all because my birthday is in it. I wonder if Skyrim has something similar to Halloween?**

 **Sun's Dusk is November. Makes sense, as that's when winter really sets in.**

 **Evening Star is December, and is also when Blake was born. After my birthday, we'll need to plan something for her. I'll probably get her a book or something.**

 **Have to admit, this stuff about Birthsigns doesn't make any sense, so for now I'm going to ignore it.**

* * *

 **4E 201, 30th of Hearthfire**

 **So, JNPR made it to Nirn before us. Yeah, that was quite the shock. I know that they're alive and well, but part of me can't help but worry. Still, I figure that I should figure out what their birthdays are here. I figure that once we get back, Team JNPR would all like something to remind them a bit about Nirn. After all, if they've made half the friends we have then they must have some fond memories of the place, too.**

 **Jaune was born in March, which means that on Nirn, his birthday would be First Seed. He told me that Pyrrha's birthday was in September and that they were planning something lowkey for her birthday party. Honestly, he could just take her to a nice restaurant and she'd be over the moon, or moons here. He also said that Nora was born in November and Ren was born in February. Once we get to those days, we'll celebrate for them.**

* * *

 **4E 201, 15th of Frost Fall**

 **So, funny thing. Those Birthsigns that I ignored before? Yeah, they're real. Apparently, since I was born in October or Frost Fall, I fall under the Tower Birthsign. Yang calls them Zodiac powers, and I have to agree. My Zodiac powers are being able to easily find gold and I can open locks every so often. Honestly, it's kinda weird, but whatever.**

 **But, now that I know that Birthsigns are legit, I should probably go ahead and figure out what the others are.**

 **Weiss was born in April or Rain's Hand, which means that her Birthsign is the Mage. Honestly, it totally fits. The fact that she's been able to easily grasp magic is key. Also, as much as I love my partner, she's kind of arrogant, and once moneymaking enters the picture, she goes all over the place.**

 **Blake was born in December or Evening Star, which means that she falls under the Thief. She definitely takes risks that she shouldn't. I still think she should have tossed that stupid blade in the ocean, but I'll support her decision. Still, I can't help but worry about the whole "luck runs out" thing.**

 **Yang was born in August or Last Seed, which means that she falls under the Warrior. That also makes total sense for her, especially about her being able to easily grasp weapons. She's getting really good with those axes of hers. And while she doesn't have much of a temper, if her hair gets touched then it's a different story.**

 **Jaune was born in March or First Seed, which means he falls under the Lord. I guess it explains how large his Aura reserves were. He told me once in private that he actually lied to get into Beacon, and that Pyrrha had to unlock his Aura during Initiation. I didn't care about it then and I don't care about it now, as he's my best guy friend. Still, the fact that his Aura reserves were the highest in the** _ **entire class**_ **is amazing, given his lack of experience. I can only imagine how he used that during the Oblivion Crisis.**

 **Nora was born in November or Sun's Dusk, which means she falls under the Atronach. It explains certain passages in Journey of Heroes, given how she would gleefully absorb lightning spells from Ren or Jaune and use it to crush her enemies, often literally. Speaking of which, apparently there's someplace called Guardian Crater in Cyrodiil. It formed after Nora got hit by a Lightning Storm while closing an Oblivion Gate. It went as well as I expected.**

 **Pyrrha was born in September or Hearthfire, which means she was born under the Lady. It does explain how nice and tolerant she is.**

 **Ren was born in February or Sun's Dawn, which means that he was born under the Lover. Admittedly, this was a bit harder to wrap my head around, but I was eventually able to figure it out. Ren is passionate, just in his own way. Especially towards Nora.**

 **We're on our way to Winterhold now. Some guy named Ancano is doing something at the College of Winterhold. I don't know what's going on over there, but Onmund sounded scared. Whatever Ancano's doing, we'll stop him.**

 **(=)**

* * *

The Fauna of Tamriel: Skyrim; Subterranean Terrors

I previously touched upon the potential hazards of venturing into the tunnels, caves, and other dark corners of the world without taking the appropriate precautions. Whether it is from the need for crude shelter, hopes of plundering lost riches, or simply the spirit of adventure and exploration, delving into the depths of the earth can easily result in you never feeling the sun's touch again if you do not keep your wits about you. And while dangers such as cave-ins, toxic gases, trap mechanisms, rogue Dwemer constructs, and all the myriad types of undead could take up an entire tome all on their own, I am here to inform you of some of the living creatures that will readily devour anyone foolhardy enough to enter their underground dwellings.

 **Frostbite Spiders**

Commonly referred to as "The Arachnophobe's Nightmare", these aggressive arthropods are one of Skyrim's most feared and loathed native creatures. Their spined, hairy bodies, legs, and oversized chelicerae seem to be designed to make people's skin crawl, an effect only enhanced by their chittering screeches, and the fact that they often share the stature of large dogs or wolves (or if the trespasser is particularly unlucky, are taller than a man).

The venom from which their name is derived damages the blood and soft tissues it's injected into, causing the affected area to pale before slowly blackening and dying. Aside from simply biting their victims, which they will often leap through the air to do, they are also capable of spitting their poison a fair distance, often aiming for the vulnerable eyes. There have even been cases of individual spiders that have learned to coat globs of webbing gathered from their spinnerets with their venom before flinging them at distant enemies, increasing their range even further. It is surprisingly easy to extract the venom from a slain Frostbite Spider, and they are not immune to their own toxin, so it is a common tactic to coat one's weapon with the venom of the first Frostbite Spider one defeats to help in killing any others.

While more resistant to the cold than most arachnids, they are by no means immune, and as such tend to congregate in cave systems and abandoned catacombs to form communal nests. Every surface of these lairs are covered in thick swathes of silk to insulate from the chill, and so large white webs serve as an obvious warning sign when approaching a Frostbite nest, along with the cocooned, desiccated remains of previous meals. If you insist on continuing past these hints to retreat, then be sure not to only focus on the Spiders before you on the ground. Look up! Frostbite Spiders prefer to tuck themselves away into nooks near the ceilings of their nests, often covered with woven trapdoors, and will descend onto inattentive prey from above, either by climbing down walls or rappelling with dragline.

Curiously enough, many of the properties of Frostbite Spider silk that make it such a useful tool in the pedipalps of its creators, namely its strength (multiple times that of steel by weight), flexibility, elasticity, and insulation, could be just as valuable for our own purposes. Innovations in alchemical treatments and weaving based upon the textile practices that produce the exotic silken clothing of Akavir have recently been developed for Frostbite Spider application. Depending on the potions applied to the silk to preserve it from degradation, it can be spun into a luxuriously smooth thread or cloth that is incredibly resistant to cutting and tearing, and in some cases can be stretched a considerable amount while retaining its shape. Equally capable of being turned into opulent formal attire or superior light armor, the sheer quantity of material produced by these common invertebrates could serve as the base for profitable new industry for the province. Of course, the requirement of regularly venturing into the lairs of man eating spiders has proven to be quite the dampener for anyone considering such an enterprise.

 **Trolls**

A decidedly odd design belies the simplistically brutish nature of this widespread menace. While thankfully not very prevalent, different breeds of Troll can be found throughout the provinces of Tamriel, easily identified by their bipedal, ape-like bodies and three beady black eyes. Despite their physical similarities, Trolls do not share the developed intelligence and social capabilities of great apes, usually living in solitude except when necessary for mating or reproduction, lest their gluttonous hunger readily turn them to cannabalism.

While technically omnivorous, Trolls will only turn to vegetative food sources if absolutely no meat is available. Whether it is hunting fresh prey or scavenging rotting carcasses, this creature will not care, and when combined with their complete disregard for hygiene, the most reliable warning for the presence of a Troll or its lair is usually from its gruesome stench. Despite the filth and squalor these beasts typically live in, they rarely suffer the consequences of illness and disease thanks to their extraordinary vigor. It is theorized that one of the causes for the Troll's bottomless appetite is due to their specialized metabolism that enables rapid healing and regeneration.

Aside from their sharp fangs, claws, and strength that enables them to literally rip a man limb from limb, this regeneration is one of the primary threats to keep in mind when fighting a Troll. They are able to recover from anything short of the destruction of a vital organ such as the heart or brain, with even grievous wounds closing up before one's very eyes. In fact, an unwary warrior is liable to actually get their weapon stuck within the body of Troll, with a blade becoming sealed by the very flesh it has pierced if it is not immediately withdrawn. The most reliable way to prevent a Troll from healing the damage given to it is through that most ubiquitous of monster-slaying elements: fire.

Even a freshly slain Troll will continue to have its wounds close for a time, though thankfully they cannot recover from full death. As such, the sheer time and effort involved in skinning a Troll is not nearly worth the value of their filth-encrusted hides. In conjunction with how foul their meat is, arguably the only prize worth the effort of hunting these creatures beyond the tale and satisfaction of removing such a blight is the fat. A valuable alchemical reagent, the rich fat of a Troll has a consistency curiously similar to the blubber of whales, seals, and other marine mammals. The native breed of Skyrim tends to possess the thickest layers of the insulating fat, in conjunction with the thickest, most fur covered skin I have documented so far, making it quite the durable beast indeed. At this point, an attentive reader would earn no prizes for predicting that the colloquial name for this breed is...the Frost Troll. Let it not be said that the people of Skyrim have the most creative naming sense...

Addendum: After hearing tales that some Trolls have actually been tamed and trained, I needed to confirm the veracity of such rumors for myself. And to my astonishment, I recently have! It would seem that I must withdraw my previous assessment equating the intellect of Trolls to the same level as a Skeever. I stand corrected: they instead approach the mental acuity of the average dog under the appropriate conditions. The organization that introduced me to this practice train these Trolls as a hunting hound equivalent, and even went through the effort of outfitting their attack beasts with armor! When I asked for their purpose, they said it was for Vampire Hunting. Given a Troll's natural strength, regenerative capabilities and disease resistance, I can readily see why they would be attractive war beasts for such a task.

 **Chaurus**

The infamous "livestock" of the Falmer, these giant insects are used as beasts of burden, attack animals, cattle, and possibly even companions all at once for the subterranean race that has somehow domesticated this aggressive arthropod. It is theorized that the basis behind this relationship is a correlation behind the sounds through which the blind Falmer perceive their surroundings and the clacking noises that Chaurus use to communicate with each other. While Chaurus are capable of subsisting on a variety of the fungi found within the chasms and caves they so frequent, their preferred form of sustenance is meat, and their masters are reviled partially for their practice of feeding their pets the corpses of most people unfortunate enough to cross their paths. In turn the Falmer use their insectoid livestock as their primary food source (the only edible portions of Chaurus anatomy is the white flesh found within the main body's thorax and abdominal sections, while the yellow flesh of the head and and limbs are inundated with lethal amounts of acidic poison), while also using the chitin from the thick carapace to craft nearly every object in Falmer "society", including weapons, shields, armor, tools, containers, as well as shelters such as tents.

Chaurus come in a wide variety of forms and sizes, and for the longest time there was much confusion and debate as to how each related to the others as well as their overall classification. However, recent results from long term studies, carried out by a team of truly dedicated arcane researchers in the College of Winterhold, have done much to clarify the particulars of the Ant Chaurus life cycle, supporting one set of theories over all others when applying the discoveries from this pygmy species to its larger cousins.

The documented life cycle plays out as such: the eggs hatch in spring, shortly after Chaurus Hunters lay a new natch. The larger Chaurus Reapers from the previous year's natch watch over their infant cousins (the "Standard" Chaurus) as they grow. After about a month, the newborns can fend for themselves and the older Chaurus Reapers leave them in charge of the newer eggs. For most of the year, the Chaurus eat, grow, and guard their nests, and the sheer size of individual Chaurus during this larval stage can vary greatly, dependent more on factors in their immediate environment and circumstances than age. Over the course of the fall season, the older Reapers enter a deathlike state where they convert their outer husks into a form of chrysalis, in which they metamorphose into their adult stage, the Chaurus Hunter. (It should be noted that a developing Chaurus Hunter can emerge from its chrysalis prematurely, and quite suddenly, in response to a perceived threat, and the resulting unfinished specimen is what is referred to as a Hunter Fledgling.) As winter finally approaches, the Hunters emerge from their cocoons, and they begin finding mates and laying new eggs, either in their home cave systems or settling new locations in the search for food sources that their future offspring can feed upon after hatching. They die just before the eggs from the previous year hatch, starting the cycle again, while the Chaurus that hatched at the beginning of the year have grown into Reapers in their own right.

This explains why Chaurus and eggs are present all year, but Hunters are only seen during the winter season. The life cycle fully plays out over the course of two years with two distinct but similar larval stages living alongside each other for most of the year, until it is time for the true adult stage to emerge and lay the annual clutch of new eggs.

The common features of Chaurus regardless of form are their thick, dark carapace with blue bioluminescent nodules that turn green after death, razor sharp limbs and mandibles, and an acidic poison that they are capable of both injecting and spitting at a distance. Standard Chaurus and Reapers share a morphology similar to that of earwigs or centipedes, with long sectional bodies, a multitude of sharp legs going down their sides in multiple rows, and long curved mandibles on their front end matched by similar pincer-like claws on the opposite end, both of which can be reared up into the air to strike out like a snake. Chaurus Hunters are essentially giant wasps complete with wings and venomous stinger, albeit with disproportionately large spiked forelimbs more convergent with those of a praying mantis, which is all thrown on top of the poisonous bite and spit kept from the previous stage just for good measure.

Studies on the origin of this species in regards to possible Daedric influences are as of yet inconclusive.

 **Dragonlings**

While the region of Iliac Bay has the most well known and centralized presence of this fascinating species, small populations can actually be found amongst the crags of High Rock, Haafingar, and the Reach. As the name suggests, these dog-sized flying reptiles resemble the Dragons of yore to a degree that none could claim is incidental. However, it must be stressed that despite their appearance and even the ability to breathe fire, frost, or lightning, Dragonlings are not baby Dragons, or directly related to true Dragons in any way. I imagine that if one were to have the miraculous opportunity to converse with one of these long lost beings, to insinuate such a claim to a Dragon's face would ensure you would not live long enough to regret the insult. True Dragons were fully conscious beings of a divine nature, beyond such a mundane process as reproduction. While magical, Dragonlings are ultimately mere animals, pale imitations incapable of higher thought and function.

However, this is not to say that Dragons were not responsible for the origin of Dragonlings as we know them today. Recently uncovered texts dating from the Merethic Era, when Dragons still ruled over the mortal races of Tamriel, reveal that a particularly curious and enterprising Dragon lord discovered a species of primitive winged lizards and took a shine to them due to their amusing superficial resemblance to himself. This Dragon, whose name is as yet unknown, gathered a population of these creatures and kept them as pets within his mountain home, valuing their ability to hunt down any pests or vermin within his lair, similar to the domestication of the common cat.

Their immortal owner and a few of his fellows that he shared his novel pastime with went on to direct an extensive selective breeding process to emphasize their draconic resemblance as much as possible, to an astounding degree of success evidently beyond even their own expectations. In fact, much like how the meowing of the domesticated cat is actually an attempt to mimic human sounds, the now developed Dragonlings mimicked the Words of their own masters, unconsciously using a small, much-weakened version of the Thu'um, or Voice, as they did. This remains the source of their breath attacks, although they are limited to the three simplest one Word elements already mentioned. (Personally confirming that such attacks are in fact accompanied by "spoken" Words rather than being a natural form of magicka fueled spellcasting as other schools of thought believed was a rather harrowing experience.)

And although their draconic masters are ages gone, and the descendants of this unique experiment have spread and thrived in the wild on their own, their instinctual connection to the ancient Tongue of the lords that Raised them remains a fundamental aspect of their existence. And one can hardly resist the allure of the legends which claim that these fiercely proud beasts, which refuse to be cowed or calmed by any means magical or mundane, will only become tame in the presence of one who can truly speak to them in the language of their first and only masters. Unfortunately, none of the notoriously reclusive Graybeards, the only known practitioners of the Voice who reside in their monastery on High Hrothgar, have deigned to accept my proposal to accompany me on an expedition to Dragonling territory to confirm or deny this enticing lore. But I refuse to be discouraged by the mere recalcitrance of men, and I maintain hope of one day witnessing the truth of this fable.

\- Na'ankan Tributore

(=)

* * *

Excerpts from the Writing Journal of Blake Belladonna

Hearthfire

Well, here it is. I'm finally doing it. I'm writing that novel I always said I would. Now that I can actually get some free time, in between life-threatening situations and bouts of long travel, I've penned down a few samples. Only a couple thousand words at the moment, but it's a start. I'll admit, for the longest time I wasn't sure what I wanted to write. I knew the genre; I've wanted to create an adventure full of romance, conflict, drama, and some hot scenes here and there since forever. But now I've finally gotten the right inspiration.

Back in the Merethic Era, Cyrodiil was ruled by a branch of High Elves known as the Ayleids. I double-checked with Weiss, and she's confirmed they weren't a separate race, just a disparate culture, like the Direnni or the Chimer before becoming Dunmer. One big thing about them was their overwhelming tendency to enslave other races en masse, especially humans. They were horrible to them, too, often using them for Daedra sacrifices or cruel sport. Obviously, resentment grew and grew, but the humans there didn't believe they stood a chance at freedom. Then Skyrim's wars of extermination against the Falmer happened, which apparently made the Cyrodiilic men start thinking, "Hey, if they can beat the elves, then so can we." Kind of an awful way to get inspired, but I'm more than willing to bet they only heard the pre-Nord's version of events for the longest time.

At some point, a young woman then prayed to the Gods. A lot of sources are conflicting on what exactly happened, but it's kind of important to note two things: the Ayleids were said to have worshipped all gods. I'm not sure how that worked out, but they apparently had just as many shrines to Mara as they would Molag Bal and then Meridia and then Hircine. Maybe they were just trying to not take sides? Whatever the case, the second thing is that they had summoned up a lot of Daedra to reign in all their slaves, likely because meric populations are rarely as large as human ones. This young woman, Alessia, was then given a vision of Mundus being closed off from Oblivion so that the Ayleids could no longer depend on the tons of Daedra to control their slaves. Kynareth then sent her son, a demi-god named Morihaus who appeared to be a winged Minotaur, to help and advise her while rallying the other slaves into an army. So far, he's becoming my favorite character to write about. He's got the most well-defined personality out of all the historical figures of the time, and he and Alessia eventually fell in love and actually had children. It should be noted that these were likely the first Minotaurs.

A lot of things happened during this war, but the overall strategy seemed to be to box in the Ayleids and then press them towards the White-Gold Tower. At some point, a demi-god king named Umaril took control of the armies, and what exactly made him a demi-god is kinda confusing. I'll have to look for references to something called a kalpa and the World-River.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles, and one I really wanted to avoid, is Pelinal Whitestrake. While Morihaus is kind of a joy to look at the point-of-view of, Pelinal is both confusing and sickening, and yet people still want to think of him as a hero. He was murderous, insane, and at times caused such devastation that in The Song of Pelinal it's said Alessia had to beg the Gods for forgiveness for what he did. He's described as committing war crimes by their dozens, having led slaughters that made the genocidal Nedes of Skyrim pause, and even went into Elsweyr and killed a large number of Khajiit when he mistook them for a kind of elf. Not Ayleids or Altmer. He thought they were 'some kind of elf', and that was apparently enough of a reason to slaughter them. He disgusts me. However, I can't avoid mentioning him altogether. He was as big a part of everything as Morihaus and Alessia were. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

* * *

Well, I just learned what a kalpa is. I'm now even more confused.

If I'm understanding this right, a kalpa is sort of a 'world phase'. Apparently, the world of Mundus has ended and restarted several times, and each version is known as a kalpa. Sometimes, however, pieces from a past world can end up in the next one (or several), usually through something related to Oblivion. Umaril's father was apparently a god from one of these, but even that's screwy because what does that mean about said god currently? Whatever it is, I think I'll just keep it vague. Gives me plausible deniability in case I got mistaken.

Umaril's character isn't easy to pin down, but he seems to be the planner-commander type that can hold his own well enough in battle, though with a preference to ranged combat. There's a physical description of him in Journey of the Heroes, when Yohannes has to stop his foretold return. At that time Umaril was striking out against the Divines, so it's likely that he blamed his people's defeat and subsequent disappearance on them. However, it seems his actions during the Oblivion Crisis caused him to lose favor with Meridia, but that just might have been author bias.

Back to Pelinal, I've been trying to be a little fairer, but the best I can honestly say is that he was a short, violent burst of evil that let an era of peace take root. The humans of the Empire look to him as a historical hero, but to elves he was a monster that tried to lead a pogrom against their entire species and said as much. I'm not going to glitter it up and make him look like a dashing knight, because he wasn't not one, but I'm not going to sling mud. I'm just going to write it down and let the people reading make their choice. He also made a short appearance during Journey of the Heroes, but not much is said. Yohannes didn't even really know who Pelinal was before being dragged into the whole situation, so there likely wasn't much to say. Although, some people do say that Yohannes was the reincarnation of Pelinal, but given how murderous Yohannes wasn't, not to mention fair to all the races of the Empire, I don't put much stock to it.

* * *

Frostfall

I swear the world keeps throwing curveballs at us!

Okay, so it doesn't really impact my book too much -I've gotten around to the point where Alessia and Morihaus have taken their first victory against the Ayleid Empire with a group of rebelling slaves and a handful of sympathetic elves. I am loving how I've gotten the two's interactions down- but Weiss just figured out that four of the Five Heroes were actually Team JNPR. Between what Azura told us, the physical descriptions of the heroes, and the fact that we got here ourselves, we were able to put everything together. Well, at least Ren and Nora got together. Or at least everything points to them doing so. I feel kinda weird about shipping people that I know in real life, though.

Well, maybe if we get back to Remnant before I finish writing I can ask them for some pointers on Umaril. I've had to make up some secondary villains to fill out the blanks of evil needed to really hammer in how bad the Ayleid Empire is, but I'm trying to make sure I hit "The Play for Thrones" villainy and not "Sailor Luna" levels. Umaril's supposed to be the main baddy, but he feels more like a vague threat that Morihaus feels like not even his power can stand up to.

Still, I can't help but hope JNPR got home okay. I've heard the synopsis of what happened, but I want to believe they've gotten out of the Shivering Isles and returned to Remnant. Maybe if we're lucky we'll come back at about the same time and can swap stories. Wonder if Nora will like that I finished what she started with the Dark Brotherhood?

* * *

Got the full outline together, and maybe ten skeleton chapters. Once things have calmed down, I'm hoping I can find some really, really old being and ask them about the times. Yang told us about how she ran into that Draugr woman and sent my scroll the video, so maybe there are others from south of the Jeralls who can give me a similar point-of-view. I doubt Divayth Fyr knows much about it, if he would even deign to talk to me. Some people say that there are Altmer on Alinor as old as he is, but there's about a snowball's chance in Hell that I could even get there. Valenwood would be the best bet, but that has its own set of obstacles, all on top of it being part of the Aldmeri Dominion. Maybe if I played it off as someone doing research of 'the elven version of events' I could get by, but that's about as much of a pipe dream as can be at the moment. Not to mention I'd probably just be fed a bunch of Thalmor propaganda, even if they hate the Daedra-worshipping Ayelids almost as much as everyone else.

Also, calm down is a relative term at this point. Along with dragons, we've got vampires popping up and assaulting towns and villages, and there's still the civil war to worry about. While I'm on the side of caution, we can't just ignore it forever. Something's got to give. While the dragons, vampires, and winter has gotten everyone to hunker down, that's going to change the moment one of the supernatural threats let up and the weather starts warming. I just hope that if we have to make a choice, we make the right one.


	52. Solidarity in Shadows

**Okay everyone, a couple of announcements. First, January 20th is my birthday. Yay me! Also, January 30th will be the one-year anniversary of the beginning of OESaH, with February 5th the FFnet edition anniversary! So woot woot! Thanks going to xTRESTWHOx for sticking around all the time and NaanContributor for joining us.**

* * *

"Wait, so you flew all the way here?" Yang asked as the team walked along the bank of the Karth River. It had been nearly at the break of dawn when they received a message from someone asking them to meet him here with 'the files'. It wasn't hard to figure out who the person was, and so now they were simply making up for lost time.

"It was more of a hover, really," Weiss insisted, only for Yang to arch an eyebrow and shake her head.

"Which is basically flying really close to the ground," she countered, emphasizing her point by dipping down and moving her hand just above the dirt.

"Yang, it's not flying," Weiss argued. "I've looked at the wings closely, and there's no way I could take off with them. They're only as long as my arms, and there's barely any… What do they call it, webbing?" The other three shrugged. "In any case, they aren't strong enough to create enough lift for someone of my size. Hovering is the best I'm going to get."

"I'm just happy you made it," Ruby said, a smile on her face. "Once we get back, we're going to put the finishing touches on Strahlendjuwel. Mostly just fitting it to the hilt and some sharpening. I've got the threading done, but I'm hoping the hilt's bolt hasn't been damaged. Otherwise, we might have to restructure it."

"Not sure why you didn't go with the normal Dust-loading cartridges," Yang stated. "Would've been a lot easier than dealing with a revolver-centered core."

"Myrtenaster was designed with elegance in mind, and made by some of the best artisans money could hire," Weiss pointed out. "While I didn't really have much say on the final product, I did like how it came out. I want Strahlendjuwel to continue Myrtenaster's legacy."

"Oh yeah! I forget that not everyone made their own weapons." Yang stuck out her tongue and tapped her head. "My bad."

Ruby's head then popped up as a question resurfaced in her mind, and she turned her attention towards Blake. "Hey Blake, did you make yours?" Ruby asked.

"Not really, no," the Faunus admitted. "We had a guy for that. Wasn't as good as you or Yang, but he was able to get a range of pieces and make some simple but versatile weapons. I did add the ribbon, however."

"Mine was difficult at first, but I was able to make due." The girls practically whipped themselves around to see the smirking face of Capric as he walked up to them. "Glad you could join me. This must be Yang and Weiss." He nodded towards them as he spoke. "Greetings, I'm Capric Thorn. Ruby told me a good bit about you the other day."

"Sup?" Yang greeted him with a wave, her nerves calming down the quickest of the bunch. "So you're the guy from Remnant? Where exactly are you from, anyway?"

"I was born in Verdanté, but moved around most of my younger life through eastern Anima."

"Verdanté? Don't think I… Wait, didn't we learn about Verdanté in history class? It had something to do with the Faunus Rights Revolution."

"It…certainly did," Weiss said while nodding, keeping her lips sealed on the subject. Capric then looked to her with a grin.

"So, you're a Schnee?"

Weiss froze up at that, and the rest of the team braced themselves.

"I always wanted to meet Nicholas Schnee, but I never got the chance," Capric lamented, causing the Huntresses to relax somewhat. "He was such a great fellow, a true and shining example of a good human being. How is his company, anyways?"

"Things…could be much better," Weiss got out. Thoughts of what her father had done and how he ran the SDC briefly crossed her mind, but she shoved them aside and refocused on Capric. A look of surprise seemed to cross his face, only to be replaced by resignation.

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear that." He pressed an arm across his chest and bowed his head. "Either way, I am happy to meet you, for a number of reasons. Mostly, I wanted to talk about my plans for getting back home."

"Is it safe for us to talk about that in the open?" Blake questioned while shifting her eyes and ears about.

"I already set up some spells over the area. No one can hear us, and not many can see us. The most we'd have to worry about is that couple just up the river with their sawmill coming nearby, but they seem to keep to themselves." Capric paused then turned his attention back towards Blake. "By the way, were you able to copy down those documents as I suggested, or should I do it?"

"I have, yes," Blake revealed as she handed over the files in question. Numerous backups, in fact, not that she was willing to share how many she made with the Thalmor. Nor which version she gave to him. "Some of it is…kinda disconcerting."

"Ah, the files on Ulfric Stormcloak. Yes, this actually gives us an opportunity." Capric stashed the papers away into a sack. "I think I'll be able to get them off your trail relatively easy. It's going to take some setup, but nothing I can't do without a little Glamour and charisma. Back to getting home though, I believe I have most of the pieces, but there are some things that'll help us along. One of them happens to be in Skyrim, or at least, it should. Winterhold, specifically."

"It's some sort of magical artifact in the College, isn't it?" Weiss sighed and frowned. "I can't exactly steal something from there and expect to stay in good standing."

"Nothing has to be stolen, I don't think." He rubbed his chin a moment before shrugging. "Anyways, all I really know at this point is that it's related to an immovable object under the College. I'd look into it myself, but we have some…problems to address before anyone from the Thalmor can go there. The agreement with the College was a very tenuous thing before, considering their location, and now…"

"Yeah, that's pretty dead. Almost as dead as Ancano," Yang quipped. She remembered hearing about how some of the students had begun to make Thalmor-shaped dummies to practice their spells on, and she couldn't imagine what they would do to an actual Thalmor now.

"How did that happen, anyways? I got conflicting reports about a dragon biting him in half and others about an army of wizards having to work together to bring him down."

"Do you know how the Schnee family Semblance works?" Weiss asked him.

"Um, not really, no."

"Then it would take a long time to explain."

"Wait, you said you're almost ready with getting a way back to Remnant?" Ruby suddenly piped up. "How close are you?"

"If we're lucky, no more surprise wars happen, and I get the chance to look into Argonia and Morrowind after this… We're looking at maybe ten to twenty years."

"Ten to twenty years?" Ruby bemoaned as she seemed to shrink with sadness.

"What's the holdup?" Yang asked.

"Besides getting into Argonia in the first place, none of these things have been easy to find, so I doubt the last two will be. You wouldn't think finding the grave of Bosriel Skeffington would be all that difficult. Then you actually have to start searching."

The girls shared a look with each other. None of them knew who this 'Bosriel' was supposed to be or how it was supposed to be important, and after a moment they slowly turned their attention back towards the Bosmer.

"Okay, I guess," Yang got out. "And what about the dragons?"

"I'm still getting my connections and resources in place, but I've got a list of likely places for information and maybe the location of a dragon's roost," he replied. "I'll let you all know the moment we zero in on it. Or, as fast as the couriers can reach you."

"Better than being caught off-guard every time," Weiss supposed with a shrug.

"And maybe we can do something about communication." Ruby paused in thought. "But you'll have to make an oath. Like, an unbreakable oath or something. Just in case."

"O…kay," Capric responded with a raised eyebrow. "As long as we can get this situation resolved. Any other concerns anyone would like to bring up?"

"Can't think of anything at the moment."

"What are you going to do to get the Thalmor off this trail?" Blake asked.

"It involves a Stormcloak outfit, a dead bandit, and a good deal of timing."

"Right…"

* * *

As Weiss and Ruby went over the installation of the new blade, Yang and Blake headed upstairs, with the blonde tapping her partner with her shoulder halfway up.

"So, what was up with you and Capric?" the blonde quietly asked her partner.

"What?" Blake responded, causing Yang to sigh.

"You were all… Well, more Blakey than normal with him. Something the matter there?" Blake stared at Yang for a moment, catching her rambling thoughts before speaking.

"It's…" Blake sighed. "I'm not sure about him."

"You think he's lying?"

"No. At least not entirely," Blake clarified. "He knew things about Remnant only someone from there would have known. He even mentioned a name I know I've heard. But…when I was trying to dig up information from the Embassy, I was nearly caught in the end. Then he came in and killed the Thalmor that found us."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?"

"He didn't just kill them, Yang. I would have been okay with that, but he…brutalized them. He strung one of them up and nearly chopped him into pieces. And the whole time he was doing it so…callously." Blake crossed her arms and sat at the small table. "It was horrifying. I still hear that man's screams."

Yang looked at her partner in concern before kneeling down and taking her arms in hand.

"Hey, look. It's okay to be scared. You were caught off-guard, and I'm willing to bet whatever he did happened fast." At Blake's nod, Yang continued. "The situation was out of your control. You were caught, and before you could do anything, someone else uncaught you. It probably didn't help that he was supposedly on their side."

"It didn't." Blake shook her head and signaled Yang to continue.

"Just don't let it get to you. We're probably not gonna see this guy much until we get back to Remnant, and then we probably won't hear from him on the other side all that much either." Yang stood up and then sat across from her friend before grabbing a jeweled board and a few stacks of cards. "Meantime, you wanna play some Legends? Weiss showed me how it works."

Blake looked at the board and then smirked. "All right. How do you play?"

"To win."

* * *

"And…done!" Ruby declared before letting Weiss take the sword in hand. The heiress looked it over in awe and held it in a fencing stance before looking back over it again.

"The weight is perfect!" She smiled with a toothy grin, her elongated canines glistening. "You really didn't have to go to these lengths, but I really appreciate it, Ruby."

"That's what friends are for," Ruby said while putting her arm around Weiss' shoulder. "You sent me a cool ebony sword for my birthday, so I had to repay you."

"Normally birthday gifts are repaid on birthdays, but okay." Weiss chuckled, patting her back and then taking a few steps to place the sword on a rack. Ruby watched a moment and then frowned.

"Weiss, can I ask…about the vampires?"

The heiress froze a moment before turning back to face her team leader. "Yes?"

"Have any of them, at any point, done anything to hurt you?" Ruby asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No. None of them have so much as laid a hand on me, but…" She took in a breath and closed her eyes a moment before looking back up. "Back home, in Atlas, the atmosphere was always cold. My sister and Klein made living there better, yet it always felt so empty. I can easily say after only twenty-four hours or so in that castle, it's worse. It definitely reminds me of home, but it's as if the little bit of toxicity that sometimes wafted around became concentrated a hundred times over and spread to every corner. Every other person there wasn't seeing me for who I was or might be. They either saw an obstacle, a stepping stone, or a master. I think the only ones that treated me like a person…were the apathetic ones."

Ruby walked over and hugged her friend, who slowly turned and hugged her back. Weiss sighed at the comfort of a warm body, and almost pulled back when she felt her head beginning to dip. Ruby slowly slid back from the hug and looked at her with a sad smile.

"I'm always ready to help you, Weiss. Even if I have to run all the way through Skyrim, I'll be there to help."

Weiss smiled back. "Thanks, Ruby." Suddenly she was being guided by the hand and out of the house.

"Come on! Let's spend some time at the college! M'rissi finally dragged Inigo and Fironet over there, and I wanna see how good they are!"

* * *

After a brief visit to the Bard's College, the group set south towards Dragon Bridge. It was only a few hours ride, but they did have to make one stop along the way near Mount Kilkreath.

"Yes, yes, down boy!" Weiss gleefully commanded the great boar that was lovingly sniffing around her face. She took a truffle from her back pouch and fed it to the pig, who happily ate it with thankful oinks. Currently, she was downhill from the others, who were near the Kilkreath Temple. Weiss had steadfastly refused to step anywhere near the grounds surrounding the structure lest she accidentally incur Meridia's wrath. She still vividly recalled the burning on her hands from the last time she suffered it, and so no one judged her for not wanting to be anywhere near Meridia's temple. Ruby herself was inside the partially renovated place and explaining their venture to find the second Skyshard to the priest, Seletar.

"Then everything got really bright and we popped up in some kind of solar system thing, and that's where we met the Magne-Ge guy."

"An enlightening experience, isn't it?" he asked her with a smile. "You beheld vibrant Astetu, child of Scintil of the Blend Sign!"

"It was pretty cool," Ruby agreed while nodding her head before looking at her feet. "But I think I might have stepped on Elsweyr."

Seletar paused for a moment and pushed the tips of his fingers together. "Our world is a…mortal concept and of little relevance in the Untimes," he explained. "Where you felt yourself was not where you were, nor is it when."

"So like an illusion? Or was I the illusion?" Ruby rubbed her chin a moment before shrugging. "Either way, I guess I need to continue on with this. There should be more Skyshards scattered around, right?"

"Yes, these stellar shards you found represent the power of the Magne-Ge on Nirn. The black shards will belong to Ilmaasi, the white shards to Astetu. You will have to find them and absorb them if you are to fight in this war."

"I haven't seen a black shard yet," Ruby muttered as she felt her mind be drawn towards something to the east. She scowled and clenched her fist before murmuring to herself, "Cheese and crackers."

"Ah, but something more, Dragonborn. With your revelations, so have come my own." He pulled out a book and handed it over to her. "Spells the likes of which have never been felt by mortal hands have been granted to us. I have written them down, so that you too may learn them and use them for the greater good."

"Oh, thanks!" Ruby opened it and began scanning the pages for the first spell, Sentinel. Almost immediately her eyes caught the part where it explained needing Rod of Power to function and recalled the spellbook she'd found in the Magne-Ge temple. As she read the instructions of its formation again and again, she conjured up a pair of Rods and readied herself to cast the spell.

"Here goes," she muttered before launching it forward. It went almost like a nondescript ball of light, but then the two rods began firing at the ground where it landed, throwing detritus, snow, and dirt into the air. After three shots from each, both Rods stopped, and Ruby could see a small, smoldering body of some kind of animal.

"Oh," she said as she looked back at the book. "That's what it does."

"An excellent display, Dragonborn."

* * *

As the sun started setting below the horizon, the group was coming upon Dragon Bridge. Just before they entered, Inigo seemed to go stock still and clutched at his head with a groan. Everyone else slowed and looked to him, concern etched on all of their faces.

"My friends, I feel…strange," he got out as he pressed his temples. "Argh, my mind is vibrating in my skull! It feels as if it is at the end of a hook."

"Are you okay?" Blake asked as she turned towards him.

"I do not know," he admitted before slowly letting his hands down. "Wait, the sensation is receding. That was horrible!"

Erandur rode up closer and placed a hand against the Khajiit's forehead. "You don't feel feverish. Perhaps it was a sudden migraine."

"Wow, that was a little frightening," Yang muttered. "You all right?"

"I'm okay. I have no idea what it was." He rubbed his own head with a sigh. "All of a sudden there was a bright flash and it felt like my mind was being pulled out of my ears."

"That's not good," Ruby got out. "Hey, if that happens again, you be sure to let somebody know about it."

"Do not worry about me, my friend. Let's just get back to it."

* * *

Inigo's brief scare aside, the rest of the trek into Dragon Bridge went without a hitch. After Weiss managed to negotiate fair prices for replenishing their supplies, she and her partner went to find rooms for them all at the inn.

"Okay, so Erandur and Inigo will bunk, that's one. Lydia's constantly watching me, so two. Um, you have any rooms with three beds?"

"A few," Faida answered.

"Okay, so, me, Lydia, and Yang in the second, and Blake, M'rissi, and Weiss in the third. …Unless you guys want to do it differently? Like Yang with Blake and M'rissi and Weiss with me and Lydia. Uh, what do you guys…?"

"We'll figure it out, Ruby," Weiss assured her. "A two-bed and two three-beds," she told the innkeeper.

"All right. Just give me a minute to get you all set." As she left the bar, the group began to slowly disperse and settle across the inn's main hall. As some of them began warming themselves at the hearth, Blake's eyes were caught by a rather familiar uniform over in a corner. Slightly curious, and feeling an egging on in the back of her mind that she tried to push away, she decided to approach the man.

"Good evening," she greeted him. As she readied herself to ask him what he was doing or trail off to something Oculatus related, he looked up at her and took a drink.

"Greetings. Think I've seen you a time or two before." The old, grey-haired man in a Penitus Oculatus uniform took a second glance at her for a moment while swishing his mug around. "Tell me, Shadowkiller, do you have any regrets? Of course you do," he answered himself before she had a chance. "We all do." He took a sip and set his mug down, letting it rest before leaning up. "They say regrets are the foundation of wisdom, for if we do not regret our mistakes, we are damned to repeat them. Our successes, however, need not be remembered, for they only serve to bolster our temerity. That is why a general is haunted not by his victories on the battlefield, but those that slipped from his grasp."

Blake nodded and sat down. "I've made more than few mistakes. I'm going to do my best not to repeat them."

"That is how we are meant to live. Always tumbling forward, only looking back to see how far we've come. For some things, such a task is simple. A hastily written report. A tactless reply. A spilled drink. For others, the tendrils run deeper, rooting your body in the earth. There is no way forward. Not until you've freed yourself of the memory. Not until you make things right."

Blake's ears slowly tilted up. She could definitely see where this was going.

"So, what's the problem you're having?" she asked the agent.

"A thief," he replied. "The one that got away. An Imperial woman, by the reports, and a lone operative. She's burglarized the homes of a number of notable lords, thanes, and nobles. At times she has even ransomed their children." That tidbit caused Blake's ears to fly up. "She's outfoxed the city guards, evaded the Oculatus, and even managed to rankle prominent members of the Thieves' Guild."

The Faunus blinked in surprise. "If she's that big of a deal, then isn't there a big effort to catch her?"

"Unfortunately, the resources the Empire exhausted in tracking her down forced the Elder Council to suspend all pursuit. Given the state of Imperial coffers, it was cheaper to let her run free and compensate the aggrieved for their losses." He took another drink from his mug. "Only I remain dedicated to the cause of justice. And what I lack in men and resources, I make up for in will. I've chased her across Tamriel for the last fifteen years, and now I believe I'm closer than ever to catching her."

Blake hummed in thought at that. If there was really a rogue thief out there that was working even against the Thieves' Guild, it would be best for them to get caught. The members of the Guild were still thieves, but they had rules. Some even tended to have standards.

"You have a description?"

"I do. It's been burned into the bone of my skull, from sketches and wanted posters and images…from another time." He breathed in deeply and let it loose in a sigh as he closed his eyes. "A raven-haired woman, thirty-two years of age, with an aquiline nose and eyes the color of steel." His eyes opened and he turned towards her. "She's as fearsome as an Orc, but can be as cunning as a diplomat, and, if need be, can charm you with the grace of a sylph."

Blake almost disregarded the second half of his description, when she took note of his own features and paused, her amber eyes focused in on his downcast steely grey. She thought back over the secondary description while rolling the fingers in her left hand.

"You almost sound like you admire her," she said, the idea of the words coming from somewhere deeper.

"What are you implying?" he asked while turning back. "One cannot evade the Penitus Oculatus and not earn a measure of respect. And one cannot defy them without earning their wrath. I am a soldier, sworn in the service of the Penitus Oculatus. Sworn to uphold the law. If someone breaks the law, it matters not whether they are the Raven of Anvil or the Emperor's own kin. They are all criminal scum."

"Anvil," Blake muttered, recalling the name of the Cyrodillic city. "So she is from Cyrodiil."

"Not necessarily. Anvil is merely the site of her first great heist, one done under the guise of a minstrel singing dirges for the dead." He took another, deeper draught from his cup. "Hence the Raven of Anvil."

"And now you think she's in Skyrim?"

"There have been several witness accounts made to the guard here, of a raven-haired thief posing as a bard. As you know, most Nords are light of hair and tall in stature, which already narrows down the list of possible culprits. And while there are bards in Skyrim from here to Riften, there is only one capable of playing that song. Dusk at Anvil Harbor was its name, if I recall it correctly."

"Dusk at Anvil Harbor," Blake muttered under her breath.

"A beautiful but solemn tune about the sunset over the Gold Coast, and the tragic death of a loved one."

Blake nodded at that. For a moment, she sat in silence and nearly got up to rejoin her friends while preparing to say goodbye, but then a moment of curiosity came.

"How did she pull off that heist at Anvil?"

The old man nodded. "The Countess' cousin had passed away, and she was now in her twelfth day of mourning. She refused to eat and refused to sleep. Soon her court was deprived of the same, as her mood grew more and more contemptuous. It seemed nothing would allay her grief. Many bards and poets came from all over Tamriel to celebrate the life of her cousin, in hopes of appeasing the Countess. Yet it seemed that even time itself had given up all hope. Until the day a raven-haired minstrel walked into the castle and gently strummed her lute." He closed his eyes and sighed again. "Those who were in attendance insist that it was the saddest song ever heard by mortal ears. They claim the sky rained for seven days and seven nights, and both the Countess and the Divines exhausted all their tears." He reopened his eyes and picked up his mug. "That night, the entire court slept for the first time in weeks, and when they awoke, they found their cases and coffers emptied of their valuables."

Blake took in all of the information, but her gaze went back to the man who was now staring forlornly into his mug.

' _That wasn't the story a man chasing a criminal,'_ she thought to herself.

 _What is his secret?_

"You got a little emotional there," Blake observed.

"It is a sad story," he stated as though it was a cold fact. "A tale of two deaths and one birth. The girl had the talent to give the world the gift of joy, but she chooses to lead a life that brings nothing but sorrow."

A long pause followed the man's statement as Blake contemplated his words and the emotions fueling them. Slowly, the picture became clear to the Faunus, and she spoke her next words quietly. "…You know her."

"Yes," he admitted, setting his mug down and pushing it away. "My words have betrayed me…more than once in this conversation. It's not uncommon given my proximity to the case. Few, however, are perceptive enough to find the meaning in the stumble of words. It is as you say. I know the Raven of Anvil. I know both her and the song she played that fateful night in Anvil. After all, I sired both of them. The Raven of Anvil is my daughter."

A wave of realization came over Blake. "I think I get it now. You want her back."

"I don't need my daughter back," he countered. "She's her own woman now, with her own life, one that is separate from the world I would choose. It's not about getting justice anymore," he admitted with a shake of his head. "Perhaps it never was. I don't need her to repent, and I don't need her to change. I'm at the age where the coffers of a few nobles won't cost me any sleep. What I dread is the passage of time, and one final regret." She saw him clench his fists at his side. "I don't care what it takes, or how long I have to look. All I want is to see her smile again." A look came over him, as it seemed to dawn on him what he just admitted to a stranger.

"I… I'm sorry," he slurred out while bowing his head down. "If you please… I need a moment to myself. But…thank you for listening."

The old soldier stood up from his seat and stumbled a little before straightening his steps and heading out the door. Blake watched him go and then looked back at the table. She stood up to go her own way, but not before taking out a septim and placing it on the table.

* * *

Yang and Weiss set out for Morthal early the next morning. While Yang kept her eyes and nose open, Weiss mostly just laid across Toggle's back.

"What's got you down?" Yang asked, receiving a groan from Weiss in response. "That bad, huh?"

"The sun is literally trying to kill me," Weiss griped before sighing. "No, I'll just be honest. I'm getting thirsty again."

"You out of bottles or something?" Yang asked in concern.

"No, Ruby filled one up last night and Blake gave me one a few nights ago, but… Imagine one night you're served a perfectly cooked steak, and then you're told you can have one whenever you want while you're in the place serving it. Then you leave, and the only thing you can have outside is a badly cooked hamburger."

"Oh, okay, I… Wait, did you drink someone at the castle?"

"I didn't kill anyone," Weiss laid out before an issue could be made of it. "They keep enough thralls as chattel to keep everyone there satisfied, and Rargal Thrallmaster sends a few of his childers out to catch more all the time. They go for bandits, skooma addicts, vagrants, the sort of people who won't be missed. Some people dedicate themselves willingly, like that man at the gate, and so they get more freedom and are basically set for life. Others barely have a sense of self and almost no sense of time. Rargal keeps them immunized so no one accidentally turns them. Unlike the more…friendly vampires we've met though, they don't release them after a time. The entire thing is revolting."

"I see," Yang muttered grimly before looking at her friend. It didn't take much to realize that Weiss was ashamed of herself for having to drink from those thralls, even if they were bandits. "Don't worry about those guys. Once the Dawnguard's up and running, I'll convince Kodlak to lend them a hand so that we can work together and oust those vampires. Just gotta figure out how to tackle it."

"I'll try to find a weak point, I suppose." Weiss grumbled and sat up. "So, what's in Morthal?"

"Swamps, weird kids, magic guy, a lady Argonian with a mean sword arm."

"Didn't you help kill a large host of vampires there?"

"Yeah, some Vampyrean Court vampires, led by Morvarth."

"Will they have defenses up against vampire intruders?" Weiss figured they would. A community wouldn't just take almost being taken over by a vampire court lying down, but Yang shook her head.

"They shouldn't. At least, nothing I know of that'll single you out." Yang shook her head. "Come on, you'll be with me, and I'm a Thane of Hjaalmarch." Yang's eyes widened at that. "Holy crap, I'm a Thane of Hjaalmarch. I kinda forgot we're basically nobility around here."

"Hm, we are, aren't we?" Weiss muttered in agreement despite not feeling like it one bit at the moment.

* * *

In the other direction, Ruby and Lydia were traveling along with Blake, Erandur, Inigo, and M'rissi. While Ruby played songs with her lute and M'rissi occasionally sang along, Blake went over the map and her immediate plans.

' _Once I deal with this, we'll head straight back to Riften and report what that liz- what Gulum told me.'_ She shook her head to clear it of angry cobwebs. Her thoughts then turned to the story that the retired Oculatus agent (Orenius, she had learned) had told her last night. _'While I'm there, I guess I'll look for information on the Raven of Anvil. If she really did rustle the Guild's feathers, then they would have been trying to find her. Whether to recruit or punish is up in the air. But that guy… Orenius ought to get to see her.'_ For a moment, her mind played memories of some of her own regrets. _'As soon as we get back, I'm calling my parents.'_

"No, no, M'ri, it's 'exit light, enter night'," Ruby corrected her singing partner.

"But how does the night enter? And where does it enter from?" Before Ruby could answer, Inigo gripped his head and started screaming. Everyone pulled their steeds to a stop, some even hopping off and rushing over to check on him.

"Urrgh!" he groaned while leaning forward before sliding and almost falling out of the saddle. M'rissi quickly hopped down to catch him and helped keep the blue Khajiit on his feet. "Agh! It is happening again! My mind is vibrating! It feels like it is on the end of a rope!" He seemed to look forward, staring into what seemed to be empty space. "Wait, I see something! A cabin? Trees. A face! It is fading." He blinked and shook his head. "It is under the rug. Aagh!" He rubbed his head and shook it again, and his breathing seemed to even out. "Thank the gods, it is weakening. Ugh." He stood up straight and rubbed his eyes and temples before blinking a few times and wiping an arm across his forehead. "It is over. Ow."

"What just happened?" Blake asked in concern. "What did you see?"

"I saw brief flashes of a cabin in the snow," he explained before rubbing his head in thought. "It was surrounded by trees. What is happening to me?"

"You said something about 'under the rug'," M'rissi pointed out as she gradually let him go to stand on his own. "What did you mean?"

"Yes, something small and shiny. A coin? A ring? No. I cannot remember." He looked downcast at that. "I think my brain is broken."

"I don't think it's your brain," Erandur said as he began looking Inigo over with a spell in hand. "You're as hearty and healthy as you were when we left Solitude. This seems more like outside interference."

"Could it be a wizard somewhere?" Ruby asked.

"Possibly, but long-range telepathy is difficult. Then again, that might explain the headaches they are inducing."

"What about the cabin?" Blake asked, hoping to get to the bottom of whatever was plaguing her friend. "Did you recognize it?"

"No, but something about the landscape was familiar. I wish I could remember where I've seen it before."

"Anything else?"

"A man, perhaps." Inigo rubbed his chin and closed his eyes in thought. "A bearded man. I did not recognize him. The flashes were very fast _and_ confusing."

"I'm not sure what we can do about this, then. Erandur? Any ideas?"

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I don't know of any spells or rituals meant to keep out a distant telepath."

"Then we'll just have to hope whoever it is stops." Blake sighed. "If there's nothing we can do, we should probably move on. Just keep us posted, Inigo."

"Okay. If it does happen again and my brain tries to escape through my nose, push it back in," he said while remounting the horse. Blake just faintly smiled and shook her head as she turned to get back to her own steed.

* * *

While Ruby and Lydia readied themselves to continue on towards Shriekwind Bastion, Blake began going around the village to ask where she could find Kjens. Eventually, she was pointed to the Frostfruit Inn, which she headed straight toward. M'rissi and Inigo rejoined her, the male teaching his friend a bit about archery as they did.

"So, having the arrow like that, you can aim and release with both eyes open and still be accurate," he advised, and the girl nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, she sees now! Yes, and after that, she can shoot much faster, yes?" M'rissi asked through a smile, and Inigo nodded.

"Absolutely, but first you need to get used to aiming that way. Once you can do it while on the move, rapid loosing will come."

"That is good." She then looked over at the Faunus. "Blake, you are good with the bow yes? Are you as good as she is?"

"Maybe." Blake honestly didn't think much about her bow skills. They were more of a replacement skill thanks to the lack of Dust rounds. M'rissi let out something like a mewl.

"Well, we will have to have a competition sometime, yeah?"

"Sure," she answered while heading up the stairs and into the inn. She wasn't sure which of the current patrons could be Kjens, but she decided to try her luck with the man dressed in furs and with a bow set beside him.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Kjens."

"That's me," he answered with a sigh before his eyes went wide. "Wait, why are you looking for me?"

"I received a letter. Something about a-"

"Oh thank the Eight!" he cried out before clearing his throat, standing and looking towards her. "Firstly, thank you for coming. Welcome to Rorickstead, my home."

"Thank you. Your message sounded urgent. Can you tell me about it?"

"Well, we first noticed the problem when people started going missing in the night," Kjens began. "We would find scraps of bloody cloth but little else at the scene of the attack. Nobody has ever seen anything, even if they're able to see the person. They're just there one second and then the next…gone. Up until now, it's only been attacking at night, but now…it's getting bolder." He sighed and started rubbing his head. "Any search parties we send hunting for clues end up being killed even in the broad daylight. We've tried looking for patterns in the attacks, but we can't find any. Sometimes it's months, sometimes just days."

Blake thought over the information. It wasn't much to go on, but not all of it was making sense.

"You said nobody's been able to see it?" she asked, her skepticism easily shown.

"Well, not as such, no. A few claim to have seen it, but even then they say it's like an animal but…wrong. Like it's cloaked in shadow."

"Hmm… If it's an animal then it has to have a home," Blake deduced while rubbing her chin. "Have you tried to track it back there?"

"I'm a hunter by trade and fear no animal, but this thing has me scared." He shook his head and crossed his arms. "If it were simply an animal we'd have taken care of this problem by ourselves, but the only explanation is that it's a demon! We've tried everything from traps and snares to offerings, but everything goes ignored. It wants blood. Our last journey out to hunt for it got us nothing but a lost man. We went back looking for him and found where he'd wedged himself into a narrow crevice not far from town. He was alive but badly wounded, and with his dying breaths he screamed about glowing eyes and dagger teeth. Demon, he shouted. Over and over again." The man's face twisted into one of pained remembrance and he gripped his forehead. "I… I'm sorry. I need a moment."

"No, it's fine. I understand." Kjens nodded to her and sat back down. As Blake walked away from the hunter, she noticed M'rissi was at the other side of the inn and talking with a Khajiit woman. However, both their expressions were sour, and Blake could see M'rissi's lips rising up as she bared her teeth and growled. The other Khajiit reciprocated as M'rissi said something that Blake couldn't understand one bit, likely in Ta'agra.

"No, no, no," she mumbled as she walked over to hopefully defuse the situation. Unfortunately, right before she could step in, the other Khajiit woman swung her claws for M'rissi's face. The girl ducked back away from the strike though, and responded in kind, raking her claws across the other's face and send bits of fur and blood flying. She went with a follow-up strike, but the other managed to block her with a forearm and lunged forward with her teeth. Before she could land her bite, M'rissi's hand shot up and caught her by the neck, claws sinking in as she pushed up and away, knocking her attacker over her seat as she let go. Blake shot over and grabbed M'rissi by the waist and pulled her back just as she leaped towards her downed opponent. The woman yelled something at her, and she screamed right back.

"None of that! None of that!" the innkeeper yelled as he walked up and in-between them as well. "There's no fighting in my inn! Take it outside!"

"That won't be necessary," Blake said as she dragged her friend that was trying to wiggle loose away.

"She is not done tearing that Thalmor-serving tramp apart!" M'rissi objected as she headed towards the door.

"You will get yours when the masters find you, traitor," the Khajiit called back as she picked herself up.

"She has killed them before and she will kill them again!"

* * *

"She is sorry," M'rissi apologized after a joint scolding session from Blake and Erandur, once he was made aware of the situation.

"You need to calm your emotions when faced with such things," the priest explained to her. "Not everyone will agree with you. Some may even argue or outright reject your views. We have to learn to accept it."

"I'm a little mad at you too for not stopping her," Blake said towards Inigo, her eyes narrowed and a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry, my friend," Inigo apologized sincerely, his ears drooped down slightly. "I barely knew what was going on, and life has not adequately prepared me to step into an argument between two women. Especially not when one is on skooma."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, I could smell it on her. She's definitely a user, but without proof, there's not much I could have done. She may have also mentioned it once or twice."

"She did," M'rissi bit out. "She spies for the Thalmor and gets skooma as a reward. I hate her and her scratchy face."

"Well, let's just do our best to forget about her…and maybe leave an anonymous tip with the local guard." M'rissi actually smiled a bit at that before Blake continued on. "Anyway, I got the info about whatever it is that's been attacking people from Kjens. I think it's a big cat."

"You mean like a sabrecat?" Erandur asked.

"Most likely. Whatever it is, it's a night predator. It's also got 'glowing' eyes and 'dagger' teeth. Either it's a really crafty one or the village has just been unlucky in catching it. Whatever the case, it probably has a home, like a burrow or a cave that it stays in. I'm going to ask Kjens a little more about it, and see if we can't triangulate a likely place that it would be. The daytime attacks, in particular, might be a good lead." Blake turned back towards the inn and began walking back inside "I'll be right back."

* * *

After Kjens showed her on a map where all the attacks had happened, she wanted to hit him upside the head. The cluster of pins showing all the attacks had a definite concentration, and the differently colored ones to show daytime attacks were even more obvious. Now, with bows at the ready and Erandur trailing just a little behind in case they needed him, the group headed towards the location.

After quietly stalking through the edges of the woods and the rocky hills for some time, Inigo held up his hand to signal them to stop and quickly pointed out a ruddy brown-gold mound that was slightly and rhythmically moving. Blake focused in and saw that it was, indeed, a sleeping sabrecat. Inigo held up his bow as though offering and Blake nodded. In a deft motion he took an arrow, drew it back, and aimed. For a moment, everyone held their breath, and then he released it. The black arrow struck the sabrecat in the chest, sinking all the way through. The cat shot up for a moment, surprised and in pain and let out a sound that never really finished, and then collapsed on its side.

"Well that was anticlimactic," Blake commented as she walked over, everyone else loosening up as well.

"It did die in quite the dramatic fashion though," Inigo pointed out with a chuckle. "I almost expected it to make a poem before dying."

"It's not funny," M'rissi said sadly.

"At least we-"

Blake's words were cut off by a roar and the group looked back to see another sabrecat rush up and sniff at the dead one. This one was much bigger than the one they'd killed (which was still fairly big in its own right), and it was looking around for the perpetrator. Its eyes locked onto them and it roared as it began charging.

"There's more than one!" Erandur yelled.

"Take it down!" Blake ordered as she raised her own bow and fired. The arrow missed, but one from M'rissi hit dead on and then two from Inigo sank into its hide. A fireball from Erandur exploded in its face, but it powered through even as Blake released a second arrow that pierced its neck. Inigo's third arrow was heading for it when it seemed to fall over and slide against the ground, coming to a stop mere feet away from the group. The mortally wounded cat huffed a few breaths before its last slowly left it and the whole thing went still.

"Well, that was a little frightening," Inigo admitted as he walked over to it. M'rissi whimpered and Blake looked back at her.

"You okay?"

"She doesn't like killing these," M'rissi said with a small, sad frown. Blake nodded in understanding then placed her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I get it, really." Blake looked back over at the sabrecat. "But they were hurting people. We can't let that happen."

"Oh, I see," Inigo announced after going around both the felled animals. "The big one was a male and the first was a female."

"There may be more," Erandur said as he walked up to them. "Sabrecats don't usually just pair up. If they aren't alone, they're often in a small group."

"We'll keep looking. We still haven't found where they might have been holed up." She looked over at the Khajiit girl. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No, she stays close. She said she would help, and M'rissi keeps her word."

Blake nodded at that and then the group started moving forward again. This time they had something of a trail they could follow, and follow it they did. Every once in a while a scratched tree or paw print on the ground let them know that they were still on the right track. Soon, they saw another sabrecat, this one lazing about several meters away from a small cave entrance. Inigo sent another arrow into it, killing it without much fuss.

"That makes three."

"We need to check inside the cave. Be on your guard," Blake warned them as she put away her bow and took out Gambol Shroud. Slowly they approached the mouth of the cave and entered it. As they slowly made their way in, Blake began picking up the sound of something moving, pausing in her own steps and causing the others to do the same.

"You hear that?" she whispered to Inigo, who nodded. He put his own bow away and drew his ebony sword. M'rissi did the same, drawing her elven blade. "Watch for claws, try to flank it. Don't let it get away. On three. One, two, three!"

The three popped from around the corner, startling the massive sabrecat as it turned towards them. Blake noticed that even with her night vision the cat seemed dark, perhaps even cloaked in shadow. As its attention went to her, M'rissi struck it, doing seemingly no damage to its hide. When it turned towards her Blake and Inigo hit it as well, but neither of their blades did anything to hurt it.

"The hell?!" Blake shouted. She swung again, even as the sabrecat turned towards her, and hit it across the face, but saw how the swirling shadows seemed to take the blow. Blake stared in disbelief, barely having the mindfulness to leap back as its jaws snapped at her. "Erandur!"

"What's going on?" the elf yelled as he summoned up a Candlelight. The Khajiits and Faunus winced at the sudden intrusion of light, and the dark-furred sabrecat roared as it backed away in fear. Blake blinked and saw where M'rissi hit it as the light spread, a bit of blood now on her blade and fur cut from the cat's hide. Erandur threw a fireball at the beast, which splashed against it and made it jump back into the darkness.

"Ernadur, quickly, make the biggest, brightest light you can!"

"What?"

"There's something protecting it, but the light makes it vulnerable."

"I see. Shield your eyes then, everyone."

As he began the spell, Blake shut her eyes tight. Whatever light came up after that must have been blinding, because it was bright even behind her eyelids. The sabrecat roared so shrilly it was almost a scream but went on the move. Unable to see, Blake took a ready stance and listened. She could hear the twinkling of Erandur's magic in one direction, M'rissi and Inigo's breath in the other, and the padding of feet ahead of her. There was a sudden scraping, and then she felt the air before her being displaced. Quickly, she brought down her blade with both hands, hitting something that had been coming right at her and bringing it to the ground as she sliced into it. A moment later, the blinding light was gone, and the four were standing before the felled black sabrecat. Its chest moved up and down slightly for a moment as red blood pooled around it, the sheer volume telling Blake she must have cut an artery. After a moment, the breathing stopped, and the sabrecat went still.

"Thank goodness," Erandur breathed with a sigh of relief, and Blake nodded in aggreement. They barely had caught their breaths when a small noise came from the back of the cave. M'rissi gasped and ran over to it.

"It had young!" she sorrowfully cried out. Blake immediately ran up behind her, seeing a small, fuzzy cub with the same black fur as the sabrecat she'd just killed among a pile of leaves and twigs. M'rissi kneeled down and reached out towards the shivering kitten, which barely moved as she touched it. "We took her mother away…"

Blake looked at the cub and shook her head. At least now the sabrecats' behavior made some sense. They had been defending and providing for a cub.

"Sorry," Blake spoke softly. "It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do for it now."

"But she's here!" M'rissi pointed out. "She can take it and raise it."

Blake scoffed, anger beginning to rise within her. "M'rissi, don't be ridiculous. It's a wild animal, not a person. Besides, you can't take care of another creature. You can barely fend for yourself!"

"How dare you?! She has taken care of herself plenty before you showed!"

"And nearly gotten yourself killed several times!"

"She is better now, and she'll be a good mother for this one." M'rissi then turned and scooped up the kitten into her arms, holding it close.

"Put that thing down!"

"Both of you be quiet!" Inigo ground out. "You need to stop acting all high and mighty!" he yelled while pointing at Blake. "And you need to get rid of that!" he directed at M'rissi. "If you want a kitten so badly it'll be one of your own!"

"Who are you to tell her what to do?!" M'rissi yelled back. "You are not her mate!"

"What's gotten into all of you?" Erandur got out as he took a step back. "This is… Wait…" He pushed his Candlelight back and saw something seemingly wisping about the three catfolk. It was almost like a shadowy cloak had wrapped itself around them. As they continued to loudly argue, he looked around the cave in worry, spotting what he'd feared he might see. Off in one corner was a stone with four candles set upon it, long burned out. Between them was a stain of dried blood, and at the top was a stand with a Soul Gem set in it.

"Oh no," he muttered. "Oh… Everyone, everyone!" he shouted in fear, managing to catch their attention. "Get out the cave! Quickly, out of the cave!"

Whatever was clouding their judgment hadn't clouded it enough that they couldn't respond to fear, and so the three dropped their argument and ran for the exit, Erandur right behind them. As the light of the sun shone over them, they almost stumbled, with Inigo stopping a little ways and Blake going a bit further before her eyes went wide. M'rissi went about twenty feet away before stopping and crouching down, holding the kitten close to her and shivering. Erandur came out last and looked back at the cave, almost calculating. Blake blinked a few times, then managed to start walking over to M'rissi's side.

"M'rissi, are you okay?"

"Her head is full of cobwebs and dust…" the Khajiit admitted as she stood back to full height. "What happened to her?"

"We went to deal with the sabrecats attacking the villagers…"

"Don't toy with her, she knows those things already. She can see unclear pictures in her head. Like looking through those glass weapons."

"We…found out they had a kitten, and you insisted on taking it with you."

M'rissi looked at the little cub in her arms, which was now shifting about in her grip. The Khajiit looked almost surprised at what she was holding.

"So this kitten she has is hers?"

"Argh, I am so sorry!" Inigo suddenly yelled as he came over to them. "I would never speak like- Well, I would never mean anything like what I said in there! I don't know what came over me!"

"Me either," Blake admitted. "It was like…I couldn't stand things not…going exactly how I wanted."

"I have an idea," Erandur said as he walked up to them. "Or at least, a theory. Someone performed some kind of ritual here. This cave is cursed. What exactly that curse does I'm not entirely sure, but it seems to wrap around the mind and raise aggression while creating a sort of cloak to the affected that would make them invulnerable, so long as they were within shadows. It was beginning to take a hold on all of you, and might have started affecting me soon after."

"So, we were being taken by a curse." Blake looked at the cave and shivered. "Kjens mentioned someone coming through before the attacks started happening. I thought it was just a coincidence mixed with prejudice, but now… At least we know what's causing this. Can we get rid of it?"

"Luckily, a good deal of my training dealt with removing curses like this one. It may take me a few days, but I can remove it."

"That's good." Blake looked at the kitten that had finally gotten comfortable in M'rissi's arms and started scratching its head. "I guess we have to figure out what to do about you."

"She will take care of her. She could never leave such a small and adorable creature like her alone to die in a cave"

Blake thought for a moment. Part of her still felt that allowing M'rissi to take care of a wild sabrecat kitten would not end well at all, but seeing the hopeful look on her face made Blake pause. Finally, she sighed and relented. "Well, I'm not stopping you, but we can't really take care of a cub traveling as we do, so…you'll have to settle down for a time." She looked back down at the cat. "And I don't think raising her in a town is a good idea."

"M'rissi will take her to the ghost shack, and there she can raise Lirry in peace."

"Lirry, huh? I kinda like that name." Blake hummed in thought. "But what about food?"

"Well, I've lived off the land before," Inigo reminded them. "I think I can find enough game to feed three cats. How about it?"

"Yes, you will get her plenty of food, so that she can grow up!" M'rissi then held up the kitten and rubbed her face against her. "Doesn't that sound good, Lirry?"

Lirry meowed and chirped in response. Blake smiled at the scene, but then her eyes went wide when M'rissi started licking her.

"No, no! M'ri! Don't do that!"

* * *

Lydia looked at the drawing before her and the scenery it was based upon. While she was mostly satisfied with how she'd gotten the mountains, she wasn't quite as fond of how the buildings and fences of Rorickstead came out. She'd almost given up but instead opted to continue and improve. There was certainly improvement the further to the right that her sketch was, from fences that seemed a tad too curved to a building's wall that looked _almost_ right. Suddenly, Ruby ran up and bounced up and down in front of her.

"Lyd, Lyd, Lyd, we have to wait! Small delay! We can't leave until Blake gets black, I mean, back!"

"Um, okay, my Thane. What seems to be-" the Dragonborn plopped down next to her and showed her the scroll's screen.

"She just sent this picture! Look at what they found!"

What they found seemed to be a dog-sized, fuzzy sabrecat cub with only the tiniest of fangs and a completely black coat of fur, held up by M'rissi as if she was holding her own child.

"It's so adorable!" Ruby exclaimed through a high-pitched squeal.

"It is kinda cute," Lydia admitted with a nod before pausing in thought. "Wait, where did they find that?"

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe they'll tell us when they get back."

Lydia just shrugged and then looked at her drawing and then the picture of the kitten. She flipped the page in her sketchbook and looked back once again. "Mind if I borrow your scroll for a time?"


	53. The Entangled Thought

**Way closer to that one-year anniversary than before. Anyways, got the new chapter done, and I've got some lore to double-check on. Nothing so near as to interfere. Thanks be to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor**

* * *

"So, Weiss?" Yang asked as they continued their ride through the swamps of Hjaalmarch. It wouldn't be long until the pair of Huntresses finally reached their destination, and she wanted to strike up some conversation. "How's Hjaalmarch treating you?"

"This entire place is filthy," Weiss complained while reapplying a cover of perfume on herself in a desperate attempt to drown out the surrounding stench, "It smells, is covered in mud, filth, and Gods know what else, and to top it off we've had to drive off ten Frostbite Spiders and a Chaurus ever since we got here."

"Yeah, that was quite an encounter," Yang nodded. The sight of Toggle goring a full-grown Chaurus to defend his rider was a sight to behold. Weiss even gave Toggle a nice helping of truffles afterward as thanks.

"Still," Weiss noted with a shrug, "there are a lot of really good alchemical ingredients here. Should be able to brush up on my alchemy a bit."

"How's that coming along, anyway?"

"I'm getting better, but I'm not nearly as good as I could be. Focusing on making magicka potions."

"Figured." Yang nodded then looked ahead. The swamp itself was covered in a dense fog, adding to the already creepy atmosphere, so she had to lead them by smell. As they got closer, the orange light of several torches finally showed themselves, and Yang couldn't help but smile.

"Ice Queen, you are in luck! We're almost here," Yang called out, and Weiss sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank goodness. They have a bath here, right?" Weiss asked, and Yang flashed a thumbs up in response. Weiss smiled and looked ahead. True to Yang's word, the orange glow of torches was visible within the fog. Weiss' smile slowly disappeared once the newly erected guard-towers and walls showed themselves. They appeared to be hastily constructed out of wood with the interiors filled with earth, a simple yet effective design. There were a few guardsmen on them, keeping overwatch on any visitors.

"Hmm, they look new," Yang noted as she and Weiss neared the structures. The guardsmen prepared to check them, only for one to recognize Yang as Hjaalmarch's newest Thane and grant them entry. None of them even spared Weiss a passing glance, and for that she was thankful.

The two made their way towards the Moorside Inn after leaving Lucky Day and Toggle with the stables and headed inside. They were greeted by the dreadful singing of an Orsimer bard, his voice completely out of tune and sounding more like growls than actual singing.

"Geez…" Weiss mumbled to herself, wondering just how such a person was allowed to go unfettered while Yang purchased the two of them a room with two beds.

"Oh, and Jonna, can we get some food as well?" Yang asked, and the innkeeper, a Redguard woman from what Weiss could see, nodded.

"Sure thing," Jonna said as she placed the malks into a lockbox, "Tonight's supper is steamed mudcrab legs with garlic bread. Nothing too fancy, but it'll fill you up."

"Sounds good me," Yang replied with a smile then turned towards Weiss. The heiress was trying to ignore Lurbuk's, as she'd come to learn was the Orc's name, singing and welcomed a chance for Yang to lead them to their room. As they closed the door, Weiss sighed in relief at the subsequent muffling of Lurbuk's 'music'.

"Thank you. Any longer and I would have shown him what actual singing is," Weiss declared, and Yang laughed.

"Hah! Something tells me that the people here would much rather hear you sing than that guy."

"Obviously. I, at least, actually know how to hold a tune. That's more than I can say about him. How is he even still here?"

"Apparently, Jonna doesn't get enough customers to justify getting rid of him," Yang pointed out, and after a moment Weiss nodded. The Moorside Inn was noticeably less crowded than the other inns she'd come across. Yang's expression then turned serious, and Weiss focused her attention on her.

"Okay, so given how jumpy everyone seems to be around here, you're going to have to be extremely careful. If people find out, I don't think even my status will be able to protect you."

"Trust me, Yang. I am more than aware of that," Weiss pointed out. "But before you suggest that I stay low, keep in mind that sort of behavior would only arouse suspicion."

"Wasn't going to," Yang clarified with a shake of her head. "Just wanted to state the obvious. Still, the sooner we leave the better."

"Agreed." Weiss nodded.

The two stayed in their room for the next hour, taking stock of everything they had and allowing Weiss the time to pull out her alchemical set and begin brewing. It was then that the smell of steamed crab wafted in through the door, and a rumbling sound escaped Yang's stomach. The blonde smiled, and then the two women walked back outside and helped themselves to a plate of food. Lurbuk was still singing, the noise grating on Weiss' ears more and more as time went on. A quick look around the inn told her that the other guests were feeling the same thing, but it wasn't until Lurbuk began murdering The Song of the Dragonborn with his voice that Weiss finally had enough.

"I'll be right back," she declared as she got out of her chair and stomped over to the Orc. Rather than try to stop her, Yang cheered her on while sipping on a mug of mead with juniper berries. Yang quickly glanced at the dark-blue berries and briefly thought about their sister team, then raised her mug towards them in a silent salute. While she hadn't finished the book about them, it was readily apparent that what they went through was worthy of such an action.

"All I'm saying is," Weiss' annoyed voice cut through Yang's thoughts, causing the brawler to turn her attention back towards them as she cracked open a crab leg and dipped it in butter. It appeared that Weiss was attempting to advise Lurbuk on how to sing properly, but the Orc was having none of it.

"Look," he interrupted, "if you think you can do a better job than me, then by all means. Until then, shut up and let me work."

Weiss growled in annoyance then huffed. "You know what? I will! I will sing the entire house down!"

"Hah!" Lurbuk laughed. "I'd like to see you try!"

* * *

"Well that was fun!" Yang said once Weiss finished up her third song and stopped for the evening, much to the disappointment of the greatly increased crowd. Lurbuk actually seemed to enjoy it and played along, strumming his lute to tunes that almost matched Weiss' melodies perfectly.

"I may have gotten out of control for a moment there," the heiress admitted with a blush.

"Nah, you were fine. At least now we know why he thinks he's a great bard. Orc can play the lute."

"I think my heart nearly stopped when he started playing along to Mirror Mirror almost perfectly. He certainly has talent in the instrumental side of music."

"His singing's still league's better than mine," a gravelly voice said next to them. "Lizards like me aren't exactly known for our singing skills, though."

"Hey, Anum-La," Yang greeted the Argonian woman as she sat down at their table.

"Hello yourself, great vampire slayer. Have to say, while there was a bit of relief with Movarth's death, most folks still won't look Falion in the eye. Though now it's out of guilt."

"Why would people suspect Falion of anything?" Weiss asked. As far as she knew, he was just the local alchemist.

"A lot of people 'round here don't know the difference between a conjurer and a necromancer, and a lot of them don't care to learn the difference," Anum-La explained. "But in all honesty, while I didn't fear him, I suspected him. It's just after what happened with my old company, even my doubts have doubts."

"It's because of his night-time flower-picking," Yang brought up. "He usually gets up way late to go out in the marsh and comes back with deathbells, nightshades, and other stuff. I asked Valdimar about it, and he vouched for the guy. Said he went with him a time or two. Certain critters just aren't as active at night. Just glad the townsfolk didn't jump to conclusions."

"He probably has Igdrod to thank for that. Although, I suppose the yokels are the lucky ones. Outside of maybe Benor, the townsfolk are just that. Townsfolk. And even Benor's biggest weapon is that mudcrab he calls a face!"

Yang laughed aloud while Weiss spared a giggle before a thoughtful look crossed her face.

"I thought Hroggar was the prime suspect in that whole mess?" she asked.

"He was, as far as it concerned his family and house," Anum answered. "But just about every negative thing that crops up eventually gets attributed to Falion. Minds are being changed, slowly. Every sick patient that needs his medicines for a cure turns three hearts to him and two against him. They'll get there, eventually. The fact that there're plenty of vampires to blame everything on right now is certainly helping." Anum-La let out an enunciated laugh as Weiss squirmed a bit. Jonna then came up to them and laid down another plate for the reptilian woman. As she cracked open one leg, she looked over towards Yang.

"So, you're traveling across Skyrim again?"

"Heading back to the Rift and the Dawnguard. Got some info on vampires to give them. Gonna drop by Whiterun on the way there and see about some armor I've been working with Eorlund on."

"Oh? Sounds auspicious! Mind if I tag along? Haven't been outside of Hjaalmarch much since I got here, and while I find this little puddle the Nords call a marsh to be adorable, I'd like to see more of what Skyrim holds."

Yang looked over to Weiss, who seemed to just shrug in indecision.

"Uh, okay. I don't mind. Just make sure you're well-packed."

"I'm as packed as a brothel after the Flower Festival," she said with a raspy laugh. Yang chortled, but Weiss could only freeze and stare wide-eyed.

* * *

"Ah, she is such a cutie!" Ruby squeed as she played the tickle game with the sabrekitten. The people of Rorickstead were certainly confused when they brought Lirry in, but soon pretty much all of the children were coming to see the cub. Kjens seemed embarrassed about it having been an animal the entire time, but the fact that it was a magically-empowered mother protecting its den made the blow to his ego a little softer. Erandur was soon set with everything he needed to remove the curse, and the others continued on to Riverwood.

"She most certainly is!" M'rissi agreed while reaching into a waxpaper bag. "Here, she should be hungry." She passed over a piece of fresh meat, which Ruby then slowly fed to the kitten, who made little purrs and chirps as she ate.

"Are you sure you're not overfeeding her?" Blake asked.

"Her belly is not too big. She is afraid she might not be feeding Lirry enough."

"Any advice, Lydia?" Ruby asked her housecarl.

"I…couldn't tell you," Lydia answered truthfully. "I never even had a normal housecat. Just a few dogs."

"Gah, why would you keep such beasts?!" M'rissi shouted.

"Come on, dogs are cool!" Ruby argued. "You just have to get a good one. My corgi Zwei is one of the best and most loyal animals I've ever known. He also head-butts Grimm to death, so he's totally awesome, too."

"I still can't believe you have an Aura-trained dog," Blake groaned. "And a corgi? Who does that?"

"Taiyang Xiao Long," Ruby answered without missing a beat, a smile stretched across her face.

"Wait, animals can have Aura?" Lydia suddenly asked. The two Huntresses shared an awkward look between each other.

"Well, uh, everything technically has Aura," Ruby began. "That is, everything that's alive and has a soul. People, animals, and even plants. There's this one tree in Vale that had its Aura unlocked a long time ago and then it was written in the landowner's will that the tree would inherit itself and the land around it."

"The tree…owns itself?" Inigo asked in disbelief.

"Well, technically that tree died, so they planted one of its offspring in its place, so now it's the 'Son of the Tree that Owns Itself'."

"And _that_ one had its Aura unlocked?" Lydia asked insistently.

' _Help,'_ Ruby begged quietly within her mind.

"Uh-oh, she hears fighting," M'rissi said as she turned in one direction. Blake's ears swiveled and she turned her eyes the same way.

"Sounds like a battle."

"Thank the- I mean, let's go and see if anyone needs our help!" Ruby declared. She urged Chocolate Hooves to where the two cat girls indicated and soon began hearing the sounds of armed combat. Past the crest of a hill, she saw dozens of men and women engaged in battle. On one side were the red-uniformed Imperials, fighting against a ragtag bunch of Stormcloaks, most of them wearing blue gambesons, plain leather, or the rare chainmail suit with a blue cloak worn over it. The Imperial soldiers were trying to hold themselves steady, keeping up a shield wall while spears and javelins were jabbed from behind the line. Archers and mages tried to fire at enemies without harming their own while some men tried to come in at them from a flanking position. Despite the Imperials being more coordinated, Ruby saw that they were more than outnumbered in this engagement. She moved to intervene, only for Blake to stop her and instead direct them to observe.

"We need reinforcements!" Tu'kar shouted at a nearby mage.

"Well, I tried sending a telepathic message, but all I got was someone screaming about Daedra."

"What?! Who did you send it to?!"

"I don't know! I'm not that good at telepathy!"

"Then why are you the tele-" Their conversation was cut short by an ice spike ramming through the mage's head. "Damn it! Why weren't you properly behind cover?!"

"Tu'kar, he's dead, just shut it!" Kirk demanded before looking over the boulder and tossing a lightning bolt, the magic going wide and hitting nothing. "Where's Welsh?"

"Being a show-off," the Redguard pointed out while indicating the captain that had taken charge of the shield wall and was probably the only thing left keeping them together.

"Hold steady! Defendi altus! Ready javelins! We can do this, men! We nearly have them!"

"Yeah, be thankful for that, otherwise, we'll have to actually fight!"

"Like they could take me!" Tu'kar boasted, taking out his scimitar. "It's just…I'm a one-on-one kinda guy, and these Nords would totally cheat and surround me and hit me in the back. You know, scars on the back are a warrior's shame and all."

"That's not a thing!" Kirk objected before throwing another lightning bolt. "Oh, think I hit something that time."

"You mean, besides the ground?" Tu'kar mocked, and Kirk growled. The thought of shooting him with a lightning spell and attributing it to the Stormcloaks briefly crossed his mind before he discarded it entirely. He moved to sarcastically retort, only for Kobulz to show up out of nowhere.

"Hi guys, I'm back!" the Orc announced, causing his two companions to briefly jump up and shout. Once their minds registered who they were seeing, they let out a sigh of simultaneous relief and exasperation.

"Kobulz, we thought you were dead!" Kirk exclaimed.

"The word is hoped," Tu'kar corrected him. "Also, where in Oblivion were you? Did you get us some reinforcements? Warn Falkreath?"

"No, I just remembered a friend of mine lives nearby and visited him. The Centurio let me."

"What? The Centurio is… Nevermind," Kirk groaned. "Who's…your…" The man's words dropped as he looked to see a large Giant standing next to their cover, looking down at the three normal-sized people.

"Guys, this is Fruglug. We've been best friends for years. Maybe ever. Fruglug, say hello," he said toward the Giant before following it with several stretched out and deep words.

"Wait, you speak Giant? You said you didn't speak Giant!"

"I don't. I speak normal-sized. Unless I shout. I guess that's pretty big."

"What?! No! I meant the language that Giants speak!" Tu'kar fearfully pointed out, careful not to rouse the Giant's anger.

"Oh, you meant Jo'Tunn. Yeah, I know that one. My grandma taught me. Or was it Fruglug's grandma? Wait! She was both our grandma!"

For a long moment, the group stayed quiet as the battle raged nearby.

"What?!" they both screamed.

Fruglug said something in his mother tongue, which made Kobulz hum in thought.

"Nah, I don't think we really need your help. We've got this."

"What, no, hold on!" Kirk objected. "We could totally use his help!"

"People are dying, Kobulz!" Tu'kar added.

"Yeah, but his clan has rules about this and-" And arrow suddenly hit and stuck into Fruglug's arm, making him look down at it and then the direction it came from. "D'ohp, nevermind! They broke the rules!"

The next moment saw a Giant charging across the battlefield before making a small jump that landed him atop of several Stormcloaks, who screamed as they were crushed to death. Fruglug then swiped his hands through their ranks, knocking several aside.

"I'll take this Giant!" a large Nord declared as he charged forward with a long poleaxe. He swung the weapon around, but Fruglug caught it almost casually before lifting up the defender within reach. The Nord let out a high-pitched scream as he was grabbed and yanked from his weapon and tossed over the Giant's shoulders. As Fruglug continued sweeping through Stromcloaks with his pilfered weapon, the discarded Nord landed near the three, where Tu'kar stabbed him with a shout.

"Whoa!"

"What? He moved! I wasn't going to let him catch us off-guard!"

"Pretty sure he broke most of his bones. Whatever, looks like the Stormcloaks are retreating now." True to Kirk's word, the Stormcloaks were hastily retreating, with one Dunmer with a sergeant's sash shouting to his squad of Nords and a lone Argonian about how they weren't retreating, merely advancing to future victories.

"Yeah, take that!" the Redguard taunted them. "You know, maybe we should get a couple more Giants on our side."

"We'll see what the Legate says."

"Great thinking, cadet," a familiar voice said, surprising the two.

"Centurio Fleurs?!" Kirk exclaimed.

"We thought you were dead!"

"Luckily, the arrows missed all of my vital organs," the cheerful man said with a laugh before groaning. "Although, I probably shoiuld not be standing right now. Still, there are others in our Century who need medical attention more than me at the moment."

"Missed all your vit- I'm pretty sure one of those hit you in the head!"

Fleurs laughed. "That's what the helmets are for!"

"You're lucky I caught you in time," a priest in purple robes said from behind him. "Most people might have thought an arrow in the skull was the end of it, but I knew better."

"Thank you very much, healer. I hope you catch a few more like that."

"Me too. Oh, speaking of, I should get back to it." The priest ran off and began sending healing energy into both an Imperial soldier and a Stormcloak on the ground near each other.

"What a great man, willing to help anyone who needs it no matter their beliefs or side."

"Was he wearing an Amulet of Zenithar?" Tu'kar asked his comrade.

"I'm more concerned with how he's trying to heal a guy with an axe in his head."

With the battle seemingly over, the group continued on their way. "Well, that was a surprising ending," Inigo said as they left the scene of carnage. "I feel a little more wary of battling Giants now."

* * *

When morning came, Weiss and Yang set out with their tagalong riding further back on Toggle. The great boar found the Argonian woman curious at first, but soon grew used to her and trotted along as he would if it were only Weiss riding him. At first the venture seemed like any other, but the trio soon found themselves growing bored. There was a bit of hope that the Labyrinthian might hold a bit of excitement, but the trolls within were still dead and nothing new had come in since. It was as boring as it was cold, so Anum-La began regaling them with some tales of her time with the 'Honorable Eight', as her old company of fighters had been called, but soon came upon the subject of how exactly she ended up in Skyrim.

"Dalum-Ei founded the company to be good and to do good. To wash all the grime that stuck to his scales during the Great War." Yang nodded. It seemed that there was no corner of the continent that hadn't been affected by the war in some capacity. "As such, he'd only agree to work that didn't diminish what we stood for. But contracts have a way of leaving out the details."

"You were tricked into something," Weiss guessed. She'd heard it more than once. Here and there were tales of how a group of Faunus rioters were stopped and arrested, deaths occurring almost every time, only for people to learn later that the riot was because they weren't being paid or some necessity had been cut back, like food or running water. The SDC had to hire its own personal security forces after practically every PMC started turning down offers that were sketchy. "And you ended up doing something…"

Anum nodded slowly. "We were, and we did." For a moment, she was quiet and looking out across the mountainous landscape. "The job was simple. Clear out a cave of necromancers that were terrorizing one of the clans that resided near the border. The clan said a hatchling had gone missing, and rumors were abound of corpses stolen for experiments, and live bodies turned into corpses. When we got there, the Shadowscale, Ula-Wei, scouted ahead as the rest of us waited near the entrance. He found bear traps and trip wires. The occupants were further in, he said. Black robed mages. Chanting. The whole thing stunk like a Thalmor's wet diaper. Traps or no, bandits usually post sentries in and outside the cave. The Nord, Arnwulf, though, got tired of all the standing around. Black robes and ominous words. Good enough for him. Dalum-Ei gave the nod. Couldn't chance it. Some poor hatchling could've been on a table, about to become some sick bastard's war-puppet." Anum-La sighed at that, looking downcast as her tail curled around herself.

"Did… did you save the kid?" Yang asked.

"Sadly, no," Anum admitted with a shake of her head. "The child was on the table like Ula-Wei said, but she was already dead. The people around her were mourners. Black robes."

"Oh..." Weiss knew immediately what had happened and looked back at her, taking note of the black robes she wore above her gambeson armor.

"They were refugees from Cyrodiil. Altmer, Khajiit, and Argonian. Driven from Leyawiin. To the clans, they might as well have been wraiths." She shook her head again. "I don't know who struck first. It didn't matter. We killed them all. Well, all except one. An Imperial boy, hiding in a small crevice in the rock. I don't know who he was, or if he was even with the refugees. The boy was a mute. Part of me thought it would be better just to slay him. But another part of me saw that hatchling in the swamp, just trying to survive until morning."

"What happened after that?" Weiss asked while Yang remained silent, contemplating how such a rush to judgement led to tragedy.

"The company disbanded," Anum-La answered. "Honor brought us together, and dishonor drove us apart. Me and the healer, Elia, went north. The boy, he followed. We split up in Bravil. Don't know why he chose me. Seems to me he was better off with the Breton. But as I kept going north, he never left my side. I just kept going, figuring at some point the boy would stop following me. Got to give it to the little runt, he had courage. Eventually, I realized that I could've walked right into the Sea of Ghosts, and the little histcarp would've dove right in."

"So, where did he go?" Yang wondered aloud. She'd never seen Anum-La with a kid hanging around her.

"I was halfway through the marsh, when I decided to head back to Morthal. I turned to the pesky urchin and told him, 'All right, you win.' Imagine my surprise when I found myself talking to a patch of deathbells." Anum-La laughed at herself at that point. "There was no one there." Her eyes then locked with Weiss' who shifted at the sudden turn but didn't look away.

"You're looking at the mourning dress, right?" As Weiss nodded, Anum-La looked up at the sky wistfully. "Hm, some may ask why I'm a knight who wears cloth rather than armor. Others contend that I wear the mourners' clothes to honor the brave warriors I slay. Those in my company will tell you that I wear it to mourn the refugees who died that day, and all the innocents who die in the pangs of war." She looked back down, her eyes focused like lasers. "I will tell you that there is only one thing in this world that I truly mourn." Her face then split in a smile that revealed every razor-sharp and needle-like tooth in her maw. "My sanity!" The Argonian then laughed aloud as though she'd heard a bad joke.

Neither Weiss nor Yang laughed.

* * *

At Helgen, there was a surprising amount of rebuilding done, with more emphasis on stone this time around. The former bandits were now essentially quarrymen, and no one really noticed anything different about them. Some of the former occupants of the fortress town had returned, and had begun resettling. Onions, shallots, scallions, peas, beans, and other wintertime crops were being planted where they could, and wagons were being loaded with shaped stone to be sent for trade. With fighting in the province down to a minimum, castles and fortresses would be looking to rebuild where they could. Surprisingly, Whiterun was looking for a good deal of stone to restore its long disregarded walls, which was giving them much needed food and spirits in exchange. Falkreath was also looking to upgrade its own defenses and had sent over a delegate to see about making a deal.

"Screw this!" an Orc with a hammer and wedge in hand growled out after pulling back from the stone he had been carefully trying to cut out. "I left home because they wanted me to mine all day. Damned quarrying's no better. I'm going back to banditry!"

"Know what? I'm actually in agreement with the brute," a Bosmer woman who had been chiseling stones to near smooth said as she stood to full height. "I hate this whole work thing!"

"Yeah, this is stupid," an Argonian with a wheelbarrow full of stone chips agreed. "Why are we even doing this?"

The gates nearby opened up and let in a company of people, at the head of which was the red-cloaked Dragonborn.

"Oh, right…"

"Actually, this isn't so bad," the Orc said as he turned back to his task.

"We just need a drink or two at the end of the day," the Bosmer added as she kneeled back to the stones.

"Wow, they really turned around," Ruby observed as they came in. Larger blocks were being broken into smaller ones and then smoothed until they were almost brick-like, and then loaded up to be hauled away, all the broken pieces and chips being loaded up separately, likely to be added into mortar. "See, people are willing to work for it if they're given a chance."

"I think you threatening them helped," Lydia pointed out, having easily spotted the scared looks the former bandits were giving the Dragonborn.

"Maybe, but that's more deterrence for wrongdoing. Wonder if they got an inn set up?"

"Looks like that's the closest thing," Blake said while pointing out a partially restored building where a bar was set up with a large hearth nearby. Some people were taking some stones and mortar and building the outer walls even as people stopped and grabbed a bite to eat and something to drink. Tables were set around almost haphazardly with patrons ranging from old locals, the new move-ins, resting hunters, travelers, and even a couple of soldiers. Ruby decided to see if the place could at least point her in the right direction.

"Hi," she greeted the bartender. "Is there a place we can stay for the night?"

"We've mostly been staying in the old fort over there," he pointed out. "It's the one thing that didn't fall apart in this town. Imperials really know how to build it good. Can hardly believe the Goblins got them beat there."

"Oh, thanks. How about stables?"

"The other side of the fort." His eyebrows suddenly went up when he saw what M'rissi was cradling. "Is that…a sabrecat?"

Ruby looked back at Lirry then at the man. "That…is a panther."

"Never heard of a panther before." His eyes narrowed and his mouth shifted into a skeptical expression, and Ruby quickly thought up a response.

"It's a type of cat. Not much else to it. We'll just go set up for the night then." She started towards the old fort, quickly leading her team there while recalling what they found in that place the first time around.

' _Oh, I really hope they cleaned it all out.'_

* * *

After getting the horses settled in the makeshift stables, basically just a large room in the fort filled with dirt and scattered hay, the group went into the sleeping areas, where the most they could hope for with privacy were sets of partitions offered to them. Ruby couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as she changed out of her armor and into something more suited to being in a town.

"Got some food," Blake announced as she and Lydia returned, some steaming bowls on trays in hand, along with few small loaves of bread and a stack of uncooked salmon fillets. A woman following them had several mugs as well. Ruby smelled a mix of venison and another meat she couldn't quite identify along with potatoes and carrots. She smacked her lips and readied herself to sit and eat, but then realized that there was no table.

"Uh…"

"Sorry, but they're all outside," the woman said, noticing her dilemma rather quickly. "We could pull that chest-of-drawers over between two beds and you can sit like that."

"Uh, what do you guys think?" Ruby asked.

"I can get one end," Inigo offered.

"Right then." The woman set down her tray and went over to grab the other end. Ruby almost whistled when she saw how her muscles popped out, but held back as they moved the furniture piece into place. She brushed off her hands and nodded as she left.

"Let me know if you need anything else, loves." Ruby nodded at the woman as she left their area, likely to serve any other patrons.

"Well, let's eat then," Lydia said as she started setting out the bowls. M'rissi made sure that Lirry got her fish before sitting at the makeshift table with the others, and then everybody began eating in companionable silence.

"You know," Ruby said after getting halfway through her meal, "I'm really happy with how this place is turning out. It's going to take a while to rebuild, but I think it's telling of a greater rebuilding." She took a drink of mulled wine and let out a contented sigh before looking over at her fellow Huntress. "Blake, I've been thinking…about the civil war."

The Faunus looked up, her ears indicating attentiveness. "What about it?"

"I've mostly pushed it to the back of my mind, since…we haven't seen anything from it. It felt more like a cold war than anything. But then…we saw that battle this morning." Ruby sighed. "Guys, be honest with me, was that…a little battle?"

Lydia looked up and nodded. "That was more of a skirmish, practically a melee with such small numbers. More than likely, it was simply where two or three patrols ran into one another. A real battle would be…much larger."

"And there's going to be a lot of battles in this war?" At Lydia's nod, Ruby sighed. "Okay, honest opinion Blake. If it comes down to it, would helping the Stormcloaks or the Empire be better?"

For a moment, Blake was silent and still. She looked down at her stew and gulped. "I… If we're being pragmatic, Skyrim alone might not be able to hold out against its enemies. And without Skyrim, the Empire would be greatly diminished, too. Unless they completely flipped it and Skyrim 'became' an empire, or took Cyrodiil's place, they'd be vulnerable. But if the Empire wins, then things… Well, things won't go back to normal, but all the resources that were focused on the civil war could be reallocated."

"What about leaders?"

"Leaders?"

"If Ulfric wins, he basically becomes the High King, right?" Ruby pointed out. "But if the Empire wins, they say Elisif should become High Queen. I…don't want to talk bad about her, but Elisif barely knows what she's doing." Ruby huffed and crossed her arms. "She really cares, but she's easily led along and makes hasty decisions. I didn't know what it was about. I just figured she was overwhelmed by it happening so suddenly after her husband died, but then I heard that they met in a tavern from some people, and while it might just be a rumor… Sorry, I'm overthinking it."

"No, it's fine. I can understand why you're worried." Blake rolled her mug between her hands. "We've all thought about it."

"Yeah, but we can't let ourselves get mixed up in this. Capric did, and now… Well, he's stuck with the Thalmor. I've just…gotta stay focused." She groaned. "It's so hard sometimes though. I want to help, but…I don't think there's really a way _to_ help."

Blake looked down and nodded.

* * *

After rousing themselves in the early morning, Yang, Weiss, and Anum-La prepared to head the rest of the way down to Whiterun, but not before taking a long look at the lunar forge that they had slept near and try to figure out what they could about it. Both Yang and Weiss were coming up with several theories based on their experiences in magic and forging, but Anum didn't have much to say.

"This 'lunar forge' looks like any other to me. But I'm not exactly a smith. Or a mage."

"Yeah, I can see why you'd think that." Yang shrugged as she got up. "Well, unless we shovel out a bunch of coal to this place, there's no real way to figure it out. All we got is the leftovers."

"Yes, but they're worth observation themselves." Weiss looked over the sword in her hand as the three headed downstairs to where their steeds awaited them. She put the sword into her saddlebag before climbing on, and then they began riding towards Whiterun.

"That reminds me, you said you and Eorlund Gray-Mane were making something?" Anum-La said to Yang.

"Yeah, it's a special armor," she confirmed. "It's supposed to be very flexible and…grows and shrinks with you." She nodded at that explanation and grinned. "Yeah, only problem is finding something to use as a buffer padding that stretches along with it."

"You could always try Frostbite spider silk," the Argonian woman suggested. The two humans looked at her, then at each other.

"Beg your pardon?" Weiss got out.

"Frostbite spider silk," Anum repeated. "Supposed to be really stretchy and comfortable, but also very expensive. Mostly 'cause you have to get it straight out of the spider." She laughed at that. "Can't just grab the stuff they've put on the ground or their prey. Not sure what it is. I'm not a seamstress, but there's some woman in Whiterun who supposedly knows all about it. Maidengloom or something like that."

"Okay, but how do you know about it?" Yang asked.

"Got bored. Read some books. It was a terrible time, but I learned some things. Eh, let's see." The Saxhleel opened a bag and pulled out a tome that she handed over to Weiss.

" _The Fauna of Tamriel: Skyrim_ ," Weiss read the title. She flipped through some pages, pausing at one and then tracing the lines while speed-reading it. She grimaced, and then flipped pages again to land on something else. After several minutes, she closed the book and let out a huff of air. "Okay, I may have an idea."

"What is it, and why do I feel like I'm going to hate it?" Yang asked.

* * *

"Weiiiiiiiiiiiiis," Yang squeaked out as she stood under the massive Frostbite spider.

"Hurry up," the heiress ground out, magic flowing from her hand and into the spider. "I can only hold this Calm Animal spell for so long."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Reach up and milk it or something, I don't know. Just start pulling something out of the spinneret."

"I don't know what that is!"

"Pull the string out of its ass!" Anum-La yelled from the mouth of the cave.

"Oh, I hate this," Yang said as she reached up to what she hoped was the right thing and started pulling. To her relief, a thick thread of silk came out. Taking out a length and then rolling it over, Yang began to gradually wind it out of the spider and into a slowly forming bolt around her hands. "This feels so weird."

"As long as you're getting it. Anum, how're we looking?" Weiss shouted from over her shoulder.

"Don't see any others coming up yet. I'll scream if I see any, though your screams will probably win over mine."

"Vote of confidence…appreciated," Yang said through gritting teeth. "Is this enough?"

"I don't know how much will be lost in processing," Weiss told her. "Get as much as you can. Having more than enough won't hurt."

"Yeah, try saying that when you're the one under a-" Yang nearly jumped when she heard something chittering behind her. She turned back to look, and started seeing shapes moving from further down the cave.

"I think we've got incoming," Anum warned them.

"Well, I'm nearly out of magicka anyways."

"And I'm outta here!" Yang declared while running out from behind the spider and towards the entrance. She paused a moment when she realized that the thread was still stringing along, but Weiss came to the rescue and sliced away the excess still connected to the spider with Strahlendjuwel. Yang then bolted with Weiss right behind her. With the spell no longer being fed into it, the spider stumbled a bit before focusing on them. It chittered, then took up the silk extending from it before balling it while tapping its venomous fangs to it. With poison soaked through the silk ball, it launched it towards the retreating women, who just managed to dodge it. As the giant arthropod chased them out of the cave, it raised its frontmost legs and head up while reaching towards them. Before it could make it far, a large, dark-brown ball rammed into it from the side. Toggle let out a bellow as he smashed his tusks into the arachnid's body and began biting at its head. Some smaller spiders came out in time to see one of their most massive members being torn apart by the great boar and began backing away into their home in a sense of self-preservation bordering on fear. Toggle turned to them and let out another bellow and shook the green ichor from his snout.

"Whew! Thanks, Toggle!" Yang said as they came back to the boar, who was now pulling off a leg from the spider to eat. "We could have killed it, but we didn't even want to be near it. Good piggy!"

He oinked at her while chewing the crunchy leg and Weiss went over to pet his head.

"I'm going to see about getting you some extra slop at the next town," she promised him while taking a bag from his saddle, to which he oinked happily. Yang quickly put the silk into it then shook her hands.

"It feels so weird, like that kinetic sand stuff, but as strings."

"I'm sure it'll be worth it. If we're lucky, that's enough for your armor and maybe some clothes. I haven't worn silk in forever.

"Oh, is that what this was about?" Yang teased her with a grin. "You just wanted some fresh silk undies?"

Weiss was about to say something, but then closed her mouth and smirked right back.

"Get a room!"

"Oh hush, Anum-La," Weiss said to the Argonian before hopping up onto Toggle's back. "Well, let's get this to this special seamstress. Maybe you can have your armor ready for our next quest."

"That'd be cool," Yang admitted as she mounted Lucky Day.

"I never did ask what you were doing, beyond going to Riften," Anum-La realized. "But, if you need armor, it sounds like it could be interesting."

"Heading to find something at Redwater Den," Weiss explained.

"What in the world could you need from a skooma den?"

"…I'm sorry, a what?"

* * *

The five rode into Riverwood, some of the village folk waving happily towards Ruby and Blake when they recognized them. As Ruby made her way to the Sleeping Giant Inn, she briefly saw Joselyn, who she waved at, but the woman seemed to shrink into herself and barely mustered a wave of her own before slinking off. Ruby just shrugged off the encounter and continued on. Inside the inn, she and Blake headed to the secret cellar while the others all made themselves at home. Delphine was at her planning table, a sword on her belt and a few potions within reach. Her hand went to her sword impressively fast, but her tension loosed when she saw it was them.

"You made it out alive, at least," she greeted them. "Rumor mill is running though that the Dragonborn made a bit of a…display at the party."

"You said to make a distraction," Ruby pointed out with a light-hearted shrug.

"…I suppose I did," she admitted while crossing her arms. "Still, were you able to get anything useful?" she directed to Blake.

"Well, for one, they're as clueless as we are," the Faunus told her, much to the Blade's surprise. "Actually, we might know more than them at this point."

"Really?" she asked with a hand to her chin. "You're sure about that?"

"We did get some info, though." Blake took out two of the dossier copies and handed them over to the Blade. "Found a member of the Guild in their dungeon. They were trying to find out where someone named Esbern is hiding from them."

"Esbern?" she nearly shouted, surprise and relief filling her voice as she looked up from the document with his name on it. "He's alive? I thought the Thalmor got him years ago. That crazy old man…" She nodded and set the papers down. "Figures the Thalmor would be on his trail, though, if they were trying to figure out what's going on with the dragons."

"What're they after him for?" Ruby asked.

"You mean aside from wanting to kill every Blade they can get their hands on?" Delphine asked with a smirk. "Esbern was one of the Blades' archivists, back before the Thalmor smashed us during the Great War. He knew everything about the ancient dragonlore of the Blades. Obsessed with it, really. Before the war, he kept raving on about 'the return of the dragons,' and how they would bring about the end times. Nobody paid much attention to it back then. I guess he wasn't as crazy as we all thought."

"Wow, so you thought they were the masterminds, and now they think one of your guys knows something," Ruby pointed out.

"Yeah, the irony's thick there, I know, but at least this time we're on the right trail. Even so, we've got to find Esbern before they do. He'll know how to stop the dragons if anybody does. Do they know where he is?"

"Riften seems to be the best guess," Blake pointed out. "The guy I saved mentioned he might be in the Ratway."

"Sounds about right. It's probably what I would've done if I was lower on options…" Delphine seemed to think it over a minute before nodding. "Alright, at the very least, you already have some connections there. Brynjolf should be able to point you in the right direction. Oh, and when you find Esbern, if you think I'm paranoid, you may have some trouble getting him to trust you. Just ask him where he was on the Thirtieth of Frostfall. He'll know what it means."

"Thirtieth of Frostfall," Blake repeated to herself a few times. Ruby looked back to her and then to Delphine again.

"There's something else," the Dragonborn began, unsure how to break the news to the Blade.

"What is it? Someone find you out?" Delphine asked.

"Kinda, but not really. I ran into a Thalmor agent there who… Well, it's kinda weird. He's from our homeland."

"I don't think you ever mentioned much about your home. Not to me at least. What's so special about this?"

"Okay, so he basically knew all about us." Delphine's eyes went wide at that. "No, he doesn't know about you, I think. But he actually helped us get the information, and even saved Blake. Well, Blake could've handled it, but he saved her the trouble."

"He also saved Malborn," Blake added. "His name is Capric Thorn."

Delphine's eyes widened. "You're kidding? Thorn? Capric Thorn? That elf is from your homeland?"

"You know about him?"

"Vaguely. I know that he got a lot of Thalmor out of the Imperial City when the Emperor retook it. Coincidentally, they were all the ones _just_ open-minded enough to consider Bosmer their close seconds and were willing to award him his position. He also had a hand in the suppression of several rebel cells in Elsweyr and Valenwood. A lot of that had been the hard work of the remnants of the Blades. He's ruthless, and his information gathering is second to none. He found where so many Blades were hiding and took them down before they knew what was coming, not to mention the local rebel leaders. What exactly does he want with you, though?"

"In his words, he was sent to deal with the dragon problem," Ruby told her. "He said that he's getting his resources in place to find out where they are, as well as the Word Walls that help me learn Shouts faster."

"So then, he knows about the Dragonborn. At least, what makes the Dragonborn special." Delphine nodded at that. "I don't like this, but try to keep on his good side if he communicates with you further. But be careful. There are reasons he was able to become a Thalmor and _stay_ one."

"I will be, don't worry. He already pointed me out to one thing, though. It's called Shriekwind Bastion, and he said that it seems to have vampires living in there. Know anything about it?"

"Admittedly, not much, though I do think I heard some old codger tell a story about it once. Something about how the shrieks of Lamae Bal can still be heard. Might be superstition, but if vampires really are lurking around there…make sure you go prepared."

"I'm always prepared…usually."

* * *

"And that will make it so I can wear the armor without pinching," Yang finished explaining to the elder woman. Lillith nodded as she ran some of the silk through her finger.

"Well, this will be enough for that much, at least. Yes, just enough." She laughed a bit and gave the young women a smile. "You know, I actually don't know if anyone else is left alive who knows how to spin it anymore. I had hoped that dear Ingun would come to learn, but she's gone and stuffed her nose so far into the cauldron she's liable to turn green." Lillith then let out a sigh. "Well, all right then, for this much I'll need… Let's just say five hundred septims, hm?"

"Seems fair. I imagine this would be quite labor intensive," Weiss remarked. "I can go and get you an ebon from the bank, then."

"Yes, but afterwards, would you mind staying around and listen to an old woman droll on? Haven't had any good company in a long time, and the stableboys only visit to demand their pay."

' _Oh, she owns the stable?'_ Yang thought. _'That's why the symbol on their office looks like a loom.'_

"Of course. We'd be happy to," Weiss replied with a polite smile, then turned to leave. As she made her way out and up to the bank, Lillith opened up a drawer and took out a piece of long, thin cloth with some faded writing on it.

"If you'll hold still, I'd like to get your measurements."

"Oh, well, I was figuring you could just fit it to the inside of the armor."

"I will, but I'm also fitting it to you. Besides, I'd rather do this all at once."

Yang decided it was better not to argue and just stood at the ready while the elder woman began taking measure of her arms, height, and legs.

"Well, aren't you blessed by Dibella?" the woman laughed after seeing her bust measurement. Yang laughed with her.

"Yeah, yeah. People will say I'm blessed, but they aren't the ones having to manage these girls."

"Oh, trust me, I understand. You might not know it looking at me, but I was quite the beauty in my youth."

"Oh, I believe you," Yang replied with a wry smile.

"Unfortunately, I was also a bit of a troublemaker. And I was more the type to lead others into relationships. Just ask dear Fralia how she met Eorlund. By the time I decided to settle on a single man, though, it was a bit too late. I wasn't worried though. Had a pair of brothers I suspected might give me a niece someday, but all I got was nephews. Well, I thought perhaps one of them might have a girl someday. Darvil might have even picked it up himself. He was always a gentle one." She wrote down all the measurements she had just taken, Yang noticing how she did it almost without looking at the paper. "But then the call to war came, and when everyone else's family was returning, my nephews and grandnephews never showed. Part of me hoped that at least one of them made it and just resettled, but my heart always feared the worst, you know. Now it's been so long that I suppose it no longer matters. Still, I can't help but imagine what we used to be. The Maiden-Looms used to be as big and influential a clan as the Battle-Borns, the Gray-Manes, the Silver-Bloods, or even the Black-Briars. Now there's only me, tending to the ranch and stables."

The older woman smiled. "Oh dear, look at me. I promised I'd drone on to your friend, but here you are getting her earfuls."

"No, it's fine. I'm sure it helps to get things like that off your chest," Yang answered sincerely.

"Certainly, but you're not the first one I've regaled that particular story to." At that, the door opened and Weiss reentered with a black coin in hand.

"Here you go, ma'am. Payment in full."

"Ah, thank you," she said as she took the ebon. "That'll get me a few more bales of hay to stock up on." Lillith then took up the bag of silk fibers and nodded as she looked into it. "Good, good. Alright, come here dears," she indicated for them to follow her over to a spinning wheel. "I'll show you how we start this. First, you'll want to break off a small bit, and start with the fold."

* * *

"Things I did not imagine learning today: spinning silk, a potato hash recipe, and Maven Black-Briar's teenage squeeze," Yang rattled off as she and Weiss went to the room that Anum-La had rented at the Bannered Mare. They half-expected to find her awake, but instead walked in to her lying on her stomach and sleeping.

"Guess she was more tuckered out than we thought."

"Might have something to do with the weather," Weiss supposed. "Morthal was a good bit warmer than Whiterun, and there are already patches of snow building up around here."

"Hm, sounds about right. I wonder if Argonians…" Yang paused a moment and looked directly at the left wall of the room. Weiss raised her eyebrow and followed her gaze, and a moment later she started hearing a rhythmic thumping sound. Yang started to chortle, while Weiss looked panicked.

"Oh gods, please tell me I'm not hearing-" a hitch-pitched moan cut her off and the blonde sputtered into laughter. Weiss threw up a silencing spell and Yang slapped a knee before exiting the room with her and closing the door behind them.

"These walls are supposed to be soundproof," Weiss ground out.

"Sorry, Snowdrop, looks like they didn't factor in superhearing." As Yang laughed a little more, Weiss stormed off, causing the werewolf to calm down and start after her friend in worry. "Weiss?" she called out to her, but the other girl continued stomping away until she got to Breezehome. Yang followed her in and up to the master bedroom, where Weiss plopped herself into the lounge chair and hugged her knees up to her chest. Yang looked at her for a moment, noting the disconcerted look on her face. The blonde then reached over and turned around the desk chair before sitting down across from her friend.

"Weiss, is everything okay?"

"I just…really didn't want to hear that."

"Weiss, it's okay to be embarrassed about it. I might have been embarrassed under different circumstances."

"It's not embarrassment, I…," Weiss paused for a moment then took a deep breath, "I'm scared."

Yang was struck by that revelation. For a moment, she tried to wrap her head around just what Weiss meant by that. "Scared of what?"

"Of…myself. Of what I might do. I already lost myself once when you tried to cure me with Lycanthropy, and that was with hunger. I…don't want…" Weiss winced, and slowly stretched her legs back out to put her feet to the floor. "Do you know the story of Lamae Beolfag?"

"I…know she was the first vampire, made when…Molag Bal raped her."

"That's not the end of it." Weiss sat up straight and took a deep breath. "She was found by nomads who tried to heal her and save her life, but they couldn't. After a time, she died, and so they prepared her a funeral pyre, but when the flames went up, she awoke. She massacred the women and children, then…raped…every…man to death."

Yang stared forward, wide-eyed. She'd never heard that part of the story before. She always thought it just ended with Molag Bal leaving the poor woman to die. Weiss continued to stare forward, her expression blank before looking straight into Yang's eyes.

"Yang, if a pious, maidenly priest can be changed so much as to do…that, then what does that mean for someone like me? What horrible things am I capable of?"

"Weiss, don't think like that. You wouldn't-"

"I've wanted to," she quickly shot out, cutting Yang off with surprise. "Not all of that, and certain not to that extreme, but… That time Ruby walked in on me and J'zargo kissing? That's all we did, but there was something in the back of my mind, telling me to make him… _mine_. To use _everything_ and take everything. I thought… I hoped that it was just…fetishistic thoughts, but after being taken into the Volkihars' fold, something _else_ is in there." Weiss ran a hand along her head, pushing her hair back. "And it gets loud, sometimes. I can't say my craving for blood increased, but I certainly want quality. And…other things. And now I'm afraid of what I want." The vampire seemed to sink into herself with that. Yang started forward but saw Weiss flinch and paused in her steps. She looked at her friend for a long moment and blinked slowly before walking out of the room.

Alone, Weiss clenched her teeth, feeling the certain displacement her fangs had on her jaw and loathing it all the more. She felt the sting of tears in the corner of her eyes and nearly gave in when she heard a dog-like whimper. The heiress looked up to see a large, golden-furred wolf head, connected to a massive body.

"Yang? Wha-" Yang suddenly pushed her head up against her and rubbed her affectionately, letting out another whimper as she did. Weiss reached up and felt her hands going through fur and then come back and go again. Barely realizing it, she began petting the large canine person, her tension dissipating like steam in the wind. Yang's eyes looked up to her, slowly turning from blue to lilac. Reflected in them, she could see her own eyes, glowing a light orange that slowly changed back to their original blue. Yang's tail began wagging and she pressed her snout to Weiss's belly with a doggish groan. Weiss let herself smile and gently hugged her friend's neck.

"Thank you," she whispered.


	54. The Rats Smell Blood

**I told everyone on SpaceBattles that I didn't know if I could get another chapter done before more than two weeks thanks to my upcoming work schedule. Yet, I've already got most of the next chapter written before I even posted it here. It's like xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor don't even know by the time of this submission. If only I didn't have to work for money, it wouldn't be a worry**.

 **Oh well, no helping it! Y'all enjoy!**

* * *

As Ruby planned for her expedition to Shriekwind Bastion, Zora came to the inn with Joselyn in tow. The young mage woman didn't say much and seemed to try and hide in a corner, but Zora was boisterous enough for both of them. At some point, she began talking with a man named Gorr about his exploits as a former Arena fighter. Ruby barely listened to him, as she was trying to figure out how to best approach a possibly vampire-filled tomb.

"And then his chest plate caved in from the hammer blow. Man nearly suffocated before they could pry him out of his armor," the Redguard regaled before he casually looked over Ruby's shoulder at the list of things she had written down. "Hm, looks like you're going someplace…dangerous. Need some muscle where you're going?"

Ruby huffed, having decided from listening to him that she didn't really like the man. He seemed to take too much enjoyment in killing for her taste. "Yeah, I'm going to a vampire nest."

"Again?" Zora asked in surprise. "Well, I'm a little hurt that you did not inform me, little lord. You know how much fun I had on our last vampire hunting trip together."

"Oh, uh, sorry Zora. I just figured you might have been busy. You can come if you want."

"Perhaps you could use a little more," Gorr suggested. "You're in luck. I reckon I've killed more men than there are minutes in a day."

Ruby thanked her lucky stars that some random trivia game she and Yang played some months ago was still fresh in her mind.

"You've killed more than one thousand four hundred and forty men?"

"That few, huh?" he answered just as quickly, making Ruby wince at the failure of her jab. "At this rate, I better change it to seconds then." He laughed while Ruby shook her head and Zora smirked, seemingly noticing the younger girl's internal letdown. "But who's counting?"

"That is a very large number," Lydia pointed out from the other side of the table before dipping a quill and writing something else down on the list.

"How could you even kill that many people?" Ruby rhetorically asked, already knowing it to be statistically impossible.

"It's all in the hips friend," he explained with a laugh. "Killing a bandit is like making love to a maiden. It only takes a second, and there's no shortage of blood." Ruby stuck her tongue out in disgust while Lydia gave him a sideways glare.

"There's also an inordinate amount of grunting involved," Zora added, to which Ruby made a louder sound of nausea and Gorr laughed.

"I see my lady enjoys both her battles and her men."

"Yes, but only a little at a time. Too much might make it bor-ing," she enunciated.

"You're both gross," the teen muttered while looking at them despondently. "But I won't say no to help. Just keep on your best behavior." She took a moment to look over the map before pointing out a mountain south of Lake Ilanalta and north of Falkreath. "Okay, well if you're coming, it looks like the best way to get in is an entrance near Oakwood. I asked a guard about it, and the place has had some disappearances. But since it's a Falkreath village, there's nothing Whiterun guards can do about it. Capric's info points to it being a little ways southwest of there, and then it runs through the Shriekwind Mountain."

"Some subterranean horrors then," Gorr observed. "Hope the halls are wide enough for me to swing my hammer."

"If you're careful, you should be fine, but that's the thing, you've got to be really careful. If these vampires have been around a while, then they might be pretty old and experienced." Ruby rubbed her chin in thought before sighing. "Not sure how many are there. It could be a couple, it could be dozens. I'll vanguard us going in, and we'll have some of those vampire disease cures, in case someone gets bit."

"Sorry, _you'll_ be the vanguard?" Gorr scoffed in disbelief, and Ruby stared at him blankly.

"I've got a sword that does massive damage to undead. Got it from Meridia." Ruby showed him a few inches of the blade out of the sheath. "Huh, just realized she probably approves of this a hundred percent."

"Oh, so I've elected to follow a Daedric Champion?" Gorr asked in interest.

"I'm not a… Oh, well, I guess I am. Well, at least she's not evil… I think."

"Uh, the mortal ideas of good and evil don't really apply to Daedra," Joselyn spoke up from her corner. "At best, you can say her intentions align with that of mortals more often than most others."

"Uh, what?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"Um, I think the book that I read called it 'orange and blue morality'," Joselyn explained. "Our morality doesn't extend to the Daedra. Everything that helps their sphere of influence is 'good' to them, but everything that goes against it is 'bad' to them. To…Sanguine, for example, sobriety and chastity are 'evil' to him. The same goes…for Meridia. Life and light are 'good' to her. Darkness and undeath are 'bad'."

"That's really weird," Ruby admitted with a raised eyebrow. Joselyn just shrugged before going back to her meal.

* * *

"Okay, so you guys are stocked up for the next week," Blake said while overlooking the shack. "Enough clean water and food, a nearby stream to get more. Two dozen arrows. Enough books to read to pass the time. Some doors." Blake looked at the doors they had purchased to close up the old place, along with the nails and hammer to put them up. "Maybe I should-"

"Blake, we've got everything under control," Inigo assured her. "Besides, you'll be back soon to check up on everything, and I-" Inigo's eyes suddenly went wide before his hand went up to his forehead. "Aaaarrrrrgggghhh! My mind is being tugged again! It is very strong this time!" He yelled before looking up into blank space. Both Blake and M'rissi tensed up, ready to help him should he need it. "I see wooden posts upright in the snow, a tower. I recognize the tower! Eergh! I see the cabin again. The door is locked tight." He blinked a few times and shook his head. "It is receding. It is over…for now. My head is pounding. Ow," he muttered while rubbing his head.

"Okay, the moment we're able, we're getting to the bottom of this," Blake declared with finality.

"I agree. At least now I think I know where to start. I saw a ruined tower in the snow, and I think I camped there once long ago."

"Where is that?" M'rissi asked.

"The tower is a short hike from Dawnstar." Inigo nodded while opening up his map. "It is nothing special from what I remember, but I think it is close to the source of these embarrassing episodes." He looked back at the shack and let out a sigh. "Still, we are a little more than busy at the moment." The three heard a small mew and looked down to see Lirry had come up and was pawing at Inigo's ankles before pushing her head against him. "Eh hehe, it's all right. I am fine," he comforted the kitten while scratching her behind the ears.

"Still, someone should be able to check it out eventually. I'll let the others know to keep an eye open." Blake snapped a photo of the map to send to the others, then remembered her own map's marking capabilities. She placed a waypoint where Inigo indicated the tower was located, and then looked at her scroll's battery sign with a sigh. "Halfway gone," she muttered, hoping Weiss would figure out a way to recharge them soon.

"Maybe Lirry will grow up very quickly, and then we can all go soon?" M'rissi suggested.

"Not sure. I know it takes a couple of years for cats of similar size to get full-grown. Might be a few months before she's big enough to take care of herself." She looked at the kitten, which was now mewing at M'rissi. Blake's ears went up. "Oh, she's hungry."

"She will prepare dinner!" the Khajiit announced as she turned and sped back to the shack, Lirry right on her heels. Blake looked back at Inigo and nodded.

"Take good care of her. And yourself."

"Don't worry, my friend. We will watch out for each other." Inigo smiled brightly. "You just be careful with your own tasks."

* * *

"And then I took Volendrung," Yang boasted as she hefted up the hammer with one hand, "and smashed it into his gut! I hit him hard enough with that to get him stuck to the pillar, so then I took out Fiery Kain," She took up the Dwarven Axe in her other hand, "and chopped his head right off!"

The mead hall was then filled with the raucous cheers and shouts of the Companions as Yang finished her tale. Weiss shook her head at the uncouth display, but smiled nonetheless, until she was suddenly reminded of her concurrent battle and shivered at the memory.

"Hey, how about your friends?" a man called out. "Surely they've got tales to tell as well."

"Yeah, how's about it?" a muscle-toned woman seconded. "Maybe the mage girl has actually used that sewing needle of hers!" A few laughs rose up at that.

"Oh, she was there too!" Yang let them know. "Killed her fair share. She can stick 'em as well as she sets them on fire."

"Seems all eyes are on you," Anum-La noted.

"I'd honestly rather not," Weiss told the crowd, which grew disappointed. "Really, Yang told you just about everything."

"Well, weren't you fighting the other one?" Farkas asked. "How'd that go?"

Weiss grimaced, and Yang quickly caught on to her discomfort. She looked over at Anum-La who met eyes with her, and the Argonian woman seemed to catch on.

"Ah, it's all right, Weiss! Hey Anum, you told us half a dozen stories on the way here, how about one from your company days?"

"Oh, you were part of a company?" Kodlak asked from his end of the table.

"That's right," she confirmed. "We were the Honorable Eight, put together by a veteran of the Great War and master swordsman, Dalum-Ei."

"Sounds interesting," Aela said before taking a deep draught of ale. "Tell us about 'em, then. What were they like?"

"Anything comparable to the Companions?" a man off to the side yelled.

"Hm, hard to say. Aside from the fact that Dalum-Ei recruited mages, I'd say the biggest difference is the name."

"Oho, quite a boast!" Vilkas said.

"The Companions already have a long history. We were trying to make one. But we were both founded on honor and glory," she said while raising her mug, receiving many a 'here here' from the gathering. "The fact that a few people here still believe in it is a testament to this company." At that, she received a few laughs.

"Yep, there's a lot of honor and prestige to the name," Yang admitted. "But there's also the expectation to live up to it."

"I can't even imagine. Our company had to live up to an ideal, but the only people we let down was ourselves. But Ysgrammor is a real person, and he's up there in Sovngarde, shaking his finger at Torvar every time he gets drunk." Several of the Companions looked to their comrade in question with jests and laughs at his bashful expense. "Or maybe he's nodding his head with approval. I can never tell with you Nords and getting drunk."

"The Honorable Eight was more than just a name though?" Vignar asked.

"It was. I could tell you a thousand stories of the glory days, but most of them only remind me of how it ended…and what we lost." Yang and Weiss were starkly reminded of her tale the other day, but it seemed that, despite being in the dark on the subject, the Companions understood. "But the one I'll always remember fondly is the day we were delivering sacks of potions to a village full of Dunmer refugees. Many of my fellow Argonians didn't like what we were doing. Even Moon-Tail scowled at the notion. But Dalum-Ei stood his ground. There were sick children who needed these potions. It was the honorable thing."

"Commendable and honorable effort," Athis said from his seat. "Truly, you are a good woman."

"I thank you, friend. Your words are kind. Still, to some we were traitors, and it wasn't long before they made their feelings known. They ambushed our camp one night, when the mist was thick. Skilled warriors with poison-tipped spears." Many scowls could be seen, as the Companions certainly had disdain for such tactics. "The others fought them off as bravely as they could. Dalum-Ei ordered me to stay with the cargo. One by one I watched my friends emerge from the white, blood dripping from their wounds. Bodan arrived carrying Ula-Wei on his shoulder. He said more were on the way. He turned to our healer Elia, but she shook her head. She was all out of magicka." Weiss felt herself somewhat on the edge of her seat at this."Indrel was the first to suggest we drink the potions from the shipment. Dalum-Ei said he would kill anyone who tried."

Anum-La took a deep breath at that. "I didn't even think. My company looked to me. They trusted me. And I knew then, it didn't matter how many of them were waiting for me in that mist. It was me against them, and I couldn't lose," she declared while raising her voice in emphasis. "The others wished me luck. Bodan stood up to speak, but it was Moon-Tail, of all people, who said the words I'll never forget. 'Remember child,' he said, 'it matters not the size of their blades, or the size of their numbers. Only the size of your heart.' And on that day, it was big enough."

The mead hall was nearly silent for a moment, and then Kodlak lifted up his own mug and cheered out, "To Anum-La and her big heart!"

"Anum-La!" the Companions repeated.

* * *

"Well now, this fits rather nicely," Eorlund said as he looked into the scalemail-like armor, now padded with the Frostbite spider silk cloth. He pulled at the armor, feeling it stretch out, and then loosened up. "Yep, no pinching. Well, nothing left but the try it on," he said while handing it over to Yang, who was, once again, dressed in cheap, worn clothing.

"I hope we're right about this," she muttered before pulling it on. The weight felt a little different from the armor she had grown used to, and the fact that it partially hugged her tightly in some places felt awkward after having worn plate armor that purposefully gave her room for so long. With it fully on, she tested her range of motion with several warm-up stretches.

"So, it at least works as normal armor?" Aela asked. Yang threw up a thumb in response.

"Yep. Might be right up your alley, too. Okay, what do you guys say we take this under the forge and do the big test?"

"You sure you wanna transform tonight?" Farkas asked in worry.

"It'll be fine. Ring of Hircine, remember?" she reminded him while flashing the ring in question.

"Wait, what's that do?" Vilkas asked, intrigued at the white ring on Yang's finger.

"Let's me control my transformation to a near impossible degree." She transformed one hand into a furry claw for a few seconds before changing it back. "I can go full wolf and back to human in seconds."

"Wish we had about a half dozen of those," Vilkas bemoaned.

The Circle and the master blacksmith headed into the Underforge at that. Once there, Yang focused and felt herself growing, careful to transform slowly and feel how the armor expanded with her. The sections clinked as they spread out, and the clothing she wore underneath ripped while the silk continued to stretch. After a moment, she was at full size, and the armor was still on her in one piece, if thinner feeling.

"Well, looks like it worked," she said through her lupine mouth.

"Aw what? That ring lets you speak perfectly, too?" Farkas complained, and Yang smirked at the memory of Farkas speaking to her as a werewolf for the first time.

"Let's see," Eorlund mused while probing at the armor. Yang also began testing her range of motion again, finding her limits as they went.

"Well, 'bout the only thing is I can't scratch my ear with my foot anymore," she noted, her foot raised up as high as it could go.

"But it looks like you're covered," Eorlund concluded. "Thinner than you'd usually want, but compared to having no armor before, it's a godsend. Looks like I'll be making a few of these for the rest of you then," he said while crossing his arms.

"Better than having to scrape up whatever I can find every time," Aela agreed.

"Well, I'm certainly impressed," Kodlak said as he pushed against the armor at Yang's shoulder. "Never thought I'd see stretching armor."

"Learn new things every day," Yang said before shrinking back down into human form. The silk slid against her fur and then her bare skin, sending a shiver up her spine at some points. "Ooh! Maybe one or two size adjustments!"

"And the chest plate," Eorlund added. "But it's practically finished."

"Still have the underclothes problem," Farkas pointed out with the shreds of shirt sticking out of Yang's armor and then the ripped pants on her legs.

"Yeah…" she muttered in consternation while pulling the ripped shirt out. Her look of annoyance gradually shifted to contemplation after she finished removing the cloth scraps. She shifted about in the armor experimentally once more before perking up. "Well, guess I'll just have to go commando!"

"Go what?"

"Means I'll just have to _not_ wear anything beneath." She winked at the man, causing him to nearly sputter and the others to laugh at his embarrassment.

"I'd much rather you didn't," Weiss' voice called out from the entrance before she came in.

"How'd you get in here?" Vilkas asked defensively.

"Aela and Yang tried to change me once, remember?"

"Oh… That. Sorry."

"It's quite all right. Anyway, Lillith sent this," Weiss said while handing Yang a cloth bag. "She said you might find them useful."

"What is it?" Yang asked as she opened the sack and rummaged through it.

"Don't know. I didn't look." Yang pulled out what looked like a band of silk cloth. "Oh, the leftovers?" Weiss guessed while taking it in hand.

"Oh, I get it!" Yang announced before pulling out another silken piece. Weiss' eyes went wide as she recognized the shape. "Guess this solves the commando problem. And hey! You get your silk undies in the end, Iceburg!"

Weiss sported an indignant look as the Circle and blacksmith all laughed.

* * *

Oakwood was a remote, simple village, similar to Riverwood but somehow even smaller. Ruby, Lydia, Zora, and Gorr rested at the settlement for the night when they arrived and then headed for Shriekwind at the crack of dawn. Their destination was off the beaten path and hidden behind a small forest, but eventually the face of the ruin in the mountainside became unmistakable. At first, they went up a set of stairs that led to the roof-covered part of it, but found little other than worn carvings and an abandoned Grand Soul Gem. After going back down and searching, they found a gate and entered into the dank, cavern-like ruin.

With Ruby at the head holding Dawnbreaker's hilt, the group slowly walked through the ancient hallway, a few lit torches on the walls casting enough light for them to see by.

"Ah yes, I smell blood," Gorr stated. Ruby paused to take a whiff of the air and could pick up the coppery scent among the smells of stale air and rot.

"Probably not friendly," she muttered before continuing on. She pushed open a pair of doors to come upon a room where a woman in black leather was leaned over the body of another, her lips firmly upon the second's neck.

"Hey!" Ruby called out, getting her attention. The vampire spun around and looked at the four in fright.

"In- Intruders!" she screamed before trying to run, casting a spell in one hand to raise the nearly dry corpse and another in her other hand that made her shimmer into invisibility. Ruby rushed after her, keeping her eyes on the displaced air and transparent shape before bowling the vampire over with a shoulder check. She took out Dawnbreaker and held it above the vampire's chest as she shimmered back into visibility.

"Listen, no one has to get hurt here. If you give up and get the others to-" The vampire suddenly grasped the sword's blade, tightening her grip even as she grimaced through the pain.

"Blood-Matron, cradle me!" she cried out before driving herself up onto the blade while pulling it down. Ruby tried to yank it from her grip, but the effects of the sword were already taking effect. When she finally pried loose, the vampire was on fire and screaming in pain. Gritting her teeth, Ruby was frozen on the spot before an arrow sunk into the burning woman, courtesy of Zora.

"My liege, it's usually best to finish them off than let them suffer," she admonished the younger girl.

"I- I didn't mean to! She pushed herself on the sword and was…trying to kill herself."

"Oh dear, fanatical ones," Zora sighed and shook her head. "They're not hard to kill, quite the contrary, but it's much harder to not get hit by them. Well, I suppose I could use a few new scars."

Ruby groaned and pressed on, going up the nearby stairs past a cold fire pit and then up through the catacombs. After she started to wonder whether or not it was even that large from the outside, they came into a room that looked set for a ritual, but was totally empty.

"What do you suppose went on in here?" she asked while looking around and then up to an opening far above them that let in air and sunlight.

"Not sure," Lydia said. "The grate here though seems to lead to that room we found the vampire in. That switch might open it."

Ruby looked to the switch in question and went over to it. "Stand clear guys," she warned the others before pulling and turning it. Rather than the grate opening, a stone pillar rose up from its almost seamless position in the ground, and then several spikes shot out just above it.

"An execution device," Gorr observed with a grimace.

"Or something built for blood sacrifice," Zora countered. "Either way, a nasty way to die. And where dozens of people can look down on you while you're skewered. So ignoble."

Ruby grimaced and looked down the grate again before moving along, going further up and through more catacombs, this time with fairly new coffins made from wood dotting the place. She began checking them with Dawnbreaker at the ready, but none had a body within them, dead or otherwise.

"Where are they all at?" she wondered.

"Maybe there is a meeting, and the one we ran into was getting a quick bite," Zora suggested.

"But a meeting where?" Ruby's pointed question went unanswered, and with the ominous thought in mind, the four pressed on.

Just past the second catacomb was an altar with blood spilled upon it and skulls set around, along with a closet where several pairs of shoes and boots were arrayed. They continued on past it and into a room where sunlight and water had spilled in enough to allow several ferns to grow, a dais with three switches set in the center between three different gates. Ruby pulled at one, only to open up a secret door in the wall that led to an empty coffin. Another opened up a similar secret door, but the last opened the gate to her right, where three pull chains awaited.

"This is a weird layout. Hey Lydia, try those out and I'll yell what they do."

"Very well," the housecarl responded before going in and pulling the biggest one, causing the gate she had just passed to close her in.

"That one got you stuck," Ruby told her.

"I see," Lydia deadpanned before turning back and pulling it again and then trying another, this time closing the gate that led them to the room.

"That one got us all stuck."

Lydia opened it back and then pulled the last chain, which opened the last gate. The group then moved, only marginally slowed down by the presence of several skeletons. They emerged back into the large execution room, only two stories higher than before.

"Yeah, this was definitely a place for some kind of spectacle," Ruby concluded. "Still, where are all the people? It couldn't have just been the one."

"There's still more ruin we've yet to explore," Gorr pointed out. "More places for them to hide."

"I suppose so, but usually when we run into groups like this they're more…spread out." Ruby felt her suspicions tickling the back of her mind, but filed it away for later as she moved on and followed the path. They went by a room where half the floor was covered in dry blood next to a pair of rusty stretcher racks. Gorr grimaced at the sight and shook his head.

"When I was imprisoned in a dungeon, a bunch of guards used to torture the prisoner in the cell next to mine. Wasn't right. Wasn't fair."

Ruby blinked as she found herself agreeing with him. Despite his honestly enormous faults, she was finding that he still had standards and morals. The man was still far too bloodthirsty, and his appetite was stomach-turning, yet he thought animals should be treated kindly (even if you're going to eat them) and now he'd shown disdain to torture.

' _Why are people so complicated and weird?'_

They went further up and past a smoldering fireplace into a room with a single coffin in it. A man standing there in iron armor turned towards them, and drew his sword the moment his eyes fell upon them. He came wordlessly swinging at Zora, who blocked his strike and pushed him back. Gorr swung his hammer around and smashed it into his shield, audibly breaking bones but getting little more than a grunt from him. Zora then swung her sword and sliced into his helmet and face, felling him.

"I think I might've hurt my wrist," the woman said while shaking her hand. "No, wait, it was that one's head."

"Looks like a thrall," Lydia stated while looking him over and searching him. "Likely not belonging to the vampire from before, otherwise he would have been free. Seems he was guarding something." She spotted a pull chain and pointed it out.

"Okay, we'll try there first, then the stairs," Ruby said before pulling it. A secret entrance began opening, but Ruby had to backstep out of the way as a green sword fell from the ceiling. "Biscuits! Was that wedged up there?"

"Looks like it," Lydia commented as Zora picked it up and looked it over.

"Ooh, malachite. My hero, you do not mind if I use this, yes? It looks to be just my type."

"Uh, I guess so. Is it enchanted?"

"Why yes, actually. Stamina absorption. Heh, looks like I can drain the vampires of energy before they drain us of life."

"Hopefully." The company followed the young girl further, through a short hall filled with candles and then through a doorway that led out into the open air.

"Oh, I think I can see the walls of Falkreath in the distance," Zora said while shading her eyes. "Hard to tell with all the brightly colored leaves. Ah, such a beautiful sight though."

"Okay, so that wasn't right," Ruby supposed. "Let's backtrack and head up those stairs where the thrall was."

The warriors did so, and headed up higher into the mountain. Past another door and cavernous hallway, they came back into the execution chamber a few stories higher again, only this time from an angle that let them see the carved wall, walkways, and doorways that they had been going through, as well as the next one they were headed towards. They moved along beneath the stone arches towards it and saw a closed gate up ahead as well as a switch near them.

"I feel this is booby-trapped," Zora pointed out.

"I have to agree. This is obviously set up," Gorr added.

"Well, we have to move forward. You guys can hide behind something if you want," Ruby told them as she reached for the handle. After she pulled it, the gate opened, but plumes of fire began pouring out of the floor and walls, crossing each other in a three-layered, near-impenetrable wall of flame. "Well, it kinda worked."

Lydia pointed next to her, and Ruby saw a pull chain against the left wall. Pulling it did nothing to stop the flames, but the gate closed again. Groaning, Ruby was ready to call out the unfairness of it all when Lydia sighed and pulled the handle again, causing the gate to open and the flames to stop.

"Oh," Ruby slowly realized. She grinned at her housecarl and headed onward again. As they went upwards, they began to hear a sort of chant past the next door.

"Molag Bal, we curse you!" a man's voice yelled out.

"Molag Bal," a crowd chanted together, "Father of Torment, we curse you. You sought to poison us with your blood. But we survived. And from your poison, we grew. King of Corruption, your children are coming. They will defile and destroy you."

"Okay, not how I expected vampire worship to sound," Zora quietly admitted. "You think we ran into the bad eggs?"

"No, something…about how they said it," Ruby said as she readied herself. "Something's not right."

"Arkay, we curse you!" the same man yelled out again.

Arkay the Forsaker, we curse you," his congregation intoned. "You left us to suffer in darkness. But we survived. And in darkness we grew. Now, we feed upon your followers. We will use their stolen strength to conquer and consume you."

"Oh, never mind. The whole bunch are bad."

"Now, mortals, make your choice!"

Ruby heard whimpering and immediately sprang into action, throwing open the double doors as she charged in hefting Dawnbreaker in one hand. The gathering of vampires turned towards her, over a dozen and a half of them, and the one at their head holding a red, curved knife stumbled back from the three men and a woman tied and bound on their knees. Feeling her comrades at her back, Ruby took a ready stance with a spell in one hand and Dawnbreaker in the other.

"I'm going to say this one time, let those people go," she growled out.

"No," the leader muttered. "You're…the champion of Meridia!" the vampire threw his arms out. "Children, the Demon of Light has sent its slave to exterminate us! Kill her! Destroy them!"

The vampires all yelled and charged at them, drawing weapons, readying spells, and baring fangs. Ruby sent an Eldritch Blast into the nearest, burning a large hole into his torso before she sliced across him. The vampire then exploded in holy light, hitting all of the other vampires. Some began screaming in sudden fear, others kept moving towards their targets. One woman fell back and started crying while curling into the fetal position. With the distraction in place, Ruby began throwing Rods of Power around the room, putting up five of the magical constructs in all. A vampire came at her and crossed blades, and the Dragonborn threw a magic bolt into his belly before kicking him away. The Sentinel spell made him a target for the Rods, which blasted him into bloody pieces in short order. Another came at her from behind, but she disappeared in a cloud of rose petals and reappeared behind her before slicing her head off. A vampire went after the tied up prisoners with his weapon raised, and Ruby quickly hit him with Entanglement and then Sentinel, causing them to swap places just before the Rods tore him apart.

"Whew, glad I practiced that." She looked at the prisoners next to her and started slicing through one's bonds. "Don't worry we'll get you out-" Something slammed into her side and dragged her across the floor. She kicked up and knocked it off of her, but it seemed to bounce back and then clung to the wall. She saw that it was the vampire leader, and he seemed to be wall-crawling like a spider.

"You will pay for this, interloper!" he swore. "For hurting my family, you will pay dearly."

"I don't think so," Ruby said as she stood back at the ready. "You were the one hurting people, and I'm going to protect them. All of them."

Rather than respond, the vampire jumped from the wall to a statue, then from there to Ruby. With daggers in both hands he began slicing rapidly at the girl, who was hard-pressed to block him while backpedaling from the strikes. She ducked under his left and he overreached, letting her elbow up into his chest. The vampire grunted as he backed up a step, but before Ruby could slice at him, his red dagger stabbed forward. It barely punctured her armor, but then a strange numbness spread from the point of contact throughout her body, stilling her limbs and making her feel heavy. Before she fell, the vampire caught her with his free hand and smiled down at her as he sheathed his other blade. He then reached up and pulled her head to the side.

' _No no no nononono!'_

"I said you would pay," he hissed before opening his mouth wide. Ruby screamed as he brought his fangs down upon her and struggled to get loose, but her arms could barely wiggle. Suddenly, a green sword slammed into his back, cutting through his spine and most of his torso. His grip loosened and the top half of his body fell over with the bottom soon following it. Ruby slumped over, but then Zora was helping her up.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Zora asked in concern as she dropped her sword and checked the girl's neck like a doting mother. "Oh thank the Gods!" she sighed in relief as Ruby pulled herself from her grip. "He didn't break the skin. Still, we should get you one of the cures. We all should drink one, as much vampire blood as there is all over the place."

"Yeah," Ruby groaned in agreement as she looked around and took the enchanted dagger away from her chest. Bodies littered the place, with the freshest of them being the leader's nearly bisected corpse. Lydia was finishing up freeing the civilians, and Gorr was reentering the room.

"Tried to chase the runners, but they jumped into that big execution room and went all the way to the bottom. Looks like one knew a safe landing spell, but I doubt they left it up for me. Seems five made it out."

"Damn, that's going to be a problem that just might bite us in the future, literally," Zora contemplated. "Well, at least no one was hurt. Well, no one alive. And how are you four?"

"We're good, my lady," a Bosmer said with a bow. "I thought for certain we were going to become their next meal, or newest members it seems. Thank the gods you came when you did."

"Yeah, thank goodness we got here in time," Ruby agreed. "It sounded like they were about to make you choose… What was up with that anyways? The whole thing about Molag Bal and Arkay?"

"I've heard of them," a Breton man began. "Scionists, some call them. They called themselves the Children of Lamae Bal. Basically they hate everyone except their little family, including other vampires. Especially the ones who follow Molag Bal. They also hate Arkay, so they turn and kill mortals to spite him as well."

"That's so…weird." Ruby shook her head. "Well, anyways, do any of you know about a large wall with claw mark looking writing on it?"

"I think they talked about some kind of wall that's upstairs," the Nordic woman said.

"Thanks. I'm going to go read it really quick, and then we'll get you guys out of here."

"Be careful," she warned her. "They were talking about there being some sort of powerful draugr there."

"Nothing I haven't dealt with before," Ruby said with an honest smile as she left.

* * *

"Hah!" Weiss yelled in dramatic fashion as she punched the cushion-wrapped log contraption. The log swung back a little, pushing a needle along a semi-circle with different lines and numbers indicating how hard she hit it. She didn't expect it to go far, but she was still rather disappointed that it didn't even go half as far as the example Aela had given her. The huntress in question looked at the result and nodded.

"All right, and what was the next step?"

"The next step…is hitting me in the arms." Weiss really wasn't looking forward to this part, but with her Aura and low base strength (in comparison to other warriors, at least), she was the best option.

"I'm sorry?" the woman asked in shock.

"I enchanted the gauntlets she's wearing with my…special power," Yang explained, now donning her newly made armor, updated with a Dwemer metal breastplate that had a wolf's face emblazoned on it and some minor adjustments for fit. "Whenever I take a hit, the damage is added to what I dish back out."

"So that explains it!" Farkas called from where he was sparring with his brother, the distraction earning him a whack from Vilkas' wooden sword.

"Pay attention!" Vilkas admonished, causing Yang and Aela so lightly chuckle.

"Theoretically these gauntlets should share her power," Weiss continued on for them. "That's what we're testing."

"Oh, I see. So now…"

"I'll do it," Yang interjected while rotating her wrist. "Weiss, I want you to know, this hurts me more than it hurts you."

"Just get it over with, you kook," Weiss sighed, raising her armored forearms in a basic guard stance right before Yang's fist smashed against them. Her Aura protected her from the damage, but it didn't stop the shock of the impact running through her bones, or the pain. She stumbled a moment and did her best to keep from wincing, shaking the numbness out of her arms a few times after a moment passed.

"You okay?" Yang asked in concern.

"Peachy," Weiss ground out while turning back to the contraption. "Now what?"

"Well, the gauntlets are glowing," Yang pointed out. Weiss looked at the elven metal armor covering her hands and saw that they were, indeed, slightly glowing. "Guess that means you absorbed it. Just give it another punch, but try to focus it forward and outward, like you would with throwing a ball."

"All right." Weiss took in a deep breath and swung her fist for the cushioned log again, knocking it back once more, but this time almost twice as high as she had before.

"Well I'll be," Aela muttered. "Either you were holding back the first time, or those things really worked."

"Well, the glow faded, so they must have." Weiss looked the gauntlets over and smiled. "Excellent!"

"Eh, not as good as they should have." Yang hit the log, which then went up far higher than Weiss' second punch. "I hit you about that hard. It should have been additive, so some of the energy's getting lost."

"You hit me _that_ hard?!" Weiss protested. "You mean most of that punch was pointless pain?!"

"Oh come on, it wasn't that… I mean, that hard isn't _that_ hard. I hit you as hard as I figured I could without knocking you back." Weiss continued to glare at Yang, but gave up and sighed.

"Whatever. Now that we have these enchanted I can just take them up to Farengar's lab, learn the enchantment myself, and then I'll be able to apply it with my own enchanting skills backing the power of them."

* * *

"I can't believe…I can't figure it out," Weiss groaned as she slumped in her seat.

"To be fair, neither can I," Farengar admitted as he turned from the enchanting table. "What's on these gauntlets is so unique and complex that by the time I get through one layer my mind is unable to fully comprehend what I'm getting into."

"But Yang made it right here," Weiss pointed out while pointing at her teammate. Yang just shrugged with an uncertain smile. "You saw her make it on them. She nearly caused the right one to explode on her first try."

"True, we saw her make them, but we didn't watch the process itself. Mostly because that's impossible without a deep mind link. What exactly did you do to make such an intricate enchantment, might I ask?"

"Uh, intricate?" Yang wondered over it for a moment before scratching her neck. "Well, really, I just…did the enchanting thing, but with my Semblance instead of fire magic."

"That's something related to your soul magic, yes?"

"Yes, Aura and Semblances are connected," Weiss confirmed while sitting up straighter. "While Aura is the reflection of the soul to guard and protect, a Semblance is the reflection of the specific soul in question, and is unique to each individual, usually. Mine is unique in being hereditary, but each member of my family tends to have varying levels of skill in different areas. Yang's is absorbing damage dealt to her and then dealing it back out, which is what she put on the gauntlets."

"Ah, now I see. You imprinted your soul upon it."

"…Beg your pardon?"

"No need for alarm. It's happened in times past, for different reasons almost every time. You see, if this power is linked to your soul, then it's safe to say your soul is as much a part of it as it is part _of_ your soul."

"I suppose that's logical," Weiss murmured while cupping her chin.

"Then it would be just as logical to assume you're not just putting some simple spell onto these items. You're ingraining it with the very signature of your soul."

"Whoa! That's cool!" Yang said as she picked one up and looked it over. "Wait, does this mean it's connected to me?"

"Not actually. Think of it as…pressing your hand into a mold. It can outline your hand's shape and form very well, maybe even near perfectly if done with enough skill, but you still have your hand and then whatever is made with the mold is only a copy."

"Ah, okay."

"Moreover, though, it actually gives a chance to study the soul more closely. I'm…not as skilled in that subject as others. But such impressions are usually rare. If your group can make them on demand, then it presents a unique opportunity in the field."

"Well, it might help with that teleportation spell I've been working on." Weiss thought it over a moment and then nodded. "Yes, I'll give that a go when I can. Until then…I suppose the only ones who can enchant our Semblances onto items are ourselves."

"So only I can give you guys the power to dish it back out?" Yang chuckled at that. "Too bad I'm not that good at enchanting."

"About that…" Weiss dug through her sack and pulled out a flask with a label on it. "Farengar, do you have some Enchantment focusing gear you could lend us?"

"A set of gloves and some potions. I'll go dig them out." As the wizard went into an adjoining room, Yang looked at her friend nervously.

"Weiss, what are you planning?"

"Just giving you a leg up, Yang. Don't worry about it. Just get ready to make a few more pairs."

* * *

Ruby looked over the plans on the drafting table before going back over to the construction site and looking at the beginnings of a building. As she started figuring where to go next, she felt her scroll vibrating in her pocket and took it out to see Yang calling.

"Hey Yang," she answered while opening it to see her sister and partner. "Hey Weiss. What's up?"

"We just threw each other through some ringers," Yang said, loosely flapping a wrist about. "Anyways, we got some cool gauntlets, enchanted with the Semblance of yours truly."

"Wow! So it really worked?!" Ruby's eyes then went to Weiss. "How'd it feel?"

"Getting socked in the wrist or punching way harder than I should have?" Ruby winced at that, but Weiss just shook her head. "It was surprising. We tested out the second version and it was nearly as good as Yang. There's a bit lost in the enchantment itself, and there's the base strength to consider, but overall it will definitely be useful in getting us out of tight spots. We made a pair for each of us. Yang even decided to use some dragon hide for your gloves."

"Just keeping to your theme," her sister told her. "Where are you right now? We might be able to send it to you."

"I'm at Lakeview. Decided to take a break and put the land to use, so Zora, Gorr, Lydia, Tiff, and me are working on it."

"Wait, Gorr? Tiff?"

"Gorr's a…" Ruby paused, struggling to find the right word. "He's not really a mercenary. I think he just came with us for the heck of it. Also, he might like Zora. Tiff is our witch neighbor. She built a small house near some ancient necromantic altar nearby."

"…I'm not sure how I feel about that," Weiss admitted worriedly.

"Oh, it's okay. I checked with her, and she's only doing that lesser necromancy stuff, like animating skeletons. Pretty sure she's not planning to kill or sacrifice anyone. She said it's too much trouble."

"That does not put me at ease."

"Besides, she got that golem working too, and it's great for carrying big loads, like all the timber we need."

"…Right."

"Anyways, we should get this done in a day or two. After that, Blake should be headed back with our VIP, and we'll see what needs doing next. Hopefully nothing big. Or if it is, it's something that gets me an advantage. How about you two? You'll be heading for that Redwater place, right?"

"Yeah, heading out tomorrow," Yang confirmed. "It'll take us a few days to reach it, but maybe we can meet up. If not." She shrugged. "Hopefully she gets her gloves too. Probably doesn't have as much use for them, but you never know. She might have to infiltrate an illicit underground boxing ring."

"I doubt it," Weiss chimed in.

"Either way, they'll be useful," Ruby assured her. "Let me get back to it, then. This wall's not going to nail itself up."

* * *

"Been a while since I've seen one of these," Vex admitted while looking the unusual gem over. "What you've got here is a Stone of Barenziah."

"Ooh, quite a piece," Salthasar admired from the table over.

"Well, that's a start," Blake said while turning it over in her hand. "Is it worth much?"

"Not like that it's not," Vex confessed.

"The sstones are little more than curiossities," Salthsar started through half a mouthful of meat. "There should be around twenty-four in-"

"Hey, I'm the one appraising for her, green lips," the lady thief snapped at her fellow. "He's right though. These stones were pried off of Barenziah's ceremonial crown by a thief in order to cover his tracks. Some of the Guild members have tried to locate them over the years, but they haven't been successful. Well, until now." She hummed a moment before looking up at the Faunus.

"So you won't buy them?"

"Look, I only buy things I can turn around for a quick profit, and no one wants these stones unless they have the full set. Tell you what, if you find the rest of them, talk to me again. Otherwise, keep it. Maybe it'll bring you luck."

As Vex left the table, the old Argonian looked over at Blake with a grin.

"Don't tell me you know."

"Know? No. But I have ssome educated guesses that might lead you in the right direction. I only ask for a small portion should you find them all, relative to how many I ssuccessfully lead you to."

Blake sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Fine, but I have some other questions."

"Assk away. I'm more than willing to help a fellow member of our essteemed establishment."

"What's the chances on Barenziah wanting these back?" Blake held out one of the rubies for him to look at. "If these were actually hers, then she'd reward whoever returned them, right?"

"Hm, hard to ssay. The crown was ceremonial after all, but certainly not a cheap piece. There may have even been ssentimental value. Perhaps it would be worth attempting, though gaining an audience with the Queen Dowager would be no ssimple tassk."

"So not worth something like revealing the location of the Staff of Chaos?" At that, Salthasar burst out laughing, clutching his chest as he did.

"Oh, that was a good one, Belladonna!" he got out through while slapping his knee. "I haven't laughed that hard in a while!"

"A 'no' would've been enough," Blake muttered. As she leaned back again, she saw Gnives and Delvin headed her way. Gnives had a small grin, but Delvin looked nervous. As they came and sat across from her, Gnives looked at the Argonian and shifted his head. Salthasar got the message and took himself and the remainder of his snack away from them.

"Everything all right?" she asked them as she sat straighter. "Mercer in yet?"

"Uh, no. He's still up above," Delvin answered. "Doing somethin' at his house. Didn't ask. But, uh, this is about something else. It has to do wit' you, and the Dark Brotherhood."

"More information?" she asked, her attention suddenly zeroing in on the two in front of her.

"In a way, but… Well, it has a bit to do with us too. We're just clearing the air before it comes up in a less…controlled manner." Delvin coughed into his fist and shook his head before staring Blake right into her eyes. "First off, I knew the Dark Brotherhood. Uh, I knew the members. Personally."

"You knew them?" Blake's ears and brow shot up.

"Back when I was…younger, I tried to do a bit of work at a tavern one day and… Well, I got into a bar fight that quickly got out of hand. Accidentally killed a man. Like you know, murder ain't allowed in the Guild, but Gallus understood. He sent me to the Dark Brotherhood to wait for the heat to die down. I was there a good while. Got to know most of them pretty well. Old Festus, Gabriella, Nazir, Astrid… I'd say we were friends, but we didn't really stay in touch after I left and came back. Astrid dropped by once and again, and every once in a while I'd run across Babette, ehe, getting a meal."

"A meal?"

"Oh, she was the little vampire. Looked like a little girl, but she was actually over three hundred years old." Blake's eyes shot open at that. "You all right?"

"I… I am. Just remembered something, is all. So…you knew them, and I…"

"Yeah, but…I don't blame you, before you go thinkin' it. You was trying to survive, and in their line of work, dying on the job ain't a big surprise. It was probably a long time coming, anyways. The Brotherhood was crumbling apart even when I was there." He sighed at that. "I even saw Astrid right before it all went down. Must've been right before you got dragged in. Brynjolf mentioned you getting her note."

"Yeah, that was…" Blake wanted to say it was pants-shittingly terrifying, but couldn't quite get the words out.

"So, you know about me."

"It is Gnives' turn then," the Khajiit said quietly.

"So you were mixed in with the Dark Brotherhood, too?" Blake asked him. "Like Delvin was?"

"Not exactly. For Gnives, he was an assassin first. Some say the Khajiit are born into the Guild. Gnives thinks he was born an assassin, raised as a prowler, and adopted by thieves."

"Born an assassin?" Blake tried to picture a small kitten waving a dagger menacingly. It didn't work out in her brain, and she just ended up cursing the CCTnet of Remnant.

"Gnives was born the last of a litter of three, and slew the one who gave birth to him. From that day his fur was marked with blood," he emphasized while pulling up a few locks of his red hair and letting them fall.

Blake wanted to scoff at the notion of a child 'killing' their mother during childbirth but held it in. She knew some people were sensitive to that kind of situation.

"A lot of mothers die in childbirth. The child can't be held accountable," she told him, but Gnives shook his head.

"Many would say the same, if not for the mane on his back. It runs crimson, while his father wears gray." He leaned back in his seat before crossing his arms and closing his eyes, his ears still attentive. "It was an ill omen, and Gnives' father was a superstitious cat. The very sight of this one threw him into a rage. On those nights, Gnives would wander the village sands, waiting for the new sun to warm them. He was drawn to the back alleys, and to the aroma of the moons. If he was tired or hungry, he wormed his way through the crowd outside the skooma huts, picking the pockets of those who had one too many." He then looked directly at the young woman. "Only one night he picked the wrong pocket. It belonged to a servant of Sithis."

"A Dark Brotherhood assassin," Blake stated.

"Yes. He convinced Gnives that he was right-side up when in truth, he was upside down. Gnives did not know this, because the cat always landed on his feet."

' _Right-side up? Always lands…'_ Blake blinked at the odd phrase before shaking her head. "He convinced you of something?"

"To heed the call of the Black Sacrament." At that, the hairs on the back of Blake's neck stood straight. "And to young Gnives, taking a life was no different than stealing a coin. Young Gnives was eager to please his mentor," he continued as his ears went back and his eyes narrowed, "so he killed without remorse. He would have kept killing, if Ra'Zhir paid him what he was worth." His ears went back even further, and Blake could see a scowl form on his face, but his tone kept even. "Some say Gnives should not have betrayed Ra'Zhir, but it was Ra'Zhir who betrayed Gnives first." His ears went back up a little, and his scowl disappeared. "But why kill him? Well, it was far easier for Gnives to kill his mentor than tell him no."

"And that was it?" Blake asked him. "They never went after you?"

"There was none to go after him. Ra'Zhir told this one he was an assassin of the Dark Brotherhood, a remnant of the Corinthe Sanctuary in Elsweyr. The sanctuary had been shut down by the Black Hand, and without a guild or a disciple, he said he wished to pass on his knowledge. The insinuation was there. He was the last." Gnives closed his eyes again and nodded his head. "He taught this Khajiit the tools of the trade. Mostly, how to listen. How to find a single sound in a cacophony of noise. A whisper in a tavern, a rattle of a coin purse, a footstep in a crowd. So much information in a single step, conveying where a person was, where he was headed, and how anxious he was to get there. Yet it was not all Gnives was taught. Ra'Zhir showed this cat how to read, how to charm, and even how to cook."

Blake shook her head. "I can't tell if you're describing someone who wanted to use you or raised you well."

"Yes, there are people in life who will do everything to help one succeed, and those who will only use him for their own success." His ears leaned back again as he looked back at her. "It turns out, these people look exactly the same."

Blake blinked a few times before slowly nodding, hoping that she showed no hint of the familiar chord that struck within her. When Gnives seemed to have nothing more to say, she looked back over to Delvin.

"Well, seems we're all connected to the Brotherhood, some in more bloody ways than others." She sighed and leaned onto her elbows. "So, why tell me, other than to avoid a possible misconception?"

"Well, that brings us to the next point," Delvin began. "We caught a rumor about _another_ former member of the Brotherhood, only this one… Well, I don't know what he left for. Astrid didn't want to talk about it. Just said he'd gone soft. I haven't heard from him, but I know he was somewhere in Eastmarch or the Rift. Recently I heard about someone with his exact armor, but again, all I know is he's in the east. Don't know whether or not he's still killing, but he might be worth looking into. Maybe he turned a new leaf, too. If he did, ask him to come by."

"Right. Um, who-"

"Right, sorry. He's Griffith. Wears dark leather, but also has a pair of Daedric gauntlets, just to let you know how tough he really is. Never saw him take 'em off. I figured they were cursed or something."

"Thanks. I'll look into it if I get the time." Blake's ear flicked and Gnives smirked.

"Mercer is back. He is coming this way."

"I better go let him know what's up. Thanks for coming clean to me guys. It means a lot, honestly." She stood up and headed over to the cistern entrance, where the Guild Master was just coming through.

* * *

Mercer leaned back in his seat, looking as though he'd seen a ghost. Brynjolf stood near his desk, covering his mouth and with his eyes wide. The fact that these two men, both of whom seemed tough as nails, were so worried made Blake feel a pit forming in her stomach.

"She's back…" Bryjolf got out. "Gods above, she's back."

Mercer leaned forward before taking a deep breath and releasing it. "This is grave news indeed," he said while steepling his fingers. "She's someone I hoped to never cross paths with again."

"Gulum told me a little about her, but what exactly…happened?" Blake asked.

"Karliah destroyed everything this Guild stood for," Mercer ground out. "She murdered my predecessor in cold blood and betrayed the Guild. After we discovered what she'd done, we spent months trying to track her down, but she just vanished."

"Gallus was a good man," Brynjolf added. "And a great thief. He treated us like family, and then one day…he was gone." He sighed and slowly shook his head. "That woman betrayed more than just the Guild. She betrayed the closest thing to a father many of us had."

"But why would she come back?" Blake pointed out. "It's been, how many years?"

"Twenty-five," Brynjolf clarified, and Blake nodded.

"Thank you. Mercer, why would Karliah come back now, after twenty-five years in exile?"

"Karliah and I were like partners," Mercer explained. "I went with her on every heist. We watched each other's backs. I know her techniques, her skills… If she kills me, there'll be no one left that could possibly catch her."

At that, Blake felt her heart heat up with anger.

"And if she's able to reign free, there's no end to what damage she could do," Brynjolf said. "Already we've suffered her meddling with Maven, and we still haven't fully recovered from it."

"If only we knew where she was…" Mercer muttered.

"Gulum-Ei said that she mentioned 'Where the end began'," Blake told him.

He hummed a moment. "There's only one place that could be. The place where she murdered Gallus… A ruin called Snow Veil Sanctum, north of Windhelm, and southeast of Winterhold, out in the frozen plains." He nodded. "We have to go out there before she disappears again."

Blake blinked in surprise. "We?"

"Yes, I'm going with you and together we're going to _kill_ her. I'll need some time to get things ready. Brynjolf, you'll be in charge while I'm gone."

"Oh, uh, certainly, Mercer. Are you sure about this, though? Could be a trap."

"It most certainly is, but one that we're going to spring." He stood up and crossed his arms. "Between me and Belladonna here, there's no way she can beat us." He looked over at the Faunus. "Prepare yourself and get back to me as soon as you can. You may have to leave your friends behind for this one."

"They're already tending to…other matters. I just have to find something and send it off to Riverwood."

"Well get it done as quickly as you can. We're leaving within five days."

"Won't even take me three, sir," she affirmed. He nodded to that and then headed off. Brynjolf looked between the two before settling on Blake.

"Keep your ears and eyes open when you go after her, lass. Karliah's as much a professional as the best of us, and there's no telling what she's learned while on the run."

"Don't worry. I've got this." Blake gave him a reassuring smile before looking towards the cistern. "By the way, do you know where an Etienne is? He owes me a quick favor."

"Oh, him? He came back not too long ago, looking worse for wear. Said you'd pulled him out of a tight spot. What was that about?"

"Just a happy coincidence."

* * *

"Thanks for agreeing to show me the way, Etienne," Blake said to the man.

"You kidding? It's the least I could do after you pulled my ass out of the fire." He opened a door and began walking through, holding up a torch as he led her into the gloom of the Ratway. Suddenly, he stopped and threw the torch back before crouching down and looking past a corner.

"What is it?" Blake whispered as she ducked down and started listening more closely.

"Thalmor," the thief hissed. "Looks like they climbed down from outside." Blake followed her eyes and saw a rope ladder that descended from above.

"Last chance, Nord," Blake heard someone say. "Tell us where-" The Altmer's words were interrupted by some wet sound, almost as if someone had spat against armor.

"You going to let that stand, Sil?"

"No." There was the sound of metal carving through flesh followed by spilling blood and a body falling.

"They just killed someone," she relayed to Etienne.

"Damn. Well, they obviously never learned the rules of the Warrens," he said while taking out a small object.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't let the skeevers smell blood on ya." He blew into the item. Blake's human ears heard nothing, but her cat ears heard a high, shrill tone similar to a dog whistle. She grunted in pain and covered them, while Etienne continued blowing for a few more seconds. When he was done, Blake let her ears back up and began hearing something like hundreds of pairs of feet converging from all over. "Supper time."

Blake's eyes widened when she saw skeevers ranging from mouse-sized to opossum-sized pulling themselves out of cracks in the walls and sewer grates. A larger one, perhaps the size of a medium dog, pushed up from a loose stone in the floor. Others began coming out, and they all started following their noses.

"What in the Gods'-"

"They're everywhere!"

Blake could hear and see fire being poured out from across the way as the elves screamed. One ran out onto a catwalk with fire pouring from his hand, but the skeever chasing him went around it. He summoned up a bound blade in his other and cut the rodent down, seemingly relieved that the threat was killed. Unfortunately for him, Etienne came up from behind and quickly ran his dagger across the elf's throat. Three more skeevers ran out from the flaming room full of screams, stopping at the body, but looking at the thief as though wondering if he was worth it. Etienne took out his whistle again and blew a single puff through it, causing them to step back before grabbing the body and dragging it away.

"That'll keep 'em busy," he said to Blake before jumping down to the bottom level. "Come on, let's go get your guy and get out of here."

Blake hopped after him and looked back towards the scene of carnage, where screams had given way to the sound of flesh tearing and small fires crackling.

"Did you know they'd do that?" she asked, slightly disturbed.

"Skeevers will eat almost anything, little bastards. Still, there was a chance there wouldn't be so many big ones, or that the elves might have kept their cool long enough to fight them off. Fortunately for us, they didn't."

They traveled deeper into the Ratway, going through another door and a long, dank tunnel before coming up into another lightened area.

"Bucket. Knife. Inkpot. Stone," a woman's voice listed off. "No, no, no."

"Ah! Haha! Come here! Come here come here come here come here," a man said from behind a cell door, wearing an old and worn out chef outfit and hat.

"Don't go near him," Etienne warned her.

"Yeah, wasn't going to," Blake deadpanned as he led her up a set of stairs that took them past the insane man's cell. She paused for a moment in an empty room and picked up a small notebook.

' _The Boreal Journal of Lathgwen Evenheart – Vol. 6_ _. Odd,'_ she thought. She was about to place it down, but then shrugged and opened it up while continuing to follow her guide.

 _I had a close call at the market today. Some adventurer said we had met once before in Riverwood. Which is absurd. I never forget a face._

 _It's more likely he saw me on some wanted poster. Lucky for me, the Jarl of Winterhold holds no sway here. I'm not even sure the Jarl of Riften would bother with a horse thief. Too many criminals in one place. It's like trying to find a mudcrab in a chaurus hive._

' _Huh, is this a journal or someone trying to make a first-person story?'_

"All right, we're here," Etienne told her as he stepped aside. The door before them was bolted up and seemed to have more steel bands than wood. Blake was sure she saw ebony in places. Etienne knocked and then backed up. A second later, a slit opened up on the door, showing a man's eyes.

"Go away!" he yelled.

"Esbern? Is that you?" she asked.

"What?! No, that's not me. I'm not Esbern. I don't know what you're talking about." Blake didn't believe the man's unconvincing denials for a second, and from the look on his face, neither did Etienne.

"It's okay," Blake tried to reassure him. "Delphine sent me."

"Delphine? How did you…" His eyes narrowed. "So you finally found her, and she led you to me. And here I am, caught like a rat in a trap."

"No…" Blake started to pinch her nose. "Look, she said to ask you, 'where were you on the Thirtieth of Frostfall?'"

"Thirtieth of Frostfall," he repeated quietly. A moment of silence passed, and Blake looked back behind her, catching bits of what sounded like boots in the distance.

"Esbern, we don't have much time," she told him. "The Thalmor know you're here, and we need your help with the dragons."

"So, Delphine keeps up the fight after all these years. You come in and tell me how you found me and what you want." He shut the slit, and Blake began hearing the sounds of locks and bolts being undone.

"This one always sticks… There we go!"

Blake nodded then whipped around just as three more Thalmor agents entered the hallway, one pushing Gissur along in front of them.

"Yes, it should be around…" The man saw them and blanched.

"Move!" Blake shouted.

"No need to tell me twice," Etienne responded as he leaped from the ledge. Blake jumped out and threw Gambol Shroud towards the Thalmor. They dodged as Gissur ducked and ran while screaming in fear. As the elves looked at the thrown weapon embedded in the wall behind them, Blake pulled herself in and drew her Daedric dagger. One barely got up his sword in defense, but the demonic weapon sliced through it. Blake then yanked her sword loose and carved through another's arm before stabbing up into his chest with her dagger. The one holding a broken blade tried to hit her with it, only to hit a clone while Blake reappeared behind him and stabbed into his neck. She then leaped out of the way of a ball of lightning and readied herself to take out the last, only for a fireball to explode behind him and send him flying.

"Damned…Blade," the Thalmor ground out as he tried to pick himself up. Esbern responded by levitating up the broken sword blade and firing it into his back, killing the Altmer instantly.

"Well, I guess I have to leave either way," the old man sighed. "Just give me a moment to get some things. I want to at least bring my _Anointed Anuad_." As he went back into his room, Blake heard something from the chamber below and looked down to see that Etienne had caught Gissur and had him against a wall, a dagger piercing his shoulder and pinning him in place.

"Please, Et! I'm so sorry!" the Nord begged, but Etienne, a snarl on his face, was having none of it.

"I was in there for weeks!" the Breton hissed. "Tortured every day! Left to hang up like a piece of meat! All because of you!"

"I know, I'm so sorry! Please, spare me! I'll make it up to you, I swear!"

"Fool me once, Gissur." Etienne backed away from the man and blew on his whistle. Blake started to hear the scrambling of skeever feet again. This time they weren't as eager, but several skeevers had already looked in and saw the bleeding man, their mouths watering at the sight.

"Ooh! Meat, meat!" the crazy chef cheered with a laugh.

"No, no nononono!" the traitor screamed while trying to tug himself loose, his good arm awkwardly bending and scrabbling for the embedded blade.

"We…better get out of here," Blake said before grabbing Esbern by the waist and then jumping down to the last level. The old man shouted in surprise, but wound down to simple astonishment as she set him down and gestured for Etienne to follow them out. As she closed the door, the last she saw of Gissur was several of the smaller skeevers closing in as some big ones looked down from the higher levels.


	55. A Spring in the Traphouse

**Well, gotta give it to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for keeping with it.**

* * *

With new armor and other means of protection, Yang, Weiss and Anum-La set off to the Rift. Yang was looking at her scroll in interest at the photo Blake sent them the other day while comparing it to her map, but wasn't sure if she'd be going that way. She thought to ask Weiss, but the vampire seemed to be sleeping on Toggle's back, and Yang didn't want to wake her if she didn't have to. She then pocketed her scroll and stretched out, enjoying the feeling of armor that conformed to her shape more freely.

"Man, this must be one step away from that Dragon Orb armor."

"What in Sithis' name is a Dragon Orb?" Anuma asked from atop her rented horse.

"It's a…uh… Darn, I hate having to explain this over and over." Yang pulled out her scroll again and selected a clip from one of the more recent episodes to show the Argonian , whose eyes lit up at what she was seeing. "So it's a series about these fighters defending the world from evil stuff, like alien emperors, androids, and monsters. There're also these orbs that summon a dragon that can grant any one wish, which is usually what they're fighting over."

"What an amazing little piece of magic! Is that a Lilmothiit he's fighting?"

"No… Just some kind of alien fox-person thing." Yang closed it back up and pocketed it again. "Are these one of those peoples I've never heard about?"

"I guess so, though at least you can be excused for not knowing about them, seeing as they're extinct." Yang's eyes widened a bit while Anum shook her head. "Happened during the outbreak of the Knahaten Plague. Everyone not a Saxhleel was susceptible. It killed many, and killed quickly. The human tribes of Argonia and the Lilmothiit were wiped out, and a lot of others fled the marsh entirely. Some say the Argonians were the ones to release it, seeing as we were the only ones not suffering from it. I think that's a load of guar manure, but it's been so long most people hardly care."

"Wow, geez…" Yang muttered. Even if she'd heard of a few before, the idea of whole peoples disappearing still greatly unsettled her. There was nothing like that in Remnant. At worst, people split and separated, or in some cases were pushed out, but she'd never heard of an account of one group of people in particular being completely killed off before. "How long ago was that?"

"Eh, maybe a thousand years or so. Can't quite figure off the top of my head, but it happened somewhere in the middle of the Second Era. So, you probably don't have to worry about catching it, haha."

Yang actually didn't have to worry about catching anything, but she didn't relay that to her friend.

A whiff of breeze made her pause to sniff the air. So far, nothing dangerous had approached, and the only vampire nearby was Weiss. The heiress had started wondering whether or not she was being watched, but Yang assured her that their traveling in the daytime meant that any vampires following her would be severely hindered. Also, the fact that she never spotted any was a good sign. They would have to keep visual track of the group to stay on their tail, and Yang could smell better than Weiss could see, so she highly doubted anyone from her 'clan' were around.

"Hey, you don't mind if I ask something mildly insulting?"

"Uh, insulting how?" Yang questioned back.

"Your friend's not into necromancy, is she? She smells like grave dirt and rot, even after you both had a few baths."

' _Ah crap!'_ Yang mentally yelled. _'Should've known Argonians had a better sense of smell!'_

"Arkay," the blonde squeaked out before thinking then cleared her throat. "I mean, uh, her family is really big into worshipping Arkay and stuff, and…she visits basically every one of his temples whenever we go somewhere."

"Really? Never could have guessed that."

"Yeah, she tries not to stick it in people's faces." Anum seemed to shrug at that and Yang sighed. _'Maybe I should've thought it through before bringing her along.'_

"Well, s'long as you don't try to make me go in one. I'm not one for chapels and praying."

Yang nodded before pulling her horse to a stop. "Hey, Weiss. Weiss?"

Toggle suddenly bucked, tussling his rider and waking her from her doze. "Hm, wha?"

"I think that's Lake Honrich up ahead. You said this place was near where the lake feeds into the Treva River, right?"

"Hm, oh yes, right." Weiss sat up and stretched her arms and back a bit before squinting in the evening light and pulling her hood back over her head. "Well, there should be a place with an old brown banner flying outside."

Yang stood up in the saddle and looked around for a moment. "I think I see it over there," she pointed out. Weiss followed where she indicated with her gaze and nodded.

"Let's take a look then." The trio headed towards what looked like a shack but turned out to be a partially collapsed house. A man stood watch outside, but he didn't seem particularly hostile. As they approached, he offered them a smile and a nod, letting them know that this was likely the place.

"Seems like we're welcome," Weiss observed.

"Yeah. Kinda weird though." Yang sniffed the air slowly, picking up the scent of several humans and elves, a couple of Khajiit, and a faded but unmistakable tinge of blood. "Hey, Anum, you mind waiting outside and watching the horses with Toggle? We might need a quick getaway."

"Don't have too much fun without me," she warned them. "Also, maybe stay away from the product, hahaha."

As the Huntresses dismounted and headed towards the door, their Argonian companion took the reins of Lucky Day. Yang went in first, seeing a Redguard woman warming herself at the fireplace with a chicken being rotisserie cooked by another that looked almost exactly like her, likely twins. At the same time, a muscled Nord man stared at them from across the room. She recognized the wanton lust in his eyes and scoffed, catching their attention.

"Welcome," the woman greeted them as though they'd just entered a shop. "Just head on down and help yourselves," she said while indicating a trap door. Yang opened it up to see a ladder leading just a short ways down.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

The two headed down, closing the trapdoor behind themselves as they did. A man in scaled armor stood at another door just in the next room and looked them both over.

"If you're going downstairs, you keep your weapons to yourselves, or we'll be getting better acquainted," he quietly threatened them. "Head on in, and behave yourselves," he added as he placed a key into the lock and opened the door. Yang nodded while passing by, but Weiss glared at him a moment before going through. When the door closed behind them, Yang stopped in her tracks. She quickly looked around to see if there was anyone nearby, and when she couldn't find anyone, she turned to face Weiss.

"Moment of silence?" she asked. In response, Weiss cast a muffling spell around them, blocking out the sounds of coughing and hacking coming from ahead. "You not liking this as much as me?"

"If how much you like this is 'not at all', then yes. I don't like this one bit." Weiss rubbed her chin in thought. "How should we proceed with this?"

"Well, I have some ideas, but first thing's first. I smell vampires, and not you."

"How many?"

"Maybe a half dozen. A few more in thralls, but it's hard to tell past that stench." Yang rubbed her nose and sneered. "Ugh, I'm going to dip my head in the river when we get out of here. Okay, plan; we go in pretending to be customers. Might have to fork over some money to buy some of the stuff, but it's part of it. We go and pretend to get smashed, then see if we can't use that to our advantage."

"How will that get us in?"

"Think about it. Vampires are running a skooma ring. What's one thing vampires want more than anything else?"

"To not be a vampire?"

"I mean, the ones that _like_ being vampires."

"Oh! Well, I guess the only thing they'd really want is blood." A light seemed to go off in Weiss' head at that. "Oh…"

"Yeah, it's just a guess, but I think they're feeding on the guys tripping themselves to sleep."

"It's not a bad plan, actually, so long as you don't overfeed and your customers don't overdose. Though…I'd be afraid of the effects of drinking from someone intoxicated."

"Yeah. We'll just have to see. Hopefully, you can talk them down once we're in. I doubt going up to someone and telling them you know they're working for vampires will work out very well."

"True. Well, shall we?"

"We shall." Weiss dispelled the effect and they continued on down. A Bosmer woman was safely behind a barred up counter, while a Dunmer man walked about with a tray holding several goblets and a couple of small bottles. A quick glance let Yang see that there were about six rooms, five of which had people seated around hookah-like objects with multiple pipes leading out of them. Weiss grimaced at the sight and smell of the place, and both of them noticed a reddish haze hanging in the air.

"Welcome, welcome!" the Bosmer behind the counter greeted them. "I don't believe we've seen you here before, have we? You can buy from me, then join any booth you'd like."

"Thanks!" Yang said warmly to her. "Say, I've heard of this place, but what's so special about this skooma compared to the stuff my buddy in Greenwood gets me?"

The lady smiled at that. "The secret is our mystic Redwater Spring. The magic in the waters opens the mind to experience Skooma in a way like never before."

"Ooh, definitely sounds interesting."

' _Actually, that sounds dangerous,'_ Weiss thought. _'It's supposed to be a bloodspring down here, which begs the question, what's with all this effort?'_

"Maybe you could give us a sample just to try?"

The woman began to hum to herself while tapping her chin, then nodded. "Since it's your first time... sure. Find a booth and enjoy." She placed a small, red bottle in front of them with a smile. Yang picked it up and winked at her before leaving to head to one of the booths. Weiss followed her into the least crowded one, which contained a ragged looking man and another in fine clothing. The ragged man was lying down flat while the well-dressed one seemed to be barely able to hold himself up.

"You there, bring me another bottle of skooma... Wait, who are you? You look like fun. Pull up a seat friend," he offered while pushing himself to lean against the wall.

"Thanks, bud," Yang said to him while sitting on a bench. Weiss sat next to her and the two looked at the skooma bottle and then at the device in front of them.

"Do you know how this works?" Weiss whispered to her.

"Why would I know?"

"If my friends could try this Redwater skooma," the rich man muttered, oblivious to their conversation, "they might finally understand why I like slumming it with you commoners."

"I feel mildly insulted," Weiss whispered again.

"At least you weren't quite that bad back at Beacon." Yang quietly ribbed the heiress.

"Hey ho, the gallery shows… hmhmhm hum de dum do," someone sang as he approached. Both the girls blinked when a Khajiit came in, but unlike any that they'd really seen up to that point. Yang rubbed her eyes and looked back down at the bottle in her hands.

"Did I get a contact high?"

"Uh, are you a Dagi, by any chance?" Weiss asked the monkey-like Khajiit.

"Dagi-raht, I am, I am. He is Bamhaba," the Khajiit greeted them happily. "This one is testing their sugars to make sure the skooma is good. So far, Bamhaba is impressed." With that, he sat on the rug across from them and started spooning up some moon sugar from a bowl. "Mm, yes!"

"Oh, that's cool. Hey, do you know how to work this?" Yang asked while indicating the hookah. "It's not like mine at all."

"Oh, certainly. You have skooma? This one will show you." Yang showed him the bottle and he reached across and took it with his long arm. Bamhaba looked it over a second then opened up something at the hookah's top.

"Simply enough, it goes in here. Just pour in," he instructed while doing so, "and make sure the candle is lit." He pointed at the candlewick directly under the bowl and it lit up from a spark from his finger. "Now just wait for it to boil. You know how to work the hose, yes?"

Yang picked up one of the nozzles connected to a hose and pointed at it. "Just press the button and suck in, right?"

"Gently does it," he warned her. "Don't want to suck up the water."

"Yeah, guess not. Thanks for that."

"It was no problem." He tipped the bowl into his mouth and ate up the last of the moon sugar before putting the bowl aside. The rich man next to them suddenly took up a nozzle and breathed in, coughing as red vapors left his mouth.

"Oh yeah…" he moaned. "Ohhh... that's good stuff. Believe me friend, I've tried it all and this is the best. I once paid three thousand gold for this fungus that grows in Giants' armpits. Couldn't stand up for days, but nowhere as good as this stuff."

"Oh, so you know then?" the Dagi-raht laughed before taking a puff. Almost as soon as he did, he fell over and started shaking. Weiss made to check on him, but Yang held her back.

"Trust me," she whispered. She looked around then pointed at the hose. "You ever play dead?"

"Yes?"

"Well, ultimate play dead time. No matter what, unless someone's doing something god-awful, don't move until I give the signal. Now…" Yang leaned over and closed her eyes. Weiss did the same, letting herself lie upon the bench. After a few minutes, she felt someone touch her and flinched a little. The person hesitated, but then continued on, picking her up and carrying her. Everything in Weiss' mind told her to scramble free, but she resisted long enough to feel herself set down into a soft pile of hay. Someone else grunted and there was a metallic clang next to her.

"That's the last of them," she heard the dealer say. "Poor sods can't resist after they get a taste of your dosed skooma."

"The water from the spring makes the skooma so much more potent, we'll have all the thralls we'll ever need. Good thing the boss heard that old farmer running his mouth off in the tavern about finding this place."

After a moment, Weiss opened her eyes ever so slightly to see someone in leather armor standing just outside of a cell door. Next to her was Yang, and just past her was an unmoving woman. Yang's eyes shot open, and then she slowly stood up to her feet. Weiss got up as well, then noticed that she still had her sword on her person.

' _Amateurs,'_ she thought before slowly drawing Strahlendjuwel and aiming for the back of the elf. Yang gave her a thumbs up, and Weiss thrusted. The Dunmer gurgled out while clutching the point sticking out of his chest, but then Yang reached through the bars, grabbed him by the mouth, and pulled him further back along the blade. He struggled a moment longer, then stilled. Both the girls withdrew, with Yang taking a key ring from his person.

"Why'd we sneak in instead of fighting our way in, again?"

"Mostly to minimize casualties and make sure we're in the right place. Also, it was a test. They failed." Yang pointed out a corpse on a wheelbarrow and the one in their cell before unlocking it and shoving it open. "Anyways, we should probably bust this place, on the grounds of it being an illegal skooma den and a murderous vampire nest."

"They did say to deal with it however I see fit," Weiss recalled while bending down and picking up a spellbook. She hummed while looking it over and then bagged it away.

As the girls left their cage and entered what looked like a cave chamber with a drug lab set inside of it, Weiss focused on her Semblance and slowly summoned an apparition of the Arma Gigas, making it so that it was just a head taller than Yang, and then threw a Stoneflesh spell upon herself. Some men came around to see what was going on, and Weiss directed the summon to attack them. The Gigas swung its massive blade around its frame and cleaved through one man before backhanding the other into a wall, where he collapsed like a sack of rocks.

"Wow, useful," Yang commented before looking up and then jumping to where several vats were placed. A fanged woman who had been prowling in the shadows backed away from her in fear, and Yang cracked her knuckles. "Now, you can either-" Suddenly, the woman turned invisible, leaving the brawler to shrug.

"Well, I guess that- Hurk!" She stumbled back as something impacted her gut, then lashed out. There was a scream, and the woman reappeared as she was knocked back into a table, dropping a dagger with a dented tip. As the vampire groaned, Yang stomped over to her and picked her up by the collar of her shirt.

"That was very rude," Yang ground out while bringing her to her face, carefully transforming her mouth so that it was filled with lupine teeth, her jaw emitting disturbing cracking sounds as she did. The vampire seemed to shrink into herself as Yang bared her growing fangs. "Now, give me another reason!" The vampire girl's eyes rolled up, and then her head limply went to the side. Yang stared at her in confusion for a moment before letting her down gently.

"Huh, she fainted."

"Anything up here?" Weiss asked as she walked up the ramp.

"Just an unconscious vampire," Yang responded while looking around. "Trying to figure out what to do with her. I'm not exactly…comfortable with killing someone who's already down. Let's see… Moon sugar, moon sugar, bucket of water… Nothing to tie her with."

"We could stick her in that cell," Weiss suggested.

"Oh, hey. You're right." Yang picked up the unconscious vampire and then set her in the caged cell they had placed her and Weiss in earlier. For a moment, she thought about moving the corpse, but then figured it'd do no harm for now. After checking her for any weapons, potions, or lockpicks, they exited the cage and locked it up.

"We'll have to figure out what to do with her eventually," Weiss stated as they started searching around.

"Yeah, that's…not exactly easy." Yang thought on it a moment with a hum. "Wait, how about that vampire place? Duskcall?"

"Ah, Duskfall! You know, I've never actually been there. I just sent some vampires to the College and Savos Aren did the rest. Still, I suppose that could work. We'll see about it once we're through here." Weiss paused as she saw the cover of a book titled _The Aetherium Wars_ and bagged it up. After crossing a drawbridge over the vats the two women and summon started heading deeper, hearing the small, rhythmic tapping of a pickaxe just ahead. As they turned a corner, the man digging turned at them and charged with his tool raised. Weiss' summon swiftly smashed against him then raised its blade. Realizing the man's blank eyes marked him out as a thrall, Weiss set her Gigas to nonlethally subdue, and it stopped its swing and kicked him in the face. A woman in furs came from another room and threw a fireball at them, and Yang leaped in front of it and tanked the spell. The apparition then charged forward and hit her with the flat of its blade, knocking her across the excavated room.

"Ah, so this is what they dug out," Yang observed as they went through a sort of U-turn in the structure then came upon a pull-chain in front of a block that looked as though someone had tried to pry it out or dig through it. She pulled it and waited for the door to open, then they descended even further through a narrow hole. Towards the end, they saw an open coffin in a room, and a deathhound turned to them and barked before it charged.

"Uh oh," Yang said before rearing back and smashing her fist into the creature's face. It let out a yelp as it was sent flying back into the room, where an elven woman came up and snarled at them.

"Aaaarrrrgghhhh!" she screamed as she came at Yang with her sword swinging. The Companion brought out her Dwarven axe and knocked the sword aside before smashing the blunt side against her and knocking her over and across the room. The vampire groaned in pain as she struggled up to her feet.

"Okay, do that again, and next time, you get to meet with Holy Ardon's sharp side."

The vampire hissed at her and threw a ball of magic into the dead deathhound besides her while simultaneously waving her hand across some inanimate skeletons and making them rise up. Yang and Weiss sighed at that.

"I warned her."

"You certainly did."

Yang threw Ardon at the vampire and the axe buried itself into her chest. This time, the vampire fell over dead, the skeletons and deathhound turning into ash at the same time. Weiss then reached a hand out and yanked the axe free with a telekinetic pull, and Yang grabbed it in mid-air.

"Handy," the blonde stated.

"A little draining though. Need to practice that spell a bit more."

They went up a set of stairs towards a door, but paused and looked down at some red liquid on the floor and filling in the cracks. Both of them smelled blood, but mostly from the vampires and thralls they'd killed. What was beneath them barely smelled like it at all.

"Odd," Weiss noted before going through. At the other side, even more of the impure liquid covered and filled the floor, forcing them to walk through it or at the edge of the hall. At the end was a small altar setup, with an old banner showing a worn sigil of Arkay, and a notebook set beside an inkwell and quill. Weiss picked it up and scanned its words.

 _28th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 200_

 _I've found an interesting book of short stories on the pawnshop's shelves today. I don't think the owner will mind if I take it. I really should spend more time around the docks, these Altmer are too thin-blooded for my taste._

 _Anyway, one of the tales in the book is an account of the "Bloodspring of Lengeir's Feast," a fabled source of power for vampires. It's a story I've read several renditions of before but this version suggests that it may be located in Skyrim, in a ruin buried by quaking of the earth during the 2nd Era._

 _Considering that my business here with Inquisitor Amolmaire is, shall we say, at an end, it might be a good time to leave Summerset for a worthwhile diversion for the next twenty to thirty years. Perhaps I shall investigate this fabled Bloodspring._

 _2nd of Morning Star, 4E 201_

 _I was able to obtain passage from Alinor to Solitude by way of ship. No mean feat with this Nord insurrection going on, I assure you. I ran across one of my own in the local tavern and feared at first that it might cause problems for me, but it turns out that she is well-positioned here in the city and has been happy to help if I keep a civil manner. We spoke much on my research into the Bloodspring and while she made sure to point out that she thinks it a "soft-headed pursuit" she did say that what she's heard would point to Riften._

Weiss read on about how Venarus kept searching for the Bloodspring, keeping in mind some of the details he shared in his writing as she went. When it finally got to where he'd found it, she'd decided without question that she thoroughly disliked this man.

 _The Bloodspring is not everything that I'd hoped it would be. Though it is blood and gives great strength it provides no sustenance. And the power it grants lasts only a short while and carries a weakening of the body and mind with it. I've had to lock the door to the chamber to keep the others from becoming completely dependent upon it. When I've tested it on mortals, it is worse for them, for it carries only disease and addiction with no benefits at all._

 _Addiction._

 _I may have just found a solution for our food problem._

"Well, that explains it," she said before closing the journal. "The Bloodspring can't provide sustenance to vampires. That's why they started the Skooma den, to attract weak-minded people and build up enough thralls to feed them. The Bloodspring's waters just made it even more addictive, and it's apparently diseased."

"Well, that's some crap." Yang then sniffed the air. "There's still some more people down here. And…I think I hear water running."

"We must be close then." Weiss bagged the journal and they pressed forward, pausing when they heard a voice up ahead.

"So why don't you just drink the blood from the spring?" a Nordic man asked. "I mean, that seems easier than running a skooma den…"

"The boss said it's some sort of 'profaned spring'," a feminine voice answered. "It looks like blood, but it's not the real thing. Drinking it gives you strength, but it also gets you pretty messed up. That's why we thought of putting it in the skooma."

"Hm, good idea, actually."

Yang rounded a corner and had to hold back her laughter when neither of them noticed her. It wasn't until a few seconds after Weiss entered as well with her glowing familiar at her back that either of them looked in their direction.

"Wait, who in Oblivion are you?" the woman said while grabbing the hilt of her sword. The man, on the other hand, had a key out and ready to stick into the gate of a cage holding several deathhounds.

"I'm Berna, this is Snow, and that's Snow being a showoff," Yang said as she indicated herself, Weiss, and Weiss' summon. "They sent us down this way. Supposed to give some stuff to the boss."

"What stuff?" the woman asked suspiciously.

"Dunno. Just handed me this bag, told us to come down here, then told me to hurry it up. Said he's wanted it for a while now. You wanna take it to him, or should we keep going?"

The two shared a look, with the man shrugging before the woman scoffed and shrugged.

"No one ever tells me anything anymore. You'd think after last week… Well go on, he's that way," she said while indicating a ramp.

"Thanks." After they went up and over, Weiss leaned over to whisper to her.

"What was that about?"

"Didn't feel like fighting all those dogs. Besides, needed to test out my acting skills."

"I am ninety-nine percent certain that the only reason she believed you was that the other possibility was that we killed everyone else on the way in here." They went through an open area from which they could see the other two in the chamber below for a moment and then reached a gate with a pull-chain near it.

"It's all about confidence, Snowdrop. If you sound like and act like you're supposed to be there, most people will usually believe you are."

"That's a terrible way of thinking," Weiss said before opening the gate and following Yang through.

"And yet, it worked. Oh, can you turn that guy off for a while? Might be harder with him around."

"It won't be as easy to bring him out in a pinch," Weiss warned her. "But it is a little draining keeping him out," she admitted before having the Arma Gigas dissipate. "Ooh, ow! Didn't realize how much it was pulling from me."

"I guess it's more of a boss battle thing."

Further along they came into a catacomb-filled hall, which led them to a chamber where a pair of vampires and a couple of deathhounds were. The vampires looked at them oddly, but Yang waved and they seemed to go back to their business. One deathhound growled and barked, but they paid it little heed and it simply left them alone.

"I can't believe this is working," Weiss muttered when they were out of earshot of the pair.

"Believe it!"

Through another gate, they came into what looked like a secondary lab set up at an ancient altar. They went by it and opened up one door just to find that it was a closet. Half a full set of human bones tumbled out, causing Weiss to step back to avoid them.

"Huh, guess we should have asked about skeletons in the closet." Yang laughed while Weiss groaned.

Beyond the room was a short hall that they immediately noticed was covered in traps. As the two gingerly stepped over and around the flagstone triggers, they noted the different dangers, such as the spiked swinging gate, dart chutes, and fire spouts. Past them, they opened a door into a large chamber with a stone arch bridge across from them. A long, stone table was set with several candles and a couple of bloodstained spots around the body of a dead and desiccated Orc. To the left was an enchanting table, and to their right was a raised dais with a throne upon it. In that throne sat a man who immediately shot up when he spotted them, an armed Nord and a skeleton to his left, and a vampire woman to his right.

"How in Oblivion- Who are you?" he demanded of them.

"Hi, I'm Yang, and I'm here to kick your ass. Give up and I won't splatter you across the wall."

"For gods' sakes… I'm here to collect from the Bloodspring," Weiss announced. "Let us by and there won't be any-"

"Kill them," he commanded his followers.

"-trouble." Weiss groaned and readied her blade while Yang took out her black axe while curling the fingers of her other hand. The man raised his own axe and charged her, but the blonde sidestepped him and brought Black Whisper down onto his back. The skeleton tried firing an arrow at her, but Yang barely felt it as it bounced off her pauldron and Aura. The vampire woman came at Weiss with a swing, but the fencer parried her and made a thrust, scoring a deep stab on her shoulder. As she backed away, Weiss readied an ice spike and launched it at her, piercing her other shoulder as well. Rather than go down, the vampire went back on the attack. The apparent leader roared out in rage and leaped for Yang, but she nailed him mid-air with a fireball she'd been charging. As he was sent flying back, now ablaze, she reached behind her back while dropping Black Whisper and drew her crossbow. The moment the vampire was back up, the bolt shot into his chest, eliciting a pained scream from him as he clutched it at the entry point.

"You can give up," Yang told him as she reloaded then threw a firebolt at the skeleton. "Just sayin'."

"Like I'd…give up to you mortals!" he yelled as he pulled out a flask and chugged it. Yang smelled the familiar sweetness of Sleeping Tree Sap and almost sighed. As he stood up seemingly at full strength, Yang fired the second bolt at him then hung her crossbow back after it hit.

"Well, I did want to test this out," she said while charging up a fiery spell, her other hand waving around it.

Weiss blocked another strike and focused the built-up power in her gloves. Like she'd hoped, the force behind blocked hits had fed into them. She readied herself for a thrust and the vampire seemed to be anticipating it. Her blade flashed in and the other tried to parry, but the force was too much for her to overcome, and Weiss kept on going, piercing through her opponent's chest and then all the way through her back. The heiress backed away from her foe and let her slide from off her blade. At the same time, Yang charged the man before her with her spell ready.

"I gotta say it! Luóxuànqiú!" she shouted as the swirling ball of fire was brought forward to meet the man's chest, her other hand catching his axe before it could reach her as her knees bent. The spell ground into him as it burned and pushed him back, and then Yang was slinging him forward with it and into the wall, where the fiery ball stayed and keep spinning, pushing, and burning for another couple of seconds before going out. When it died, the vampire collapsed and Yang panted while standing victorious.

"That was overkill," Weiss stated.

"Yeah, but he drank Sleeping Tree Sap. He was going so slow that it was the perfect time to field test that."

"Also, you're ripping off Mistralian ninja cartoons now?"

"Hey, if it looks stupid, but it works, it ain't stupid."

"Right…" Weiss walked over to the man and started rifling through his things, finding a key on him after a moment as well as another notebook. "Well, looks like my hunch was right. This was Vanarus Vulpin."

"So…we killed the master vampire of this bunch?"

"Essentially. It should be easier to convince those others to leave now, assuming they don't attack us once we make our offer."

"Yeah. Well, let's get your bloody water." Yang laughed at her own joke as they went under the arch. Weiss unlocked the door before heading in. Just past it they could see the Bloodspring in question, bubbling up from deep underground with the scattered pieces of at least five different bloody skeletons around it.

"Cheese Louise, look at that thing!" Yang muttered. "It's like something out of a Hell-Lifter movie."

"Oh, now I have a point of reference to compare my time at the castle to. Thanks," Weiss sarcastically said as she walked up to it. Just as she was about to reach into her bag for the Chalice, she saw two people come up from the shadows of the cavern, both of them in the same style of armor as the others from Volkihar Castle.

"You know," the woman began, "here I was trying to think of how to explain away your death as an accident, but you've gone and given me the perfect excuse." She smiled in Yang's direction, letting Weiss know what she meant by that.

"Yeah," the man added. "Guess you couldn't keep away from your little dog for too long after all."

"We're just lucky I was here to return the Chalice to Vingalmo, so he could make sure Harkon gets it back."

"Wait, what?" he yelled in surprise. "That's not what we agreed. We take it back together."

"Idiot. You didn't really think I'd let you walk out of here either, did you? Vingalmo wants you both dead."

"Well that's just fine. Orthjolf told me to finish off anyone who got in the way."

"Wow, Weiss, I didn't think when you introduced me to the family, it'd get heated so quick," Yang quipped.

"I don't even really know these two idiots," Weiss retorted. "Before we do anything, let me ask you something. Did either of you ever report back anything?"

The vampires looked at each other and then laughed.

"Are you kidding?" the man said, certain of his impending victory. "We didn't have time."

"We just made sure to get here ahead of you, whelp. Although it seems that was a waste of effort after all, with how you took your sweet time getting here."

"So no one but you two knows?"

"Just us," the woman confirmed.

"Good, good," Weiss intoned while getting in a stance. "Then all I have to do is get rid of you two."

For a second everyone was still, then all four burst into action. Weiss stabbed towards the man, but he dodged aside then leaped back while leaving a small stream of fire between them. During Weiss' moment of hesitation, he wrapped himself in the bloody cloak and transformed into a Vampire Lord. Yang tossed fireballs at the woman, who jumped out of their way while trying to retaliate.

"A little help here, Stalph?!" the woman called out to the other vampire.

"What? Can't handle it on your own, Salonia?" he taunted her while blocking Weiss' attempted stabs with his claws.

"Do you want to fight them both?"

"Ah, fine!" As Weiss reared back he leaped up and flapped his wings, lifting one hand up as something began forming. A second later, Weiss was dodging the claws of a gargoyle. With his opponent occupied, he focused a ball of red magicka and launched it at Yang, who raised her arms to block it, only to feel its power drain.

"Shit, shit, double shit!" she grunted as another came at her and she narrowly got out of its way. Luckily, Weiss had managed to prove that a gargoyle's wings are useless by throwing one into the air with her glyph and went back on the attack with a summoned Boarbatusk. The pig-like Grimm spun itself and charged at Stalph, who avoided it by turning into a cloud of bats. Unfortunately, the white Grimm hit a wall and landed on its back, where the vampire dropped down and skewered it with his claws. As it dissipated, Yang turned back to her foe to find she'd become a Vampire Lord as well. She dashed in and caught Yang's wrist before she could summon any more flames.

"No more of-" Yang's left hook came in and smashed her across the face, knocking loose a couple of teeth as she spun away. The werewolf cracked her neck and loosened her shoulders as she stared down the vampire.

"Yeah, no." Golden fur began sprouting up as Yang changed into her wolf form, reaching full transformation within seconds and roaring in challenge before charging.

Weiss ducked under a clawed swing and jabbed forward, punching through flesh but seemingly doing nothing to wound Stalph. She tried slicing his arm but watched as his skin sealed itself back together. He laughed before lunging at her, but she sped away with a glyph and left a lightning rune in her place. Stalph seemed to dumbly notice it before it exploded around him. As he screamed, Weiss took a stance and focused on forming a haste glyph beneath her while creating several repulse glyphs around her foe. She then jumped forward and began leaping between them, slicing him from every different direction. When she leaped back out and looked at him, he was covered in cuts, some bleeding profusely. He snarled at her, but then laughed as his blood seemed to sink back into him and his wounds healed near seamlessly. Weiss looked at him dumbfounded as he chuckled.

' _That can't be right! How's he healing like that?!'_

As Stalph seemed to stalk toward her, they both heard a pained scream alongside a roar and looked to see that Yang had tackled Salonia onto her back and was raking her claws across her face and torso back and forth. The vampire woman tried to bat her off and jab at her with her own claws, but then one came too close to the werewolf's mouth and got chomped on. Yang then shoved her claw through and ripped the arm away at the elbow. While other wounds were healing, albeit slower than on Stalph, her arm stayed severed and kept bleeding.

"Damn!" Weiss muttered before feeling her Aura reserves. She didn't have enough to summon back her Arma Gigas, much less Nahkrensos, but she could still fight. Instead, she focused in on something else and breathed in. As the claustrophobia-inducing mass surrounded her, Weiss opened her eyes and readied herself to fight the moment she came out. As the bloody chrysalis burst she thrust forward, surprisingly noting that her rapier was still in hand.

' _What?'_ she thought as she stabbed into Stalph's arm before backing up and hovering in place. She was certainly transformed, going by the skin tone alone, but it was lighter than before, and her hand looked almost normal. A quick look at her other hand showed that she still had claws, but not like before. The last time, they had been more like Stalph's, with the middle one far longer than the others and the pinky shrunken down to the size of a toe. Now it looked nearly like its pair, but the claws were still long and sharp. A quick test of will and they retracted suddenly and she could easily bend her fingers. She then extended them again and could feel them go stiff.

Her attention snapped back to the battle as her opponent tried to seize the initiative with a sudden charge, and she flapped her wings, which she idly noted looked longer, to back away. She lashed out with Strahlendjuwel then followed up with her claws, raking them across his face. As he grunted in pain, she focused on her magicka and brought up a red orb that she slapped across his face. As he screamed she stabbed into his belly with her sword, twisted it, and then pulled it out. As he clutched the wound, Weiss readied herself for a decapitating strike, only for him to jump up and catch her arm before biting down. She screamed, stabbed into his back with her claws, and dragged them across, raking strips of his ashen skin. The male let out a yell and Weiss kicked him away with her talon-like feet while her wings held her aloft. He came to a stop and looked up at her in rage. He readied himself to rush back at her, but then Yang's bloodied maw came down onto his shoulder, clamping down like a vice that pierced skin and crushed bone while her claws sank into his other arm, immobilizing him. Weiss sped forward through the air, her left hand reared back and Strahlendjuwel disappearing as her claws extended. With a feral shriek, she stabbed forward into his chest, instinct guiding her between his ribs and into his heart, which she then ripped out. As it turned into vampire dust in her hand, Stalph dissolved into blood and ash, which Yang let fall to the ground. The werewolf looked up to her partner and grunted.

"You were holding back," she pointed out, her voice noticeably deeper but still quite clear.

"What?"

"You held back. That's why you still had your sword," she explained further.

"I was not," Weiss protested. "It was…completely unintentional. I didn't even think I _could_ have my weapon. I certainly didn't have it the last couple times I transformed."

"Maybe you didn't mean to," Yang said as she starting shrinking down, her voice returning to its normal pitch, "but it was definitely the result. Once you let loose, it poofed, and you ripped him up."

"Look, I honestly don't know what you're on about." Weiss felt herself transform back as well, feeling more like she was sucking in the form rather than busting it out, her sword mystically coming back into hand along with her actual outfit as she did. "It's just something weird about how this whole Vampire Lord thing works."

"Look, I'm not trying to fuss, I'm just trying-" Yang paused and looked at her armor's shoulder, which stopped going down with the rest of her. "What the hell?" She pushed at it, but it refused to budge. "What?"

"Hold on." Weiss went around her and looked at the back to see a sort of dent in the scales. "Seems you got a chink in the armor."

"Aw, man! What am I supposed to do with this? I can't go walking around with one shoulder up to my eyeballs like some reject from Battleaxe Twenty-K." She sighed before trying to grow back to her wolf form, only to suddenly stop and wince halfway through when the armor refused to expand with her, and shifted back to human. "Great, that one snag's affecting all the interlocking parts around it. Now the whole torso's locked up."

"I guess you'll have to," Weiss shrugged, "take it off."

Yang sighed. "We left all the spare clothes on the pig."

* * *

From the other side of the room, there was a door that led to a hallway with several barrels and a large keg. From the smell, it was food and mead, but the scent of skooma was also wafting back in again. The pair weren't a hundred percent sure of it, but opening the next door verified their suspicion as they came up behind the dealer from the back of her barred section, the Bosmer threateningly holding a bow at the ready while a handful of angered men and women stared her down. Weiss saw one of the attendants lying in a pool of blood with a pair of arrows in his chest and a key clutched in his hand.

"Ha, it's over for you now!" one of the twin Redguards taunted the elf, seeing the two Huntresses emerge behind the barkeep. The Bosmer, not realizing what she was referring to, merely aimed her bow at her.

"If any of you so much as takes a step towards it, it'll be your-" Yang reached around and grabbed her drawing arm. The Bosmer then forcibly held her arms still while she slowly looked back at the blonde in fear. Yang brought her face a little closer and took in a deep breath through her nose.

"You're not a vampire," she concluded. "But you weren't one of the thralls either." She pulled her arms down and forced her to drop her weapons while putting her wrists together. Immediately, the other twin shot over and grabbed the key.

"I… How did…?"

"We recently came into conflict with Mr. Vulpin," Weiss began. "It did not end well for him."

"So that's it, huh?" the Breton man asked. "The vampires are dead?"

"Not all of them, but we're about to go back down and deal with the others," Yang relayed as the door was opened. "So, who still needs freeing here?"

"Uh, far as we know, their boss controlled all but a couple of us," the twin woman who opened the gate explained. She glared at the captured dealer and sneered. "Count yourself lucky, you harlot. If that were me, I'd have cut your throat out by now."

"Yeah, none of that," Yang said while pushing her over and grabbing a rag to tie around her wrists.

"Wait, why aren't we killing her?" the other twin asked.

"Maybe they're going to turn her in to the Rift guards," the Breton man guessed.

"Oh, well that sounds…" The woman paused and sharply elbowed the Nordic man, causing him to grunt while tearing his gaze away from Yang's…state. "Stop it!"

"Hey, can you blame me?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes," the twins and Weiss answered all at once. Yang just sighed in inured disgust.

"Stare all you want, but if your hand comes close to me, you won't get it back."

"Well, if you didn't want men staring, why'd you wear something like that?" he shot at her.

"My armor got damaged," she snapped back. "Even if I was walking around in a thin, white tube top on purpose, that doesn't mean I'm doing it for men to see." After a moment, she smirked. "What if I wanted it to be just women looking at me?"

"…Do you?" the woman outside of the cage meekly asked.

"Down, Rea," her twin admonished.

As though waiting for the moment, the tied-up Bosmer suddenly rushed down into the back way. Weiss groaned and shot after her.

"Get back here!" she shouted after the prisoner.

"Damn it! Hey, you guys grab whatever and head back to the surface. We'll be up in a second. Don't open any cages," she warned them before going after the other two. When she caught up to them near the Bloodspring, though, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

"Weiss, no!" she shouted while lunging for them. Luckily, Weiss seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in and removed herself from the elf's neck. As she backed away in fear, the drug dealer dizzily leaned against a wall and slowly slid down to a squat.

"I… I'm sorry! I was…fully intending to stop, I swear!"

"Weiss, calm down. Freaking out about this won't help." Yang grabbed the Bosmer's head and shifted it around to get a look at the bitten spot. "No real marks, but I can smell where you were draining her. I imagine she's going to be woozy for a while." Yang sighed and stood up. "You have some medicine on you, right?"

"Oh, yes! I keep a few just in case of…accidents," Weiss said as she dug through her satchel and pulled out a vial. Yang took it and leaned back down to tip the woman's head back and pour it into her mouth.

"Swallow," she commanded. The woman obeyed with a wince and smacked her lips slowly at the taste. Yang stood up again with another sigh while Weiss looked away in shame.

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. You know how many times I ripped up some guy when I really shouldn't have?" She placed her arm around the vampire and held her close for a moment.

* * *

As luck would have it, the remaining vampires were completely cowed by Yang and Weiss. Not because of Vanarus, but the two Volkihars that had been awaiting Weiss. It was a little embarrassing that they had, apparently, simply straight up told the guards they were vampires, demanded to meet their boss, and made him quiver in fear before simply waiting on her while taking a portion of the blood the skooma business brought them. The fact that Weiss and Yang had soundly defeated all three of them made the two even more deadly in their eyes. None of the four vampires wanted to challenge that.

"So wait, you _wanted_ to be a thrall?" Yang, now clothed with a fur coat draped over her shoulders to mostly cover her spider silk chest wrap, asked the Nordic man who had been guarding the hound-filled room.

"Why not? I just do much of what I was doing before, but I get to be the servant of an eternally beautiful woman while doing it."

"You're too sweet, really," his master said with a smile while the other three looked disgusted at them.

"So you're really going to let them go?" another woman asked, her eyes glaring murderous daggers at the undead all the while.

"It's more like rehabilitation," Yang argued. "Or…an asylum? But for vampires? Basically they'll have to follow rules and a bunch of guys will be there to keep them in line, but you can still do stuff."

"All right," Weiss announced as she came from upstairs, "Tolfdir will be here to take you all to the College of Winterhold soon. I'm giving him this bag of confiscations to pay for the costs of a Mass Teleportation scroll." Said bag she was dangling was mostly full of moon sugar, skooma, and other illicit substances. All things that the College could convert into something useful or use for testing, but were extremely difficult for them to obtain. "You'll have a dozen master wizards and a plethora of mages of all stripes around you, so don't get any ideas. One wrong move and you'll be blasted to Oblivion. The master of the Haven has already been informed about you all and is on his way. Don't piss him off either. He's far more powerful than me."

"We're basically being imprisoned," a male grumbled.

"Better than I feared. At least we're not dead," his fellow argued.

"There is that to consider," Weiss agreed. She looked over at Yang and nodded. "Good news at least, Brelyna was able to get all the pieces I need for my next communicator prototype. Erevan's going to bring them to Windhelm, so I can pick them up there."

"Oh, that's cool! Did you get a moment to talk to J'zargo?" At the silence she received for an answer, Yang shook her head. "I won't push it, but it's better to get it off your chest sooner rather than later."

"I know, but…I'd rather it be in person, you understand?"

"Yeah, I guess I do." The blonde sighed. "Well, you could ask him to come down with Erevan."

"I could…" Before Weiss could ruminate on it any further, the pile-up of blubbering addicts shifted and a form leaped out while screaming.

"No! Namiira's rotting hand reaches for me! The Skooma Cat chuckles! Oh Jode! Oh Jone! Please guide me!" Bamhaba shot up and out of the cave, screaming all the way.

"Oh geez! Weiss, watch the kids. I'll go make sure the monkey cat doesn't hurt himself." As Yang went after the screaming Khajiit, the enthralled man raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fairly certain they don't like being called that."

When Yang got up to the surface, the other former thralls were staring at the top of a tall tree, where the Dagi-raht had climbed up and begun waving his arms wildly in the direction of the rising moons.

"Mama! Papa! Please forgive Bamhaba! He will leave skooma behind and become a changed cat!"

"Why'd the one that can climb trees in seconds have to have a bad trip? Yang grumbled. "Hey, you guys help me make sure he doesn't fall!"

"Having trouble?" Tolfdir asked as he walked out of the woods.

"Hey, you're here quicker than I thought," the blonde said in surprise.

"I've been all up and down this river and all its lakes. It was just a matter of remembering which shore was closer." He looked up at the Dagi-raht with an interested hum. "So what's happening here?"

"Guy's having a bad skooma trip. Started yelling about Namira and now he's begging his parents to forgive him."

"Oh dear. I've seen this before, though it was a tower, not a tree. Nothing for it but to wait."

"Yeah, I was afraid of that. Well, let me show you to the group. Hey Anum-La, make sure the guy doesn't have a bad fall."

"All right. Just make sure you come back with all your clothes this time," the Argonian laughed. At Tolfdir's wide-eyes, Yang just smiled and shrugged.

"Long story."

* * *

"Blake, good to see you," Erandur greeted her as she came up to the vicinity of the old shack. As she did, she noticed a crusty-looking old Nord wearing a helmet and tattered clothes leaned against the shack's walls.

"Hey, Erandur. What's up with that guy?"

"Seems to be some poor sod that lost his mind." He shook his head and sighed. "He rambled on about how Ulfric is actually Talos and both are a shape-shifting vampire. It sounded insane even before he started explaining how he went undercover as a prostitute that was a word for word match to the main character of _Mystery of Talara_."

"Ah, don't tell me any more about it, I'm still reading that one." She looked at the man and rubbed her chin as easily identified intrusive thoughts came up. "He's not bothering M'rissi and Inigo, is he?"

"Not particularly, though he did harass this passer-by yesterday who was wearing red. He believes he's part of the Stormcloak army, and that he's keeping Imperial spies and scouts from entering the Rift through Falkreath. The Legion's already been told about him. I suspect they'll be here in a day or two."

"We don't want to get mixed up in that."

"Which is another thing. Your friend Ruby asked me to ask M'rissi and Inigo about coming to that house she's been working on. There's enough room for them both without being cramped, and it's possibly a better place for the cat to grow. They're already packed and ready to go."

"Mrew! M'rissi has her things," the Khajiit said while coming out with a backpack. Blake jumped back when she saw the black kitten at her heels.

"What the hell?"

"That was about my response as well," Erandur admitted. "Something about that shadow magic seems to have affected little Lirry in a deep way, making her grow quicker than normal."

"I don't think we can call her 'little' anymore. She's twice the size she was when we found her," Blake said as she kneeled down to look over the now dog-sized, pure black sabrecat. Lirry looked at her cautiously, her ears back in a warning way, but not quite to an aggressive stance.

"Hoh, I don't think she likes you, Blake," M'rissi said with disappointment.

"I guess that's fair," the Faunus sighed as she stood back up and stepped back. "How have you guys been feeding her?"

"Exhaustively," Inigo griped as he came along. "She can eat a whole deer in a day at this point. I stopped bothering with butchering them and just leave them for her to chow down on. At this rate, we're going to need a mammoth herd."

"I tried stabilizing her with something similar to what I used to cleanse the cave," Erandur explained, "but the process seems uncomfortable to her. Hopefully, her future growth will be more manageable."

"I guess that's all we could ask for." Blake looked the group over while pulling out her scroll. "I'm calling Ruby to let her know we're on the way. Let's hit the road."

"Yes, let's get on with it." Inigo looked behind them nervously. "That man is crazy," he whispered. "And I do not want to be near him for another second. His talk of certain applications of fire salts was enough to make me consider whether or not his murder would be worth it."

"I don't even want to know," Blake deadpanned while her scroll called up Ruby. The girl answered with a smile and a nice view of the lake behind her.

"Hi Blake!"

"Hey Ruby. We just left that shack and we're heading your way. I've got Inigo, M'rissi, and Erandur along with Esbern."

"Don't forget the glutton of a sabrecat." Inigo commented from the side as Lirry pawed at his leg with a hungry chuff.

"Oh, that's good! I think we can meet about halfway at…" Ruby looked at her other hand, which was holding a half-folded map. "Ivarstead? No, wait, Helgen. Yeah, we can meet up at Helgen and split back up. I'll be taking Esbern up to Riverwood, and you can take your friends to the new house."

"Actually, I need to head back to Riften as quickly as possible," Blake explained to her. "There's something big with the Guild right now, probably the source behind most of the issues we've had."

"Oh, okay. Darn, guess I'll have to show it to you later. Oh well, it's not done yet anyway." Ruby smiled again and shrugged. A thunderous sound rang out, and Ruby turned. "Guys, I said deal with him peacefully."

"He swung first!" a pair of male and female voices defended.

"What was that?" Blake asked.

"Eh, it was just a Giant. A mean one. He was trying to demand that we give him our cow."

"Why do you have a cow?"

"For fresh milk, of course," Ruby happily answered, then sheepishly scratched her cheek. "I…may have gone a tad overboard, though. I got the cow, then I felt like she was lonely, so I got some goats and chickens, then I figured we'd need a few stables or a barn…"

"Are you building a small house or a farm?"

"A bit of both, I guess. At least the guys will have something to do. Anyways, I better go. I'm going to try to finish up this last wall before we leave tonight. Hopefully we don't have another skeever pack try to make a nest in the cellar while we're gone."

* * *

Ruby tested the draw of her bow a bit as she followed Lydia into the forest. Zora and Gorr remained behind to finish up preparations to head to Helgen, while Ruby decided to surprise her friends with fresh meat for themselves and their cub, and so convinced Lydia to hunt with her.

"So, what are we hunting?"

"We'll be hunting moose." Ruby waited for a second as they stopped and Lydia looked at her.

"Um, which way?"

"In the direction of moose."

Ruby felt a little dumbfounded by that, and tried to call upon what she knew about hunting as Lydia raised an eyebrow at her challengingly. It was, admittedly, not much. Huntsmen and Huntresses usually went into the field with enough provisions to last them their whole mission, and survival training for extended missions or getting stranded in the wilderness was a second year course. Blake _did_ try to show them a little before, but she couldn't remember much about it. She tried to recall some basics and looked across the ground before her eyes spotted a couple of spaced-out hoof prints, each bigger than her hand. She looked in the direction they were going and then at Lydia.

"Uh, this way," she said before quietly going forward, stepping lightly through the leaves and keeping her eyes open. She could barely feel Lydia's presence behind her, and she certainly couldn't hear her. More tracks showed here and there, letting Ruby know she was on the right trail. A sudden noise from up ahead made her go stock still.

"Was that a bear?" she whispered to her housecarl.

"No, that was a moose."

" _That_ was a moose?" Ruby had never heard, or really seen, a moose before. She always just figured it was a bigger deer. She certainly couldn't imagine any deer making a noise like that. She continued to stalk forward and soon began seeing the pelt of her prey. Silently, she stepped towards a closer and better angle until she could see the whole beast, and her eyes nearly popped out at what she was seeing.

"It's huge," she muttered as it continued on eating some acorn-like nuts spread about the ground.

"And dangerous," Lydia reminded her. "Aim for the heart, it's the quickest way."

Ruby nodded and nocked an arrow before aiming. Slowly, she drew back on the string while she lined up with her sight. She listened for the rustling of leaves in the wind and adjusted slightly for the distance. The moose moved a little, exposing the perfect place to plant her arrow, yet she did not loose it. Slowly, she let go of the tension.

"I… I don't know…"

"Ruby, listen," Lydia comfortingly whispered. "That moose there would not hesitate to try to charge or stomp you to death. If a sabrecat were hunting it, it would not hesitate to disembowel it. Both want to survive, and both have that right, but so do we." Quietly, she moved next to her, crouched down to her level. "We aren't striking out in anger, malice, or cruelty. If we were starving, we would have no other alternative. We'd need to survive, and whether it's plants or animals, we need to eat to survive."

That didn't sound very different from having to fight back against people who were trying to kill her, if she thought about it. Ruby looked back over at the moose. It had stopped chewing and seemed to look up, not at them, but at the sound of another moose in the distance. It let out another bellow, but then bent its head back down to chew up more of the forest nuts. She took up her bow again, drew it back, and took a deep breath as she aimed, no different from lining up a shot with her sniper rifle. As she released the breath, the arrow loosed and sank into the beast's chest. The moose turned and ran, smashing through the underbrush for a handful of seconds before collapsing. Suddenly elated, Ruby jumped to her feet and ran out to where it fell. Lydia followed her, and the two stopped to look at the felled animal.

"I…" Ruby tried to find the words, but none were forthcoming. Lydia reached over and patted her shoulder with a smile.

"Good job, Ruby."

* * *

"Helgen was destroyed by a dragon attack, from what I heard," Esbern said. "But to hear that it was Alduin himself… Well, if my eyes weren't open to the dangers before. And you even fought him."

"I wouldn't say fought so much as floundered," Blake admitted, her pride certainly feeling the blow. "We didn't even scratch him at the time. We've learned a lot since then, but I don't know if we'd be able to do anything if he showed up again."

The rebuilding town was coming into sight. Just as the group was nearly upon it, they heard a roar from the north. Everyone looked and saw a dark shape quickly growing from the distant haze. Another roar echoed out, and then a navy-colored dragon zoomed overhead. It banked back around while glaring at the town, and screams began rising up from the populace as they scrambled to get somewhere safe.

"No, not again!" Blake shouted as she pulled out her bow and ran to a hilltop. Carefully she aimed and loosed an arrow in the dragon's path, hitting it and catching its attention before it could move in on Helgen. With its eyes on her, Blake sent another shot at it then began running. The dragon roared again and then came after her, its wings beating the air violently.

"Find cover!" she warned the others. M'rissi scooped up Lirry in her arms and ran into the forests while Inigo took up his bow and began sending arrows at the aerial foe. "Erandur, watch over her!"

"On it!" the Dunmer priest answered while taking off after the young woman.

" **Oblaan kaazze!"** he yelled at them before unleashing icy breath upon Blake's location. She ran ahead of the freezing beam and managed to turn around and launch another arrow into his hide. Two consecutive shots came from Inigo, and the dragon looked at him in fury, readying another breath just before several explosive fireballs slammed into him, courtesy of Esbern.

"You won't have your way!" he yelled back at the dragon before sending a double-cast ball. The dragon winged up over it then dived down, his maw ready to snap up the old man. Esbern sent a pair of spells under him, one leaving a rune on the ground and the other sending him flying through the air. As the dragon passed, the rune exploded in a fiery column, burning its underside. Esbern flailed a little as he went through the air, then Blake came in and caught him, setting him back on his feet after they landed.

"Okay, any idea how to take him down quickly?"

"I… Yes. We need to hit the softer points, but especially around the wings. We ground it, and it's done for. The armpits and around the thighs are the places with the softest scales."

"Okay, I can ground him, but-" Blake's ears shot up when she heard a scream, and then she was speeding off like a bullet. Inigo was ahead of her at first, and both caught sight of the dragon shoving his way through the trees and trying to bite down on M'rissi as she ran with the cub in her arms. Erandur was trying to get his attention with fireballs, but he seemed intent on his chosen prey.

"Get away from her!" Inigo roared before he jumped up and onto the dragon's face. The reptile tried to shake him loose as the Khajiit took up his sword and began slicing and slamming it into his head. When Inigo was finally shaken off, the dragon had a fair portion of its facial skin peeled away and even spots of bone were exposed.

" **Filthy mortals! Die!"**

Blake dashed in and sliced Gambol Shroud across the dragon's cheek before leaping out of the way of his teeth. Before he went much further, a Frost Atronach rushed in and smashed his head with a mace-like hand. The dragon instantly turned on it and chomped down, crushing it between his jaws. Blake took the moment to look around their surroundings and saw how closely packed all the trees were. She looked to Gambol Shroud then nodded to herself as her plan came to mind.

"Esbern," she said to the man as she came up to him. "I have an idea. Don't let him take off."

"Oh, okay then, but…where are you…" He watched her speed off and nodded. "Right." He concentrated his magicka and formed an icy rune beneath the dragon. It exploded, hitting wings, legs, and belly, leaving the reptile's body partially covered in ice.

"My forebears hunted down many of your brethren, dragon," Esbern taunted him. "Prepare to join them."

" **You…"** The dragon's eyes narrowed. **"I came here solely to stamp out any defiance, but you…deserve a slow, arduous death."** He bared his teeth and began walking towards the Blade.

"I have learned of the dragonlore since I was a young man. Tell me your name dragon, so that I might etch it on your tombstone."

" **Only your foolish bravery merits you the knowledge. Know that you died to the might of Lonkiindah!"** The dragon lunged, but his teeth snapped onto a conjured wall of stone. As he ripped away the barrier, Blake sped by him, then went up and over. He snapped at her, but she was replaced by a clone and jumped from around a tree, ran back at him, then leaped over his head again.

" **Jumpy cat! Stay still!"** he demanded while trying to follow her with his gaze. His jaws continuously caught nothing, and even when it seemed he should have, Blake remained out of reach thanks to her Semblance. He tried jumping after her, only to gag as something held him in place. He shook his head, then looked around to see that his neck had been tied up by a black ribbon, wrapped around several trees in different directions. Blake stopped and pushed her Aura into the ribbon, constricting it and tightening its grip on the dragon. Lonkiindah roared as he tried to shake loose, but Blake kept her grip as she wrapped the end around the hilt of her Daedric dagger.

"You caught it!"

"Yeah, but that's not going to hold," Blake gritted out. Immediately, Esbern noticed how some of the trees were being uprooted. "And that's as much as I could stretch it out." She stabbed the dagger into the tree and took off again, this time reaching for the Ebony Blade.

' _Time to see how sharp you really are,'_ she thought as she jumped up to and off from one of the highest points of her ribbon. She went up and above the struggling dragon and zeroed in on its neck. Gravity took over and pulled her down, and once she was near the dragon, she sliced down with all of her might. The Daedric blade split apart scales, flesh, and bone, all the way through the halfway point between body and head. The dragon tried to roar out in pain for a split second but went silent as he was fully decapitated. The head hung from the black lines like a macabre decoration while the body fell back then collapsed forward onto the ground, blood pouring out and steaming.

Blake felt the bliss that came with spilling blood with the Ebony Blade come and slowly fade, then sheathed the weapon as her friends rejoined with them, Inigo sporting a gash across his forehead that Erandur tried to heal.

"Hello?" she heard a familiar voice call out as the brush was pushed past. "We heard there was a dragon?"

"Over here, Ruby," she called out. The words were quickly followed by a ball of rose petals zooming out of the trees and stopping before her in the form of her team leader.

"Blake, you're okay! Whoa, did you do that?" she asked when she saw the dead dragon.

"Everyone did that," Blake answered, brushing her hair back. A Redguard man came in and smiled wide when he saw the corpse.

"Oh yes! The Gods have graced us!" he cheered while walking up to the body. Lydia came in with Zora just behind her, and the two noted the body as they regrouped.

"These are your friends?" Esbern asked. "The Dragonborn?"

"Yep," Blake answered with a nod. He then walked up to them and looked straight at Lydia.

"Dragonborn, you have no idea how happy I am to see…to know that you exist. With you here, there may finally be hope for this world. Know that the Blades will be there to stand by your side."

Lydia looked at him then over at Ruby. The woman cleared her throat and indicated the young girl.

"I'm sure my Thane, the Dragonborn, appreciates it." He looked over at Ruby in surprise as she waved at him.

"Hi."

"Oh, uh, I'm so sorry! That was terribly presumptuous of me! Still, my words stand…but for you! It is, truly, good to meet you, Dragonborn."

"Thanks. Anyways, let's talk on the way back to Helgen. We've gotta let them know the coast is clear. …And I think Gorr _really_ wants a dragon steak."

The group looked over at the man who was measuring up the large carcass and deciding on which part he wanted a cut from.

"He was really disappointed when I killed the other dragon at Lakeview just before we left for Helgen."


	56. Written by the Victors

**Hey guys! This is freaking chapter 50! My fiftieth chapter! Yes, I know I _technically_ passed the fifty mark on this site, but that's counting the Apocrypha and Omake parts. Well, me, xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor got it here for you guys!**

* * *

"Hey, S'aharra," Blake called out as she entered the house from the lakeside porch. "I'm here."

"Ah, good to see you, dear friend," the Khajiit greeted her as she entered. "Is all well?"

"M'rissi's doing well, and so is the little cub she's taking care of." Blake figured it probably wasn't so little anymore by this point, but she kept that information to herself. Erandur then came in after her and bowed his head.

"Greetings, ma'am."

"And greetings to you, kind sir. You are traveling with friend Blake, yes?"

"That I am, though I think I may rest my feet in Riften for a spell. I believe I'll go and see the Temple of Mara soon, too."

"I might join you. I could probably use some divine inspiration right about now," the Faunus said before heading towards the front door. "First, I need to let the Guild know I'm back."

"Ah, yes, another thing," S'aharra called after her. "Your friends, Weiss and…the yellow one are here. Weiss told this one she would be in the Ratway looking for you."

"Oh gods! By herself?" Blake asked in annoyance before heading out. She went down to the sewer entrance and moved at a quickened pace, only slowing when she entered the Ragged Flagon itself. Weiss' white hair and light blue robes stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the dirty browns and near-blacks of the underground bar's normal patrons. The heiress had been in discussion with Vex and Sapphire by the looks of things.

To Blake's immense surprise, Weiss appeared to be advising the thieves on how to best select targets for theft.

"So you see, going that way about it will only cause you to lose profits," she continued in her lecturing tone at them. "You have to consider the long-term effects of totally destroying a caravan that a business might need to stay on its legs. Most merchants can recover from a handful of missing items, but only large companies and corporations could hope to shake off the loss of a whole shipment."

"I don't know. That might not have as good a turnover," Vex objected. "And that's ignoring the armed escort bigger companies could afford."

"No. No, I see where she's coming from," Sapphire stated, then hummed to herself while tapping her chin. "Although, if you know the caravan's from a bigger company, it might be worth the hit. Wasn't there someone doing that once upon a time?"

"Yeah, and now Larkspur's rotting in Whiterun's dungeon."

"Actually, they freed him long ago," Delvin said while turning back to look at them. "Good to see ya, Belladonna. Yer friend here's been a delight."

"Blake, you're here," Weiss stated as she stood up. The two nearly made to hug each other, but paused in consideration of their surroundings then settled on shortly clasping an arm around each other for a moment. "How's everything?"

"Well enough. Ruby's taking Esbern up to Riverwood. Maybe we'll finally get somewhere on this whole dragon situation." They turned and began to walk away from the crowd as they talked. "Meanwhile, we've got a problem here."

"Yes, a few of them mentioned it. Someone by the name of Karliah. I'd offer to help, but I need to make my way back to Volkihar Castle." She calmly looked over her shoulders then reached into her bag and pulled out a wicked looking chalice that was, somehow, filled with red liquid. "This thing has some strange magic about it. I filled it from the Bloodspring then added a few drops from those idiots. Now it won't pour out unless someone's drinking from it."

"And you know that because…"

"It's not very appetizing." Weiss put it back in and made sure her bag was secure. "Either way, I need to head back. I'll be going up through Windhelm and taking the boat from there, and I'll be sure to get a couple of baths and clothes changes to make sure there's no evidence of anyone else's involvement. Yang's made doubly sure that we haven't been followed, but we were sure about it on the way there, too. We weren't wrong, but we didn't think about someone beating us to the punch."

"As long as you're sure you'll be fine."

"The same with you. I don't know much about your Guild Master, but if these people have reason to be afraid then that's reason enough to be cautious."

"Belladonna, good to see you back," Mercer's voice called out to her, causing the girls to turn towards him as he approached. "Three days, like you said. Well, I hope you're ready to go out again."

"We're leaving now?"

"No, but first thing in the morning we will, and we won't be stopping except to sleep, so grab what rest you can. I have most everything we need packed, so just bring bare essentials. Meet me at the north gate first thing at dawn."

"Yes sir," she answered with a smile before the man turned and went back towards the Cistern. Weiss looked back at her with a questioning glance. "What?"

"Nothing. You just seemed a little eager."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, just an observation." Weiss shrugged. "Anyways, we really should get ready. We both have a long trip ahead of us."

"Yeah, that's true. Where's Yang, by the way?"

"She went ahead to Fort Dawnguard to tell them the bad news about Tolan, Adalvald, and Dimhollow's secret. I imagine she's probably already briefed them."

* * *

With a yell, Yang uppercut the vampire then swung down with Holy Ardon, splitting open her chest. The refugees behind her screamed as they tried to get away from the battle, and one of the attacking thralls suddenly collapsed while clutching his head. Isran bashed the knee out from under another attacker then crushed his head. Yang took a moment to catch her breath while looking at the spell that surrounded him, shrouding him in a whirling ball of light.

"Neat trick," she said while sheathing her axe. Isran, however, was seething as the spell faded.

"Look at this," he growled as they looked over a half dozen vampire bodies interspersed by two dead Dawnguard members and a few of the refugees. "I should have known it was only a matter of time before they found us. It's the price we pay for openly recruiting." He sighed as he shouldered his warhammer. "We'll have to step up our defenses. I don't suppose you have some good news for me?" he asked as he looked back at Yang.

"Well, I know these guys aren't with the main group. The Volkihars have a sort of uniform." They also didn't smell like them, but that wasn't evidence she could quite present. "Other than that, well, things aren't so good."

"Of course. Why did I suppose differently? Fine, tell me what you know."

"The thing the vampires were searching for…was a woman trapped in Dimhollow Crypt." Yang had thought through the explanation over a dozen times on her way there, trying her best not to sound too sympathetic or idiotic for what came next. So far, she didn't have too many ideas.

"A woman? Trapped in there?" Isran seemed dumbfounded by the notion. "That doesn't make any sense. Who is she? More importantly, where is she?"

"Okay, so hear me out before you get mad. I found a woman buried in a tomb through some magic stuff. She has no idea what's going on, and doesn't even know about the existence of the Empire." The Redguard's eyebrows shot up at that. "So she asks if I can lead her home, and I think 'Okay, sure. I might be able to get some clues as to what's going on if I do.' Then I bring her to an old castle, and it turns out…she's the daughter of a powerful Vampire Lord."

"And so you delivered her to them," he stated, anger showing in his eyes.

"They…also have an Elder Scroll," she got out quickly.

"They…what?" he blinked and shook his head. Then, a look of righteous anger and horror marred his face, and he looked her straight in the eyes. "And you didn't stop them?! You didn't secure the scroll?!"

Yang, anticipating this reaction, quickly responded. "Hey, I was lucky they let me leave there alive. There were dozens in that one room alone, and I could tell there were _way_ more lurking around." She sighed. "Look, it wasn't the smartest move, I'll admit, but I barely knew what an Elder Scroll was, much less what one looked like. I still barely know what they are."

He sighed and set his hammer down on the ground. "I suppose you're lucky you're not dead. Or worse, one of them." Yang flinched at the comment, but he didn't seem to take notice. "By the Divines, this couldn't get much worse, though. This is more than just a handful of fighters can handle."

"Yeah, you're telling me. They have a castle on a rocky island with only one viable direction of approach that they can clearly see people coming from." Yang huffed and rolled her shoulders. "Not to mention enough vampires to fill a stadium. A frontal assault with what we have now would be suicide."

"Yes, we're going to need help with this." He nodded and looked back at her. "I know you were only here as a liaison, and that trip to Dimhollow was more than enough to prove the Companions are willing to back us, but we need your help, and the help of others. There are people I've met and worked with over the years. We need their skills, their talents, if we're going to survive this."

"I know a few people myself. I might be able to get you some help, too."

"Good. Let's go and compile what we have. I have two people specifically in mind whose talents will be more than welcome." He buckled the warhammer to his back as he started heading back up to the fort, Yang following after him.

"Oh, uh, a little more," Yang said after a bit, causing him to turn towards her. "About Tolan…"

"I'm guessing something happened there."

"He took off ahead of me while I was helping with the stuff in Winterhold…"

"Heard about that." He sighed. "He's gone, then?"

"Yeah, but he fought well." She took out the Amulets of Stendarr from a pouch on her side. "I also came across Adalvald. They killed him right when I got there."

"And that's two more casualties for the Vigilant." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Probably best to either take them to Stendarr's Beacon or the chapel near the mountains. Come. I'll show where they are while we go over things."

* * *

 _Zora had decided to lead M'rissi and Inigo to Lakeview while Ruby and Lydia had planned to escort Esbern straight to Riverwood. However, Ruby didn't hear anything about what Gorr was planning on doing neither the night before or when Blake had left in the early morning. As they were packing and preparing, Ruby approached the large man and cleared her throat._

" _Yeah?"_

" _So, where are you planning to go?" she asked him._

" _Well, that's a problem, friend, seeing as I'm following you for a reason. Rather not have to think about where I'm going, if that's okay with you." Slowly he stroked his goatee while looking over the stony hallway. "But, if you want my advice, I'm a 'this way' or 'that way' guy. I just flip a coin, or someone annoying, and let it make heads or tails of the situation."_

" _Well, I guess if you're going to be that way about it." Ruby fished into her pocket and pulled out a diem. "So, heads for me, tails for Zora?"_

" _Sure. We'll go with that." As she flipped the coin into the air, he made a small laugh. "Who knows. Maybe I'll get a moment to-"_

 _Somehow, the coin hit a gap between stones and, against all odds, got stuck pointed straight up on its side. For a long moment, the two stared at the near impossibility with stark confusion._

" _You know, I don't consider myself a_ very _spiritual person," Ruby started out slowly. "But something like that…"_

The memory of what happened seemed to stick to Ruby's mind like syrup. In the end, Gorr decided to go his own way and 'follow his stomach'. The fact that the botched coin toss was what caused it seemed to haunt her like a confused ghost. She had almost refused to pick it up, as though doing so was going to invite more instances of the odd twist of fate.

"You mentioned slaying a dragon," Esbern suddenly spoke up from the back of Summer Breeze. "One attacked you at, uh, Lakeview, was it?"

"Yeah. Ausshulmiin. He just popped up all of the sudden and we took him down. I knocked him to the ground, then Zora came in and stabbed his chest. Then Gorr followed up and hammered her sword right into his heart like a nail. Said that all that time working on the house actually came in handy after all." Ruby giggled at the memory, then winced when the other side came up and she felt memories of having a sword driven into her chest come to the forefront. She took in a deep breath and focused on separating those moments in time before releasing it, seeing the 'her' grained against 'them'. "So, while I don't have to be the one doing the killing blow, I do have to be actively fighting a dragon to absorb its soul. If I'm not fighting it, I get nothing, even if I'm nearby. Blake proved that when she killed the other one."

"Yes. If we had been battling it for a little longer, you might have been able to absorb it."

"I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you," she muttered. Esbern seemed to look at her oddly, but said nothing else on the subject. As they reached Riverwood, the group dismounted and started heading inside. For a moment Ruby was walking firmly, but her steps faltered and she looked back at her housecarl. She then noted the downturn of Lydia's lips and the slight drop in her eyes.

"Lyd, you okay?"

"Hm? Yes, my Thane. I'm fine," she answered. Not believing her for a second, Ruby checked back over her shoulder to see that Esbern was continuing on into Riverwood, heading along the right path to the Sleeping Giant Inn. She then looked back at Lydia with a grimace.

"You're obviously not. What's wrong?"

The housecarl looked up and sighed. "I failed."

"What? No you didn't. I'm-"

"A vampire held you in his grasp, and nearly bit you," she interrupted Ruby. "If you hadn't had your Aura, you would have been bitten and partially drained by him. If Zora hadn't gotten to you in time, you could have been killed. I failed you. I was so caught up in fighting that I forgot my duty is to defend you, and it ended up being someone else that saved you."

"Hey, come on. It wasn't your fault. Besides, it was days ago, and I wasn't-"

"You weren't hurt because of extraordinary circumstances," Lydia jumped in again. "If you were a normal Tamrielic human or elf, you wouldn't have the protections you do. And I wouldn't have been able to save you there where your powers couldn't." She released a sigh. "But maybe, you wouldn't be in half of those situations in the first place." Her eyes widened, as though realizing what she had said. "I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

Ruby looked down and nodded. "No, it's okay. I…think I understand why you're so frustrated." She looked up and took note of Lydia's armor. Being orichalcum, it was stronger and lighter than simple steel, but it was still _just_ armor. It didn't boost her reflexes, tune up her senses, strengthen her, or protect her internally from shock. It only gave her a slight edge against the normal warriors of the world. "I've…been there before."

Lydia seemed to want to say something else, but simply nodded. Ruby tried to think of something else to tell her, but her thoughts were halted when Esbern came back.

"Um, I…can't seem to find the place," he admitted weakly.

"Okay, we'll head there with you." Trying her best to leave the conversation behind, Ruby led the old man to the inn. Inside, Delphine was looking over some papers at the bar, looking a little nervous as she did.

"Delphine!" Esbern exclaimed when he saw her. The woman turned around and gave them a smile as her tension visibly dissipated. "I… It's good to see you. It's been a long time."

"It's good to see you, too, Esbern," she answered. "It's been too long, old friend. Too long." After a moment of silence, she cleared her throat. "Well then. You made it, safe and sound," she directed at all of them. "Good. Come on, I have a place we can talk. Orgnar, hold down the bar for a minute, will you?"

"Yeah, sure," the man muttered before looking over the fairly empty establishment. "Not like there's much to look over, anyway..." Delphine led the group down into her secret basement, being sure to shut the doors behind them as they went. It wasn't much different from last time, though there was another katana hanging on the wall.

"Now then," she began. "I assume you know about…"

"Oh, yes! Dragonborn! Indeed, yes!" he said excitedly while looking at Ruby. "Well, this changes everything, of course." He began shuffling through his knapsack. "There's no time to lose. We must locate… Let me show you. I know I had it here, somewhere…"

"Esbern, what-"

"Give meeeeeee just a moment… Um…" He continued rustling through the bag for a second. "Ah! Here it is! Come, let me show you." He took out a book and opened it to its first page. While one read _Annals of the Dragonguard_ _, 2800 – 2819_ , the other one was a map of Skyrim with several locations marked by a language that seemed similar to old-fashioned Central Anima texts. One of them was clearly important, as it was marked with a red box. "You see, right here. Sky Haven Temple, constructed around one of the main Akaviri military camps in the Reach during their conquest of Skyrim."

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Delphine asked Ruby, who shrugged.

"Shh!" he hushed the woman. "This is where they built Alduin's Wall, to set down in stone all their accumulated dragonlore. A hedge against the forgetfulness of centuries. A wise and foresighted policy, in the event…" He looked up and placed his hands on his hips. "Despite the far-reaching fame of Alduin's Wall at the time – one of the wonders of the ancient world – its location was lost."

"Esbern, what are you getting at?" Delphine demanded of him.

"You mean… You don't mean to say you haven't heard of Alduin's Wall?" he asked in surprise. "None of you?" Ruby just shook her head and Lydia shrugged.

"Let's pretend we haven't," Delphine suggested. "What's Alduin's Wall and what does it have to do with stopping the dragons?"

"Alduin's Wall was where the ancient Blades recorded all that they knew of Alduin and his return. Part history, part prophecy. Its location has been lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost, you see, just forgotten."

"Wait, isn't part of losing something forgetting where it is?" Ruby asked.

"I, uh, oh." Esbern rubbed his chin. "I suppose… Well, this was more a lack of looking. The Blades' archivists held so many secrets, I was only able to save a few scraps."

"So you think that Alduin's Wall will tell us how to defeat Alduin?" Delphine asked.

"Well, yes, but…there's no guarantee, of course."

"Sky Haven Temple it is then. I knew you'd have something for us, Esbern." Delphine looked down at the map and pointed at the important looking place in the Reach. "I know the area that you're talking about. It's near what's now known as Karthspire, in the Karth River Canyon. The quickest route will be across the top of Ilinalta, then we'll follow the road into the canyon and go by Granite Hall, where we'll ditch the road and head straight there. From Granite Hall onwards, though, it's wild country. The Forsworn will be everywhere. Best be careful."

Ruby grimaced at that. Her last and only run-in with Forsworn hadn't been a great experience. "Okay. So, when will we leave?"

"As soon as I'm ready to travel. I assume you're still good to go."

"I guess so."

"Good. I have a couple of horses waiting for us. I'll be up in a moment. Go ahead and get something hot to eat."

With that, the other three left the cellar hideout while Delphine pulled out her armor. Ruby thought about what she wanted to eat, but couldn't really think of food very much. Unbidden memories came to mind from when she had been to Sunguard. Of blood flying through the air and people falling to pieces. Of men and women being torn apart by her Voice and scythe. She shut her eyes and shook her head violently, trying to think of anything else.

"Ruby, are you hungry?" Lydia asked her.

"I'm… Maybe just some bread."

* * *

Blake and Mercer went out at the same time as Weiss, but were soon well ahead of her. Weiss ended up joining a large caravan that was taking several supplies to the place where they were planning to build up a new community. The people were an interesting lot. They mostly kept to themselves and were different from the Nords that made up most of the populace of Skyrim. For a moment, Weiss was reminded of the defining features of the Mistralians. The fact that several of their guards were wielding katanas only seemed to compound the image. Still, she had convinced them to let her travel amongst them, which with their destination just short of Kynesgrove would cover most of the distance. It was about halfway through the first day and somewhere between Fort Greenwall and Shor's Stone that she decided to risk asking them about themselves.

"So," she began with the white-haired woman in charge of the caravan, "you're all working on making a settlement."

"We are," she answered curtly. "The dragon's presence in the craglands has made it safe, ironically enough. We have already told him of our intentions, and he will see to our safety against those meaning us harm."

"Ah, that's good. May I ask where you're from? If you don't mind me saying it, I noticed-"

"We are Ashen," she quickly answered. Weiss suddenly felt self-conscious. It seemed likely that the woman had been asked the same series of questions many times before.

"Sorry."

"Do not be. You are curious. At least you are trying to be polite about it." The woman looked back at the caravan and their carts full of cargo. "Most are suspicious of us, and think we are throat-slitters and child-takers."

"Well, that's terrible of them! But to be honest, I've never actually heard of Ashen before."

"There aren't many of us on Tamriel. We are refugees. Or rather, we are the children and grandchildren of refugees." She closed her eyes and hummed. "My mother came here sixty years ago, landing on the eastern shores of Morrowind before she and her clan pushed their way through to Skyrim. I was born somewhere between the landing and crossing the border. We've been on the move almost constantly ever since. There are only a handful of stable homes for us. Now, however, the dragon Vulgahrotru gives us an opportunity to finally find a safe home in the open."

"Wow," Weiss muttered, rubbing her chin. "I couldn't imagine being forced to keep on the move like that." Another thought then passed her mind. "Wait, you're almost sixty years-old? You don't look a day over forty."

"It's a gift," she said with a smirk. "It doesn't necessarily mean we live longer, but we do tend to keep a more youthful appearance than other races of Man for longer. It's quite nice to hear a young beauty like you compliment me," she said with a blush while cupping her cheek. Weiss laughed and shook her head. The woman then reached over and offered her hand.

"Yokota Reisa."

"Weiss Schnee," the heiress said while offering her own hand. Rather than shake it, Reisa clasped her hand with their thumbs crossing and gave her a gentle squeeze. Weiss squeezed back and then the two let go.

"So, where did your mother come from, anyways?"

"From across the Padomaic ocean. Some came from the shores of Akavir, but the first of us came from Haishima, the Isle of Ash, before it sank beneath the waves. They came to escape the slavery and unending wars that formed in the wake of the Oblivion Crisis."

"Oh, so you're Akaviri! I should've figured from the swords. Are there any people from there still around? I don't think I've ever heard a first-hand account of Akavir."

"Unfortunately, the only ones who could have seen the land were too young to remember it then, and too old to remember it now. I'm a grandmother myself now, and I was not even conceived until they had left it all behind. The younger generations know nothing of it, and it may be for the best." She looked over to where a group of men and women were talking amongst themselves, hefting backpacks rather than riding on mounts. Weiss noted how some of them had duller colored hair rather than the bright or deep colors of their elders, or how one had the beginnings of a beard that could certainly grow to someday match the likes of Tolfdir, Valdimar, or Kodlak. Her gaze then went up at the sky. "Damn!"

"What's the matter?" Weiss asked in worry.

"Snowstorm. Looks like a bad blizzard. It'll hit us likely by tomorrow. Everyone, blizzard coming tonight," she announced to the rest of the caravan. There were several startled yells followed by others confirming the storm's approach. "Make sure camp's set good tonight and everything's tied securely. Everyone get a pole for their spot. I don't want to lose you in the snow."

"Is it that bad?"

"Don't know. Can't tell until it hits us. Hopefully, Saruhiko blows it by us quickly."

* * *

Camp was set as evening came, and all could now clearly see the incoming storm. Weiss hoped that Blake was okay, then decided to actually try praying, hoping that the substantially real gods would deign to hear her out. As she prepared her own spot, accepting a pole that was stuck into the ground near her tent with a bright flag at its top, she noticed a few people setting up something that looked almost like a stage. As Reisa went by, she waved her over.

"So, what's going on there?" Weiss asked.

"Ah, a few old men thought the young ones could use some entertainment before the snow keeps us down." She smiled as she placed her hands to her hips. "They're doing a shadow puppet show. I forget what it used to be called, but it's an old tradition, and a great way to tell the old stories."

"Oh, well that is interesting." Weiss looked back at her small tent and the stakes holding it down. "I think I'm just about done here. Do you suppose they'll mind if I join?"

"I think you're likely to freeze solid by yourself, but if you want that tent to stay up, I suggest weighing it down with some large rocks here, here, and here," the older woman suggested while pointing out a trio of corners. "But, if you want to join in, I'm sure no one will mind you watching. I might watch it myself if my back doesn't complain too much." Weiss was about to comment on that, but then remembered the woman's actual age and dashed the thought. After she pulled up some stones, mostly carrying them via telekinesis, and set them in place, she went and investigated the setup, which now had a small brazier set behind a paper stage. The half-dozen children and handful of teens and youths were settling in while the adults and elders sat further back. Weiss deigned to sit among the adults, noting how some of them were still working, mostly at cooking up dinner for the others or tying down the last of their loads.

The sound of a small gong rung out, catching everyone's attention, followed by a pair of drumbeats. A moment later, an identical pair were beat out, and then repeated a third time. The show that began was something resembling the creation myths she had seen and read about before, beginning with the splitting of the one world into twelve before it 'broke' and became the Aurbis, but the gods had different names, with some having even different representations. The Lorkhan equivalent, Imoogi as they called him, had felt ignored and overlooked, as all the gods enjoyed the Dragon God Ryūjin's gift of time while not knowing or even understanding Imoogi's. So he slithered out and away from them before looking in, then he suddenly understood and slithered back.

He went to Akira Taiyo, and told him of his plan to get them to see both their gifts for what they truly were, for Akira's was magic and energy, and it was needed for his plan to work. Akira drew up the first architecture with Imoogi's guidance, and then they presented this idea to the others, most of whom looked at it oddly, but many others were excited for it.

Then the world of Mundus was made with Nirn at its center, taking many pieces away from the gods and limiting them. Several actually found it amazing, a few even going so far as to praise Imoogi's genius. Akira Taiyo, however, ran like a coward, which Imoogi said he knew he would do and planned for, as the hole he made shined light from Aetherius and lit half the world at once, and all of it as it circled. Some however, were embittered by this sudden limitation, and demanded Imoogi undo it.

"'But here you can finally see my gift,'" the person voicing the serpent god defended. "'Just as you are limited by Ryūjin's gift to see and enjoy it."

"'This is no gift,'" Hachiman the warrior god decried. "'It is a curse!'"

"'And we were the ones that chose to undergo Time,'" Omoikan, god of wisdom added, "'but you have forced this upon us. Undo this.'"

"'It will be undone, but only when you see it.'"

Many of the gods grew angry with him, especially Ryūjin, who did not like others telling him what to do. And so they decided to wage war against him and force him to undo their binding. However, each time they sent an army of mortals, Imoogi managed to grant a gift to his armies of Men and Tsaesci. It wasn't until Ryūjin shook himself so hard that some of his scales came loose and turned into the dragons that things actually seemed to go against the Serpent God, since they couldn't be killed permanently, as other dragons would revive them after every battle. However, he made a plan and told the humans to fight back the dragons after one was killed, then the Tsaesci were to eat it and quickly. When they did and left only bones, the dragons tried to bring him back but failed.

With the dragons finally cowed, the armies of Imoogi felt emboldened, even without the chief god there to see them. They decided to kill two more dragons and feed them to the Tsaesci as well, and the ones left fled either across the ocean or across the land.

However, it all backfired when Imoogi suddenly appeared in the grasp of Hachiman and Ryūjin, the spirits of the three dragons in his coils. His plan had been to fool the others into thinking his followers had found their final deaths, but when they killed the other two he had to catch them as well to keep up the ruse, and he could not escape his brothers at that point.

"'You may have frightened away my children, but you have lost now.'" And they tore him open and pulled out his heart, only to find that they could not destroy it. The final story beats played out with them throwing the Heart away and across the world, dripping its blood across the mountains, and then Imoogi gave his last words to his followers, telling them not to blame themselves but to see the rest through. Some of the gods following Imoogi swore vengeance while others called a truce, but the narrator declared that that was all another story and ended the tale.

Several of the children were nearly asleep by that point, and the young men and women were ready to eat and head to bed themselves. Weiss stood up and stretched, noting how dark it had gotten and feeling the bite of the chilled wind even with her vampiric curse and Atlesian ancestry. She looked up at the dark clouds and saw some snowflakes drifting down, then went to bed herself.

After what seemed like an eternity of being surrounded by the muted howls of the winter wind, and the layers of cloth and fur that separated her from it, sleep finally came to her.

* * *

Just past the last of the mountains before they reached the open snowy plains, a blizzard had suddenly poured in from the north. In a matter of minutes, it went from a relatively sunny day to a dark and cold one. Blake tried to hold against the biting wind and snow, but Mercer stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.

"There's no going through this!" he shouted above the raging winds. "We've got to stop! Over here!"

Blake simply nodded and walked after him, leaning sideways against the wind as he took her to a pile of boulders that stuck out of the ground at about twelve feet, snow building up against one side of it. He took out the emergency tent and they quickly set it up, anchoring it to the stones as close as they could. When it was done, he went in with the lantern and Blake followed him, sitting down and shivering as she rubbed her arms. She had barely noticed it in their rush to get out of the sudden weather, but her ears all felt numb and cold.

"Damn storm," the older thief mumbled as he set down his lantern in the center and started pulling out several furs from his pack. "At the very least, Karliah won't be able to move in this either."

"At least _one_ good thing will come from this..." Blake muttered as she assisted her guild master. Once they were finally set, Blake started a small fire and the two brought themselves close to it. Blake was shivering, so she wrapped one of the furs tightly around her. Mercer had done the same, and the two sat in silence. For a moment, they heard nothing but the sound of howling snow, and Mercer then grunted.

"Sounds like it won't let up 'til morning," he noted, and Blake couldn't help but agree. The two went back into silence again, Blake's thoughts drifting in and out of their current objectives. After a few minutes of only hearing the wind howling outside, she finally worked up the nerve to ask the Breton something that had been on her mind for the past few days.

"Um, Mercer?" Blake started, drawing the older man's attention. "If you don't mind me asking, how... How exactly did Gallus die?"

"You mean, how did Karliah kill him?" he stated, to which Blake nodded. Mercer grunted once more before beginning to voice his recollection, "Twenty-five years ago, roughly speaking, the Guild was in a golden age. Everyone in Skryim, from peasants to kings, both feared and respected us. But, we didn't stop there. After all, why should we? You see, Gallus was the always the planner, always one step ahead of the authorities as he marked out museums, businesses, and everything else for a mark. Towards the end, there was one heist he was planning. No one outside of Karliah knew what it was, but it was _big_. Took years of planning, but he finally took me and Karliah to do it."

"What happened after that?"

"She betrayed us," Mercer spat, and Blake felt her anger rise. "She wanted the treasure for herself, and so she stabbed Gallus in the back with a poisoned knife, then tried to kill me. I barely fought her off. Still got the scar to prove it, too." At that, Mercer partially lifted his armor to reveal a small scar on the side of his torso. It was jagged and pale, likely from an arrow striking him.

"She did that to you?" Blake asked, and Mercer nodded. Blake felt anger once again, and she looked him in the eye. "She'll pay for what she did."

"Aye, that she will. Now, get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

Blake nodded at Mercer's command, then fell back against the fur mattress. As she laid down, her hand briefly brushed against the hilt of the Ebony Blade. Soon after, a cold whisper entered her tired mind.

 _He's hiding something._

Rather than respond or rebuke, Blake merely shut the voice out entirely, then closed her eyes. As she listened to the sounds of the wind and picked out Mercer's breath apart from it, sleep fell upon her.

* * *

The first day of travel brought Ruby, Lydia, Delphine, and Esbern to the cross in the roads near the border of the Reach and Falkreath. The second brought them up past Granite Hall, which amazed Ruby when she saw that it was formerly a Dwemer ruin that the people had settled.

"Wait until you see Markarth," Lydia had told her. "I've been there a few times, and it's much bigger."

"I wonder what they did to stop the automatons from coming up," Ruby wondered.

As the afternoon began to fall away, the group left their horses tied next to a shrine to Dibella, then made their way along the rocky canyon. Soon, a camp of Forsworn became visible, with smoke rising from several fires dotting the place. Among old ruins and a stone platform, the place had been affixed with newer wooden bridges and ramps, with tents and huts set up all about.

"That's a lot of people," Ruby muttered as she saw the dozens of men and women in patchwork furs and leather armor moving about.

"Likely one of their big staging areas," Delphine explained as she took a knee and looked over the encampment. "We could probably sneak past them after nightfall. We just need to get through the cave…and…"

The sound of wingbeats hit their ears just before a dragon came from over the mountain and dived down just above them. It was large and forest green, with a pair of neck frills and a paddle-like tail. The dragon spun around once and then began hovering over the panicking people.

" **Joorre, count yourselves as blessed!"** he announced proudly as he flapped in place. **"I have come to rule over this space. Kneel and serve, and you shall all be rewarded!"**

For a minute the Forsworn seemed too shocked to move, then one moved forward on the raised dais where the forge was set.

"How dare you! We serve no tyrant! Not even a dragon!"

" **Bah! If you will not serve, then you will be made an example of!"** As the Forsworn readied themselves, the dragon looked as though he was going to Shout, only for him to suddenly snap his attention up, sniff the air, and then look at the four watching from off to the side. **"Dragon…scales?"** He bared his teeth and roared in anger. **"Dovahkiin!"**

"Uh oh," Ruby said as she jumped up. "Everyone duck!"

" **Yol Toor Shul!"** Flames poured out and licked the cliffside as Ruby and Lydia dived one way and the Blades went the other, the rocks turning red and orange under the intense heat. Ruby then jumped down and used her Semblance to get both her and her housecarl safely below. The dragon followed them with his gaze, but was forced to fly up as several arrows, ice spikes, and fireballs crashed into him. **"Dovahkiin! Your end nears, and it is Golalthur!"**

"I don't think he likes me," Ruby got out as the two stood.

"Me neither." Lydia got to her feet and readied her weapons, only for Forsworn to surround them.

"Prepare to die, Nord!" one of them yelled before swinging a spiked sword at Lydia. She blocked with her shield then pushed his blade aside before stabbing her own into his chest. Another came at her from the side, but Lydia squeezed the handle in her shield, deploying its dagger. She then slammed her bladed shield into her foe, piercing his throat while knocking him away. The others attacked, and Ruby brought out her scythe before spinning it about and then knocking one away and slicing another's legs out from under him. The Forsworn seemed to back off, but then something else appeared near the dais.

"Take down that dragon," the horrifying combination of old crone and bird screamed while pointing bloodied talons at the crowd, "and bring me their corpses!"

"Yes, Mother Dele!" several of them responded.

"There's a hagraven!" Lydia shouted in warning.

"Not the biggest issue right now!" Delphine shouted back before slicing her katana through one man's throat then across a woman's belly. The woman screamed and continued trying to charge her down, only for the Breton to spin out of the way and then cut through her back as well. Esbern was also taking on several, throwing a few explosive spells before having to draw his ebony dagger and block an incoming axe strike. His Frost Atronach then came in and swiped its arms into a group, sending them flying with the sounds of shattered bones. Golalthur had just finished roasting a mage alive and turned back to Ruby, only for another arrow to hit his wing in the armpit joint and cause him to falter mid-flap then fall to the ground. Delphine made for him, carving open a Forsworn that got in her way before going for the dragon's leg.

Ruby jumped forward while kicking a man away then swung Crescent Rose around and stabbed into and through another. Her reflexes went off and she jumped up, narrowly missing being hit by a Hailstone. She saw the source having come from the hagraven and gasped at what she saw behind her. At the far end of the camp was a brazier, a table, and a flat-topped boulder where a young Giant, not even old enough for his beard to start growing in, lay dead and dissected. Ruby's teeth ground into each other as her eyes narrowed into slits comparable to Golalthur's.

"Lydia, back the Blades!" she commanded as she landed and spun, carving open two women's chests and taking off a man's head. With her path opened, she charged towards the witch. As she closed in, a Forsworn wearing an old looking helm and wielding a glass sword and elven war axe stepped in her way. She struck at him, but he blocked and crossed his weapons with hers before swinging around and tossing her. Ruby recovered in midair and landed on her feet before squaring up against the man, noting the plant in his chest that had taken the place of a heart. Two more came up, one with a longsword, and the other with magic spells readied.

"Protect Mother Dele!" the mage shouted.

"We won't let you touch the matron," the man that got in her way challenged as he took a stance.

"Fine." Ruby dashed forward and shifted into her Semblance as the man sliced at her, going around and reappearing behind him before kicking his back and knocking him away. The caster threw a pair of ice spikes at her, but Ruby jumped over both and threw a Bolide at him. The flaming rock slammed into his chest and knocked him away with a shout. The swordsman swung at her and Ruby parried and then brought her scythe around, stabbing it into his back. The man screamed aloud, then jolted forward, pulling himself off the blade before swinging around at the girl. Ruby ducked under the blow, but the dual-wielder was back and coming at her fiercely. Crescent Rose spun in her hand rapidly as she deflected his strikes before finding an opening and then carving up and into him, just nicking his ribs. The swordsman was back at her, bringing his blade down on her, but she managed to block him. Ruby then cried out in pain as something hit her from the side and fell to her knees. She looked up to see the hagraven smirking as streams of lightning stretched from her fingertips and at the Dragonborn.

The swordsman brought his sword to bear again, but this time Ruby got out of the way with her Semblance taking her backwards. The dual-wielder rushed her, and their weapons tangled, but Ruby was unable to hold on as he kicked her away and tossed Crescent Rose back to his fellow. The swordsman smirked as he picked up the scythe and then threw it even further back, where the ebony blade then hit the cliffside above the dead Giant and embedded itself there.

' _Damn it!_ Ruby internally cursed. She got back up to her feet, and this time when a stream of sparks came at her, she had a ward readied. The dual-wielder swung at her and she leaped over him while drawing Dawnbreaker and her ebony sword and sliced them both across his back twice. He stumbled forward while screaming as she rushed at the swordsman. Her ebony sword met his steel and sank into it while Dawnbreaker pierced his throat. For a moment, Ruby saw the flames burning his face, but then one hand reached up and grasped the glowing blade as he forced on a grin. Ruby was forced to move out of the way and let the sword go as Dele cast a spell at her, leaving a wide line of lava across where she had been, just far enough away from the man to miss him by a hair. Just then, she saw the mage coming back up.

"What does it take to kill you guys?!"

"These are my Briarhearts," the hagraven declared proudly. "They have shed their weak mortality for power! Strong and nearly unkillable! They'll be your end, maggot!"

Ruby looked at the three and took note of the plant bulbs that had taken the place of their hearts.

' _Video game weak points?'_ she thought. _'Real life doesn't normally work like that. Then again…'_

"Hope this works! **Tiid!** " As time seemed to slow around her, Ruby rushed at the closest Briarheart, the swordsman who was in the midst of pulling Dawnbreaker from his throat, and sliced her other sword across the leather straps holding the bulb in place. He fingers wrapped around it just as time resumed its normal pace. Ruby jumped back as he stumbled, then he collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, falling right into the lava where he began burning. The hagraven and his fellows looked on in shock and Ruby smirked.

"I have you now!" she declared as she tossed the bulb away. " **Tii-** _urk_! Gahuh!" Ruby felt her throat constrict and then felt as though it was tearing apart. She coughed up flecks of blood and nearly stopped to stare in horror, but the dual-wielder was already recovered and coming at her again.

' _Oh no, I rushed it!'_ Ruby thought in a panic. The Greybeards had warned her a few times to be careful about how rapidly she used certain Shouts and to always look out for the signs. _'My throat was telling me to cool it, but I tried to hurry like an impatient baby!'_

The mage launched a rapid number of firebolts at her, forcing her to keep on the move as the dual-wielder tried to carve her apart, his axe trailing flames and his sword trying to bite at her. The hagraven seemed to be watching in enjoyment as Ruby tried to pull herself together. After a moment, she got down a pattern in her mind and waited. As she ducked under another of the crazed carver's swings, she threw an Ice Shiv at the mage. The spell lanced through his arm and spun him around, and Ruby hit him with a Rift Bolt, which sent him backwards and off the ledge he was on. As he fell, she charged and sliced through his neck, sending his head rolling down the nearby stairs. Dele looked on in shock and the last Briarheart charged her with a scream. Ruby took a stance, then threw her sword forward. Confused, the Briarheart paused to knock it away, only for Ruby to charge him with the Spear of Might in hand. The polearm's head pierced through his plant-like organ and knocked him onto his back, where he struggled a moment before going still.

"You…" the hagraven ground out as she backed away in fear and Ruby stood tall, staring her down with reptilian eyes as she pulled the spear free.

"Me." Ruby dashed in a flurry of rose petals at her, the tip of the Spear of Might barely being halted by a ward spell. Dele tried reaching towards her with a fiery spell, but Ruby leapt back as she charged her own magic. Her hand went up, and then the two were surrounded by a wall of purple energy.

"What magic is this?" the bird woman exclaimed with a caw.

"This is the magic of the Magna-Ge," Ruby said before throwing down three Rods of Power around her. The witch tried attacking the Rods to no avail, giving Ruby the time she needed to charge and launch the Sentinel spell at her. As it made contact, the Rods whirled to life and began releasing their energy upon Dele. The first volley hit her square on and caused her to stumble forward. The second came into contact with her wards, shattering them as they did, and then the third slammed her into the ground and burnt her even further. Their energy spent, they dissipated. The hag tried to pull herself up, but the moment she was on one foot ice seemed to hit her leg and wrap around it. Ruby then fired a stream of Creeping Cold, causing the Fracture mark to explode. The hag screamed as the flesh on her leg burst and the icy spell began slowly freezing her solid.

"D-damn…you!" she cried out as she tried leveling a fire spell at the Dragonborn. Just then, the Event Horizon collapsed and brought its energy to bear on what its caster saw as enemies. The still thawed part of Dele was hit with concussive power, bringing trauma to organs and bones, and her frozen half shattered apart, finally killing her. Ruby let out a sigh and began focusing a healing spell on her throat, but was brought out of the lull in combat by a draconic roar. She ran over to the dais' edge and saw Golalthur trying to get at the Blades and Lydia, who had dropped to the water level to keep out of his grasp. He was still trying to get them with his snout and occasional bouts of a breath attack, but they were keeping themselves safe, if barely. Ruby stepped back, then ran forward and jumped towards them while activating her Semblance.

" **Wuld!** " she managed to Shout, launching herself forward ever faster while she held the Spear of Might before her. She slammed into the side of Golalthur's neck, piercing deep into it just behind his head. He roared in pain before going limp and partially slipping into the structure. Ruby looked over at the other four, all of whom were worse for wear, and cracked a smile before letting out a laugh. The others began to chuckle as well, but then Golalthur's head began to shake as he growled. With a shout, Lydia plunged her blade down behind one of his frills, stabbing into his brain and stilling him. This time, the body began conflagrating, signaling his true death.

"Okay," Ruby got out as she felt the soul going into her. "Let's go to the temple thingy already."

* * *

The four took a minute to clean themselves up and Esbern summoned a pair of Flame Atronachs to begin disposing of the bodies. He had taken the two enchanted blades from the Briarheart and looked over them, as well as his helmet.

"Well, this is Akaviri make, certainly. It has an enchantment around it…an old one." The man muttered to himself as he turned the helm over in his hands while observing it. It had a rounded cap, toppped by a triple crest that reached from the nose guard to the back, shaped like a winged dragon. The bottom of it flared outwards, a design that would help turn glancing blows away from the wearer. "I think it restores…energy? Magicka? Stamina? Both? Ah, I see! It restores _either_ magicka or stamina whenever someone attempts to do you harm, turning the energy of the blow into energy you can use."

"Oh, that's cool!" Ruby exclaimed. "Yang could really use something like that! Although, she barely ever uses that Aegis of the Unburned. Hm, are you going to use it?" she asked the Blade.

"I believe this should belong to you, Dragonborn," he said while handing it back to her. "You did defeat the one who had it, after all."

"Thanks." She put the helm on and was amazed as it seemed to fit perfectly. "Whoa!"

"How is that thing still around in one piece?" Delphine asked as she lit a torch before they delved further into the cavern.

"A part of the enchantment, I believe," Esbern explained. "Older styles of enchanting were less precise, but could offer a greater range of uses with some built-in preservation and ease-of-use portions. Of course, what we might see as an interesting and convenient tool, they might have seen as a weapon or armor piece fit for kings and other stations of importance."

"Well, how does it look?" Ruby asked.

"Not bad," Lydia told her. "But the color doesn't really match your ensemble at the moment." Ruby took off the helm and looked it over before looking at her armor.

"Huh, you're right. Qahpeyt's red is way more striking than simple brown and steel-grey. Well, guess that means we'll have to whip out the paint when we get home." She set the helm back on her head as they continued following the Blades, coming out into an open cavern where a building could be seen emerging.

"Yes. Definitely early Akaviri stonework here," Esbern said as he looked around them. They headed up a set of stairs and Delphine looked over across a gap to something that looked like a drawbridge.

"We've got to get this bridge down," the woman said before turning to a set of waist-high stones Esbern was looking at. "Maybe these pillars have something to do with it."

"Yes. These are Akaviri symbols," he observed. "Eh, let's see… You have the symbol for 'king'…and 'warrior'… And of course the symbol for 'Dragonborn'. That's the one that appears to have a sort of arrow shape pointing downward at the bottom." Ruby looked closer at it and could see that the Dragonborn symbol had what looked like two dragons facing each other, their snouts nearly touching, with the downpointed arrow between their bodies and its tip right between their legs. She then looked at the other two and got an idea, recalling the pillars that seemed to be in every other Nordic ruin. She spun one around so that another Dragonborn symbol showed, then the one at the far end.

The stone bridge came down almost gently, opening up the path before them.

"Well, that worked," Delphine declared. "Now, let's see what those old Blades left in our way."

The four went across and into a narrow cavern before coming up to a strange floor with large tiles with symbols on each one. Delphine was about to go on forward, but Esbern held out his arm.

"Wait!"

"Why are we stopping?"

"We should be careful here," he warned them. "See these symbols on the floor?"

"Pressure plates?" Ruby guessed.

"Sure looks like it." Delphine held up her torch to let its light cast as far as it could. "There's a pull chain on the other side. I don't know what the trap is, but I don't want to find out."

Ruby hummed while looking around the room and then back down to the floor. She noticed how several of the symbols were the one for Dragonborn, then noted how those very ones all lined up next to each other.

"I think I see the path!"

"The Dragonborn symbol?" Lydia asked. At Ruby's nod, she closed her eyes and gave one of her own. "I see." The housecarl stepped forward onto the first one, then began calmly walking forward, even as Ruby gasped and started flinging out her arms.

"Lyd! Hold up!"

"It's working. Please wait while I go over."

"But but…" Ruby shook her head then began tip-toeing onto the path while casting Candlelight. Lydia looked back at her and sighed while shaking her head.

"It's fine, Ruby."

"We didn't know that before you started!"

"We do now." Lydia reached over and pulled the chain, then a wall opened up a secret entrance off to the side. Ruby grabbed her housecarl's hand and brought them over to it with her Semblance, but Esbern merely walked over, stepping on pressure plates as he did.

"The chain also deactivated the traps," he explained. He looked forward at the bridge before them and began crossing. "I think we must be close to the entrance."

They followed him further into the ancient structure, going through a few turns and up another set of stairs before turning into an open area where a large wall stood before them, a giant bald head carved at its center. The four looked around in awe at it all.

"Wonderful!" Esbern said as he approached the head. "Remarkably well-preserved, too." Ruby walked after him, and noticed a large circle set in front of the head carving. Esbern bent down to observe it and nodded. "Ah, here's the blood seal. Another of the lost Akaviri arts. No doubt triggered by…well, blood. Your blood, Dragonborn."

"Under different contexts, that might have been very worrying to hear," Ruby responded, which made the old man chortle for a moment.

"Oh no, nothing to worry about! We'd only need a drop or so. Erm, maybe a little more. Just a little though, not much."

"If you need help with drawing blood, let me know," Delphine offered.

"No, it's okay. I've done it before," Ruby answered as she took off her left glove. "Uh, different circumstances then. Let's see…" She took out a glass dagger as she consciously pulled back her Aura, then thought better of it and felt around for her elven one before recalling that she'd let Weiss have it for experiments. "Ah, crackers! Hey, Lyd, I hate to ask you to help with this…"

"Here, look up at the carvings," Lydia said as she took Ruby's arm into her hand. "Esbern, can you tell us about this place?"

"Oh, well, let's see here. You can see how the ancient blades revered Reman Cyrodiil," he said while pointing out the giant head.

"That's Reman?" Ruby asked.

"It seems so, yes. This whole place seems to be a shrine to Reman. He ended the Akaviri invasion under mysterious circumstances, you'll recall." He walked up to one of the columns a few meters away from the head and looked closely at the symbols on it. "After the so-called 'battle' of Pale Pass, the Akaviri went into his service. This was the foundation stone of the Second Empire."

As Ruby listened, she suddenly gasped as a sharp pain hit her palm and looked down to see Lydia had pricked it with her steel knife. Ruby overturn her hand and let the blood fall onto the seal, which immediately began glowing white.

"That's done it!" Delphine exclaimed as part of the seal began turning. "Look, it's coming to life!"

Ruby looked up after the very center locked into place and saw the head rise up and backwards, revealing it to be the door to a staircase that led in.

"After you, Dragonborn," Delphine offered. "You should have the honor of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple." Ruby nodded, and walked ahead and through an old set of stone doors, throwing up a new Candlelight as she entered the dark hallway. Lydia and the Blades came in after her, the old man looking at the carvings on the walls.

"Fascinating! Original Akaviri bas-reliefs, almost entirely intact!" He looked over at a stylized column and hummed in appreciation. "Amazing! You can see how the Akaviri craftsmen were beginning to embrace the more flowing Nordic style."

"We're here for Alduin's Wall, right Esbern?" Delphine asked after his second pause.

"Yes, of course. We'll have more time to look around later, I suppose," he admitted while moving on. The group then emerged into the main hall, lit up by a skylight far above them. Esbern gasped and began quickening his pace towards a large structure at the head of a stone table. "Shor's bones, here it is! Alduin's Wall… So well preserved… I've never seen a finer example of early Second Era sculptural relief!"

"Esbern, we need information, not a lecture on art history!" Delphine growled in annoyance.

"Yes, yes, let's see what we have." The man began looking over the wall at one end, holding his torch nearby in order to better make out the details. Noticing a brazier, he dumped a bag of brazier coals he had into it then lit them. The light then spread as the fire upon them grew, letting him see it better. "Look, here is Alduin. This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled Skyrim." He took a few steps over. "Here, the humans rebel against their dragon overlords – the legendary Dragon War. Alduin's defeat is the centerpiece of the wall," he continued on while illuminating the middle of it, showing an even larger carving of the black dragon. "You see here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues – Masters of the Voice – are arrayed against him."

"So, does it show how they defeated him?" Delphine asked impatiently. "Isn't that what we're here for?"

Esbern sighed. "Patience, my dear. The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism." He looked a little closer and rubbed his finger against one part of the carving. "Yes, yes. This here coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes. The Akaviri symbol for 'Shout'." He waved his torch around as he searched the carving. "But…there's no way to know what Shout is meant."

"You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin? You sure?"

"Hm, oh yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return."

"So we're looking for a Shout then. Damn it!" Delphine turned to Ruby as Esbern continued looking over the wall. "Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?"

"Not…specifically," Ruby admitted. "I mean, I've knocked one down with Unrelenting Force, but that was at an angle above him. He, uh, what was his name?"

"I think you mean Paalduzaam," Lydia offered.

"Yeah, Paalduzaam. Huh, that's weird. Why don't I remember…?"

"Remember what?" Delphine probed.

"Uh, nothing. Um, so basically, no. I don't know the Shout to make dragons just fall to the ground."

"I was afraid of that. I guess there's nothing for it. We'll have to ask the Greybeards for help. I hoped to avoid involving them in this, but we have no other choice."

"Um, you don't like the Greybeards? What's wrong with them?"

"If they had their way, you'd do nothing but sit up on their mountain with them and talk to the sky, or whatever it is they do. The Greybeards are so afraid of power they won't even use it."

Ruby shared a look with Lydia, who shrugged.

"You know I've already done the sitting on the mountain part, right?" At Delphine's raised eyebrow, Ruby sighed. "Look, they have their reasons for doing things, and they've been a big help to me."

"Really, then why haven't they stopped the civil war or done anything about Alduin?" Ruby tried to think up an answer, but then realized something else behind it. "They haven't. Not a damn thing. And they're afraid of you, of your power." Ruby widened her eyes a little at that, and Delphine shook her head. "Trust me, there's no need to be afraid. Think of Tiber Septim. Do you think he'd have founded the empire if he'd listened to the Greybeards?"

"Well, they have a point. I hurt myself overusing my Voice just before we got here. And I could… I could hurt people."

"It's only dangerous if you don't know how to use it. All the great heroes had to learn how to use their power. Those that shrank from their destiny… Well, you never heard of them have you?" Ruby looked down as she thought it over. "And then there are the villains, those who misused their power. There's always a choice, and there's always a risk. But if you live in fear of what might go wrong, you'll end up doing nothing. Like the Greybeards, up on their mountain."

Ruby put her hands to her hips and let out a huff. "I'll go and see what Argneir can tell me, but as for pushing it… Well, I can't make them talk."

"Just let them know how urgent this is." Delphin looked around a moment and hummed in thought. "We'll look around Sky Haven Temple and see what the old Blades might have left for us. It's a better hideout than I could have hoped for."

"Look here, in the third panel," Esbern called over to them, getting the women's attention again. "This is the prophecy that brought the Akaviri to Tamriel in the first place. The search for the Dragonborn. Here are the Akaviri – the Blades. You see their distinctive longswords?"

"Katana, yeah," Ruby answered as she walked up to the carving.

"Now they kneel, their ancient mission fulfilled, as the Last Dragonborn contends with Alduin at the end of time."

Ruby looked at the carving that was apparently meant to be her, seeing an armored figure standing with a cape splayed behind them, their face turned from the viewers and towards Alduin.

* * *

"I don't much see the reason you couldn't have sent these things by courier," Anum-La complained against the cold. Stendarr's Beacon happened to be high on top of a smaller mountain, which took them from the almost bearable non-icy chill of the Rift to the more frozen, higher climate of the Jeralls.

"Sorry, Anum, but this is the kinda thing you gotta do in person." Yang wasn't a fan of the cold either, but still she pushed on. "At least snow's not coming down on us."

"Don't tempt fate. The gods are only so willing to pull us out of a pinch."

They came up to the top and Yang sighed when she saw a pair of fires with both a spit and a cooking pot over them. Three Vigilants were on the ground level, while a fourth was watching from the top of the small tower.

"Hold traveler," a High Elf woman called out before approaching them. "What is it you want?"

"I came across Tolan and Adalvald," Yang said before taking out the pair of amulets. "They fell while fighting vampires. I'm sorry."

The woman took them in hand and sighed. "Stendarr's mercy upon you, sister. Thank you for this, at least. Did they… Was it hard?"

"I'm not sure, but I know Tolan went down swinging," Yang confirmed. "There were several dead vampires where I found him. And Adalvald was defiant until the end. I just wish I could've gotten to them sooner. Oh!" Yang took out Adalvald's notebook. "It's not much use now, but this was his. I don't know where the other two it indicates could be. Dimhollow, at least, is cleared."

"Thank you, again." She flipped through the book and sighed. "I feel so…useless up here, but Brother Hof says we need to recuperate before we can go back into Skyrim. We were hoping Brother Tolan could get the Dawnguard to help us, but…"

"But the Dawnguard would want you to join, not just make an alliance."

"It's selfish, what he's doing. I hope he realizes that before it's too late."

"To be fair, they're still setting up. Heck, the actual Dawnguard barely has anyone. I'm not even a member, but they've needed my help a bunch lately."

"Well, maybe we could use your help." The woman looked behind herself and then back to Yang. "Listen, there's a chapel where several of our brothers and sisters have taken refuge, but we haven't heard from them in a while."

"Want me to check on it?"

"If you could. I'd send a courier, but that'd require going down to Riften. Brother Hof said we could try next time we get supplies, but…"

"You're worried?"

"Yes, I'm worried!" she practically shouted, before wincing contritely. "Sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice there. You can't… Or maybe you could. It doesn't matter. Please, just let us know what's going on. I can't wait for supplies to dwindle down on top of the time for the letter to reach them and receive a response."

"It's okay. I'll check up on your friends, don't worry."

"At least this time, it should be much warmer," Anum-La complained.

"Oh, let me get you something warm before you leave. It's the least I can do."

"Many thanks."

After receiving a warm mug of what Yang could only think of as watery hot chocolate, the two headed back down and towards Riften. The cold, thankfully, left them after a while and Yang began to sigh in relief.

"You wouldn't think of fifty degrees as warm until you've spent a good while in way below freezing temperature."

"Honestly, to me it just feels like this land can't decide whether it wants to just freeze my tail off or freeze me solid," Anum said before giving a short laugh. Yang suddenly paused in her steps, making the Argonian halt as well, and then a man riding a donkey came down the road, pausing at the sight of the blonde.

"Hair bright yellow…" he muttered before looking in an overstuffed pack at his side and then pulling out a piece of paper. "Excuse me, are you Yang, uh, Ex-ee-o Long?"

"It's pronounced 'sh-ih-ow', and yes, that's me."

"Oh. Sorry about that, ma'am. I've got a letter for you. Not sure who from. No sender's name. Just says a friend." He passed it down to her and Yang opened it.

 _Hail Companion,_

 _I apologize for this ruse, but I sent this letter to you in hopes that it would not be intercepted, and in truth, its words are meant for another. I wish to speak with this person outside the ruins of Folgunthur, by the marsh that reminds her of home. Give her my regards, as I hope the both of you are well._

 _Sincerely,_

 _An Old Friend_

"Huh, looks like it's actually for you," Yang said while looking up. "Wait, where'd he go?"

"He left as soon as you took it. Couriers are usually too busy to linger," Anum-La explained. "And what was it? For me?"

"Yeah. Says it's an old friend," Yang told her as she handed the letter over. She looked back at where the courier had disappeared to and saw him and his donkey becoming less and less visible through the trees around the roads. "Fast little boogers."

"An old friend?" Anum-La muttered while going over the letter. After a second, she nodded. "Well, I think we can rule out Arnwulf. This person's knowledge of the alphabet goes beyond the letter 'C'. As for who it is, well, I have no idea. In life, you make a lot of friends and a lot of enemies, and this could be from any one of them."

"Well, they did go through the trouble of sending this. They could be for real and might need some help. And if it is someone looking to get us, I could always use the exercise," Yang bragged while stretching out her arms for emphasis.

"Ha haha! You remind me of myself. There wasn't a trap alive I couldn't swing my way out of." Her expression cooled, though, as she crossed her arms. "That's why Dalum-Ei used to always remind me…youth fades. Every day your swing gets a little heavier, your feet a little slower. In time, you learn it's better to avoid the traps altogether. That, or you don't live to see another."

"I won't argue with the wisdom of that, but my swings and my feet are plenty light for now." Yang nodded. "We can check on it while I'm seeing about these guys Isran wants me to check out."

"Good enough for me. Can't help but wonder who it is, and why the caution." Anum-La looked at the letter again before folding it up and stashing it away.

* * *

Ruby stretched her arms and yawned as she exited her room in the Frostfruit Inn. As she sleepily walked into the main hall, she took out Dragonbane, an ancient Akaviri katana that she'd found when poking through some rooms at Sky Haven Temple before leaving, and looked over it again. It had etchings on both sides, one in the Akavir symbols, and the other in Dovahzul, which was how she knew its name. Like the Dragonguard helm, it was enchanted by an ancient technique, which Esbern had told her gave it the power to deal more damage to dragons. It was an odd thing to have as an enchantment in her mind, but she figured if anyone would have made something like that, it was an order of ancient dragonslayers.

She groaned as memories came to mind of fighting said dragonslayers. For a moment she concentrated, separating 'then' from 'now'.

"Guess I got more to talk to Argneir about," she mumbled under her breath. She then set the katana aside and looked at the plans on her scroll. She wasn't sure if Yang had gone over them yet, but after digging up an old and worn suit of Akaviri armor and a few books on their designs and a few others, she had some ideas for improvements on Qahpeyt. The design might have been ancient, but if its proliferation in both worlds meant anything, it was telling in its effectiveness.

A pair of boots stumbled in as the door was pushed upon and a man nearly tripped over his own feet as he entered.

"A, uh, excuse me, is a 'Metalla Fan' here?" the courier asked, clearly confused. Ruby snorted and raised her hand.

"That'd be me."

"Oh, yes. It seems to be. Match the description… I have a letter for you. Your hands only." He handed over the sheet of paper, and Ruby broke the wax seal before opening it.

 _Ruby, this is very urgent. I don't know why, but the dragon we've been looking into seems to have gone mad. It went from skulking about to burning down homes and attacking caravans, as though trying to cause a scene. Some Legionnaires tried to stop it, but they were massacred. However, everyone and everything points to Shearpoint Mountain as its lair. It goes there after every attack, almost certain to leave witnesses._

 _Something's not right about this, but I fear what it intends by doing all of this. Quickly write back to me, and I'll see if I can't assist you in taking him down before much more damage is done._

 _Forest Son_

Ruby reread the letter again then looked back at the courier as he made to leave.

"Wait!" she called out to him. "What do you know about a dragon from Shearpoint?"

"Shea- Shearpoint?" he quivered out. "There's this monstrous dragon out that way that's been attacking everything that moves it seems. I- I'm afraid to go anywhere near there!"

"Wait, I think I heard something about that," another patron said while turning to them. "A young woman lost her whole family to that thing. She said it chased her for miles, but seemed like it wasn't even interested in killing her."

"I heard he burnt an entire refugee caravan, only leaving behind a single child!"

"Wasn't there a group of miners that got scorched inside a cave not too long ago? Do you think he did that, too?!"

As more and more patrons spoke up about the atrocities committed, Ruby grit her teeth in anger.

' _Another one!'_

"Lydia!" she yelled while going back into their room, catching the housecarl as she was pulling on her armor.

"Ruby?"

"Hurry up! We've got to get going! Quick, how long will it take us to reach Shearpoint Mountain?"

"Shearpoint? Well, if I remember rightly, that's…halfway between Whiterun and Windhelm."

Ruby grunted in anger as she pulled at her hair. "Too long! He'll have… Hhhhaaaaaaaaaahhhhhgggghhhhh!"

"What's all the ruckus!?" a well-dressed man demanded while coming to the door of their room.

"I'm sorry, sir. My Thane is having…difficulties."

"We need to get to Shearpoint as quick as possible!" Ruby yelled from behind her. "People are… They're dying!" Tears stung at the edges of her eyes, and the man hummed in thought.

"Well, I have some Whiterun scrolls, but I keep those for emergencies. This however… I'd say it counts, but they don't come chea-"

"How much?" Ruby demanded.

"Oh, uh, I don't know what the exact cost for them is, but they're around five hundred-" Ruby snatched up her bag and dug through it, finding the place where she kept her denars hidden and pulling out a handful.

"I need two!"

The man looked at her fistful of coins and shook his head. "Tell you what, keep the money for now. I'll get you those scrolls, Thane. Meet me outside when you're ready." The man turned to leave, and Ruby started packing anything that wasn't already packed.

"My Thane, you need to-" Lydia paused her words as Ruby sucked in a deep, sudden breath and let it go. A second one followed, then a third, gentler one.

"He's baiting me," Ruby growled out in realization. "He has to be. He's doing all of those…things to catch my attention."

"Then it's a trap," Lydia relayed.

"That's his mistake." Ruby got back to packing and going over supplies. "We're going to make him pay for it."

"Absolutely, Ruby," her housecarl agreed. "But we can't let it get to our heads."

"I… You're right." Ruby took another calming breath and looked at Lydia. "I'm sorry if I snapped at you."

"It's fine." The Nord threw on her cuirass and began buckling it into place. "Let's go and stop a dragon."

Minutes later, the two were outside and accepting a pair of enchanted scrolls from the man.

"Godspeed, Dragonborn," he said, and Ruby nodded.

"Thank you. Wait, how'd you know?"

"Well, dragon scale armor, red hair, Thane of Whiterun, itching to kill a dragon." He chortled and Ruby laughed nervously.

"Yeah, guess it's obvious. Thank you, mister."

"Rorik. Just put them to good use."

Ruby nodded, and she and Lydia both opened and activated their scrolls. A moment later, space whirled around them, twisting and turning before returning to normal, revealing they were now at the front steps of Whiterun's walls. Without saying a word to one another, Ruby and Lydia turned and headed towards the stable to rent a pair of horses to take them to Shearpoint Mountain, determined not to let anything get in their way.


	57. Alight the Soul

Ruby and Lydia rode fast for Shearpoint, stopping only when they neared the peak to leave the horses behind. They nearly ran the rest of the way up and came upon the snowy cap to see a dragon perched on top of a Word Wall. Before she could even read it, Ruby was taken in by the sight of the dragon. His scales were a shade of dusty lavender with a turquoise belly and throat, but his horns and spikes appeared to be gold, as though gilded. Then there were two curved horns that framed his jaws that looked more like tusks or mandibles. His face turned to them, and Ruby noticed that while one eye focused on them, the other was tightly closed.

" **At last we meet, Dovahkiin. Frodu los het. Nu un tinvaak ni nunon un,"** he said while shifting his gaze at Lydia. Ruby growled and took out Crescent Rose while walking towards the dragon.

"You've been slaughtering people!" she accused him.

" **And it gained your attention, Dovahkiin."** He held up his wings, showing their starburst orange on blue color through the sun's light. **"And so you came, to the battlefield of mine own choosing. Krosis, alok!"**

An iron coffin sitting near the Word Wall burst open, and then a decayed body rose up from it, floating just above the ground. Ruby paused in her steps when she saw a familiarly shaped mask on the being's face and recalled when she last saw one of those, only then it was blue and not green.

"Oh no," she muttered. Before she could even think of falling back, the Dragon Priest raised his hands and cast some sort of spell. The air around the peak shifted, and then the dragon laughed.

"The battlefield…is ready, master," Krosis said to the dragon.

" **Well done, Krosis. Now, let us put an end to this threat."**

"What did you do?!" Lydia demanded, and the Dragon Priest barely tilted his head to acknowledge her.

"The mountain is closed," Krosis slowly explained. "The barrier will let none in to interfere…and none out to escape." He brought up a staff in his hand and the dragon leaped up and took wing.

" **Dovahkiin, Zu'u Horvutokinah! Hi kriist ko Alduinii miiraad fah nid lingrah."**

Ruby dodged aside as Krosis launched a lightning spell at her. Lydia ran up to assist her, but had to roll away as Horvutokinah's tail nearly swiped her up. Ruby went to draw Dawnbreaker, but then the dragon sharply turned and let out a stream of icy breath at her.

" **Yol!** " she Shouted in contest to the attack, holding it off, but leaving her open for a fireball that sent her back. Lydia tried to charge the undead being, only for him to hover away and begin releasing a stream of Frostbite upon her. The Nord pushed through while holding up her shield, but missed the building lightning spell from his staff. She was sent screaming and tumbling as the Lightning Bolt hit her, and Ruby yelled as she got to her feet. Before she could run to Lydia's aid, though, she could feel the gaze of Horvutokinah on her.

" **Kun! Shul! Ag!"** he Shouted. Ruby moved with her Semblance out of the way as what she could only think of as a laser hit the place where she just was. She found herself both amazed and terrified by the power of the Shout when she saw how its concentrated heat had vaporized snow for over a meter in any direction and blackened the earth half as far. The dragon suddenly turned towards her and reared his head back.

" **Kun Shul!"** he Shouted again. This time Ruby was forced to roll out of the way of a less intense, but no less scary version of the attack. Quickly, she pulled the bow from her back and took aim, but the moment she loosed an arrow, he was back on her.

" **Zun Haal Viik!"**

The bow went flying from her grasp and Ruby cursed. However, another arrow came up and hit Horvutonikah in his chest, and she followed its path to see Lydia back on her feet and gasping.

" **Krosis, deal with the mortal! Permanently!"** Horvutonikah demanded with a snarl.

"At once, master!" the Dragon Priest responded before going back on the offensive. As Ruby tried to go to her side, Horvutonikah landed between them.

" **Tinvaaku un, Dovahkiin."**

"Rokiil tol nust aav mu," she objected while drawing Crescent Rose to its full form.

" **Nust krif ful mu dreh."** Ruby launched herself forward, aiming for his shoulder, but his back legs shot him up and his body turned and put his head in her way so that one of his gilded mandible-horns clanged against her scythe and knocked her back. As Ruby landed, he whipped his wing up, tossing snow and ice into the air, then poked his head under while quickly Shouting up Fire Breath. Ruby met it with frost, but soon found her Voice overpowered and screamed as the fires singed her. Before she could gather her bearings, his tail came around and slammed into her, knocking her across the mountaintop and into the barrier.

The dragon laughed as he came toward her. **"Part of me wonders if such a fall would have ended you, but I have seen your power Dovahkiin. I cannot risk it."**

"Seen…my power?" she got out as she picked herself up to her feet.

" **From the moment I heard Aakdremsot's dirge, I have kept my eye on you."** The dragon smiled with pride. **"To have bested a dragon with an army was one thing. Yet, I could feel it within you, and your further fights proved it. I have watched and observed until I believed I knew enough, then I chose the battlefield, then drew you in."** Horvutokinah laughed. Ruby looked on in horror, then snarled as she remembered what brought her to the mountain in the first place.

"You…!" Ruby yelled as she charged him. The dragon made as though to snap his jaws, but then his face went up and his whole body seemed to leap straight into the air. His gilded talons came at her, but Ruby managed to stop to avoid them, and then jumped out of the way of his tail.

" **Strun Kun Qo!"** he Shouted, sending a stream of lightning chasing after her. Ruby sped ahead of it, feeling it just behind her heels. As it ended, she jumped up and turned in mid-air.

" **Strun Kun!** " Her own Lightning Breath collided with his belly, sending the electricity coursing through him. As she tasted ozone, her back hit the ground, but she had just enough momentum to flip backward onto her feet. Suddenly, a greenish blur hit the Word Wall's edge.

"Lydia!" Ruby screamed as she ran at the two. The housecarl was battered, scorched, and iced over in some places, while the Dragon Priest only had a few dents on his armor. The undead tried to level his staff at Ruby, but she dodged around the fire attack with her Semblance and drew Dawnbreaker with her off-hand and cut into him. As the Dragon Priest was set alight and floated back, the Dragonborn turned and went to her housecarl's side.

"Lydia?"

"I'm okay," the Nord got out while taking up a potion and gulping it down. "I'm okay," she repeated."

"Barely. Stay still a moment. I'm going to-"

" **Yol!"**

Ruby grabbed Lydia by the breastplate and pulled them both away with her Semblance as the Fire Breath came for them. She stopped several meters away and started gasping before going back into a battle-ready stance.

"Are _you_ okay?" Lydia asked her as she pulled herself to her feet.

"I'm okay. This guy's just…harder than I thought," Ruby answered with a pained grimace. "I'm going to try and ground him."

"But you-"

Ruby didn't wait to hear what her housecarl had to say and started running towards where Horvutonikah had stopped for a minute. She noticed the dark spot where her Lightning Breath had made contact and then looked at his gilded spikes, horns, and claws.

' _He must not like electricity,'_ she figured as she closed the distance. He looked at her and readied himself, but as he prepared to Shout, she jumped and then dashed in a trio of petal clouds onto his back. One hand grasped his back spike and started pumping lightning magic into it, earning a roar of pain from the dragon, but also shocking Ruby's feet.

"Ow!" she yelled while jumping up. As her feet swung down she let go and landed on the ground, but immediately reached out and started casting the spell again at his wing claw. As he collapsed to the earth and his roars started dying down, she figured she was getting somewhere, when she suddenly felt something wrap around her shoulders and electricity began lancing into her. She screamed and let go, trying to see past her convulsions as to what had her, only to catch glimpses of Krosis having grabbed her and start doing to her what she'd been doing to Horvutokinah. As she tried to free herself, the sound of heavy wing beats signaled that the recovered dragon had taken wing and now hovered directly above them.

"Now, master!" the Dragon Priest called out.

" **Kun!"** he began.

' _No!'_

" **Shul!"**

Ruby tried to tear herself loose, but Krosis' dead man's grip along with his spell gave her no hope of escape.

" **Ag!"**

As the last word of the Shout was said, Ruby felt something smash into her side and looked to see that Lydia had charged in and slammed against Krosis' arms with the edge of her shield, knocking Ruby out of Krosis' now broken arms and out of the path of the Shout. The Burning Light came down upon the Nord, who barely had enough time to turn to it as it came crashing down. Ruby hit the snow and dirt and rolled a moment before looking up to see the Shout pouring from Horvutokinah's mouth onto both Lydia and Krosis.

" _ **Lydia!**_ " Ruby's scream echoed across the entire mountain.

* * *

When morning came up and the snow had settled, Mercer and Blake walked out into the powdery whiteness and began making their way through with a pair of snowshoes for both of them. When they reached the ruins, Mercer began scouting around them, stopping at the edge of a large hole at its top.

"Well, I know Karliah's still inside," he said while taking up a bow.

"How can you tell?" Blake asked.

"Her horse," he explained before loosing an arrow. Blake followed its path and then saw it hit something. A whinny called out and a horse moved from the distant tree line before collapsing. "Now, she won't be using that to escape."

Blake just nodded with a grimace. She didn't like it, but their horses were back at Windhelm. If the woman was to make it to her own horse and ride off, they'd be liable to lose her, especially with how thick the snow was at the moment. The master thief put his bow away and went down into the ruin, Blake just behind him.

"Let's get to it, then. I want to catch her off her guard. Take the lead."

Blake's ears popped up as her eyes widened. "M- me?"

"You heard me. There isn't anyone else here to do it. I want those dark vision eyes looking at every shadowy corner as we go."

"Oh… Yes sir. Understood." Mercer nodded to that as Blake went forward.

"Just keep your eyes peeled. Karliah is as sharp as a razor."

The Faunus nodded while reaching for the door, only to stop when she noticed how the doors were barred by some strange lock mechanism she'd never seen before. Mercer looked over her shoulder and hummed while rubbing his chin.

"Here, let me at it." Blake backed away and the man hunched over, a tool in each hand as he started going through the odd lock. "I don't know what the fuss is about these locks. All it takes is a bit of know-how and a lot of skill." He stood up as the curved bars moved, allowing entry into the ruin. "There. That wasn't so tough. After you."

"You'll have to show me how to get past those kinds once we're done here," Blake suggested with a smile.

"We'll see."

The two headed inside, going down a set of stairs lit by a few candles and into an atrium with several braziers burning. A heavy smell lingered in the air, and both Blake and Mercer grimaced.

"Ugh, the stench in here," Mercer complained. "This place smells of death. Be on your guard."

As they walked further in, Blake's eyes kept scanning back and forth, trying to find anything out of place. A single draugr was sprawled onto the floor, an arrow through its back. After taking a closer look at it, Blake figured the arrow and the wound it inflicted were both very new.

"Look like her work?" she asked Mercer.

"It certainly does. Definitely hers," he concluded. "We have her now."

Blake stood straight and began limbering up. As she stretched to the side, the two coffins in the room popped open, letting their occupants out to fight. Blake immediately drew Gambol Shroud and went against one, knocking its blocking axe out of the way before carving through it. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mercer draw his Dwemer sword and steel dagger, using the dagger to parry a sword thrust and then smashing the pommel of his sword onto the draugr's skull, crushing it.

"She must have snuck past these," Mercer determined. "Probably got past a lot of them. Damn!"

"I can kinda see how she escaped." Blake realized what she said and shook her head. "Sorry."

"Don't be. But it wasn't just how good she was at evading my searches." Mercer groaned as he indicated for Blake to keep going. While they continued walking, he talked in a low tone. "After Gallus' death, the Guild was thrown in disarray. Several people stepped up and tried to claim Gallus' former position as Guild Master. Sides quickly formed between these men and the Ratway became a bloodbath."

"But you came out on top."

"Yes. I wanted to use the Guild's resources to hunt down Karliah. The others didn't even care that he was gone. Fortunately, I persevered. The other groups were either killed or they left Skyrim. Unfortunately, the infighting took months to subside. She had more than enough time to go into hiding and cover her tracks. I spent thousands of septims and used every contact at my disposal, but it was as if she simply vanished." They came into a room filled with felled draugr and Mercer tapped her shoulder and pointed over to the other end. There was an iron gate with a pull chain next to it, but also a spiked swinging door, several vases set in front of it. "Pull the chain over there and watch out for the spikes. Looks like Karliah reset all of the traps."

Blake nodded and went over to spring it, jumping out of the way of the trap and then ducking under a vase that came flying at her head before smashing against the wall. They went down through catacombs, coming across urns and coffins before stopping before some bear traps that Blake disarmed with careful prodding. Just a little further in, they stopped at the sight of some tripwires, but before they could get around to disabling them, several draugr began to rise up. Looking around, Mercer cut one of the wires, dropping a pot of embers onto an oiled space and keeping some of the draugr back as he attacked. Blake went for two in front of her, beheading one and then kicking the other into the rising inferno. She turned in time to see Mercer sidestep one of the draugr before skewering it, then jumping back as he withdrew the blade, dodging another's swing. His foot then hit the wall and he bounced back, slicing into the undead and felling it. The flames then began clearing and more came, with Blake drawing the Blade of Woe as she went to meet them. Mercer jumped in as well, swinging his Dwarven sword before going into a spin and bringing his dagger into the skull of another draugr.

' _He's actually really good,'_ Blake thought as the last undead in the room fell. Several members of the Guild had mentioned his battle prowess, but she hadn't expected to actually be that impressed.

Further down they turned into a room that made Blake balk. Mercer sniffed at the sight and shook his head.

"Bone chimes," he named the dangling bones. "Clever. Rigged to wake the draugr I bet. Don't blunder into any of them." Blake nodded and carefully slinked between the chimes before opening the next door. The closest draugr stirred, but then a dagger flew in and sunk into his head, extinguishing the spark behind its empty sockets. Mercer retrieved his secondary blade as he followed Blake down, and the two emerged into a large chamber where draugr began rising and coffins began popping open.

"Take the left!" Mercer ordered as he went right. Blake went toward the large pillar and swiped at a greatsword wielder before rolling under an arrow and then stabbing up into the archer's chest. The draugr struggled, and so Blake pulled free and sliced it across the face. She turned back to the greatsword user and cleaved one of its arms off before decapitating it, then was stunned at what she was seeing. Mercer had already taken down four and was rushing the eighth, who was trying to hit him with a Frostbite spell. The Breton seemed to leap over the stream then twist in midair, slicing his blades across the undead, taking both arms and carving mostly through its body. The last draugr shot an arrow at him, but the man blocked it with his dagger, sending it off to the side before he charged and took it down with a powerful cleave. Blake went back to his side as he shifted his shoulders.

"All right, let's move," he said while shifting his grip on his sword. Blake nodded and took point again, leading them up to and through a caged catwalk at the top of the room and into another catacomb.

"Karliah was always a slippery little minx," Mercer mentioned off-handedly. "Slipping past all these draugr must have been child's play for her."

"Yeah." While part of her certainly hated the woman for what she did, Blake realized it was a kind of distant hate. She didn't know Gallus and barely knew Mercer, though she was hoping they were getting to know each other better. She could certainly say that getting through this place and only having alerted a couple of the draugr was impressive. It was also frightening when she realized that she was likely going to have to fight her to the death.

They silently stepped through the catacomb, stopping at the end where an iron bar door was closed, but with several vases pushed up against it from the other side. Mercer sighed when he realized what that meant and walked towards the pull chain.

"Get ready," he warned the Faunus. She nodded, he pulled the chain, the door opened, then the vases set against the door were sent clattering. Draugr began rising up, and Blake immediately started trying to cut them down. Mercer jumped in, literally, bringing his sword down on one of the more armored specimens before slicing up and across another. After a minute, the two stood before a pile of corpses.

"You're pretty good," she complimented the man while wiping the sweat from her brow on her shoulder.

"You too. I can see why the Brotherhood had trouble with you." Blake smirked for a second, then frowned as she turned her head away while he went and looked at the vases that had woken the dead. "We're on the right track. She's been through here."

"Yeah. Think we're close?"

"No idea. Just have to keep going."

"Right." Blake went back to the lead but held up her hand. "Trigger stone," she warned him.

"I saw that, but thank you nonetheless," he grumbled.

Halfway through a long hallway, Mercer spoke up. "That door ahead looks perfect for hiding an ambush. Be ready."

Blake nodded and carefully began to open the doors. When nothing seemed to happen, she looked back and saw Mercer nod to her, she pushed them over further then felt them hit something before the sound of vases and urns crashing down rang out.

' _Again?'_ Blake thought exhaustively as the draugr in the room were alerted. This time there were only three, but one of them wore more intricate looking armor, likely denoting him as some sort of leader. The other two came at them, and Blake went in from the side while Mercer went head on. The second one started preparing a spell, but Blake jumped in and sliced up with Woe and Down with Gambol Shroud, slicing off the spell-casting arm and causing it to explode into an icy starburst. Mercer just as easily slayed his enemy, then the two went for the last. However, Blake recognized what it was doing as it took in a breath.

"Dodge!" she called out in warning.

" **Fo! Krah Diin!** " the undead Shouted, freezing nearly everything before him. Mercer had heeded Blake's advice and had gotten mostly out of the way, flipping back to avoid the last of the Shout. He then ran at the draugr, clashing his blade with the undead's axe and trying to gouge his dagger from around the deadlock, though the mummified Nord blocked that with his arm. Blake threw her Gambol Shroud in sickle mode at its back, hitting it and embedding itself. She pulled herself in and jabbed the Blade of Woe into its neck, then Mercer reared back and thrust his sword through. The draugr collapsed with that and the two started to regather themselves.

As Blake caught her breath, she noticed the Word Wall behind them and silently took out her scroll and snapped a photo of it before sending it to Ruby. As Mercer walked up to her, she pocketed the device.

"Ready to go?" she asked him.

"Yes. Door's over there. I feel like we're close."

"Yeah, these things are usually near the back from what I know," Blake told him as she moved on, being sure to keep an eye out for the things that would be too dark for humans to see clearly. Past a bend, however, they came up to a familiar-looking door.

"Oh…" she realized when she saw it.

"Ah, it's one of the infamous Nordic puzzle doors," Mercer recognized it. "How quaint. Without the matching claw they're normally impossible to open. And since I'm certain Karliah already did away with it, we're on our own." He rubbed his chin and then pulled something from one of his bandolier pockets. "Fortunately, these doors have a weakness if you know how to exploit it. Quite simple, really." He took the tool and seemed to slide it between the smallest and second ring while shifting the smaller ring over. Suddenly, the door began to slide open, and a huge smile spread across Blake's face.

"You're definitely going to have to show me that!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get a move on."

Blake laughed a little but went forward. The chamber was large and had snow piled inside of it, likely from the hole at the very top. For half a second she wondered if the skeleton at the center once belonged to who she thought it might, then her attention was taken by the sight of an incoming arrow coming from her left. She didn't have time to dodge or block it, and she didn't want to reveal her Semblance to their opponent just yet. She instead focused on strengthening her Aura to block the projectile, but to her surprise, it cut right through as though it wasn't even there. Before Blake could voice her disbelief, the arrow had punched through her skin, right above her belly button. She clutched the shaft and looked down before a wave of weakness washed over her and she collapsed on her side.

' _Oh gods! Oh gods, help! Mercer, help me!'_

Time itself seemed to distort as her vision swam in and out, the room before her appearing different colors before darkening and then settling on a muted scale. Mercer was standing before her, blades in hand, and a Dark Elf woman was walking into view, an arrow nocked and ready. Mercer simply held his sword at the ready as she drew close.

"Do you honestly think that your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?" he asked the elf, who pulled back on the string slightly.

"Give me a reason to try," her soft voice dared him.

"You're a clever girl, Karliah," he said as he began to circle her, the Dunmer's step matching his. "Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honingbrew Meadery was inspired."

"'To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies,'" she seemed to quote. "It was the first lesson Gallus taught us."

"You always were a quick study," he growled as he seemed ready to spring into action.

"Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive."

Blake's head seemed to ring with confusion, not sure if her ears were working right. She couldn't respond to their words in any meaningful way, but she knew that if she could, her cat ears would have gone straight up as her eyes widened.

' _What?'_

Mercer seemed to be taken out of it for a moment, then scowled. "Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way."

"Did you forget the Oath we took as Nightingales? Did you simply expect him to ignore your methods?" Karliah shot back.

The Breton scoffed. "Enough of this mindless banter!" He stopped and began stepping forward. "Come, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to be reunited!"

The Dunmer seemed to take aim, making Mercer pause, but then her hand went from the bowstring to a vial at her neck. Already opened, she quickly swallowed its contents and disappeared from view.

"I'm no fool, Mercer," her voice seemed to say from several directions. "Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise the next time we meet, it will be your undoing." Mercer sighed in disgust and began stepping back from the room. However, his foot nudged against Blake's leg, which the girl felt to her immense relief.

' _Oh thank everything, I'm not dead!'_ For a moment there, she was beginning to question whether or not she had actually already died and was just sort of viewing the world from her corpse. Mercer looked down at her and sighed again.

"Well, this…turned out to be a waste. Here I was actually growing a little fond of you. Well, Belladonna, you were…useful, while it lasted.

Blake felt a chill running up her spine as he shifted his grip on his Dwarven sword, then she saw him focus, and a grey-black field surrounded his body and weapons for a split second, unexpected, yet unmistakable.

' _What? How? How could…'_ Her questions halted as she saw him rear back his sword and then plunge it towards her chest, unable to call up her own Aura like he just did to defend herself. Pain shot throughout her body, and as the sword was withdrawn and Mercer began walking away, Blake's vision faded into black.

* * *

For a moment, Ruby's eyes couldn't see. All was white and white was all there was. Then it faded and she could once again see the miserable terrain around her. The barrier around them was fading, likely because of its caster's destruction. Horvutokinah landed atop the Word Wall and shook his head before looking at the smoke pillar where Lydia and Krosis had been before wincing and leaning his body up.

" **Krosis, aari, your sacrifice shall be rewarded, despite the slight mistake, for you have freed your master of a great nuisance. Dovahkiin, now our battle can truly-"** The dragon's words halted in his throat as the smoke was blown away. Ruby gasped deeply and jumped to her feet when she saw her housecarl and friend standing unharmed.

A glow of yellow surrounded Lydia, slowly fading away, and a large, translucent yellow circle that seemed to have a horse surrounded by rose vines inscribed upon it was superimposed over her shield, where she had tried to block the Shout in what little way she could. The Nord took a deep breath and the circle above her shattered and dissipated. She then looked at her hands and saw the residual glow upon them.

"What- What happened?" she asked quietly.

" **What is this?!"** the dragon screamed in rage.

"Lydia, it was your Aura! Your Aura activated!" Ruby laughed with tears running down her cheeks as she ran up and wrapped the older woman in a hug. "And your Semblance, I think!" A second later, they remembered what was currently going on and separated while looking over at the one-eyed dragon. He snarled at them and shook his head violently before roaring.

" **Kun Shul Ag!"** he Shouted at them. Ruby and Lydia grabbed each other's hands and shot around the Burning Light. His maw fired at them again, but Lydia's shield arm came up and the circle from before reappeared, intercepting the searing beam without a mark. The dragon's jaw lunged forward to try to physically crush through it, but the ephemeral barrier did not so much as buckle or crack. Ruby dashed around it and drew Dragonbane before slicing it across the blind side of his face. Horvutokinah roared as he lurched back and began to take wing. But Ruby followed him up in a cloud of petals. As she came down, the dragon frantically spun and kicked her away, sacrificing his upward momentum as he did and having to force himself into a full spin in order to land on his feet. Without missing a beat, he began running away as fast as he could.

"He's going to run for it!" Lydia called out.

"Not if I can help it," Ruby responded before taking off after him, scooping up Crescent Rose as she did. Lydia shot after the dragon as well, surprised at her speed but able to avoid stumbling. Ruby came up and stabbed the ebony scythe blade into the dragon's thigh, eliciting a roar before having to jump over a Frost Breath and return a blast of Fire Breath that singed the wing he blocked it with.

" **Vonir!"** he cried out before trying to ram her with his head, only for her feet to push her off the cranium to move with the momentum harmlessly.

"Niid!" she responded before dashing back at him, slicing towards his wing only for him to pull it away at the last second and hobble away from her. Lydia came in and sliced at his tail with a two-handed swing, cutting almost to the bone. The dragon then hopped off of the mountain cliffside and managed to catch air before plummeting. Ruby rushed to her housecarl's side and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Hold on!" she commanded. Before Lydia could respond, they were going out in a cloud of red and yellow rose petals that stopped just before they were over his back. As they began to succumb to gravity, Ruby held on even tighter.

" **Wuld Nah!** " Rather than the swirling sensation Ruby's Semblance gave, the Whirlwind Sprint blasted them through the air at high speeds, yet it almost seemed like the very air parted for them as they shot ahead. The dragon looked up at them in surprise, and then Ruby let go before catching Lydia's arm and throwing her forward. Rather than flounder uselessly like a small part of her mind wished, as the dragon lord opened his maw in a desperate attempt to intercept her, Lydia focused in and summoned the mystical disc inside of his mouth, wedging and blocking his jaws. As she dropped past his dumbfounded snout, she brought her orichalcum broadsword around, swiping it across the dragon's face and even his eye. As he roared in pain, the Nord's shield met his back and acted as a sled while her momentum slowed, stopping entirely as she pulled the handle with her index finger, deploying the spike and dagger that dug into scales and halted her slide.

" **Dii miin! Miini!"** the dragon cried out as he shook his head. Ruby then landed and hooked Crescent Rose around one of the mandible-horns and pulled, turning him back around even as he fought against her and tried to shake her loose. **"Munax joorre!"**

"Logein!" Ruby yelled back at him before switching to the other horn and pulling again. As they neared where she wanted, she spun the scythe and stabbed down behind his skull. At the same time, Lydia plunged her blade near the base of the tail, aiming for the spinal cord. Horvutokinah roared and bent in on himself, and Ruby positioned herself on his head and held on tight. " **Wuld Nah!** "

Horvutokinah was yanked down with her, his throat being slammed against the Word Wall and cutting off his roars of pain into choked gurgles. As he collapsed to his side, Ruby drew Dragonbane again and plunged it into his chest. He struggled and thrashed a moment, but then went still. The two women stumbled away from his body as it began to combust, both falling onto their backs, but managing to pick themselves up as they caught their breath. The soul of the dragon then flowed into Ruby, who focused on taking it in.

 _Her enemies came, believing they would win, but they foolishly walked directly into her trap. Her loyal servants came out from their hiding places and rained arrows and magic upon the rebels and traitors while she kept them from the exit with dragon fire. The mortals tried to fight back, but their situation in the canyon made them easy targets, and the loyalists' position at the crests on both sides gave them good cover. Just as planned._

 _A young boy out of the group, who had yet to grow even his first whisker of a beard, aimed a bow at the dragon. Other arrows bounced off her hard scales, or managed to get between them, but rarely deep enough to hurt or draw blood. The boy, however, was a hunter's son, his aim impeccable. It was still a long shot, especially from his place, but he took it and aimed for the dragon's eye._

 _She was suddenly half-blinded, with pain lancing through her skull like she'd never felt before. Unable to see right or concentrate, she flew away towards where some other loyalists were stationed, believing her army could handle itself and would reign victorious even without. When reports came, however, the traitors had pulled off some mad scheme that got them out of the trap and decimated her forces. It was a blow they could not hope to recover from, and she knew it._

Ruby blinked, stunned at how much there was to go through. It was unlike most other dragons, who had a very large blank space. The only other one like Horvutokinah's memories had been Mirmulnir, who she knew from looking deeply and a journal in Sky Haven Temple had survived the Dragon War.

"Whoa, that's going to take a while to sort through," she muttered before rubbing her head. After doing so, though, she looked at her housecarl and smiled, and Lydia smiled right back. The two started laughing joyously, and Ruby knocked her to the ground with a flying hug, happy giggles still coming from her.

* * *

Blake's eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry and her body seemed to be filled with a dull pain. After blinking for several minutes, she managed to make out what looked like the top of a tent. Once she had secured enough self-awareness, her ears began picking up the crackling of fire and she looked over to see one in the center of the tent she was in. Hides and furs lay beneath and above her, keeping her body warm, and from what she could feel, she was mostly undressed save for bandages around her torso and chest.

' _Not again,'_ she thought blearily. The memory of what had occurred then came back to her, of the arrow that seemed to completely ignore her Aura, and then Mercer's blade plunging into her chest. She remembered his words, words that more than insinuated that _he_ was the one who killed Gallus and not Karliah as he had led her to believe. Most especially, she remembered what he did just before stabbing her prone form. He had pulsed his Aura, a technique that gave defensive Aura and weapon reinforcement a boost, with a visual cue that anyone could pick up on when used. Somehow, that man had his Aura unlocked, even though she was certain that Nirnians couldn't do that. They tried with Lydia and nothing happened. There was no knowledge of Aura appearing in the continent's history that they knew of. She hadn't even confirmed if Capric Thorn had Aura. Even if he did, he was part-Faunus and had grown up on Remnant, which would have offered a valid explanation. But for Mercer to have his unlocked was completely unexpected, not to mention alarming.

As her head swam with confusion and pain, the flap of the tent opened and someone came inside. She looked over and nearly jolted to her feet, the sudden stinging of her chest immediately dropping her right back down with a pained moan.

"Easy, easy," Karliah warned her as she set a few pieces of wood to the fire. "Don't get up so quickly. How are you feeling?"

"You…" Blake got out past a dry mouth before focusing on relieving her throat. "You shot me!"

"No, I saved your life," she responded defensively while sitting on a log. "The paralytic potion on the tip of my arrow slowed your heart and kept you from bleeding out. It gave me enough time to stitch you back up and heal you as much as I could. You're lucky. Mercer struck the wrong side and missed your heart."

"If I was lucky, I wouldn't have had an arrow in my gut or a sword in my chest in the first place," the Faunus grumbled while running her hand across the starburst scar on her belly, feeling the freshly scabbed over spot where the arrow hit almost directly at its center. She felt a cramp hit her stomach and grimaced. "Guh, how did that- Why did you shoot me, anyways?"

"My original intention was to use that arrow on Mercer, but I never had a clear shot. I made a split second decision to get you out of the way and it prevented your death."

"I would have been perfectly fine," Blake argued. "But…if you wanted Mercer, you should have shot _him_ instead. I might have tried to fight you, but you could have said something or disappeared like you did facing him or-"

"Trust me, I've berated myself plenty while waiting for you to wake up. Even more, now that you have. That poison took me a year to perfect, and there was only enough for the one arrow." She sighed. "All I had hoped was to catch Mercer alive."

"Why?" Blake asked as she slowly sat herself up, propping herself up on her elbows.

"He must be brought before the Guild for what he's done. He needs to pay for Gallus' murder," the Dark Elf seethed. After taking a moment to ruminate, Blake nodded in agreement.

"I don't disagree, but how would you prove it?" Blake asked. "It's your word against his, and from what I can tell, no one's going to take you at yours, assuming they don't try to kill you on sight."

"My purpose in using Snow Veil Sanctum to ambush Mercer wasn't simply for irony's sake. Before both of you arrived, I recovered a journal from Gallus's remains. I suspected the information we need is written inside." She sighed as she took out a worn, leather-bound book from her side. "There's just one problem. The journal is written in some sort of language I've never seen before."

"Well, um, I know some people that know some strange languages," Blake admitted. Between Ruby's propensity for reading dragon script and Weiss' connections, she likely could find someone who could translate it. "You have any ideas? Did Gallus have any close friends?"

"Gallus had friends from all over Skyrim. It's how he was able to... Wait. Enthir," Karliah muttered in realization. "Gallus's friend at the College of Winterhold. Of course… He's the only outsider Gallus trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity."

"I'm sorry, Nightingale?" Blake remembered her and Mercer mentioning something like that before.

"There were three of us. Myself, Gallus and Mercer. We were an anonymous splinter of the Thieves Guild in Riften. Perhaps I'll tell you more about it later. Right now, I've got the beginnings of a plan to bring Mercer down for good. Are you in?"

"Well, he did try to murder me…" Blake thought it over for a moment, the tingle of pain in her chest worming its way into the forefront of her mind. "Okay, but this isn't really for revenge. I just don't need him coming after me and my friends now that I know about this. I had enough of that with-" A ringing sound accompanied by buzzing came up, causing Karliah to jump. Blake looked to where her clothes were piled up and fished her scroll out of them before opening and answering it.

"Ruby?"

"Blake! You're never going to guess… Wait, why are you naked?"

The Faunus realized her state and pulled up a fur to cover her chest, an embarrassed blush crossing her face. As she did, Weiss and Yang answered their calls as well.

"Yo, the gang's all here and…" Yang paused as she looked at Blake. "Are you in bed?"

"And undr-…" Weiss cleared her throat and shook her head while a small blush appeared on her cheeks. "Nevermind. I'm going to get a small distance between myself and the caravan." As Weiss started walking, the two sisters looked at Blake in confusion before shrugging.

"Well, it's not important. What is, get this guys, is that Lydia unlocked her Aura!" Ruby announced while pointing the camera towards the woman in question, who was currently testing out her newfound Aura by punching a tree barehanded. Rather than her knuckles being bloodied, there was a yellow glow appearing on them. The tree, on the other hand, was being pulverized.

Weiss stumbled and Blake felt her jaw go loose. Yang just smiled brightly and held a thumbs up for the camera.

"I knew you had it in you!"

"Wait, you know about Aura?" Karliah asked. The team froze and Blake looked over at her in shock.

"What do you mean _us_?!" Yang yelled from her scroll. "Who's that? What do you know about Aura?"

"Guys, this is…Karliah," Blake introduced the Dunmer while switching to double-cam.

"Wait, isn't that the murderer you were going to be killing?" Ruby asked, causing Karliah's right eyebrow to arch up.

"Ruby!" Weiss admonished.

"And now you're naked in bed with her?" Yang asked before a tsk-tsk. "'I don't even like girls' my butt."

"Yang, it's not like that! I was almost killed and she had to stitch me up."

The other three all stared at her, with Lydia looking in from behind Ruby's shoulder to join in.

"Again?!" Yang shouted, shattering the silence completely. "Freaking again?!"

"What happened?" Ruby asked in concern.

"Mercer stabbed me in the chest while I was down. Karliah had hit me with an arrow with a paralytic, and it went straight through my Aura."

"How?" Weiss interjected while Yang and Ruby adopted expressions of rage.

"I used a Soul Trap enchanted bow for the shot," Karliah explained. "I was trying to get through Mercer's Aura with it."

"Wait, Mercer has Aura?" Weiss asked. "There are _two_ Nirnians with Aura?"

"Okay, but how did you even know about that exploit?!" Yang directed at Karliah, her eyes red. "We didn't even know about it until I got an artery nicked!"

"I learned it from an ancient tome." The Dark Elf paused for a moment to think then continued. "Well, I say it was ancient. It was definitely battered by the centuries when I found it, but from what few scraps I could read between the illegible lines, I learned the basics of Aura's functions, the Soul Trap Enchantment weakness, and that the book was apparently written in the thirty-second year of the Fifth Era."

Everyone was stunned by this reveal, and Weiss had to grasp her head with her free hand while leaning against a tree. Ruby and Lydia shared a look, and then Yang seemed to sit down on something.

"Time travel…?" Ruby muttered. "Can that even…"

"Let's not get into it," Weiss said, cutting off such a discussion before it could begin. It wasn't as though she hadn't heard of the concept before. There were theories, with substantial evidence to support them, that the ancient Nedic hero Pelinal Whitestrake had come from the future . They went a long way in explaining why he alone had steel plate armor and weaponry when everyone else was still using primitive leather, iron, or Elven tools.

"Okay, so Karliah saved you _after_ almost getting you killed," Ruby deduced. "We'll call that even, for now. But why are you naked?"

"Ruby, when people get injured like that…" Weiss began to explain.

"No, I get why she had to take Blake's shirt off. But when she opened the call, I saw leg." Several brows rose at that. "I wasn't trying to look. She held the scroll at an angle."

"Okay… Karliah, my friend wants to know…why…"

The Dunmer cleared her throat, seemingly uncomfortable. "While I was stitching up the stab wound your…Mara's Wound opened."

"Mara's Wound?" Ruby asked in confusion before Lydia leaned to her ear and whispered something. "Oh!" she cried out in realization. Blake blinked for a second before she felt another cramp in her abdomen and realized it wasn't from her most recent injuries.

"Well… Better late than never?" Yang offered.

* * *

"That was awkward," Yang admitted a moment after hanging up. There was a lot to take in from that call, but the facets of womanhood reared up one of its uglier sides and kind of took center stage for a long moment.

"And a little frightening," Anum-La added as she followed her. "Every time I'm reminded that you furry women do that I can't help but feel horrified. Bleeding for three days straight? Every month? It's almost enough to make me think about turning a male lifephase."

"One, you've made me incredibly envious of all Argonian women ever. Two, what?"

"What what?"

"Turn a male lifephase?" the blonde clarified.

"Right. I forget. Humans and elves have to go through complex magics and face-sculpting to change genders. Argonians just have to lick a certain Histsap and request it. Then we change."

"Wow. Buddy back home would've… Wait, didn't you say they wouldn't recruit you because you were a girl or something like that? Why didn't you just do that sap thing?"

"Because I wanted to be a woman _and_ a warrior. The ability to lay eggs doesn't make me soft. If anything, changing my lifephase would have thrown me off. I'd have had to start all over."

"Yeah, good point." Yang blew a raspberry. "Their loss, in the end." A stray thought then arose. "Uh, so have you ever…laid an egg?"

"What, do I look like a chicken to you?" the Argonian asked, a playful look in her eyes.

"Nah, too scaly. Really, though, I'm just curious."

"No, we don't lay an egg unless it has a hatchling inside. Not sure how it happens. Well, I know _how_ it happens, but I don't know what's going on past the point of the male falling asleep and leaving the female greatly disappointed." The two laughed at that and they crested a hill. "Though, I guess…" Anum's words stopped when they saw that the smoke they'd seen was not coming from a chimney, but some burning rubble. Two wood and thatch houses had been collapsed, one of them left smoldering, and the roof over the well had been broken off, but the chapel still stood in one piece. Around a half dozen skeletons came charging at them with rusty weapons and farm tools. Anum-La drew her sword while Yang threw forward a few firebolts, hitting some of the undead and felling them. One reached her only to be shattered by her fist, and then another followed its fate. Anum-La cut three down rapidly, and then the two were surrounded by scattered bones.

"What in Oblivion is going on here?" Yang wondered.

"Unless the Vigilant decided to try necromancy while renovating, I'd say this place was attacked."

"Yeah…" Yang looked around, but the only things she could see were rubble, a graveyard, and the chapel. Seeing as anything remaining would have to be inside, she headed to the door. "Well, haven't been to church since the last time Granny Long dragged us to the Church of Ash and Dust. Guess I'm overdue." Inside the stone building they were greeted by the sight of bodies on the floor and knocked over pews. One of them was a Vigilant, his throat cut so deep he was nearly beheaded. The other had a sword sticking straight up from her gut, and she could tell from the scent it was a vampire. Yang reached for the sword's hilt, but flinched back when her skin contacted the pommel and sent a sharp sting into her.

' _Silver,'_ she realized. Anum-La didn't notice her sudden movement and reached for the sword instead. She had to tug it hard as it seemed to have its tip embedded in the floor, and then looked it over when it was freed.

"Seems blessed. Mostly because someone etched 'Blessings of Stendarr' on the blade, the hilt, and the cross guard. Also, it's silver, but seems to have been enchanted to keep its edge like steel. Mind if I hold on to this?"

"Help yourself," Yang told her while she checked over the dead vampire. In one of the woman's pockets, she found and pulled out a piece of parchment and unfolded it.

 _We attack tonight, my dear. We have teased them long enough. It is time to show them the same 'mercy' that they showed our family. They will suffer as our children, our sisters, and our brothers suffered, simply for existing._

 _We did nothing to them, and they repaid us with slaughter and suffering. We have hidden, unseen by the Vigilant for long enough. There will be no forbearance, no restraint._

Yang sighed after reading the short letter then went over to check the Vigilant for any other clues. Oddly enough, there was a letter in his pouch as well.

 _Dearest Turius,_

 _Father Gradius is sending me to The Beacon to bring aid from our brothers and sisters there. I dare not wake you, as I must depart immediately if help is to come before whatever evil is happening here grows worse. Know that I love you and that I will return as fast as I am able._

 _I will be thinking of you this long journey. Keep the chapel safe while I am gone. I have faith._

 _Yours as always,_

 _Gwen_

"They sent someone to The Beacon," Yang said as she put the letter away with the vampiric one. "Looks like some vampires wanted revenge."

"I don't think we crossed paths with a Vigilant on the way here," Anum-La recalled.

"Yeah, I got a bad feeling about this." A book nearby caught her attention and she picked it up to see it had Gradius' name written on the first page. She looked at a door leading to an adjoining room and reached for the knob. "Careful, there was at least one more vampire."

"I'm ready."

Yang nodded and read the latest page of the journal, seeing that Gradius was apparently on to Gwen and Turius' relationship, and thought that something skulking around might have been them meeting up in the dead of the night. They said they were in their beds and it couldn't have been the others of the chapel. He figured it might have been a wild animal. Yang closed the book while figuring that it definitely wasn't.

The light from the main room of the chapel dimmed as they went further in until it disappeared with them going down a level. Yang noticed how they seemed to go below ground level and concluded that there was likely about to be a lot of underground portions. The journal and letter indicated there were at least four people at the chapel, five before Gwen left. They turned a corner and came across a third body, this one of a priest with a greatsword rammed through him and into the floor. Yang didn't even bother trying to pull it out, but did check him for any more clues, finding none. The clattering of bones sounded out as she did and the two went forward, taking another turn and going further down to come across more skeletons. Not bothering with her axes in such close quarters, Yang jumped in and began thrashing them. Several more showed up as they smashed through the brittle bones, going through the crisscrossing hallways until they came to a door and entered a storage room where a few more awaited. Yang was almost bored of the things by the time she finished them off, then opened the door at the other side of the room to find a dead elven priestess laying at the top of the stairs, a burning torch lying beside her and blood pooled around her head.

"Damn it!" Yang cursed.

"I feel like we should be ready to find no survivors here," Anum quietly told her. "If there were any, they wouldn't be waiting in the bowels of this place."

The blonde sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Kinda prefer rescues over…this," she said while gesturing at the dead mer.

"I understand, but not every job is so glorious or glamorous. Let's just see if we can do a little to prevent this from happening in the future."

Yang nodded and pressed on. Down the stairs and past another turn they came upon the body of a Dunmer Vigilant. Yang checked him, but only found a recipe for poison treatments. Further down the hall and to the right they came into a large chamber where another dead priest lay, a bag next to him with some of its contents spilled including golden platters, goblets, and candlesticks. Across from him a dark-robed man was leaned against an old crate while seated on the ground, a bloodied Daedric dagger next to him. Yang leaped down and readied herself, only to pick up the scent of a fair amount of his undead blood among the blood of every slain Vigilant and priest in the chapel. She could see that he was extremely wounded, perhaps fatally so. He looked up at her with baleful eyes, but it softened as he gasped for breath.

"They're dead," he growled out. "All of them, like…the monsters they claimed us to be." He leaned up and pressed his shoulder to the crate behind him, even as his blood spilled more freely around him. "Vengeance. Tell me, werewolf, does it look like it was worth it?"

Yang looked back at the last dead priest. She didn't know if he was running with the golden pieces for greedy reasons or if he was hoping to salvage what he could. She remembered coming by every corpse and thought of the letter and journal.

"No," she said simply, ready to deny him.

"You're…damned right." Yang looked over at him in surprise and saw the tears flowing from his eyes, sobs wracking his body.

"They killed them… All of them!" he cried. "My whole family! My children, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters! We all lived in the isolation of the Velothi Mountains. We made sure to stay away as far as possible from the living, even with the hunger trying to pull us. But it wasn't enough. They came and killed and killed… I heard their screams, every time I closed my eyes. I gave in to the thirst when a hunter stumbled into our cave, and…I felt so powerful. Powerful enough…to exact my revenge." He hissed in pain and clutched a wound that seemed to be pouring blood, but Yang could tell was slowing, and not from healing. "But…it was pointless. I feel…nothing. No satisfaction. No relief. My wife is gone… My family is gone… I'm dying… Werewolf, heed me. It's not… It's not worth it." He began to sag over, his eyes going glassy. "Not worth it."

Yang bent down and picked up the dagger while holding onto his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she stabbed the weapon into his heart, ending whatever remaining suffering he had. Cursing the world in the back of her mind, she stood and turned around and almost leaped out of her skin when she saw Anum-La a few feet back.

"H- How much of that did you hear?" Yang asked nervously.

"I've been behind you ever since we got in here," the Argonian answered. "If you're wondering, I already figured as much. You smell like a dog when you work up even the slightest sweat. You stay away from even the littlest silver things. And I'm fairly certain I saw you attempt to wag your non-existent tail on several occasions. If you're not a werewolf, then I'm a harpy."

"Well, okay, that makes life in the near future a bit easier." Yang rubbed the back of her neck before looking back at the dead vampire and sighed. "This is all messed up."

"I agree. What are we going to do about it?"

* * *

A few hours later, Yang had buried the last of the dead in the graveyard. Anum-La had helped with the digging, and even helped pack away the things they needed to send to Stendarr's Beacon. Each of the graves were marked with a piece of wood, their Amulets of Stendarr hanging from them. So long as no grave robbers got here before the Vigilant did, it would likely be fine. As she walked away and left the shovel behind, Anum-La made one last check to the cart they'd be dragging behind them.

"So, where to after this?"

"Once we send this off, we'll head up to Windhelm. I wanna make sure Blake's really okay."

* * *

"If anything, you're much better than last time," Collette told her as she sat back up. "Most of the impurities have flushed out of your systems. Aside from that scar, you're basically as good as you were before."

"And the stab wound?" Blake asked.

"Wasn't much to fix. Everything vital was missed, and whoever patched you up knew what they were doing. There's scarring, to be sure, but it's to be expected."

"That's good." She breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks again, Collette. I mean it when I say I owe you one. Um, while I'm at it though, do you know someone named…Enthir?"

"Yes, one of our researchers. Sometimes a teacher. You'd be better asking Tolfdir, but I suspect he's down at the inn this time of week. Did you need something from him?"

"Got a book that needs translating. I was told he might be able to help."

"Sounds close to his field. Well then. Be sure to come and see me before you leave, dear." Blake laughed as she and the older woman separated and headed back down to the small town. She winced a little at the cold, but just bundled herself tighter and kept going.

' _Gotta get this info,'_ she thought to herself. _'Then I'll link up with Ruby in Windhelm, and maybe Yang. Once I've got an idea of what's going on… What is going on? What's Mercer's game?How did he get his Aura unlocked?'_ Her eyes looked out across the horizon, seeing the Statue of Azura standing like a sentry over the realm. _'Maybe I should've gone to the temple with Erandur after all. Maybe I can get some advice from a god I could actually trust for once.'_

* * *

" _The eye of the needle lies in the teeth of the wind. The mouth of the cave lies in the skin of the pearl. The dream is the door and the star is the key." He looked up at the nearby peak, which was lighter than the earth around it. Not really pearl white, but certainly close enough to invoke the image. He gaze came back down to the door, then he turned the east to see the first light of the day slowly creep its way up. Seeing the dawn coming, he approached the decorated door._

"In the dawn hour of Azura's Star, the door is opened." _The door then creaked its way open, scraping across the stone ground as it did. Without hesitation, he walked into the cavern behind it, seeing a statue ahead of him at its end. As he came closer, he could see mushrooms surrounding it, and shriveled corpses strewn about them. Closer still and he could see above the upturned palms of the statue was a ring, floating in a slowly-spinning circle. When he stepped just before it, it stilled. The man took a deep breath and slowly reached out to take it. As he did, he could hear the voice once again._

"Nerevar reborn, incarnate, your first three trials are finished. Now, two new trials lie before you. Seek the Ashlander Ashkhans and the Great House Councilors. Four tribes must name you Nerevarine. Three houses must name you Hortator. My servant, Nibani Maesa shall be your guide. And when you are Hortator, and Nerevarine, and when you have stood before the false gods and freed the Heart from its prison, heal my people and restore Morrowind. Do this for me, and with my blessing."

 _As Azura's words ended, he looked down at his hand holding the ring, shifting it between his fingers while holding up his other hand. For a long moment, he looked at it questioningly, remembering what he'd been told before about Moon-and-Star. Just to further paint the picture of possibilities, ghosts seemed to appear over each corpse, each of them a failed reincarnation. People who had worn this very ring and died from it. All of them looked at him expectedly._

 _Slowly, he slid the ring onto his finger, feeling it connect to him and feed him its power. As his grip left the Moon-and-Star and he could clearly see it on his hand, he clenched it into a fist and held it forward._

" _I…am the Nerevarine." He paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the ring on his finger before letting his arm down. "…Shit."_

Weiss awakened, her hand going for her nearby pack moments later. For a minute she searched for her dream journal, but then her fingers brushed something else and she pulled it out instead. Azura's Star rested in her palm a moment before it unwound and expanded itself to its 'ready' form. She sighed and shrunk it back down to travel form before replacing it and taking out her notebook to write down her dream.

' _Thought for sure the riddle had to do with the artifact, but it just meant the time of day.'_ She paused in her writing and thoughts. _'Or maybe it could have also worked?'_

Soon after getting down all the details she could recall seeing, she left the bunk she had been lent and exited the longhouse. Already, several of the Ashen and some others who had joined them were wide awake and working on construction. Along with several houses, they had plans to build a grange and a bath house utilizing the hot spring. Some of the Giants from the Steamcrag clan had even pitched in after promises of trade and fair treatment were brokered. It helped that there was a dragon looking over the proceedings. Vulgahrotru himself was nearby, gliding noiselessly above them all and his hill said to be laden with gold. Weiss was taken aback by the sight of the grey dragon's large nose horn, easily as long as she was tall, and how the horns around his crest were smaller than most of the others. She'd also seen how at-ease he let himself be around the settlers. If she'd heard right, he was even setting up a system where, since they were living under his direct protection, they'd be excused from his normal toll. This would let them build up their town quicker, and then the new settlement would also bring in more travelers as time went on, meaning more tolls to be paid.

He seemed all right for a dragon. A welcome change of pace, to be honest.

"Now if only we could meet more that didn't try to murder us on sight, there could actually be some hope for dragon and human relations," she mumbled to herself as she made for Windhelm.

* * *

 **Horvut** \- Trap

 **Okin** \- Wise

 **Ah** \- Hunter

 **Krosis** \- Sorrow

 **Frodu los het. Nu un tinvaak ni nunon un -** Our battlefield is here. Yet our battle is not only ours.

 **Alok** \- Rise

 **Hi kriist ko Alduinii miiraad fah nid lingrah.** \- You stand in Alduin's path [for] no longer.

 **Kun Shul Ag** \- Light Sunlight Burn - Burning Light Shout (original)

 **Tinvaaku un, Dovahkiin.** \- Our battle (is) ours, Dragonborn.

 **Rokiil tol nust aav mu** \- Your words (were) that they (would) join us. (Rokiil was the best way I could translate "You said")

 **Nust krif ful mu dreh** \- They fight so that we may.

 **Aari** \- My servant

 **Vonir** \- Undo hunt or Stop (the) hunt (Essentially, a way to demand/beg someone stop attacking)

 **Dii miin! Miini!** \- My eye! My eye!

 **Munax joorre!** \- Cruel mortals!


	58. When Snow Settles

After concluding their rented horses had, unfortunately, run off – either back home or away – Ruby and Lydia made their way to Windhelm, as it was fairly close to the mountain. They first touched the shores of Lake Yorgrim, and then got a ride from a few fishermen passing them by down Yorgrim River and to the Windhelm docks. Their arrival happened to coincide with Weiss', who looked over Lydia and tested out her newfound Aura. Beside her was Onmund, Brelyna, and J'zargo, who apparently had come down to meet with Weiss and Erevan, who himself was currently down in the Gray Quarter, to bring her several parts she was going to use on her new communicators. With Lydia's new development, however, they had been brought onto the subject. Brelyna, in particular, was hovering a spell over Lydia's back while Weiss scanned the housecarl with her scroll.

"It's definitely there now," she concluded while looking at the scanning results on her scroll. "A good bit of reserves for a newly unlocked one, too."

"Oh, my Aura rose again," Ruby noticed as they looked everything over. It was a small increase, not quite what one would expect from adding a dragon to oneself, but much larger than the expected natural growth. "I guess it really is doing something. I'll probably catch up to Jaune soon at this rate." She then groaned as her arms fell to her side and her eyes closed. "I hope there isn't that many more dragons I have to fight, though."

Weiss looked over at her partner. "Didn't you once say there were hundreds or thousands?"

"…Yeah."

"That's a…lot of dragons," Onmund said from the side. "I only helped fight the one, and…" He shivered. "I'm just happy there were a lot of us."

"J'zargo must concede that the idea of a literal army of dragons is a frightening one," the Khajiit stated. "However, he must now ask; can the Aura unlocking be repeated?"

"Well, normally, it would either be personally unlocked by the individual themselves, from someone who knows how to unlock another person's through the ritual, or in a time of extreme need, like near-death experiences," Weiss explained to the trio of mage students. "Nirn isn't exactly a world without dangers, and there are more sorcerers looking for ways to gain power than we can list. We…originally figured Nirnians didn't have Aura, or that it expressed itself in a vastly different way, like how Nords are capable of resisting even magical frost. Or the Birthsigns or something." Weiss rubbed her chin while looking at the screen of her scroll. "Lydia's was unlocked by the danger of her nearly being…incinerated, but we have to recall that we had attempted to unlock her Aura through the ritual before. Yang and Lydia were sure at the time _something_ had happened. I wasn't so sure then, but now…" Weiss looked at Lydia, then over at her magical peers. "I have a theory, but I'd need a volunteer to test it out."

At first no one said anything, and then Brelyna stepped forward with a sigh. "I guess I do owe you. What will…happen?"

"Probably nothing. But if something does happen, it will likely be that you simply have an unlocked Aura."

"Oh! And…what does that entail?"

"Think of it as…a sort of spell that never really wears off. You'll be strengthened. Your senses will be heightened. You'll be faster, and with training you can use it defensively, somewhat like an independent magic armor spell."

"There's also your Semblance," Ruby added excitedly. "Like my rose-bursts, or Weiss' glyphs. And Lydia got some kind of shield thing. Show 'em, Lyd!"

The housecarl nodded and then raised up her right arm while focusing. It took a few seconds and some grunts of exertion before a yellow circle stuttered into existence before her, then it shattered and faded while she caught her breath a moment later.

"That was…harder," she noted.

"Oh yeah, you're usually able to instinctively tap into your Semblance for a bit right after unlocking your Aura. Plus, we were kinda riding a wave of adrenaline while fighting for our lives and then trying to stop a murderous dragon from getting away and plotting revenge. But once the initial rush wears off, you have to figure out how to use it consciously, which is a lot harder." Ruby rubbed her chin. "I guess we'll just have to practice until you can get it. Don't worry. We all had to."

"I'm just happy to finally have Aura at all."

"Well then, I suppose there's no reason not to," Brelyna concluded with a nod. "All right. Go ahead, then. I'm ready."

Weiss nodded and walked over to place her hand on the Dunmer's shoulder, glad that she'd asked Yang for her tips on how to do the ritual ahead of time so she could practice on the way here. Her other hand went to Brelyna's temple, and the heiress seemed to go into a trance before her eyes closed, a soft glow beginning to envelop the two of them. From within and without, Weiss' words began to resound.

" **For it is with knowledge that we earn our freedom. Through this, we become masters of our fate and a reflection of all. Exalted in our wisdom and unshackled from doubt. I guide your soul, and by my heart, enlighten thee."**

Inside, Weiss pushed harder. Where her soul and Brelyna's met she did her best to pull, feeling her own strain at it. Outside, Ruby looked at her scroll and gasped when she saw Weiss' Aura level dipping toward the yellow, quickly draining from eighty to seventy percent and slowly ticking down towards sixty.

" **I** ," Weiss called out, still in the trance of the ritual. " **Free**." The glow around them grew brighter, causing everyone to wince or cover their eyes. " **Your.** " Ruby turned from the display and tried to look at her scroll, seeing Weiss' Aura level at sixty-one percent. " **SOUL!** "

The light suddenly cut off. Everyone turned back to see Weiss' knees buckle under her. Brelyna caught her and lifted her back to her feet, and Ruby rushed in and helped the elf take her partner to a chair to sit down. The heiress groggily groaned and blinked at them with hazy eyes.

"Did it work?" she got out.

"I…think it did," Brelyna said as she looked at her arms. "Something definitely feels different." She suddenly had a smile and punched towards the walls, making a small thud before she drew back and clutched her knuckles. "Ach, son of a n'wah! That hurt!"

"Aura doesn't stop pain, silly," Ruby admonished with a shake of her head. "But it did stop the damage to your body. Also…" She pointed at the wall and Brelyna looked to see a small divot and cracks in the stone.

"Great, you damaged my house," Weiss deadpanned.

"Sorry. Give me a second to fix it." As Brelyna started concentrating on the Alteration magic to repair the stone, Ruby snapped a picture of her face then set her scroll to scan her. A few moments later, she had a reading.

"Yep! Aura active and at ninety-nine… Nope, back at a hundred. Congratulations Brelyna Maryon, you are the first elf to have an activated Aura." Ruby then bore a thoughtful look. "That we know of." She shrugged and then looked at her partner. "Feeling better, Weiss?"

"I'm fine. It's just that the amount I was drained caught me off-guard." She sighed and then looked at her own scroll for its readings. "It took literally twice as much effort as what I was taught. I suppose that's why no one ever unlocked one on Nirn before. Your Aura is so deep within that you'd almost certainly never find it by accident."

"Why do you suppose it is like this?" J'zargo asked while combing a finger through his whiskers.

"I haven't the foggiest. Perhaps magic and the like made it less of a necessity." As Weiss thought it over a little more, Ruby patted her shoulder.

"We'll probably never really know, but what's important is what's right now, and right now we've got two people with freshly unlocked Auras in need of training. Lydia, Brelyna, to the docks!"

"Wait, me?" the Dunmer mage asked in surprise.

"You gotta learn how to work it too. Plus you'll be a good balance between me and Lydia," Ruby explained as she took the woman's hand and started leading her out of the manse. "We'll get you a training weapon and we can test out your limits before we start drilling."

After their classmate was pulled away and looking at them with pleading eyes, the remaining three looked towards each other. Onmund caught Weiss' eyes move toward the door, and then nodded.

"Guess I'll go watch them," he said before leaving as well. J'zargo seemed prepared to follow, but Weiss clearing her throat caught his attention.

"J'zargo, I have…something that I need to get off of my chest." She took in a breath and slowly released it. "When we began…courting, it was a rather exciting moment in my life."

"Yes, there was certainly excitement," he agreed. "But…J'zargo has a feeling this is going somewhere."

"It is, and…I'm sorry. When I asked to date you, it was after coming out of a world with heavy expectations and my name known by nearly everyone. You had no idea who I was, but when we met you saw me as an equal, someone who could rival you even. We grew close and…well… J'zargo, I am a vampire." Weiss took another breath. "I know that you know that, but you don't…really know."

"I am…not sure I understand what you mean," the Khajiit said nervously.

"There's more to being a vampire than it being a simple curse and thirst for blood. I've wanted…things that make my stomach churn, but send tingles up my spine. I've thought again and again about how I would…take you." She gritted her teeth at that. "About how I would dominate and enslave others. A…plethora of fantasies of dominance and indulgence haunt me, and it's gotten more evident as time goes on, showing me what's really going on in my soul." She winced, but refused to look away. "Part of me…wants to break everything about you, and it terrifies me."

He looked down and to the side before sighing and then looked back up at her. "J'zargo was wondering what he may have done wrong when you did not speak to him on the calls."

"I'm sorry."

"Do not be. It is what it is. And it seems to this one that it just was not meant to be."

"Yeah," she muttered quietly. He nodded and straightened himself.

"He was never serious enough for it to go too far in the first place. If things are too much, then let us not hurt ourselves trying to push it."

"Right." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes before looking into his. "Then…it's over? We're broken up?"

"He would not say it is 'over'. For J'zargo, Weiss will still be a friend and a peer." She gave a light smile, and he reached a hand out to her. She took it and they shook on it.

"Friends and peers."

J'zargo nodded, then gave her a wry smirk. "Of course, he still eclipses you in Destruction magic, so peer is a relative term."

"Oh?" she put her hands to her hips and had to stop herself from breaking into laughter. "Maybe, but you can nowhere near match me in Conjuration."

"He concedes the point, but does your Conjuration exceed his Destruction?"

"Perhaps we should find out." Weiss was about to head out, but stopped herself. "Uh, after I put those communicators together. I don't have much time before I have to leave, and we might need them sooner rather than later."

"Ah, yes, that is true. He had almost forgotten those parts we brought. Well then, let us build some devices."

* * *

Iron hit iron and Brelyna let out an indignant squeal. A few of the dockworkers had started watching the three training, some of the Argonians apparently greatly enjoying seeing a Dunmer getting thrashed around. Even if it was a human doing the thrashing.

"Don't grip it too tight," Ruby reminded her. "Focus your Aura forward. Feel it extend from you and into the sword. You have to almost take the 'extension of your body' literally for that."

"What? What does that mean?"

"'Treat your weapons as though they are extensions of your own self'," Lydia quoted. "Gaiden Shinji."

"I'm pretty sure it's a more general term, but okay. Here, let's take a break," Ruby suggested. Brelyna thankfully dropped the practice blade and then sat on an old bench. She groaned at the cold then began focusing on heating it with magic in her hands. Ruby looked over the sight and hummed.

"I guess you're really used to just using magic, huh?"

"I never found much reason to use a weapon. I'm not much of a fighter, and if I have to I'd prefer to hit them from afar with fire, frost, and lightning."

"I can understand that, but sometimes you don't really have a say in how you fight." Ruby sat next to her, feeling the seat beneath her slowly going from below freezing to above. "Think about Weiss. She's pretty good at magic, but she also keeps her sword on her. Back on Remnant, even though she preferred Dust and her Semblance, she could still skewer and slice apart Grimm with the best of us."

"I think I'll just stick to more…homestyle magic." As Lydia sat next to them, the mage lifted up her hands from the now warmed bench. "Having Aura doesn't mean I _have_ to fight, does it?"

"I guess not," Ruby supposed. "A lot of different professions can use Aura, but Huntsmen, and maybe soldiers and police, are pretty much the only ones that _all_ of the members need Aura. There are first responders, firemen, and even doctors and medics who have their Auras unlocked for utility purposes. Along with all the heightened physical stuff, some people get a Semblance that works well with their job." Ruby laughed. "There was actually this show back home where a police consultant guy had a Semblance that highlighted specific things concerning a crime scene in his vision. He was so good at solving the crimes with it that he actually convinced everyone he was a psychic."

"Well, that is interesting," the Dunmer admitted.

"A lot of the 'shows' she describes are. I get a little confused though when she mentions something that sounds amazing was 'not that good'."

"In concept, they're amazing," Ruby admitted, "but the execution is so shoddy half the time. Like, imagine a book with a plot like The Infernal City was written more to the beat of The Lusty Argonian Maid." Brelyna blanched while Lydia shivered. "Yeah, exactly."

* * *

"Hey, Lopin', you seen Donert?" Cyrigs asked as he walked up.

"(Why are you even asking me? You know I can't pronounce anything in your monkey language)."

"Oh damn it! Why am I even asking you? You can't speak Common, Imperial, or Nordic. I never understood that, anyways. Why can't you speak any human languages?"

"(When I licked the sap and the Hist shaped me, I was formed to… Why am I explaining this to you)?"

As the Nord realized he had just repeated his mistake yet again, their sergeant, Gyaf, and Donert came up with a horse-drawn cart and something in said cart.

"Triumphant return!" the Dunmer declared as he hopped out of the seat. "We finally got the drop on those dirt-eating Imperials!"

"Oh, hey Sarge! You're back already?"

"Quite. I had to bring back the spoils of war to Windhelm itself. On the way we accidentally ran over Donert. It was kinda funny. Just wish it'd been Gyaf instead."

"Whoa, is he okay?" Cyrigs asked in worry.

"Eh, I'm fine. I've been pounded harder than that and got back up."

"(Do you not know how to control your hornless moose creatures? This is why guar are superior beasts of burden)."

"I'm glad you asked, Lopin'. We managed to capture a portable siege scorpion," the Dunmer cheerfully responded.

"It was abandoned and already hitched, so we took it while we ran," Gyaf explained.

"Quiet you! Taking advantage of an enemy force's shortcomings is a part of warfare. This doohickey will be perfect for spearing Imperials from a distance, or dragons, should the need arise."

"(Speaking of which, a couple of the Dragonslayers are here)," Loping-on-Heavily told them. "(Apparently, they are teaching a Dunmer girl how to fight. My brethren and I have found her poor combat performance very entertaining)."

"Yeah, for once the dragons attacking us will feel the burn," Donert mistakenly agreed. "Oh, by the way, Thane Weiss is back, and so's her red friend."

"Well then, maybe _we'll_ be the ones to show 'em how to slay a dragon. Can't wait to shoot one of those lizards right out of the sky. No offense, Lopin'."

"(My only hope is that any dragon we meet speaks Jel, and that he eats you all)."

* * *

After taking the salvaged valuables, Yang and Anum-La had them packed and sent to the Beacon along with all the letters and diaries they collected, everything but the Blessed Blade of Stendarr, with the reasoning being that they were going to need it far more in the coming days ahead if the past was any indication. The Couriers' Guild had to get a mule and wagon to haul it, and it cost a good bit more than normal, but Yang believed it was worth it. Right after, they headed up north, trekking through the snow that led through Shor's Stone. The sky began darkening as they neared Vernim Wood, and Yang saw someone waving her down from the corner of her eye.

"Travelers," the man called out as Yang turned her head completely toward him. "Over here!" She saw now that he was dressed in the robes of a Vigilant, and instantly jumped off her horse's back.

"What is it?" Anum asked as she followed.

"Looks like a Vigilant needs help. Geez, you'd almost think they'd been wiped out from all the dead ones we come across." Yang pushed through the underbrush, smelling blood and death. She wondered what had happened as she came into the small clearing, only for the three people dressed as Vigilants to draw their weapons and smile wickedly.

"Ah-ha! Got you!" Several other men and women popped up, two of them dressed in black robes and the rest wearing worn leather. Yang realized that behind the smell of death was the scent of vampires hanging onto the disguised three and the robed ambushers.

"Crap! Watch out!" Yang cried as she drew Holy Ardon and swung it at the nearest vampire. He jumped back and tried to smash his mace into her arm, but she moved it aside and chopped up. He cried out and fell back as his leg was cut and the enchantment took hold, but then Yang was covered in flames from one of his fellows. The ambusher seemed surprised that she'd come out almost unscathed, but only redoubled her efforts. Yang could feel the fire biting into her Aura and unhooked the Helmet of the Unburned from her side and almost slammed it onto her head.

' _Knew I should've gotten this thing fitted,'_ she mentally complained as she took Fiery Kain in her right hand after tossing Ardon to her left. The vampire tried to burn her again, but this time when the flames collided, a roar echoed out from her helmet and something seemed to _fill_ Yang's very being. The fire washed off of her like it was no more than air, and she charged through, bringing Kain down on the mage's neck and chopping down through her chest, severing half of her torso and head from the rest of her. Anum-La had successfully gotten at two of the thralls and one of the black-robed vampires, her blessed sword cutting them down with her swings. An arrow hit her, digging into her gambeson, but Yang could see that it hadn't hit her scaly skin.

As she turned back to the other two disguised vampires, one began spraying her with ice while the other started using a draining spell. Yang suddenly felt dizzy and fell to one knee, and the one she'd injured laughed evilly.

"Now we've got you! You'll pay for…" He trailed off as something started crashing through the forest. For a moment, it looked like a snow bear was charging them, then a Nord sat up from its back and raised up a double-bladed axe while letting out a warcry. He swung the axe as his bear passed by an archer, chopping into the thrall and tossing him through the air with its force. The bear reared back and roared, and the man hopped off before turning and swinging his axe in both hands, catching two thralls and splitting one in half while cutting open the other's chest. The other robed vampire tried to hit him with a shower of lightning, but the man powered through it, raised up his axe like he was splitting wood, and then went through her as though she was a rotten log. The other two had ceased their combined attack on Yang and were in full retreat, but then the bear ran the woman down while the man received a throwing axe in his uninjured leg. The bear ceased its mauling once the female went quiet, then trundled up to the fallen man, pressing down on his back before biting the back of his head.

As Yang rose to her feet and warmed herself back up with a fire spell, the man came towards her. He was enormous, easily a head taller than even some of the biggest Nords she had yet seen. He pulled the hood of his cloak back, revealing an old, weathered face with a beard nearly as long as her hair, once blonde but faded almost entirely to white with age, and a single topknot of hair atop his head. While his right eye was blue, Yang noticed his left eye had a cataract formed over it.

"Are you alright, girl?" he asked her with his gruff voice.

"I'm okay now, thanks." She stood up and rolled her arm, feeling the numbness of the cold slowly fading away. "Quite an entrance you made."

"Sometimes showing the right presence wins you the battle before it's even begun."

"I'm sure swinging an axe the weight of a small child with one arm will also help," Anum-La quipped as she walked up while cleaning her sword's blade.

"Quite. And who might you young ones be?"

"I'm Yang. This here's Anum-La."

"And I am Yngvarr. Well met. You're a Companion, are you not? How is Kodlak these days?" the man asked as he shouldered his axe.

"He's doing well. You know him?"

"Do I? We fought side by side for well over twenty years that man and I, back when I still ran with the Companions." The old man sighed wistfully. "Well, I can tell you more at a later time. I was heading up to my home before I heard the commotion, if you want out of the cold."

"I dunno, how far are we from Vernim Wood?" she asked the Argonian, who immediately pulled out her map.

"Well, from that bridge over there… And there's Vernim… How far is your home?" she asked the old man. He simply pointed up at a nearby set of mountains, and they saw a small bit of smoke rising off its side. "Yep, that's closer than the town," she decided as she put the map away.

"Alright then. Lead the way, but don't get any ideas," Yang warned him.

"The only ideas I have any more are what to eat for supper. Come, Bjarni." The bear responded and waddled up to his side, letting Yang see how massive it really was, being higher at the shoulder than her head. Still, as it followed the big Nord it seemed to act more like a floppy lipped dog than a man-killing beast. As they walked along behind the massive man and started going up an incline, Yang picked up a little more beyond the scent of bear. She took a few quicker strides to pull up beside him and cleared her throat to catch his attention.

"You don't have a second bear, do you?"

"Nope. You don't have a wolf somewhere?"

"Nope," she answered with a grin.

* * *

The two women were treated to a good bowl of soup and some mead as they sat by the large hearth in Yngvarr's home. Bjarni was eating a mass of berries and fish and even got a little honey. Yngvarr ate with the two, but with a double portion.

"So you used to be a Companion?" Yang asked, continuing from where they'd paused. He's already told them how he and Kodlak met and had just gotten to the point where they'd joined.

"In truth, I still am. Once a Companion, it takes a true form of dishonor to be thrown out of the ranks. I've…kept in contact, somewhat. They know I'm up here and why. I simply prefer my solitude and my home." Bjarni came up and nosed him on the arm, causing the man to smile and pet him. "And you, my friend."

"Certainly a nice place you got here," Anum said while looking around. "Another room or two, a bar over there, and you'd have yourself an inn. Don't know who'd come up all this way, though."

"The only other thing of note is the Dwarven ruins near the mountaintop. I have the occasional hunter looking to rest, but not much else. I've lived in peace these last few years, but now…my mind wanders, and my eye looks towards the horizon." He suddenly gained a faraway look in his eyes. "Sovngarde beckons me."

Yang felt a pang in her heart when she recalled smelling the lycanthropy – or was it ursanthropy? – on him. She knew from what the others had told her that a werebeast's soul belonged to Hircine and his Hunting Grounds. That included her soul as well, and truth be told she was not looking forward to that. If there were any workarounds, she'd grab hold of them, but she didn't even know where to begin to look.

"Maybe you should come with us?" Anum-La suggested. "Every other time this woman takes me somewhere, we almost die. Now we're planning to go meet her little dragonslaying sister before going to what is possibly a trap intended to kill me at Folgunther. Just on the way here we had run-ins with massive spiders, vampire-filled skooma dens, and enough skeletons to fill a modest graveyard."

"The adventurous sort, heh?" Yngvarr chuckled.

Yang shrugged. "Just trying to do the most good."

"Well then, I wouldn't mind joining you, if you would have me. Perhaps I'll find my way with you two. If not, then I can spend the twilight of my life truly living." He took a large gulp from his mug and sighed as he slammed it down. "Well then, in the morning?"

"Yeah, sure. It'll be good to have your axe around," Yang answered. "'Til then, where can we sleep?"

"Ah, those two on the right are empty. Shouldn't be any dust to worry about."

"Thanks, Yng. Well, we'll need some shuteye if we're gonna try to make it to Windhelm tomorrow." Yang stood up and stretched before heading towards one of the rooms.

"Yng?" the man wondered aloud. "Huh, haven't been called that in…a long time."

* * *

Blake arrived at Windhelm in the middle of the night, when everyone else was sound asleep. She checked through Hjerim first to get a solid headcount, then to the inn for a few much-needed drinks. When she'd nearly ordered her fourth she decided to go for a walk, keeping to the shadows and hoping to not be spotted. It was working rather well.

"You seen that knight?" one Dunmer asked another. "The one that goes to the temple every day?"

"Have I? The man is a beauty! Oh, I do hope we share interests!"

"You're out of luck either way," a different one told him. "Seems to be one of those…abstinent sort of knights."

She stopped listening there and moved the focus of her ears, this time hearing something through a layer of stone.

"Ohhhhhh, Hist! Need it. Need it! Neeeeeed it!"

She shifted her ears again, not wanting to hear an addict's jonesing.

"Papa, I miss mama. Why did she leave?"

"She went to go and heal people, dear."

"I know, but… Why heal the Nords? They're always so mean to us."

"She…believes that if we help them, they'll realize how bad they were treating us and start being nicer."

She sighed and flattened her ears to her head while sitting on a cold curb, taking the sword and its sheath from her back. The Ebony Blade shifted a little, and she could feel it cut against the piece of wood and leather keeping it away from the outside world. As much as she hated what it often tried to get her to do, she was focused on a different aspect of it at the moment.

"You warned me," she whispered lowly. "You told me he was hiding something. Why didn't you say more?"

Rather than the Blade, she heard the far more silky voice of Mephala. _"You would have learned nothing if you were told everything."_

"I was stabbed in the chest. I could've… I almost died." The word 'again' went unsaid, but still understood.

" _Yes, it was very close. He led you right into that trap, using you as a shield, fully believing it would kill you. Such a betrayal! Or was it?"_

Blake winced at that. "I did trust him, but…the more I think about it, the more unnatural it seems. I always felt weird about it. I didn't think it was much at the time, but I think I know why now. And I'm sure you know why."

" _Much of his plans and actions are shadowed from me."_

"Those aren't what I was asking about. It's his Semblance." A long pause of silence happened between them. "I think I know what it is, and I know you won't lie to me about it." She put her hand on the hilt of the Blade. "Not when I hold this."

Another long moment of silence passed. After taking in a deep breath, she clenched her hand until the knuckles went white.

"What is Guild Master Mercer Frey's Semblance?"

A slight laugh rose up. _"You already know it. He turns the emotions levied towards him in his favor. He calls it 'Shadows Lure You'."_

' _Then he's manipulated me from the start.'_ Blake gritted her teeth together and her hands wrung the sword. _'He played me like a damn fiddle!'_

" _He played everyone, but now you know. How can your feelings change from hatred to admiration?"_

' _They won't. I… I have to kill him.'_ Blake tried to take in a breath past her quivering anger, but it came ragged. Some part of her deep inside knew it wasn't her first choice, but she didn't care. _'I have to kill him so that he can't hurt me or anyone else again.'_

Mephala and her Blade said nothing as Blake continued on her train of thought.

* * *

Weiss leafed through the old journal, not able to understand it, but intrigued by it all the same. Blake was looking over her shoulder while holding the mask Ruby had shown her a while ago, which she said was all that was left of Krosis.

"Rather amazing. Going by the structure of the sentences, he also used the same sort of syntax found in other Aldmeri languages. I've only seen a handful of Falmer writing examples, but this certainly looks like them… A career thief wrote this?"

"Enthir said he was pretty well learned," Blake pointed out to her. "And that he was 'too clever for his own good.' He said my best bet for figuring out what it says is Calcelmo, the head researcher and owner of the Dwemer Museum all the way over in Markarth."

"Well, that is quite the trip." Weiss closed the book and handed it back to Blake. "Do you want to come along with me and go from Solitude?"

"No, first I want to check the Guild. He probably thinks I'm dead, and then told everyone else as much. If that doesn't work, then I'll follow this up." Blake sighed. "Gods damn it all, I only joined the Thieves Guild to get rid of people looking to kill us, now I have to worry about someone _in_ the Guild trying to kill us."

"At least this time, his self-interest will likely override his wish for our death," Weiss theorized, "so if he does get away, we may never have to worry about him coming after you again. He's a thief, not a death cultist."

"Maybe, but I'm not going to pretend I know how he thinks. And something tells me there's more to this than we know. He couldn't have just _accidentally_ unlocked his Aura. Not with what we found out. Karliah doesn't have it, and she didn't tell me how he unlocked his before we split at Winterhold. And I doubt he's from Remnant. He's certainly younger than a hundred, and he would've…noticed things by now."

"Like those human ears you hide under your hair?" Brelyna asked as she walked by. The woman looked a little exhausted – not to mention slightly bruised – as Ruby and Lydia came in behind her.

"Okay, so we got Lydia to be able to bring up her shield for a few seconds," Ruby told the group. To demonstrate, the housecarl held up her hand and summoned her translucent shield. After three seconds, it fell apart and Lydia gasped in a breath. "Haven't been able to break one yet, but I don't know how they stand against something like a barrage of attacks. It might be that Lydia's putting everything behind it, and it's just really strong but costly in general, or maybe it's got some kind of gimmick where it's completely invincible but only ever lasts a couple seconds. Semblances can have weird mechanics like that. We're gonna try focusing on reducing their power and see if they last longer that way."

"Yes, that's actually similar to how I trained with my glyphs, though they were certainly never indestructible. There was always something that could break through." Weiss summoned up a glyph over her hand then turned it around. "Here, let me see something."

Lydia nodded and focused on bringing up her shield again. Weiss then sped her glyph forward and it crashed into the similarly sized yellow disk with a small thunderclap that the people in the room could feel and broke apart. Lydia's shield held for another second then crumbled again.

"Mm, I put a lot behind that glyph," Weiss said with a small wince. "Yes, we certainly don't know where the limits of it are. We'll need to look into it further when we have the time. Speaking of, what time is it?"

"About eleven," Ruby answered. "I think."

"It's eleventh hour, yes," Brelyna answered

"Well, I better get to the docks then. The boat leaves in about thirty minutes."

"My Thane," Calder called as he came downstairs, "is everything all right? I think I heard something."

"Just a magical shield test, Calder. It worked, so no damage. I'll be leaving momentarily, but my friends may be here for another day or two. How's Smells-the-Ground settling in?"

"She got familiar with the rooms really quickly. Are you still sure about…hiring an Argonian maid?"

"She needed the job, and we need someone to keep the place clean, especially with that family moving into two of the rooms later this week. Just make sure to keep the peace for me while I'm gone."

"Absolutely, my Thane," he said with a salute. "Have a safe trip."

Weiss nodded and the group walked out. She winced a little at the sun, but found that it didn't bother her nearly as much as it once did. In fact, if she simply had some sunglasses, she wouldn't have needed to pull her hood up over her head. As she wondered whether that came from her new bloodsire or not, the two male mages looked up from their game of Legends and joined the convoy of people heading towards the far side of the city.

"Were you able to get those communicators together?" Onmund asked in curiosity.

"Yes. There were enough parts for five after putting the first together." Weiss held up a briefcase-sized object to show them. "I have some more ideas for miniaturization, but it will likely take some time to implement, not to mention money." She rubbed her chin in thought before shrugging. "Brelyna knows the workings fairly well at this point, and I have some blueprints written down for you three and anyone else at the college that you trust to assist. I'm also leaving one for you to use on the move and another for Ruby to…give to a contact of ours."

"After he's made that oath, of course," Ruby remembered Weiss demanding. They needed to be able to talk with the half-Faunus a lot quicker and more directly than by courier, as the situation with Horvutokinah showed them. A courier could end up following someone's trail for weeks if they were on the move like Ruby tended to be at all times. Windhelm was also getting a lot more of the news and refugees from the dragon's rampage in the White Shore of the Pale, so just what he'd done before Ruby learned about him was becoming all the more apparent. Still, they didn't want this magitech falling into the Thalmor's hands, so they would have to tie Capric's. "The Bloody Oath is pretty simple, really. Why don't more people use it?"

"In case it becomes inconvenient or outright dangerous to continue holding onto it," J'zargo explained. "It also cannot be changed or altered in any way. Once made, it is a lifelong bind."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess politicians and stuff need a lot more wiggle room than that." There were than a few movie and book plots about how someone on the side of good had to go back on an oath or vow because the other party changed so terribly that the spirit of the promise was essentially dead and gone. "Well, that's why it'll work for something so simple. Just going to make it that he can't share the communicator's secrets to anyone without our permission."

"You guys know he has something similar, right?" Blake asked them. "Remember that conversation he had with the queen I told you about?"

"That's a piece of high-grade magic only the most skilled of mages could hope to accomplish," Weiss explained. "Likely, it included complex rituals and reagents on top of it being a constant drain on his magicka. There have always been ways of communicating across vast distances. This is just the first one that could become widely available to practically anyone."

"Ooh, there was some kind of Dwemer bird machine that Annaïg used to talk to Prince Attrebus," Ruby told them.

"What?" Blake asked, a little confused.

"It's in The Infernal City, part one of the historical novelization of the truth behind the Umbriel Crisis," she further explained. "Annaïg had a mechanical bird her mother gave her that could fly itself around and had a communication ability with a locket that she kept on her at all times, so she could send it somewhere and talk to people with it."

"Huh, interesting. I'll have to read that when I'm done with Mystery of Talara." They reached the docks and looked to see the bustling Argonians and Nords, a few Dunmer interspersed and normally keeping a distance from the reptilian folk. As they came up to the ship Weiss would be boarding, Erevan seemed to walk out from the crowd.

"Everyone," he greeted them with a small bow. "Lady Weiss, it is good to see you off. I thought I may catch you before you depart and share a thought or two."

"Certainly," she replied with a smile.

"I have been in this city a few days now, and have felt the heaviness surrounding it. But knowing I am in your service, the Nords dare not reproach me. And to see one of their own as a knight has given many of the local Dunmer…someone to look up to. I have also been working with Brunwulf Free-Winter and a few others to find out about a group of bandits that have slipped beneath the guards' noses more than once. I think I can do some good here."

"If that's what you want, then go ahead. You don't need our permission to help people." He smiled at this and nodded.

"Then I will. I hope to see you soon. Be careful in that viper's den. They may see you as one of their own, but sometimes snakes will swallow even one another."

"I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

Yang read her texts as they rode on from Kynesgrove to Windhelm. Bjarni was able to keep up with the horses easily, the bear having been trained to do so by Yngvarr since he found him as a cub, along with training him to ignore his hibernation instincts.

"Okay, so Weiss is heading off, Ruby and Lydia are planning to head up to Winterhold while training, and Blake's going back down to Riften for info and whatnot." She stuck her tongue out and closed her eyes. "One day, the world will stop being so crazy and we can all just live."

"This traveling common for you and your friends?" Yngvarr asked.

"We've been zig-zagging every which way since we fought that dragon at Whiterun. I think he cursed us with his dying breath or something." Both the Nord and Argonian laughed at this.

"Well, nothing's making you go with me to Folgunther," Anum-La told her. "It's all your own conscious decision. Then again, I can't picture you choosing to stay in one spot for too long."

"Yeah, fair enough. But there's a difference between going out on weekend adventures and living on the road."

"Both certainly have their merits," Yngvarr said as he started stuffing a smoking pipe, "but the road is better spent with friends and comrades to share the journey, whereas I find my home to be a den of solitude. Perhaps some opinions would differ, but that is how I see it."

"I like some alone time once in a while, but I don't know about just being alone."

"Wolves live in packs after all," he agreed.

As Windhelm came into view, the Nord looked upon the statue of Talos in reverence. Their steeds were left at the stable, though the stablehands were even more confused about what to do with Bjarni than they were about the giant pig. At least Toggle had common precedent from Orc travelers and his smaller kith. At Weiss' mansion, they found Ruby and Lydia practicing sword forms.

"Okay, starting to think I should just go one-handed," Ruby realized after having her non-existent block broken through once more. "Then again… Okay, think I've got something. Hit me again."

Lydia nodded and moved in on her. As the strike came, Ruby threw up her new attempt, knocking her strike away rather than blocking it. Lydia struck at her again, coming from the other side, and Ruby's other sword spun and parried her once more. They repeated this two more times before Ruby saw Yang coming up and jumped back from the practice.

"Hey, Yang! Who's your buddies?"

"Right, this is Anum-La, and the big guy there is Yngvarr."

"Trying to learn dual-swords, huh? All the better to slice your enemies with," the Argonian quipped.

"Yeah, sometimes my ba- scythe isn't good for close quarters or enemies that get right up in my face. I'm pretty good with a single sword, but sometimes…" Ruby spun one of the practice swords around as she trailed off.

"Hm, a scythe? Sounds like an interesting weapon to use," Yngvarr thought aloud. "Is it an actual scythe with a stronger blade, or a warscythe?"

"Uh, both and neither," Ruby answered while taking out Crescent Rose and unfurling it. The man's eyebrows went up, looking almost ready to fly off his head.

"That's definitely something different."

* * *

"So, we're going to track down whatever's up there, probably another Skyshard, then come back down and figure out our next move. Might go up to High Hrothgar and try to see if they can give me a little more direction on this special Shout Delphine and Esbern think exists," Ruby explained as she sipped the warm tea Smells-the-Dirt had made for them. "Assuming nothing happens between now and then."

"And we'll hopefully get to study it," Brelyna added. "Skyshards are beyond rare. The fact you can track them with your mind is amazing."

"Okay, but only if it's not in a dangerous place. I don't know if it's under the sea, on a rock, or deep underground."

"And Blake's probably going to have to go to Markarth soon." Yang looked over at her partner after saying that. "You sure you're okay for that?"

"I'm fine. Better than I was before, even. Something about Karliah's potion cleared up my blood and seemed to-"

"That's not what I meant. Are you _sure_ you'll be okay on your own?"

The Faunus nodded. "I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not going right now, if I have to go at all. I'm going to check the Guild, and if someone's willing to go with me in the event I absolutely have to go, I'll take them along."

"A thief, from the Guild whose master tried to kill you?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I know who I can… Well, I don't know if I can trust any of them, but I know what each of them are about. I just need someone good at stealth to watch my back while I deal with this Calcelmo guy. None of them I'm even considering are likely to betray me."

Yang sighed at that. "I don't know… I'd prefer someone we know, if not myself."

"Yang, I don't think you have a sneaky bone in your body," Ruby pointed out.

"I can sneak around if I want to. I'm more of a hunter sneak than thief sneak."

"Ambusher. The word you wanted was ambusher," J'zargo told her.

"Thanks, Zar," she sarcastically deadpanned.

"Not a problem." He smirked at her while she rolled her eyes.

"Never had much a need for stealth either way," Yngvarr said before taking a few puffs from his pipe. "Is there a more direct way to get what you need?"

"This is actually the backup plan for if the direct way fails. I'm hoping his past with Gallus works in my favor. If not, I can always try to trade for or buy the info. Getting in to steal it is plan C."

"Hm, I see then. Well, if you truly need it and he's too stubborn to give it…" He waved a hand and closed his eyes a moment, only the movements of his lips on the pipe letting everyone know he was awake.

"What about when you get the translation?" Ruby asked.

"I'm more getting the key to translate it. I could try it myself, but I'm going to leave it to a professional. Karliah told me Enthir would be our point of contact, so once I have what I need, I'll go back to him."

"Back up at Winterhold, and crossing the entirety of Skyrim again," Yang pointed out while shaking her head. "Well, not much better for me. After me and Anum-La check out her 'mysterious friend', assuming nothing's urgent, I was going to see about finding someone named Sorine Jurard for the Dawnguard. She's somewhere in the north of the Druadach Mountains, but likely south of Deep Folk Crossing. Tracking her down…might take a while."

"So you've gotta head to the Reach, too?" Ruby asked.

"Again, that's assuming nothing too urgent with our mystery buddy comes up. For all we know, someone's on their deathbed and needs Anum-La there to save their life, or she's the last heir to some yadda-yadda thing and has to unlock something or another with a drop of her freely given blood."

"Oh, I already did that." Everyone looked at Ruby in surprise. "I'm Dragonborn, and there was a super-secret Dragonborn temple I needed to drip some blood on to unlock."

"What's the reverse of a prophecy? 'Cause that's pretty much what you just did," Anum said with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," Yang waved away while taking a sip of her drink.

"Ah, thought I heard you mentioning that," Yngvarr said as he took his pipe from his mouth and looked at Ruby. "Heard a traveling hunter or two mention a Dragonborn cloaked in red and wearing scarlet scales for armor. Hm, I'd say they're more crimson."

"We were going for ruby red, but it wasn't really available. The only other options were a bright red scarlet that was just too much and burgundy, which is not my sister's color at all."

"I'd say that'd be more like if Blake had a sister and she was more cheerful, it'd be her color."

"Don't you dare curse me with that."

"Too late!" Ruby happily declared before moving her fingers around and conjuring up little lights between them. "May you know what it means to have siblings!"

Everyone else was still laughing as Smells-the-Dirt came in, holding a tray of biscuits.

"Okay," the yellow-green Argonian woman announced in a higher than normal voice as she walked in, "they're just out of the oven, so they're still-" She yelped as she suddenly tripped over, but somehow moved her arms just right to keep the biscuits from falling, even catching a couple that went airborne with the tray.

"Oh, are you okay?!" Ruby yelled out in shock.

"I'm fine. Just lost my footing." With that she swung a leg under herself and stood straight back up before taking the last few steps and setting the biscuits down on the table. "Happens all the time."

* * *

At night, Blake was one of the last to turn in. Choices were a little more limited since two of the rooms were closed off in preparation for the family moving in. Blake only knew that it was a couple with a pair of boys and a baby girl. Still, the men had taken the cellar, Calder and Smells had their own rooms, and Lydia and Ruby were rooming together. As she weighed between the options of sleeping on the couch and searching for a bed, Yang came down from the upper floor.

"Hey," the brawler greeted her.

"Hey," she evenly responded, putting down her book. She could feel what was coming. Yang walked over and sat down across from her, leaning forward a bit before reclining. Blake waited for her to start talking, but she didn't. For a moment, the Faunus wondered if she had even come for that. She sat up straight and looked at her partner before clearing her throat.

"Are you…okay?"

Yang nodded. "Remember when we talked after you recovered from that Isael woman, then immediately went on a rescue mission despite having to have your guts put back together the previous day?"

Blake's ear drooped a little. "Um, yeah?"

"When Weiss first called us, she could barely get out what had happened. She was crying her eyes out and… We really thought you were going to die." Yang took a breath and looked over to her. "I thought we were going to lose you, Blake. I went out and ripped apart… I don't know, three deer? Kodlak managed to calm me down, but for the next few days I couldn't stop thinking about if you were going to make it, even when Weiss kept sending us updates, telling us you were improving." Yang reached over, pausing a moment, before extending her hand down. Blake nearly let herself jump back, but held still as she felt the blonde's finger brush her scarred belly. Slowly, Blake placed her own hand over Yang's and the two looked each other in the eye, and then their hands were wrapped around each other's.

"I'm only asking that you be careful. I need you to stay alive, Blake. Please, don't let this kind of thing happen again."

She nodded. "I will. I promise."

Yang smiled and then leaned over, settling her forehead against Blake's shoulder as the Faunus held her close.

Several hours later, Ruby came down the stairs yawning, then smiled at the sight of the two lying on the couch together, a blanket over them both.


	59. What Waits Within the Ice

**Work and life may slow me, but it will not stop me! Even with big sunburned patches on my arms, I bring you all this new chapter! xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributorare here to back me!**

* * *

Two baths and a thorough washing of her clothes later, Weiss was certain that she'd rid herself of every scent indicative of who she had been around. Since she was doing this in Dawnstar, she had to manually heat up the water herself, which hadn't been all that difficult, but was still inconvenient in comparison to the hot spring-fed baths of Whiterun and Windhelm. As she settled into a soft bed at the Frostfruit Inn, she cast a muffling spell over her room and picked up her scroll to make a call.

Ruby was the first to answer, quickly followed by Yang, Blake, and then Brelyna with one of the portable communicators. Most everyone was somewhere with one of the women, save for Anum-La, Yngvarr, Calder, and Smells.

"Hi Weiss, are you in Dawnstar?" Ruby asked.

"I am. The ship will continue on in the morning. They have to make sure anything meant for Stormcloaks is unloaded before moving on." Weiss recalled how some sailor had threatened her when she found an open crate with weapons, but someone stopped him before Weiss could and explained her position to him. His groveling for forgiveness afterward was just sad.

"So you're safe and sound? That's good."

"Yang, when will you be departing?" she then asked the blonde.

"Yng talked about heading along the mountain ranges to Morthal's swamps. He offered to show me some tips and tricks for making it through in the winter, so we'll be going more along a scenic route."

"That sounds nice." It really didn't. Weiss did not like the idea of 'roughing it' one bit. But it did sound like something Yang might enjoy.

"I'm going back south in the morning," Blake relayed to them. "I don't know what'll be waiting for me, but I have to see. This time, though, I'm ready."

"You've got insider knowledge and allies," Brelyna pointed out.

"So does Mercer. That's the tricky part."

"Just don't try to square up with him," Yang said while looking to her side, with Blake looking to hers as well, indicating they were in the same room. "If you can't get backup, back out. I can run pretty fast as a wolf, so call if you need me."

"I will."

"And Ruby, what's your plan?"

"Gonna go up and look in on this Magne… Magna… Is it Magna-Ge or Magne-Ge?"

"Both are proper pronunciations and spellings," Brelyna answered.

"I think elves use the 'e' version more and humans use the 'a' version," Onmund added. "But don't cite me on that. It's mostly a guess."

"Okay. Well, I'm going up to Winterhold after that stuff. Thinking back on what Astetu told me, Nirn might be in danger from this Ilmaasi person, but I don't know how to fight him besides getting more of these shards, which are already zig-zagging me around."

"There's also the matter of the unique magic you have been gifted," J'zargo remarked. "Some of these spells are extremely complex, yet powerful. They also do not fall under any single School, most being a combination of Alteration and Destruction."

"Which is fine, since those are the two I'm best at," Ruby added.

"I'd like to bring up a concern, if that's all right," Onmund started. "I don't _quite_ understand what Weiss is doing."

"You mean infiltrating an evil vampire lair?" Ruby asked him.

"Um, yes? I mean, I understand why, what with an Elder Scroll being involved and all, but you couldn't send your thief friend to take it? No offense."

"None taken. I've gotten used to it."

"If this was a simple group then it wouldn't be such a problem," Weiss began to clarify, "but this isn't some gang of bandits or a small coven. This is an actual army. Of vampires. Blake getting caught at a place like this wouldn't just mean fighting her way out, it would mean hundreds of vampires converging on her, some of which my own vampiric instincts are telling me are dangerous and not to be trifled with."

"You're not exaggerating, are you?" Brelyna asked with an eyebrow raised.

"She's not," Yang confirmed. "I smelled over two dozen distinct scents on approach, and picked up maybe thirty others when we were in just the main hall before there were too many to count. Assuming the castle is as big on the inside as it is the outside, that means there's about that many vampires for every few chambers, and even with a big margin of error that means that there's probably about a hundred and fifty."

"More than that. There are basement dwellings as well, though I didn't go in them. I didn't have much time before I was sent out on my errand. Then we have no idea how many are out and about in the world."

"Like that group at Bloodlet Throne," Yang pointed out.

"That couldn't have been safe."

"It's not. I'm pretty sure it's a dog eat dog world in there, especially after those two tried to kill me and take the Chalice. I'm going to have to keep my wits about me, even if they pretend to be harmless, like that girl."

"What girl?" Ruby asked.

"There's one who looked like a young girl, smiling at me almost innocently and out of place. Not long after I heard her talking to some others, and she's just as cold and merciless as any other vampire there, maybe even more so."

Blake's eyes went wide, but she stayed silent.

"Sounds awful. Be sure to call us every once in a while," Ruby reminded her.

"I will. And you all best not call me first. Send a message and I'll get back to you when I can. I'll have my scroll on full silent the whole time I'm there."

* * *

' _Damn, damn, damn!'_ Blake thought as she walked down the streets of the Gray Quarter. Some of the Dark Elves were looking at her oddly, though not in the same way they would if a Nord was walking through. Just when she wondered whether or not it was a good idea to be there, a woman in a cloak waved to get her attention.

"Come on in darling," she tantalizingly called out. "We have warm beds and warm bodies for every type."

Blake felt her cheeks flush at the implication, and seeing the skimpy, skintight clothing under her cloak as she moved her arms didn't help matters. She was ready to tell her 'no' when she saw the sign above the door that read "Silk 'n' Skin" had a carving of a spider beneath it. She blinked, and then looked back down at the prostitute.

"I'll just have a look around," she said before entering. The first room of the brothel was the reception area, where a few underdressed Dunmer women and a handful of men, both elven and human, were being tended to by the ladies as they waited for one of their rooms to become available so that their transactions may occur. Blake wondered for a moment if she maybe had gotten it wrong when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and felt something pressed against her back.

"One wrong move and your liver's decorating the floor," a voice threatened. "Who sent you, cat?"

"No one sent me," she calmly responded, ready to jump out of his grip with her Semblance the moment she needed to. "Just thought something might be in here."

"Careful," another voice said. "Take her weapons. We can just-" As soon as she felt the Ebony Blade shift on her back, whoever it was seemed to trip backward as he gasped. "Great Three…! Let her go! Quickly!"

The one holding her hesitated, but the small point at her back went away and the grip on her shoulder disappeared. She turned back to see two Dunmer men, both wearing robes of red and green, with the sigils of Boethiah's fist on one and Mephala's spider on the other.

"What's going on?" the Boethiah priest asked, still holding his wicked looking dagger.

"That sword… Please, my lady, I ask that you draw it and let us see."

Blake grimaced, but took the Ebony Blade from her back and held it out while revealing a handspan of its engraved blade from its covering. The priest gasped again and bowed at the hip while the whores and their customers looked on in confusion.

"Is that…?"

"The Ebony Blade of Mephala. We stand in the presence of her own Champion!" The priest collected himself and cleared his throat. "Forgive me. Perhaps we should speak elsewhere. Thank you for bringing her in, sister Breel, but it's not as we'd feared."

"Well, I'm certainly happy for that," the woman that lured her in exhaled in relief. "Cleaning the scent of blood out is always a hassle."

"Not today it seems. We'll be at the back room. Continue on with business as usual. Come, Champion. We have a few things to discuss." The two priests led her from the reception area down a narrow hallway. Even in her hand, the Ebony Blade stayed silent, though Blake's suspicions immediately dissipated when she realized that, as far as they knew, they had her right where they wanted her. Her thoughts were then distracted by the sounds of moaning and other such noises that sent her cheeks flaming red. As they entered the room at the very back, she noticed that all sound became, thankfully, silenced. An elf sitting at a desk then turned towards her and gasped, and she started herself when she recognized his face.

"Malborn?"

"You? I never thought I'd see _you_ again, of all people," the Bosmer said in surprise.

"You know her then?" the Boethiah priest asked. "She's not the one after you?"

"No, though she is a part of the reason." Malborn sighed and stood up. "By the gods, this is actually a bit fortuitous."

"What's going on?" Blake asked.

"Due to old oaths, we have an obligation to house and protect anyone of our friend's family that finds themselves in need," the Mephala priest began to explain. "However, our organization hasn't the strength it once did, so we've had to keep him safe from the public eye and hope that his aggressor takes the bait we've set so that we can get him into Morrowind, where our brothers and sisters will be more able."

"The Thalmor sent an assassin after me," Malborn continued for him. "It's a Khajiit, but that's all we really know. It's the Thalmor's standard operating procedure, unless they decided to mix things up. We can't do anything about him as he's waiting outside of Windhelm. We were hoping he'd come in, and the whole Quarter's been on the lookout. However, with you here… Tell you what, you owe me a bit of a favor."

"I guess you want me to kill this assassin?" Blake deduced, and Malborn nodded.

"If you would be so kind."

"Well, I suppose that would make us even. What do you have on him?"

"We know a Khajiit has been around the stables," the Mephala priest told her. "It is likely the assassin, though you may need to either kill him quietly or find a way to do away with him…legally."

"He means goad him into attacking you, then play the part of a maiden simply defending herself," the other priest expanded. "Or even let the guards do it. We know how they think. A furry or scaly face is far less sympathetic to them, especially when the other side has a more pretty face."

"Subtle," Blake deadpanned. "All right, I'll get rid of this guy. Then you're off to Morrowind."

"And if by some miracle, you ever see me there, it won't be me."

"Gotcha. Well, wish me luck."

"All the luck in the world, oh Champion," the Mephala priest wished her as he opened the door. Blake nodded and went back out and down the hallway, but as she came near the reception room she felt something brush her cheek, causing her to flinch back and see the one that lured her.

"So, Champion of Mephala? I suppose that makes you someone we should look up to. I wonder how many of her gifts you bear…" She let out a small laugh, the notes of it almost musical to Blake's ears. "Well, feel free to come by any time. Personally, I feel I could stand to…waive a few septims from the price for you."

Blake resisted the urge to gulp and just nodded. "Thanks," she said quietly before rushing back out, barely noticing a few looks of jealousy and respect coming from the workers and patrons of the place. As she stepped back out into the cold air, she could practically hear the god of the establishment laughing at her.

* * *

Lydia swung forward, her sword slipping from her grasp and then flying through the air until it cut deep into a post. Ruby made a face with a hissing sound while Lydia sighed.

"It's okay," the Dragonborn encouraged her. "I can't tell you how many times I lost my grip when starting out."

"I'm not starting out," she complained as they walked over to retrieve the orichalcum blade. After yanking it loose, Ruby looked to the side and gasped at what she saw. She sped over, confusing her housecarl a moment before she ran after her, nearly tripping in her first few steps. They both stopped at the end of the bridge, where a Khajiit man was currently tied up with Blake right in front of him and a handful of Windhelm guards presiding over them.

" _'He has inside knowledge of our procedures,_ " she read from a letter in her hands, " _so he will be_ warier _than usual. Malborn is not his real name - he's now been identified as a survivor of a family of traitors who_ were _all believed to have died in a fire in Falinesti._

" _'Do not risk him evading us. He's likely trying to leave Skyrim. Make sure of your kill, and do not implicate us.'_ " She then looked up from the letter and at the Nords. "Well, there you have it. I take it being a Thalmor spy _is_ a crime in Eastmarch."

"Oh, it's a death sentence," one of them responded coldly as he walked up to the prisoner. "You'd be lucky to be sent to the Pit. Even if you were, they'd never let you out. Probably feed you to a sabrecat. I think it'd be damn funny, too. But you know what boys?" he asked the other men.

"What's that?" one responded.

"I don't feel like paperwork." He then grabbed one of the Khajiit's ankles and pulled up. The Khajiit's eyes went wide as he tilted back against nothing and started dropping. Ruby gasped and ran over to the edge, but he was already in the air and headed for the ground while screaming at the top of his lungs past the gag in his mouth. She flinched back as he bounced off the stony canyon with a loud, wet crack and then rolled into the river. The men actually laughed at that.

"Well, if the fall didn't get him the cold will," one got out through his chuckles.

"I could see the spatter from up here. He's gone," another said before they started walking away. One noticed Ruby and bowed his head with a salute.

"Dragonborn," he said before walking away. The three women just watched them go on in shock, Blake looking back down at the paper in her hands before sighing and folding it up to put in her pocket.

"I'll have to take this back to Malborn." Blake sighed and shook her head. "Sorry you saw that. I thought they'd take him in, honestly. If I'd known that killing him myself would've been more quick and merciful than the 'legal' solution…"

"Compared to what they could've gotten away with, that might have been one of the least horrible ways to go," Lydia told them as she looked over the side of the bridge as well. "What was that about him being a Thalmor spy?"

"Thalmor assassin, really. Remember the Bosmer that got my stuff in and had to run away when we were done at the embassy?" Both of them nodded at that. "They sent that Khajiit to kill him. I met him in the Gray Quarter and he asked me to take care of it. And now we know why he was willing to help us. Apparently, the Thalmor might've had something to do with his family being killed." Blake sighed and brushed back her hair. "Well, I'll let him know the coast is clear. You…going to keep practicing?"

Ruby looked at Lydia then at the place where the Khajiit had been thrown from. "I think that's it for today, actually."

* * *

Yang tried to find that faint scent, nearly giving up, but then caught its feeblest whiff and then followed it, shoving aside several bushes to reveal the reddened goodness.

"Gotcha," she said while plucking off the frozen berries. Snowberries were an oddity in Skyrim, but a beloved one. They grew and ripened with all the other berries and fruits, but stayed good even as the frost came in and resisted it, thus keeping themselves edible throughout the winter. She ate a few of them and passed the rest to Anum-La, who chewed on a couple awkwardly.

"Good, good, you learn quickly," Yngvarr stated as he walked up behind them. "If you ever find yourself near starving, the snowberries will often be your best chance, though they may cool your tongue if you eat them too quickly."

"Brain freeze, right?" Yang asked around a mouthful. As she stepped back, Bjarni and Toggle immediately stuck their faces in and raced each other to eat as many as possible.

"Hm, a good name for it, I suppose." As they continued walking, Yang thought back over some of the tips he'd given them and the ones he _considered_.

' _Glad he decided to_ wait for spring _for the whole getting out of frozen water alive lessons,'_ she thought as she looked across the snowy horizon. Winter had begun in earnest, and if she had to guess they only had a scant few more days before all of Skyrim would be covered in a blanket of snow and ice. In a way, it was beautiful, but annoying nonetheless. Her eyes then caught some carved stones sticking out of the mountain and she pointed them out to the Nord. "Those look like decent shelter?"

"Could be. We'll have to take a closer look. Could be too exposed, or infested with dangers." They started towards the stones, soon coming around to the front of them to see that it was a sort of worn overlook. Inside were two coffins and a table, along with a person cloaked in deer fur looking closely at a cage blocking the way to a chest. Suddenly, the two coffins fell open, and a pair of skeletons came out, causing everyone to jump and grab their weapons, save for the one inside the overlook who conjured a sword into his hands near instantly. Yang was about to charge one, but Yngvarr brought a throwing axe into his hand and threw it into the skeleton's skull, carving into and pinning it to the wall. The other one was chopped down by the overlook's living occupant, whose hood had flown back to reveal honey-colored hair on top of a yellow head. The Altmer let out a sigh of relief, then banished the bound blade before turning to the three.

"Wow, that was a really frightening experience," he said rather nonchalantly. "The Nords should really consider burning their dead. Although granted, it would make opening urns a lot more harrowing."

"They did jump out pretty fast. You okay there?" Yang asked him while Yngvarr retrieved his weapon.

"Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry, that's not blood on my face, it's just makeup," he assured them, likely referring to the two red finger lines under both of his eyes. "No, I'm sorry, 'war paint'," he corrected himself with such sarcasm Yang could visualize the air quotes. "Doesn't help much in actual war though, but you did great," he indicated to Yngvarr, who quietly harrumphed. "That's why you get first shot at robbing these graves."

"Uh, is that okay?" Yang wondered. She'd never actually figured out how Nords felt about people looting the ancient tombs and catacombs. Given how there was a true-blooded Nord who was not one of their housecarls standing right next to her, now it seemed a lot more prudent to know.

"Personally, I don't care," Anum-La spoke up. "It's not like they're using it."

"In some tombs, it's rather the point," Yngvarr said as he went over and looked at the chest behind the gates. "A reward for those with the skill and knowledge to find it."

"Oh, and here I was thinking that they were trying so hard to take it with them because of extortionate rates in the markets of the afterlife," the elf said with a shrug. "Well, there I am. Wrong again. Not as surprising an occurrence as you'd think, actually."

Yang chuckled a bit. "I'm sure." She offered her hand. "Yang. Nice to meet you. These guys are Anum-La and Yngvarr."

"Rumarin," he said while taking the hand, "professional adventurer, bladebinder, and grave robber."

"Never heard of a bladebinder before," Yang commented as Yngvarr pulled the gates off their hinges behind them. "What do those do?"

"It's right there in the word. I summon and bind blades and weapons from Oblivion." He nodded his head at that. "I was always good with a sword and bow, and always too lazy to carry them. Learning how to conjure the weapons I need solves that dilemma."

"So you just figured," Yang snapped her fingers, "like that, you'd just bring up a weapon whenever?"

"That's where the knife ears come in handy." He gained a thoughtful look for a moment that was only offset by his light smirk. "Or was it crocodile lips? Toadskin? I can never forget these infernal nicknames the humans give us."

"You mean remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Never mind."

"Yes, well, what I'm trying to say is that High Elves are born with an affinity for magic. A head start, if you will, in the skill of hand waggling."

Both Yngvarr and Anum-La had to guffaw at that. Yang just smiled.

"Yeah, okay. You know a lot of magic, then?"

"Ever seen an elf juggle three axes while conjuring a fourth? Tie a cherry stem into a knot with their tongue? Now that's magic." Yang did go still for a moment there at the thought, but the distinct lack of rustling had her turn to see Yngvarr staring dead at Rumarin with his eyes wide and jaw hanging a little loose. "Now, if you mean spells and things, that requires more than being born with your ears pointed skywards. That requires…ugh…studying," he explained while shivering in revulsion.

Yang was reminded of every other student back home that couldn't stand the thought of studying. She didn't like it herself, but she did what she had to in order to get the material down. That and Weiss could be a slave-driver at times. The idea of an elf reviling study to that extent or perhaps even greater hadn't been one that had crossed her mind before, but here one was.

"Huh, I'll be…"

"Where do you suppose you're heading?" Anum asked him.

"Oh, I have a friend who works the stables at Windhelm. That's where I'm staying for the time being. I normally travel alone, but that's because I'm insufferable," he stated as though it were a simple fact. "If by chance you're willing to overlook that, I might make for a good traveling companion."

"Of course!" Yngvarr shouted happily while patting the mer on the shoulder. "We'd be happy to have you!"

Yang wanted to object to his sudden decision, mostly because she felt like it should've at least taken some discussion. She wondered why Yngvarr was so gung-ho about taking him along when she recalled how he froze at the cherry stem comment. She looked over to Anum-La and shrugged.

"You cool?"

"I'm actually freezing my tail off, if you're wondering."

"No, I mean, are you fine with Rumarin joining in?" she specified while indicating the two men above seven foot tall, Yngvarr having pulled the Altmer over to introduce him to Bjarni.

"The more the merrier, I suppose. Though, at this rate, it might seem like we're starting up a new company. Just need an actual mage. Preferably a healer. Maybe if we're lucky, Elia will be at the end of this trip. Although she might try to seduce the men if we don't hide them."

"Yeah, well, I got a feeling that if she did, she'd be barking up at least one wrong tree."

* * *

"Hello, Arch-Mage," Ruby cheerfully greeted the wheelchair-bound Dunmer as she entered the College with a pack laden with weapons of all kinds.

"Ah, Miss Rose. Good to see you again." He looked past her and frowned. "I suppose Weiss has yet to return?"

"No sir. Sorry, but…this whole thing with the vampires…"

"No, I understand. We're all doing what we can. If nothing else, along with the increasing number of requests for anything that can harm a dragon, we're getting many requests for Turn Undead enchantments. Sometimes it feels like I'm filling out a requisition for one of the holy knight orders. But don't mind that for now. What brings you to Winterhold?"

"Well, there's something somewhere east of here I need to look into, and I was also hoping to work on enchanting, too. It was Warrior's Day right before we left, so I got a bunch of weapons for half off." Ruby took the pack from her back to show him and he chuckled.

"Well, I suppose you didn't go half-way yourself. We can certainly help you enchant all of these items, but don't expect the same treatment as a student. You are a guest, after all."

"Uh, okay. Not sure how people get a different treatment here anyways. I'm just hoping to figure out how to put my Semblance on stuff." The other three students walked in, and Ruby took an enchanted quarterstaff from among her things and reared back. "Hey, Brelyna, catch!" she said before throwing it. It wasn't going very fast, and was rather straight in its path, but the younger Dunmer gasped as it flew at her and held her hands out, where a multicolored orb formed and exploded against the staff, sending it flying back at Ruby, who caught it.

"Whoa!" the Huntress cried out. "I wasn't trying to hit ya!"

"Sorry!" Brelyna apologized with a wince. "You just surprised me!"

"What spell did you hit it with?" Onmund asked in curiosity.

"Spell? What spell?"

"The spell that you sent it flying with," he pointed out.

"Yes, that was no simple Repulse spell," J'zargo agreed. "Repulse has no such coloration to it."

"I really don't know what you mean."

Ruby wondered about it herself, but then noticed something else. Surprised, she handed the staff over to Savos.

"Sir, do you feel an enchantment on this?"

Savos studied it for a moment before looking back up towards Ruby. "No, my dear. It appears to be a common steel and wood staff."

Ruby fished through her pack, pulling out a wrought iron spiked mace. "And this?"

"Stamina draining," he answered quickly.

"Thanks. Brelyna, catch!" she called out while throwing it. The Dunmer screamed as it came flying at her head and blasted it back like the staff, only this time the mace landed on the floor halfway between them.

"Are you crazy?!" she yelled at Ruby as the younger girl retrieved the weapon.

"No, it's fine. You would've been able to take it with your Aura anyways."

"My… Oh, I had almost forgotten."

Ruby brought the mace back to Savos, who was looking at her oddly.

"I don't appreciate you throwing deadly weapons at my students' heads," he warned her.

"It's okay. It's for learning. How about now? The mace, I mean."

"I don't see…" his fingers wrapped around the hilt, and then he seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "What is this?! The enchantment from earlier! It's…completely gone." He took it fully into his hands.

"You mean…I removed the enchantment?" Brelyna asked as she walked up.

"I think we just found your Semblance," Ruby declared. "That was quicker than I expected, to be honest. But it's kinda cool. Isn't that something most people can't do?"

"Unraveling enchantments from items without damaging them is normally a master enchanter's skill," Savos explained. "And by then, most wouldn't have a use for it, unless someone wants a new enchantment but on the same item like an old family heirloom or some such. Yet there appears to be no damage to the mace, and no sign of its enchantment."

"Cool, so we have a starting point. Maybe your Semblance is erasing magical effects or something like that," Ruby wondered.

"Well…that could be useful in and out of a lab," Brelyna supposed. "How did I…do it, though?"

"Well, we could keep-"

"Miss Rose, I kindly suggest you don't throw any more magical weapons at my student, even if you think she can take it."

"Yes sir. Sorry. We'll figure out another way."

* * *

"Well, in some parts of Tamriel, war paint is seen as a tribal mark for warriors," Rumarin answered Yang's query onto his choice of cosmetics as they led their steeds along the road. "In others, it can be a family crest, an artistic splash, or just too much makeup. Of course, excessive makeup is traditionally a sign that you will service wealthy nobles for gold," he continued in such an even tone that Yang was fighting to keep from sputtering. "And before you ask, my price is one hundred septims and no kissing on the mouth. Okay, maybe once or twice, but no tongue."

"Ha, and here I thought you were interested in other males," the Argonian said from behind him.

"Oh, but I am," he said confidently. "Males, females, beasts, goats, the list goes on and on." Before Yang could question him, he continued, "Although I confess I don't like billies. You're not a billy, are you? Well, if you are, I'll still do it, but it's going to cost extra."

"Okay, in all seriousness, and I mean serious seriousness," Yang emphasized, "you're kidding about the goats, right?"

"Perhaps. Though I might be willing for a Satyr. I've never actually seen a Satyr before, but I know they're supposed to be some sort of goat man thing. If they're like Centaurs, then no. I don't trust anything that can kill me by just ramming me into a wall with its rump, especially something that _knows_ that they can do it. Sure, it may _sound_ like the perfect way to go, but imagine that as your epitaph: crushed by a speeding ass!"

Yang clutched her face as she crackled into laughter. When she finally calmed down, the party began seeing the edges of what her map indicated would be Heljarchen Creek. As they came closer, they heard a roar in the sky and looked up to see a dragon covered in spindly spines. Just as they readied themselves in the case of its aggression, another dirt red dragon came up and rammed into its side, the two clawing and biting each other as they tried to keep themselves in the air. As they separated, one began yelling at the other.

" **Golt lost lokrot dii!"**

" **Rot do dinok arhk saan kos!"**

When the four realized that the dragons were too embroiled in their own battle to notice them, they quickly sped towards the town, pulling Lucky Day along with them and trying to keep the horse from being startled. As they approached, Yang saw a group of guards watching the fight anxiously.

"What's going on?" she demanded as she stopped next to the Dwarven metal gate.

"Those two dragons have been fighting each other on and off for hours now," one of the men answered her. "They go at it like savages while shouting in that language of theirs, then they split up and go rest somewhere for a while, then one of them flies back up and it starts all over again."

"The citizens get antsy every time it starts, but I think we're slowly getting used to it," another explained. "Some of the men have even started placing bets on who'll win in the end."

"I hope they finish each other off," the first said. "Whichever horror comes out on top, I guarantee it'll look to Heljarchen next."

Yang looked up and saw the two dragons slowly circling each other a few times before silently splitting apart and going separate directions. She looked to where both went and saw them land, the two looking in each other's direction as they seemed to roost.

"Okay, I have an idea."

"Does it involve us taking on a couple of dragons?" Rumarin asked.

"Kinda," Yang answered with a shrug.

"Well, I suppose it's a glorious way to go, but in this day and age it's more likely to seem statistical than noteworthy. Could you gentlemen please take note of us should we die in a heroic struggle?"

"Go hump a tree, elf!" one cursed him.

"That's more a Bosmer insult than an Altmer one. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go die trying to save some ungrateful Nords."

"We won't be dying here. Well, we shouldn't, anyways," Yang reasoned as she and Rumarin started forward, Anum-La tailing right behind them. Yngvarr remained behind a moment to glare at the other Nords, enough to make a few of them back up from the giant of a man.

"True Nords would be honored to have anyone willing to die by their sides in battle. I'd take a brave elf over cowardly Nords any day," he announced before stomping away from them.

The first dragon they approached was the closer one, with wine red scales, large yellow eyes, and a flattish tail. Along with the three black horns atop his head, there were two growing from beneath and pointed backwards, giving his crest an image like a windswept star. He saw them coming and leaned up, but made no aggressive movements.

" **Close enough, jorre! I cannot see to you this moment, for I have tinvaak to continue,"** he told them, his moving mouth letting them see that he had a beak in place of teeth. The four stopped where they were, but Yang waved an arm towards him.

"It's okay. We're actually here about that. What's going on?"

" **Use your eyes and ear, jorre!"** he said while waving a bloodied wing in emphasis. **"One of my brethren and I are locked in tinvaak! We cannot move on until it has been settled. As of now, I am considering his arguments and forming my counters."**

Yang looked at the other dragon a distance away. She was familiar with the term 'tinvaak'. Ruby had described it to her earlier and had mentioned that to dragons, fighting and arguing were one and the same. Judging by what she was seeing, Ruby was entirely correct. "So you're arguing?"

" **What you humans think of as 'arguing' would barely pass for a minor disagreement among the Dov. This tinvaak is over who this malokaaz – this lake belongs to."**

"You're…fighting over the lake?" She looked over at Lake Yorgrim then back at the dragon. "Why?"

" **Why does anyone fight? To be right, of course. My claim is older than his, but he claimed it while I slept beneath the ground after a mortal smashed my head beneath a stone hill. He had returned from Atmora just before thuri revived me, claimed it as I still slept, and now I must reclaim it."**

"Uh…" Yang was at a loss with the situation. It was definitely outside of her normal caliber, but at the same time, these two continuing on their fight could likely cause a lot of collateral damage. "Okay, so what'll make you guys settle this?"

" **That is to be determined. I do not expect you to understand, jorre, but I will entertain you, as I have already made tinvaak rok krif arhk spaan. One of us must prove the other wrong."**

"Okay, I think I get it actually. Hey, would you mind holding off while I talk to him?"

" **The tinvaak continues, but the Words may yet stay a time."**

"Awesome. Give me a minute."

* * *

"So you just wanted somewhere to live alone?"

" **Ge,"** the thorny backed and tailed dragon answered her, likely an affirmative. **"I had no knowledge this golt was still held, but once he engaged in tinvaak, I could not back down. I am not wrong in this."**

"No, you're not, but he's not wrong either," she explained while thumbing towards the other dragon. "You must have noticed that by now."

" **This…is true,"** he admitted with a slow shake of his head. **"My position in the tinvaak has been faltering. He may win, but I do not wish for defeat."**

"Look, I hate being wrong too, trust me."

"I love being wrong," Rumarin spoke up. "Of course, that's usually because I guess the worst possible outcomes."

"Yeah, see, look at it like that," Yang pointed out. "It's not the end of the world. Besides, you can always find a nice lonely place, like a mountain. Heck, I think there's a mountain up for grabs right now. You know where Shearpoint is?"

The dragon seemed to ruminate over this for a moment before releasing a, oddly, quiet laugh. **"You mortals and your concepts can be so confusing at times. Tell me then, where is this mountain? Who was its lord?"**

"Uh, Hortu- No, Horvetki- Uh, hold on." Yang typed a text to Ruby real quick, inquiring to the name of the dragon. "I remember my sister describing him as being purple with gilded horns and… Oh, Hor-vut-o-kin-ah," she pronounced carefully after receiving the response.

" **Horvutokinah has fallen?"** the dragon asked in surprise. **"Your sister? Dovahkiin?"**

"You aren't going to try to kill me if I say yes, are you?"

" **Nid, but this wing beats oddly. If the Dovahkiin could overcome Horvutokinah… Hm, this wind blows another way. Very well, I shall see to this strunmah, but first, our tinvaak."**

"What?! I thought we got that out of the way!" Yang objected as the reptile began walking forward rather than take wing. The red one matched him and the two met near the middle of where they had been waiting.

" **Zeymah,"** the spikey one called out as they neared one another, **"Zu'u ofan hi daar golt."**

" **Ofan?"** the other seemed to question. **"Golt arhk malokaaz ni hin wah ofan!"**

" **Zu'u gahrot nol hi, ruz ofan nii wah hi."**

The red dragon raised its head up, as though surprised, then let out a loud and long laugh. The other joined him, and once the two were done, the red one seemed to be smiling at him from the side.

" **Genaz! Orin brit ro! Kron voth saan!"**

" **Ge. Bo nu, wah strunmahi."**

" **Pruzah wundunne,"** the red one said just before the spiky one turned and took off, heading southwest. After a few moments, he had become little more than a shrinking point in the distance, and the party of four felt it was safe to approach the remaining dragon.

"So… I take it everything went well," Yang said to him as they cautiously drew close.

" **It has. I now have my malokaaz again, and can enjoy myself once more."**

"That's good. Uh, you're not doing to do anything awful like roast people alive and stuff, right?"

" **Too troublesome. I have better things to do until thuri gives me commands to do otherwise. Tiid bo viing. I go now."** The red dragon then jumped up and took off in one motion, heading toward the lake and dipping down, letting his wingtips brush the surface as he flew overhead.

"Well that was strange," Anum-La commented. "One minute they're trying to tear each other apart. The next, they're sharing jokes. At least I think it was jokes."

"Yeah. I guess they really were brothers," Yang decided with a shrug. "Anyways, it's getting late. They should have an inn there, right?"

"I think it's better if I show you how to find a warm place to sleep when you're too far from civilization," Yngvarr spoke up. "There's a cave nearby I know of, where I can show you the proper way to defend against the cold. We may have to fight whatever's in there now, but it'll be good exercise, and perhaps it'll give us something fresh to eat."

"Fighting for our lives when there are comfy beds in reach?" Rumarin wondered aloud. "Sounds like a grand time."

"Well, uh, if you'd prefer…we…"

"I'm just jesting, old chap. I actually can't help but wonder what we might find. And, like you said about the little fox hidy holes, better to learn while it's safe."

The old Nord smiled at that, as did the others.

* * *

Blake traveled down the road towards Riften, seeing Volgahrotru fly over her just before she reached the rising settlement of the Ashen people on the first night. They seemed to have settled on the name Onsen for the place, and Blake could really appreciate the reason behind it when she got to bathe in one of the hot springs. After having most of the tension in her body relaxed by that visit, she continued on, stopping at Shor's Stone on her second night and finally arriving in Riften. Rather than immediately head into the Ratway or Ragged Flagon, the Faunus first checked her home for the Thieves' Guild armor she never wore and changed into it, adding the black veil to help conceal her identity to pass off as just a regular, everyday footpad.

As she descended into the Ratway, she did her best to try and listen with her ears stuck under the hood but was finding it difficult, somewhat reminding her of when she first put on the bow back on Remnant. Once she was at the Flagon, she found herself a dark, secluded corner and adjusted her hood to let her ears more freely listen.

"-shipment we heisted on the Cyrodiil frontier was worthless!" Vex complained to the bald Nord.

"That's impossible," Delvin objected. "I distinctly heard that lout in the tavern say it was a full shipment of furs. They should be worth a fortune."

"You idiot. He said "firs" not "furs." It was a damn logging caravan!"

Blake wanted to smack herself in the face at that, but then Sapphire came up to the two.

"Has Mercer come back down from his work yet?"

"Haven't seen him," Delvin admitted. "Don't know what he's doing up there. He usually doesn't stay in his house for long." Blake wondered what they meant, but Sapphire just sighed and walked away after that. Undaunted, Blake subtly got up and walked to the Cistern after the woman, hoping to hear more about whatever Mercer was up to. She saw her go up to Niruin, who was currently practicing his archery, working more on speed than accuracy.

"Hey, Delvin and Vex haven't heard back from him yet. What do you think's going on?"

"Well, honestly, the whole think stinks like piss," the Bosmer said as he let off three arrows in quick succession before turning towards the woman. "I mean, this Khajiit shows up _just_ as an old traitor resurfaces, seems to protect some of the traitor's assets, then, when she goes after the traitor with Mercer, runs off after her and 'disappears'." Blake's eyes went wide at what he was suggesting.

"You think Belladonna was setting us up for Karliah?" Sapphire seemed to shake her head at that. "I don't know. She killed the Dark Brotherhood. What was keeping her from doing the same to us?"

"Mercer, for one. Also, I think they aren't planning to get rid of us. They were trying to take over." Blake wanted to object as she walked by them, trying to keep up her disguise, but chose to keep herself hidden and just went toward the practice room, pretending to pause at its entrance.

"A lot of people in the Guild wouldn't stand for that."

"You're right, but now Belladonna has a good idea of who those people are. And if this Karliah is as dangerous as the senior members make her out to be, then the two of them could probably work together to thin the ranks and consolidate."

"Gods, Niru! You really think it'll come to that?"

"Maybe not. Maybe I'm just being paranoid and poor Blake's really just dead and lost under the snow somewhere. But I'd rather be proven wrong than caught off guard. Mercer seems to be preparing, too. Can't imagine him doing anything else upstairs. 'Til then, I'm going to focus on practice, just in case." As he went back to shooting at his target, Sapphire sighed and walked away.

Blake walked on into the practice room, going over what little she'd found out.

' _Mercer's doing something on the ground, and it looks like he just told everyone I disappeared. Guess it saves him from having to show a body. But what is he doing? And where's Brynjolf?'_

"It steps softer than before," a voice suddenly came up from behind her, "but this one still hears the cat's plodding."

Blake spun around and prepared to grab the dagger at her side as she saw Gnives smirking where she was just standing.

"You…"

"To be fair, you are doing much better than before. To any other's ears, you might have been discreet. So, it seems you have not vanished in a blizzard or fallen to a Dark Elf's arrows."

Blake sighed, but kept herself ready. "No. But I'm not sure if you'll believe what really happened."

"Gnives might believe. The best way to determine is to watch and see," the Khajiit said while crossing his arms. "Will you tell him what happened?"

"Okay, but first, I need to know. How much do you trust Mercer?"

"How much does he trust anyone?" he ruminated while leaning slightly to the left. Blake saw how his left foot was holding his weight as though on a spring as he did. "Mercer is the Guild Master, so Gnives will often do as he's told. But like with Gnives' old master, he will not let himself be misused by someone just because they lead."

"Does he talk with you much?"

"He thinks the Guild Master has spoken to Gnives…three times." The Khajiit made a quiet, throaty laugh. "There are so many loud presences in the Guild. This has always suited Gnives, letting him hide among their numbers from anyone, even others in the Guild."

"Good." Blake thought over what she was about to share with the man she barely knew, but right now might have been her only chance at a neutral perspective from the Guild. "Okay, so…this is going to sound insane. We were tracking Karliah."

"This he and everyone with ears knows."

"Just listen, okay? When we found her I… _did_ get hit with an arrow, but it had a paralytic potion on the tip. I was only a little injured by it, but I couldn't move." Gnives raised an eyebrow at that, but kept his smirk. "Then Mercer and Karliah argued, but the thing is, Karliah accused _him_ of killing Gallus and not only did he not object to it, he seemed to admit it and gave his own reasons. She got away with an invisibility potion, then Mercer stabbed me in the chest."

"And yet, you're still alive. Unless Gnives is speaking to a ghost." The Khajiit raised his brow and lowered his ears skeptically.

"I… Karliah came back and stitched me back up. Something about the potion kept me from bleeding out before she could. Look, the point is, Mercer is the actual traitor, and I need to get proof. Right now, I have a journal that might implicate him, but I need to get it translated. I came here to see if I could find anything or anyone to help, but…"

"Mercer has already spread word of your disappearance." Gnives nodded and began twirling a finger through his whiskers while leaning on his other foot. "When he returned alone, he told everyone you had chased the Dunmer, running ahead of him and not heeding his advice. Then the blizzard rolled in and he lost all traces of you both. Some think you are dead. Some think you have turned and joined this enemy. It seems to be half-true. Brynjolf ran to the north to try and find you, and Mercer began sending nearly all in the Guild on various assignments, most to gather information. The entire Ratway was almost empty for days, then Mercer went to the surface and has not come back down since."

"I don't know what he's up to," Blake admitted. "He might be readying himself for Karliah, or trying to find another way to get her. There isn't a small war keeping him from focusing resources on tracking her this time. And he thinks I'm dead, which means he won't be looking for me." Blake nodded and looked at the Khajiit. "Listen, don't tell anyone about any of this. I'm going to try and get the proof from Markarth first. That way, Mercer will have nothing to hide behind when we do come after him."

"A very exciting time to be alive. Gnives wishes it were not so." He hummed in thought. "Very well. Go and find your proof, then. Gnives will not talk of this unless he must. Do not take it personally, but he does not value your skin over his fur."

"That's…fair, I guess." Blake sighed. "Well, I'll be off then. I can't really let people know that I'm here. For what it's worth, thanks for the tips." She went around him and started to head out.

"A final thing," Gnives spoke up, his voice rising above its normal volume for but a moment. "If proof of Mercer's guilt is found, what then?"

She looked back at him then down at the floor.

"I'm not sure, but it's not going to be pretty."

* * *

When Ruby prepared to leave for the Skyshard, rather than head out the city gate she started heading straight east, taking the group through the broken down and ramshackle part of Winterhold as she did. Part of the reason was to get a look at the old ruins that had slid away from the rest of the Hold capitol, and another part was to test Brelyna and Lydia on landing strategies.

Lydia did fine, but luckily for Brelyna the snow was soft and her Drop Zone spell helped to further cushion her fall. She decided after that to dedicate more time to perfecting Levitation.

They continued on eastwards, first touching the shore then going across the water with prodigious use of ice manipulation and Waterwalking spells. Towards late afternoon, snow and wind started blowing upon them fiercely, but the light of a fire could be seen ahead.

"Phew, let's take a second there to get warm," Ruby said to the four following her.

"Are you…sure?" Brelyna trepidly asked.

"Yeah, what's the matter?"

"Well, I'm just a little apprehensive of coming up to complete strangers to share their fire."

"We should be fine," Onmund assured her. "There's five of us, and three of us are experienced mages while the other two have a sort of soul magic power. Unless a small army of trolls have gathered, there shouldn't be anything out here that we can't handle."

They came upon the campfire, which was in the shadow of a long wrecked ship that they had missed while approaching. On the other side of the fire was a pair of lean-tos, both with a sleeping roll beneath them and someone sleeping in each roll. Another man was sitting in a chair close to the fire, appearing to have dozed off with a spyglass in his hands and a crossbow in his lap. Ruby smirked and shook her head at that.

"Well, good thing for these guys we aren't bandits." As Ruby tried to think of how to wake the man without startling him, another voice rose up from the direction of the derelict ship.

"What in Oblivion?!" The group turned their gaze up to see another man looking down upon them from the deck of the grounded ship, this one hefting what seemed to be a scythe made of orichalcum and wearing iron armor over his furs, along with a spiked black and red half-helm. As Ruby wondered about the effectiveness and utility of a scythe made from such a material, the man vaulted the railing to charge at them with the weapon reared back for a swing. For a moment they were all stunned, but then Ruby jumped back as he went for her, holding out her hand to signal for Lydia to wait as the housecarl made to draw her blade.

"Whoa there, buddy! Hold on!"

"This ship's stuff is ours!"

"I never said it-"

"You won't get the best of me!"

"I'm not trying to-"

"I'll have your head!"

Ruby sighed as she dodged the fifth wild swing in a row, then pulled out Crescent Rose and extended the mechanical scythe to block the man's next attempt, stopping him dead.

"Okay, first off all, you have no idea how to wield a scythe," she scolded him as the other three men in the camp roused themselves to see what was going on. "Second, we aren't here to take-" He shoved against her with a shout and Ruby hopped back. "Well now you're just being difficult!"

"Boss, what in the world…?!" the formerly sleeping sentry went.

"Kill, maim, burn!" the man screamed while frothing at the mouth, the red lines along his helmet beginning to glow. "KILL! MAIM! BURN!"

"He's possessed!" J'zargo warned them as he started gathering magicka, the other two mages doing the same. Even as two lightning spells zapped into the man and a firebolt burst behind him, he continued running at Ruby, this time his scythe swings actually having some skill to them. The young girl was caught off guard by this sudden change and she was caught by a pull from behind her knee. She kicked forward trying to avoid injury, but then was slammed by the weapon's pole onto her back. As the man went for an overhead swing, Lydia jumped in and summoned up her shield Semblance, stopping it completely and causing the man to stumble back. Her sword then swung out and through his neck, sending his head flying away, where it rolled out of the helmet after crashing against the ground.

Everyone remained still for a moment, then the decapitated body fell over.

* * *

"Poor Borldar," one of the salvagers lamented as they buried their friend into the ground that Onmund had magically dug out for them. Each of them had claimed a portion of his belongings, including his armor – which the man was now wearing – but still felt he deserved a decent burial.

"Never thought he'd die possessed by a Daedric helm," another said. "Always figured it'd be under a woman after one too many."

"One too many what?" Onmund asked as he and Brelyna continued carving out a headstone with Alteration magic.

"Drinks, bites of food, skooma, women, you name it, he was about a breath away from too many."

"Well, dying in battle like that, least he's got his chance at Sovngarde," the first man figured.

Nearby, Ruby had looked over the scythe and also found that it had come from among the salvage from the broken ship, along with tons of other items. The ship itself was called the _Pride of Tel Vos_ , which sounded somewhat familiar to her, though she couldn't place where she'd heard the name before. Among the salvaged items were several weapons, furs locked in watertight boxes, and preserved foods. In one box she found a piece of a journal with an attached note addressed to someone named Brandyl. It seemed to be about a Dunmer of House Telvanni during the time of the Accession War. Brelyna had said it was likely that if this Brandyl was still alive, he might be somewhere in the east. Ruby made a note to see if she could find any information about him before helping to set up camp for the night.

When the five departed in the morning to try and get closer to their goal, the salvagers packed up what they could and headed back to Winterhold. Ruby led the way across water and ice, learning Waterwalking as she did while also showing a few of the spells she had gotten from Seletar to the mages.

"And this is an Umbral Orb," she demonstrated. The Orb exploded into being and began to roll downhill from them as they continued walking. "It's supposed to be like the Rods of Power with how it works with other spells, but I haven't learned any of those yet."

"A lot of these spells seem to be either very luminous or quite tenebrous," J'zargo noted as he kicked at the ball moments before it dispersed.

"Huh, yeah, I think you're right." Ruby nodded as if she understood what either of those words meant. A roar echoed out and the group stilled before seeking out the source, finding a snow bear pulling a young horker away from its group on an islet. The largest horker put itself between the smaller ones and the bear, but the predator was already leaving with its prey. The other horkers were still scrambling though, flopping themselves into the water to swim away and escape, the largest one being the last to do so. The bear then finished off its prey and began feasting.

"Uh, we better go around," Ruby suggested. They did so, circling around the bear to the other side of the islet. As they reached the end where an iceberg had washed up nearby, Ruby stopped at the edge of the shore and looked down into the briny waters.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" she complained loudly while kicking at the sand. "Urgh! It's down there!" she pointed out.

"Under the freezing waters?" Brelyna asked. "Do these Mange-Ge want you to die of hypothermia?"

"I'm starting to wonder. I had to go under water for the other two, but at least one of them was in warmish water and the other we just went through a submerged tunnel." She sighed in resignation. "Do you guys have some spells or potions for this?"

"I can whip up some Waterbreathing potions real quick," Onmund suggested while moving his pack around and fishing out his alchemy supplies.

"What about the cold?" Lydia asked. "Even the hardiest Nord could catch his death out here."

"Well, some snowberries, frost merriam, and moon sugar should make a potion to ward off the cold. Don't have any moon sugar on me, though."

"Hm." Ruby reached into her back and took out a small jar. "This much enough?"

"…Why do you have so much moon sugar?" the Nord man asked her.

"I was gonna give it to Inigo and M'rissi next time we visited. Khajiit need moon sugar, right?"

"About five cups spread through the month for a full-grown Cathay," J'zargo answered. "And not all at once."

"Wait, you _need_ moon sugar?" Onmund asked him in surprise.

"Just as much as you need vegetables and fruits. It is a necessary part of our diet to stay healthy."

After a short wait and a little talk of different dietary needs sprinkled throughout, Onmund had enough potions for the people who didn't know the spells needed to head under the chilling water. Once they were downed, Ruby led the way beneath the briny surface, pushing herself down and forwards, the psionic tether leading her towards a cave. She went in and the others followed the glow of her Candlelight. She then went up and broke the surface, coming up into a cave she could tell would have bitten her with its freezing chill had she not drunk that anti-cold potion. They all pulled themselves up into it then Brelyna proceeded to dry everyone off with warm wind funnels.

"Well, this is interesting," Onmund said as he came across part of a stone wall sticking out of the ice. He cast a Magelight forward and it caught against a wall, illuminating more of the cave they were in and more ancient architecture, this time a door arch. He walked up to the stone and looked at it closely in interest. "Very interesting. This doesn't even look like most ancient Nordic or Atmoran designs. Maybe early Velothi?"

"No, it doesn't match at all," Brelyna corrected him. "An early Velothi door arch would have been completely rounded. This begins at a rounding and has tiers that go toward what I think might be right-angled edges at the top. Hard to tell with the ice, but it's definitely not Velothi. Another thing is that the Velothi Chimer never built anything until they had passed by the mountains completely."

"Well, it certainly isn't Nordic, and the usage of iron means it definitely wasn't the Dwemer. So…" Onmund froze for a moment then went forward, recasting his Magelight near a chandelier half-buried in ice from the ceiling. It was made from iron, but was thinner and daintier looking than anything a Nord would have ever crafted. He then looked at a nearby column, noting its edges and the way the stones were placed together to form three distinct patterns. Going forward and up an incline, he then came to a wall with three thin windows, paned by the same iron as the chandeliers, thin and stylized.

"By the gods! Everyone, I think that…we might just be looking at the first example of Falmer architecture excavated in thousands of years!"

"Wait, Falmer?" Ruby asked in worry.

"Well, not Falmer as in those Falmer, but the ancient Falmer. Snow Elves!" He turned in excitement. "This could be the discovery of the era!"

"...We should make sure it's less world threatening than the last discovery of the era we found," Brelyna muttered.

* * *

 **"Golt lost lokrot dii!" -** (This) land was [clearly] mine! **-** _Note: there was no word for clearly, so I made one up by combining the words 'sky' lok and 'word' rot._

 **"Rot do dinok ahrk saan kos!" -** Words of death and loss be!

 **"Zeymah, Zu'u ofan hi daar golt." -** Brother, I give you this land.

 **"Ofan? Golt arhk malokaaz ni hin wah ofan!"** \- Give? (The) land and lake (are) not yours to give!

 **"Zu'u gahrot nol hi, ruz ofan nii wah hi."** \- I steal from you, then I give to you.

 **"Genaz! Orin brit ro! Kron voth saan!"** \- Delightful! Ironic [lit. fully beautiful balance]! To win through losing!

 **"Ge. Bo nu, wah strunmahi."** \- Yes. (I) go now, to my mountain.

 **"Pruzah wundunne."** \- Good travels.


	60. A Light in Dark Halls

**Learned something today, cutting off a piece of your thumb hurts.**

 **Also, I've said this before and I'll say it again, if you have a question to ask me as part of your review, log in. I do not respond to guest reviews**

 **Thanks always to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor.**

* * *

The curious mages set to work on trying to excavate what they could, but the ancient structure seemed to have very little within. A few pots and vases were found buried beneath the ice in some of the halls, but no rooms were found for a time until Ruby and Lydia walked down a path that was already laid mostly open and came upon a gate in front of a cracked apart stairway. Past the gate, they could see another chamber.

"Hey guys! I think we found something," Ruby called back to them before hopping down and pushing open the gate, Lydia right behind her. The room was far from intact but wasn't as overtaken by ice as the path to it had been. They could even clearly see the ceiling, and at its center Ruby saw a black plinth hanging down, ending in a representation of the sun or maybe a star. At its very tip, a point of violet energy began to coalesce. Suddenly, the gate behind them slammed shut and some form of magical barrier covered it, separating them from the mage students who had just arrived. The violet orb spat a copy of itself at the two, and Lydia threw up a hand and called upon her Semblance to block the threatening spell. After the spell collided, it spread into a swirling spiral and began tearing her shield apart. The housecarl turned back to her charge and pushed her forward as another was sent at them.

"Run!" Lydia screamed as she shoved them both out of the way of the second bolt, the first still swirling where it had been stopped. A few seconds later a third one was fired where they were, but they stayed ahead of it. Then a fourth. Then a fifth. When the sixth landed behind their feet, they had already run the length of the chamber and turned back, but the first one had faded, giving them some measure of relief.

"Okay, they don't last forever."

"Neither will we," the Nord reminded her. They tried to go through the other gate, but it was protected by the same enchantment as the first. "We have to get out of here! These things can rip through my shield!" As though to demonstrate, Lydia blocked one that had come too close for comfort. While her Semblance stopped it in its tracks, the yellow disk quickly succumbed and was torn apart by the spell.

"Look at the walls!" Brelyna called out. "Chains!"

The two looked at the four walls, seeing on the right and left sides were two pairs of silver chains, seemingly untouched by time. Ruby crossed her fingers on one hand as they came up to one and grabbed the cold metal with the other.

"Please work," she begged before pulling it down. The sound of something turning definitely began ringing out.

"That's doing it!" Onmund called out to them. "Something above the door moved!"

"There are four of each!" J'zargo added. "Pull the others!"

Ruby nodded and rushed ahead. "Watch my back, Lyd!" she called out before reaching the next chain and pulling it. The spell seemed confused and fired somewhere between them, but a few seconds later, its next shot went straight for Ruby, who easily sped away from it towards the third chain. With it down, she went for the last one and tugged, but the chain was stuck and looking up told her why.

"Frozen?!" she shrieked before madly tugging on it, trying to break through the ice holding it still. Luckily for her, the enchanted plinth fired at Lydia for its next shot. The housecarl dodged the spell, but then looked to her Thane who was pulling against the chain with a foot against the wall, bending some of the links out of shape. She rushed up to her as the trap fired for the young girl this time, throwing up her shield to block the spell, even as Ruby readied to make a run for it. She then turned and reared back a fist before punching the frozen base that had only begun cracking. The ice shattered under the orichalcum fist, then Ruby pulled the chain the rest of the way. Both gates opened, but the violet energy fired at the two once again.

"Move, move!" Ruby urged everyone. As they rushed towards the other gate, the plinth fired again, only this time the bolt landed ahead of them, blocking their path through the gate. The group was about to scatter as the deadly energy swirled before them, shredding a loose stone underneath it with ancient magics. Brelyna however, looked up at the enchanted trap with gritting teeth and reached a hand out towards it. Something that resembled a silken thread left her palm and went into the trap, then the violet orb shuddered before sparking out and dissipating. Everyone stood still a moment as the landed spells faded away, no one willing to be the first to speak until nearly twenty seconds had passed.

"I think Bree killed it," Ruby finally announced. When the plinth didn't light back up to prove her wrong, she sighed and let the tension in her body release, everyone else following her example.

"That was an unusually deadly trap," the Dunmer said before looking at her hand, flexing each finger. "I don't think I ever saw an enchanted trap like that before."

"I can live my life without ever seeing one again, to be honest," Ruby decided before turning back to the newly opened gate. "Let's just hope there's not another like it." They walked through, but immediately stopped as the young girl at their head came to a dead halt. "Abada whatina whohawha!" she screamed before stumbling backwards. Everyone else looked to see the frozen body of an Altmer laying belly down, rather well-preserved and completely bereft of clothing.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Brelyna admonished her. "I know you've seen corpses before."

"But naked! Butt naked! Butt! Why?"

"Going by the frozen clothes on the rails," Onmund explained while pointing said clothes out, "he was waiting for them to dry. The cold must have gotten to him first."

J'zargo picked up a belt and then a bandolier, both of which had over a dozen knives on them. "This elf had more knives than some hunters have arrows. A knife-thrower?"

"Uh, there's a note in his hand I can't quite read," the Nord mage announced before grasping the dead man's wrist and carefully prying it loose. " _'Stormcloak mongrels_ ," he began to read. " _Remember when you tried to sacrifice me to Talos? I never forgot, not for a moment.'_ " Onmund blinked at that.

"Wait, do people sacrifice other people to the Divines?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Nobody sane, anyways. Well, I guess you could consider besting someone in combat a sacrifice to Talos, but only in the same way making a song or painting is a sacrifice to Dibella. Or buying and selling wares is a sacrifice to Zenithar." He shrugged and looked back down at the torn note. " _'And behold, the Eight blessed me for my faith in the face of your heathen god! They cast down a star from the heavens to melt the ice before me, and look what was underneath. Nice mansion, isn't it?_

"' _I know this place will soon be swarming with Stormcloaks like a fresh corpse in a skeever-infested sewer, but you will be too late! The riches of the Falmer are all mine!_

"' _Mad?_

"' _Ellan Thousand-Knives.'_ Wait, this was Thousand-Knives?"

"Who?" Ruby asked.

"A rather infamous bandit and thief," Lydia answered. "He was known for using throwing knives and daggers. Made a fairly big name for himself before disappearing off the face of Nirn. Now we know where he went. Good riddance, at least. Ellan seriously wounded several guards when he robbed the Battle-Borns last summer. I was there trying to apprehend him, but the slippery bastard got away. One of the men almost died."

"Wow," Ruby muttered before looking back down at the frozen body, doing her best to keep her eyes away from his exposed rear. "Um, should we do something about him?"

"Can anyone here summon a flame elemental?" Brelyna asked.

* * *

After leaving the body in the care of Onmund's summon, the group headed further in. As the crackle of fire and smell of burning flesh was slowly left behind them, they went through another rather intact room that had a long table in its center and some collapsed pieces of ceiling.

"Are those stalactites or icicles?" Ruby asked while pointing up to some spikes from the ceiling.

"Stalactites covered in ice," J'zargo answered.

"Huh, you didn't confuse them for stalagmites," Onmund muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruby asked defensively. "You calling me dumb?"

"Uh, no," he sheepishly got out while looking over at Lydia worryingly. The housecarl stared at him with an amused expression, but he wasn't sure if that was more or less worrisome. "I mean, I get them mixed up all the time."

The girl blew a raspberry and pushed his shoulder a little. "It's fine! I'm just kidding. I was really just guessing what they were called and got lucky." She looked over at a large ice block that had formed from a corner and grown to be big enough to contain a mammoth. "Man, this place is frozen. Thawing it out's going to take forever!"

"We probably won't be able to totally rid it of ice for a long time," Brelyna pointed out. "A lot of columns have fallen, and the ceiling seems to be held in place by ice in some areas. We'll have to build support columns as we go to keep it from falling apart."

As they discussed some of the archaeological techniques they'd need to make use of, they came up to another door and opened it to reveal the chamber that held Ruby's goal. In the center of some sort of gathering area was the Skyshard, set into a slot on a dais. Oddly, where the last two had been blue and differing levels of brightness, this one was violet and seemed to cast a light that paradoxically made everything look darker. Onmund was the first to approach it, but when he got close, a spark of violet lightning leaped at him, making him jump back with a yelp. Ruby giggled and the Nord man looked discomfited.

"Honestly, it came out of nowhere. Anyone would have jumped at that."

J'zargo then stepped forward and began reaching out. Sparks like what had hit Onmund came at his hand and started striking him. He snarled and tried to push through, but the purple lightning only seemed to intensify, forcing him back where he clutched his electrocuted arm, some of his fur looking a little singed from the encounter. He hissed in a breath and let it out as a growl.

"It is not a friendly crystal."

"Damn!" Brelyna cursed. "We can't study it if we can't get close to it."

"I don't think it wants any of you close to it," Lydia pointed out while looking at Ruby. The Dragonborn understood and nodded before walking forward and reaching out. The Skyshard did not repel her like it had the other two, but instead seemed to welcome her, beckoning her with a pulse of dark light. Her hand touched its surface, then the Skyshard erupted before its power sank into her. Where the first felt like pure wind in her veins and the second felt like warmth filling her being, this shard flowed into her like a chilling wave. She shivered as it conjoined itself with her and spread throughout.

"Amazing," someone muttered, she wasn't sure who. Her eyes felt a little cold and needed to be rubbed vigorously before the uncomfortableness overtook the numbing feeling.

"Okay, so…" Onmund began as he looked around, landing his gaze on a door to the side. "Ah! Here we go!" He opened it and indicated the next chamber, which was almost entirely ice. Quickly exploring it pointed them down a tunnel that headed downwards, the explorers having to go over and around broken pieces of masonry. Some of them had to duck under some low-hanging icicles before the group emerged into a hallway littered with broken stones, but the intact portion took their breath away. Rather than a stone ceiling, a magical, white barrier laid atop the hall, allowing them to gaze up at the sea's waters above them. Fish swam over it in places, and in one case a large silhouette that looked to be a whale or dolphin passed over them all.

"By the Nine," Onmund muttered as Ruby took out her scroll to take pictures. "They made this under the sea on purpose… And that spell has to be at least four thousand years old! And it's still holding!"

"It's almost like the aquarium back in Vale, except magic instead of really thick glass. I used to love going to that place. Uncle Qrow would never go with us though. I think he was afraid of tunnels." She pocketed her phone and the group continued on, trying to gaze up at the amazing sight while simultaneously keeping an eye on their footing. At the end of hall, they came into a large chamber that seemed almost untouched but for a few stones broken loose from the walls. As they entered it fully, the gates slammed shut behind them and a mauve, vaporous figure seemed to appear from thin air.

"Ghost," Lydia warned them while taking the silver sword from her back. Everyone else also prepared themselves as the spirit looked at them.

"Elf ghost," Ruby noted while taking out her scroll and snapping another photo. The ghost yelled something at them while grasping the hilt of a blade at his side.

"Did anyone understand that?"

"It sounded like Aldmeri," Brelyna answered.

"What did he say?"

"I don't know. I didn't learn most of the language."

"Wait, we're in a Snow Elf ruin, and the written Snow Elf language looks a lot like Aldmeri," Ruby thought aloud while looking around. "Is he…a Snow Elf ghost?"

The mages looked back at the spirit so quickly Ruby thought at least one of them could've gotten whiplashed.

"Julianos' Beard…" Onmund happily breathed out as a smile spread across his face. "You're a Snow Elf!"

The ghost seemed to snarl while drawing his equally ghostly sword. _"Atmoradoon!"_ he yelled. Other ghosts began appearing, each of them drawing swords themselves. Ruby put her scroll away again and grasped Dawnbreaker's hilt.

"Uh oh…" Brelyna muttered. "I don't think they like you."

"J'zargo thinks they do not like any human, considering what may have killed them."

"Not good." Ruby looked around as the ghosts began surrounding them. "Why couldn't you have been friendly ghosts?"

" _Nedes,"_ one of them seethed, _"death comes for you!"_ He yelled while swinging and Ruby drew Dawnbreaker to block. She pushed back and sliced across, but the blade seemed to pass harmlessly through the incorporeal being.

"What?!" she screamed in surprise as the one thing that should _definitely always_ harm undead did nothing. Judging from what she felt being emitted by the Daedric sword, Meridia was just as surprised.

Lydia parried a blow and tried to stab her foe, but the silver blade took no effect. Magic seemingly had no effect on them either.

"I don't know what's going on!" Brelyna screamed as she blocked sword swings with a ward and tried to hit them with spells. "They can be blocked and knocked back but nothing's hurting them!"

Ruby shoulder-charged her opponent, finding him strangely solid as she did, and then tried to stab him with Dawnbreaker only for the blade to go through as if he was nothing. As he swung at her while getting to his feet, she backed away and kicked the back of the knee of the one Lydia was fighting. The housecarl then punched his face, knocking him onto his back, but doing seemingly no damage.

"Flesh hits them, but it still doesn't hurt them," Lydia noted. "I punched him as hard as I could, and I nearly felled a tree the other day with a punch like that."

Some were knocked back by an explosive spell, but each spirit picked themselves up no worse for wear.

"Damn it! What are they?!" Onmund shouted as he backed up and tried to send lightning into one. "Normal ghosts don't function like this!"

"Wait, guys! I think I got it! On me!" Ruby commanded them. The group regathered around the girl and followed her, fighting off the ghosts and knocking them back as they went. They stopped at the far end of the room, and Ruby looked to both sides before holding out her hands. "Get them between the pillars!" she shouted as she leaped forward and spin-flipped before stabbing Dawnbreaker into the ground and spinning on it like a fulcrum to kick one of the ghosts towards the room's center. The mages created magical explosions around the ghosts to either force them back or launch them towards the goal area, and Lydia beat one down before bodily throwing him toward the place then kicking another hard enough to send him alongside his fellow. Ruby jumped back and sheathed her blade before taking a deep breath.

' _Force,'_ she thought as the ghosts started getting back to their feet. _'Balance.'_ She adjusted her footing, with one foot back and to the side as the other was set forward. _'Push.'_ She released the breath as her eyes snapped open. _'I will push back harder!'_

" **Fus! Ro! Da!"** she Shouted, a wave of pure concentrated force leaping from her throat and barreling at the gathering of spirits. The elven ghosts screamed as they were sent flying through the air and into the other side of the room, some smashing against the enchanted gate and bouncing off, others hitting stone and leaving impressions of their shape into it before falling onto the floor. One of the four columns in the center cracked a little more and threatened to slide apart, but settled and stilled after a long moment. For a second, the group wondered if that had been it, then the ghosts began to stir and pick themselves up off of the ground.

" _Revenge,"_ one of them muttered as the others spoke their native tongue. _"We will have…vengeance!"_

Ruby felt her heart sink. She didn't even know what could hurt them, and yet…

 _You're looking wrong._ Something seemed to say to her.

' _What was…? Who…?'_

 _You must look with your other eyes._

' _What the heck? Other eyes?_

 _ **You must see through the lines of Argentum.**_ This time the voice was…different. It seemed deeper and darker.

 _Through it, you will reveal Aurum._

"I don't know what you guys are talking about!" Ruby yelled as the ghosts prepared to charge the living people again.

"Ruby?" Lydia asked in concern.

"Does anyone here have any more ideas?" Onmund tried.

 _Look through your Argentum lenses and lay bare their Aurum forms through the silvery lines._

"What the heck is an Argentum?!"

 _ **Dangers of redrawing run too close.**_

 _You cannot-_

" _ **I assume direct control,"**_ the darker voice announced through Ruby. Cold tendrils sunk into her spine and spread through her as she felt herself lifted off of the ground. Her eyes seemed to turn into ice blocks as she stared at the oncoming ghosts.

' _No, no, no! What's going on?! Why can't I move! HELP!'_

An orb of violet light formed out of shadowy energy coming from her eyes, then fired at one of the ghosts, hitting him directly and instantly destroying him. The other ghosts paused, letting two more orbs be formed that took out two more of them. One screamed and tried to hide behind a pillar, but the entity controlling Ruby's field of vision seemed to simply create a larger orb that enveloped such a large area in its explosion that the ghost couldn't do anything but be caught in it. The final three tried to make a run for it, but Ruby's arms rose up and violet magic ran from her hands and to them, lassoing their legs and pulling them into the air where the orbs could be fired and destroy them one by one.

' _Let go! Let go!'_ Ruby screamed in her own mind as her body continued to float in place. Her gaze went towards her friends, and while she had no idea what the being in control of her actions was planning, she didn't intend to wait and find out.

' _LET-_

"-GO!" she screamed as she ripped control back, falling back to the ground and to her knees. As she gasped and shook in fear and revulsion, Lydia came up to her and tried to hold her up while patting her back.

"Ruby, are you all right?" she asked with concern filling her voice. Before Ruby could answer, the room seemed to become bathed in a light without source that quickly darkened and entrenched them all in empty black. After a few moments, Ruby felt herself become weightless again, and the world around her seemed almost like empty space, only the faintest light of some formless energy visible to her. That energy seemed to be drawn to a darker void, swirling into it like a star being sucked into a Black Hole. She could see her friends near her, but each one was encased in a purple crystalline structure, each of them able to move but unable to get any sound out and through to her. Another shape took form as the violet energies coalesced before her into the shape of a man.

" **You will be saved, mortal,"** the being announced as it came to be. **"Do not resist. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am Ilmaasi."**

"Ilmaasi," she muttered, taking in the form he chose and that of his world. Astetu's had been a lively solar system, reminiscent of how she imagined the ones for both Nirn and Remnant to be, although with him at its center. Here, it was just empty, resembling more what one would expect from the destruction of a world. She then recalled his introduction. "What do you mean? What are you saving us from?"

" **Your world is but a tomb for the living, a garbage heap of Divinity. The Gods abandoned you, fled from the world they created like rats from a sinking ship. So you will die, cold and alone, while your Gods laugh from above."**

Ruby blinked and looked from side to side, but her friends could give her no advice from within their soundproof prisms. She looked back at Ilmaasi with a grimace.

"So you're telling me, that you're planning to save the world…by destroying it?"

" **I see our most resplendent Prince tainted your mind with venomous truths,"** the Magne-Ge said as though disappointed. **"What measure is mortal life, a brief flash in the infinite void of Time? My gift is existence in the Untimes, a life eternal."**

"The fact you could say that… It just proves you don't understand what life really is."

" **I do not pretend to understand mortal concepts."**

"Then you're just blind, or willfully ignorant. Life isn't measured against Time, it's a measure unto itself." Ruby felt something swelling in her chest, something between anger and tranquility. "Maybe life is brief and too short sometimes, but some people live great, meaningful lives with what little they have. What good's eternity with nothing to fill it?"

" **What good is your feeble existence, that it cannot even grasp the length of its own power?"** Where his eyes would have been seemed to glow like golden lights. **"To not even fathom your own hidden potential?"**

"And that… You used me in there! You took control of me and threw some kind of lasers out of my eyes." Indignant rage filled Ruby's body, but the Magna-Ge ignored her indignation.

" **I only used what was already available to me. You were the one who failed to utilize your own power."** Ruby's eyebrows went up at that. **"But that is irrelevant. Such limitations can be erased. For I bring rapture for those condemned to mortality. Join me and the gates of Aetherius will swing wide open."**

"Why? Why do you want to end the mortal world so badly?"

" **Like me, you have been withheld the sacred realms of our…revered God-Creator."** He seemed to refer to this being with disgusted sarcasm, despite his voice having no true pitch or tone. **"I will wrench from his dying grasp the immortality we were denied."**

Ruby shook her head. "No. I don't care what you think will happen. I'm not saving the world from one destroyer just so another can have a go at it. I cannot…will not let you!"

" **Your opinion is irrelevant."** His golden eyes seemed to narrow. **"You will be saved."** One of his arms came forward and his hand opened, the five fingers seeming to split into nine before the prisms holding everyone else disappeared and all were left floating in the near void. **"Be gone, child of lies!"**

Everything then went black. As color and light faded back into the world, Ruby felt the wind rushing up and past her. She looked down and gasped when she saw the ground and ocean far beneath her, and then gasped again when she saw everyone else in the same predicament. Using her Semblance, she flicked from one person to the next, grabbing each and throwing them towards each other before coming to the whole group to help them stay together.

"Oh gods, we're going to die!" Onmund screamed, the howling of the wind screeching past them making it exceedingly hard to hear him.

"Hold on, I have an idea!" Lydia announced as she began summoning up her Semblance.

"Wait!" Brelyna tried to warn her. "It's not the drop, it's the sudden-"

The shield formed under them, falling at a slower rate. Each of the people landed on it and did feel themselves slow, but it began cracking apart seconds later, and then they were falling again.

"Can you do that twelve more times?" J'zargo asked as he tried to keep himself straight.

"Three times, maybe."

"I've got it," the Dunmer replied with a nod. "Be ready to use it. Turn me around," she instructed the others. They did so, even as the shapes below them got closer.

"Maybe we'll hit the sea," Onmund said with hope in his voice.

"At this speed it might as well be con- stone," Ruby explained to him. "Ever hit a painful belly flop? Imagine that, times a hundred."

"Lydia, do the thing!" Brelyna called back. Lydia repeated the maneuver with her Semblance again, and this time the Dunmer girl sent two spells from over the edge of it and below. As it fell apart, she sighed.

"Okay, this should do it," she told them while turning around and straightening herself so her feet were pointed down. After a little more plummeting, they all felt their fall slowing and soon they were heading gently toward the ice below them, a spell upon the ground under their feet.

"Phew, Drop Zone," Ruby breathed in relief. "Gotta learn that one. Thanks Bree. Your landing strategy was much better this time around."

"Thanks. I hope I never have to do that again. Now, where are we?"

"Somewhere…" Ruby pulled out her map. "Around where we were. He just sent us straight up. …Or was it down?"

"Looks like we're on an iceberg," Onmund pointed out. "We'll have to find our way back to the shore and hopefully-"

The ice suddenly shifted and everyone went still. Ruby looked over as it moved again, a cracking noise echoing out across the frozen pedestal again and again until a leathery wing reached over and its claw dug in and pulled up. The dragon was mostly black, with patches of red surrounded by violet, glowing lines. He had two ramlike horns sweeping forward from his skull, and two sets of thick, short spines running down his back, each seemingly tipped with a glow that matched the color of Ilmaasi's devices. He gave them a cruel smile before standing up and shaking the ice from his wings.

" **Dovahkiin,"** he hissed, **"you have made a great mistake. You should have joined us."**

"Joined you?"

" **The Dark Archon…Ilmaasi has shown us the true way."** He stretched out his wings and craned his neck around. " **Bormahu shall be uncoiled, and all that is shall be forevermore, in all ways, without limit, without end."**

"You mean… You mean to tell me he asked you to join him, and _you_ accepted."

" **Even with zii ahrk rii do dovah, you are still limited by your feckless mortal mind,"** he growled out. **"I will not let you stand in our way. With my new gifts, I will free you, Dovahkiin. Know my name. Speak it in death as your own. Biidurvul!"** The dragon reared his head back and brought it forward with blue fire leaping from his mouth, which the group scattered from.

"Seriously? Your name starts with bii ahrk sum bii yol?" she yelled at Biidurvul before drawing Dragonsbane. "Oh my god, you're an emo, aren't you?"

The dragon bared his teeth and went after her. Fireballs crashed against the side of his head as he charged, giving Ruby an opening to rush in and slice across his face. Onmund tried to rise a spike out of the ice, but Biidurvul managed to leap in time to avoid it. As he dropped to the side, he swooped down and up then began circling the group. As he paused and hovered, Brelyna summoned a bound bow while Lydia aimed hers.

" **Vul Kun Nil!"** the dragon shouted, a beam of dark violet light leaping from his mouth, colliding with the iceberg then dragging across its surface, tearing apart the ice and causing shards to swirl around it as it came to them. Lydia raised her shield as she grabbed the Dunmer and pulled her away from its path. J'zargo focused a fireball in his hands and threw it, but Biidurvul gracefully spun out of its way and dived down before winging straight up on another side of the icy platform. **"Yol Toor Shul!"** he Shouted before waving his head back and forth, forcing most of them to back away. Ruby tried to charge at him, but felt her feet slip a little before he reached up with his talons and pushed off against the iceberg to fly above them, where he bathed the other half of the berg in flames as well, forcing the students to use wards and Lydia her Semblance. The entire surface was slicked with melted water, making their footing unsteady.

"He's coming back around," Onmund warned the others as he pointed out the dragon circling back.

Ruby, trying to think of a solution to their predicament, took in a deep breath. " **Fo!** " She went over as much 'ground' as she could, freezing it back. She almost felt accomplished, but then the others tried to move and couldn't thanks to the liquid freezing over their feet. Lydia broke herself free rather quickly, followed by Brelyna. J'zargo simply melted his, while Onmund continued to struggle for a moment.

"Uh, help?" Just as Brelyna went to pull him loose, Biidurvul flew over them, ready.

" **Strun Kun Qo!"** a thick lightning bolt shot forward and sliced into the ice, cutting the part Onmund was on away from the rest. The Nord screamed as his portion began sliding away and frantically tried to dislodge himself. Brelyna reached out and telekinetically grasped the chunk of ice while Ruby ran and jumped over.

"I got you," she reassured him before punching near his left foot. "Ow! Not smart," she scolded herself while shaking her hand, though Onmund was able to pull his foot loose. She simply sprayed flames at the other, causing him to yelp before pulling that one loose as well. The two hopped back over to the main piece in time for Biidurvul to return, Brelyna letting it slide into the sea as she refocused on the looming threat.

" **Kun Shul Ag!"** Everyone leaped out of the way of the Burning Light as it carved down through the middle during his flyover, then looked to see the foot wide gap in the ice.

"He's going to melt the whole iceberg at this rate!" Onmund yelled as he pulled out some scrolls and potions.

"We've got to get him down," Ruby concluded as she looked around. They had no real terrain advantage, as everything within reach was ice, and beyond that was sea water. Land was barely in sight. Like Onmund said, Biidurvul only had to melt the iceberg out from under them, and they were as good as dead. "Guys, how fast can you throw a me-sized chunk of ice?"

"Together?" the Dunmer woman wondered aloud. "I don't… Fast enough to crack a tree?"

"Good enough. Aim for his head." Before anyone could ask her anything, she sped over to the other side of the iceberg and started yelling at the dragon as he came back. "Biidurvul, genundiil med ozak voth ag om nau rigiriil!"

" **Bah, Dovahkiin!"** he yelled back at her as he zeroed in on her. Seeing a chance, the mages took up a suitably sized chunk of ice with a collaborative telekinesis spell and simultaneously launched it as hard as they could, nailing the dragon on the side of his head and causing him to fall right in front of Ruby, who jumped up and landed on his back, raking her sword down and into him as she ran down. He roared in pain and scrambled up just as the others ran to join the fight. Looking at Ruby as she turned, his eyes went wide with fear. He turned, then leaped, but his left wing refused to fully extend. He floundered in the air, unable to gain much with his limb locked that way. **"Tiid Klo Ul!"** he Shouted in desperation, causing time to slow around him. Ruby watched with narrowed eyes as he tried to use this time to force his body to listen to him and took in a deep breath. As time resumed and Biidurvul regained control, he started flapping and gaining traction before beginning to fly away.

" **Kun!"** he heard behind him and looked back in time to see a small Burning Light coming at him, hitting his already struggling wing near the shoulder and causing him to fall with a roar of pain into the sea.

For a minute, everyone stood and watched the spot where he had gone under. After the froth and bubbling stopped, Brelyna raised a hand and began casting Detect Life.

"I'm seeing some fish and one shark. No dragon."

"He's not dead," Ruby said as she looked around. "If he was, I would've felt it. Damn, never had a dragon successfully run away before. You sure you don't see him anywhere?"

"Something that big, we'd see him if he was anywhere nearby," the Dunmer assured her while scanning all around them a second time. She released the spell and let out a sigh. "Well, at least we can get back to land safely."

"There's that."

"Ruby," Lydia began as they sheathed their blades and the mages started trying to figure out how to get back to land, "I wanted to ask you, about Ilmaasi, I mean. What exactly…did you and he talk about?"

"Evil recruitment pitch," Ruby answered with a shrug. "He wants to end the world. Wanted me to help. I said no. Don't think he liked that."

"I suppose not." The Nordic woman looked back in the direction Biidurvul escaped. "But he did get a dragon."

"Yeah… But something tells me it's not just one."

* * *

When Weiss arrived in Solitude, she opted to stay at the Winking Skeever to help keep any sort of suspicious scents off of her. She then set off at dusk, waiting until she was far enough from the city that she was certain no one would catch even the faintest glance of her, then transformed and began hovering through the air toward the castle. As she flew, her mind kept going back to the annoyance of the day.

' _Honestly, I can't believe that woman,'_ she griped to herself. _'To insult my complexion to such a degree and then…follow it up with the coldest proposal I've ever heard.'_ She snarled through her beastly lips. _'If anyone ever deserved to lose everything in a fire… At least now I know what and who people were talking about when they mentioned losing the Ashwood's business.'_

The heiress was brought out of her musings when she heard something in her periphery, and so stopped to change back into her regular form. Slowly she went over to where a large amount of torches were lighting up the nearby hills and trees. Weiss saw a sizable gathering of everyday looking men and women, but at their head was a man in red and orange robes emblazoned with the sigil of Arkay and a bladed warpick at his side. He was currently standing on a wooden platform and beside a woman who had a noose tied around her neck, the other end of it being tied up to a thick tree limb by a number of men.

"Everyone, today we have caught one of the Prince of Domination's servants," the man called out to the crowd in a booming voice. "You've all seen the proof. We all saw where she's been slaking her thirst on your livestock. Now, we can finally rid the world of her, and ensure that there's one less vampire prowling among us."

The woman seemed to be shaking and crying, unable to speak up as the people cheered and called for her death. Weiss swallowed and looked around, trying to figure out what to do. The idea of jumping in and saving the woman came to mind, but people could easily see her face and then…

Like a light went off, Weiss recalled the mask of Morokei. Ruby had given it to her, since she was the one who used magic the most, and they had a cloth and leather hood stitched to the edges of it to better stay on her head. The heiress fished it out of her items and placed it over her distinctively colored hair, watching as the material cleared from the inside, allowing her perfect vision of her surroundings. Moving around to the other side, she watched as the people with the rope finished tying it and charged out into the open, knocking several people back with a low-level Repulse and then jumping onto the stage. The man looked at her in shock, giving her an opening to kick him from the side and off of the platform. She then drew an elven dagger and sliced through the rope as everyone scrambled in confusion, sheathing it just before grabbing the still-bound vampire.

"Wh-what?" the woman who had just avoided execution got out as she was pulled along.

"Hold on," Weiss warned her before throwing another Repulse into a different part of the crowd, throwing them even further into disarray. One Bosmer had managed to take up a bow, but an ice spike sent towards his feet took his attention long enough for Weiss to scoop up her rescue into a princess carry, leap away, and run into the trees.

"What's- Y- y-you saved me," the woman got out after a moment. "W- why?"

"You were only feeding from livestock, right?" Weiss asked her, receiving a rapid, eager nod as an answer. "Never drank from a person?"

"N-no, I… I never b-bit anyone."

"Then you've done nothing wrong, and you don't deserve to be killed."

"B-but, I'm a v-v-v-v-vampire," she squeaked out before a few fresh tears came to join the dry ones.

"Well, it'd be hypocritical of me to blame you for that." As the rescued girl took in her words, the baying of hounds and glow of torches was heard and seen coming upon them. "Rats! They're after us! Can you run?"

"T-th-th-th-they… M-my legs hurt."

Weiss felt her teeth grinding, immediately putting together what may have caused her pain. A quick look at her bruised and bleeding legs confirmed it. She paused a moment and sent out a Lightning Wall, hoping to slow their pursuers before she went back to running. A few moments later, several dogs yipped in distress and at least one person screamed in pain. The chase seemed cut off, but then she saw torchlight coming up again.

"S-spell!" her charge warned her while pointing, causing Weiss to look back and see the blue magical stream trailing her. Weiss huffed and turned her attention back to what was in front of her. She thought for sure she was still well ahead of the mob and planned to lose them by leaping from a cliffside she had spotted, when something caught her leg and tripped her up. The mask protected her face, but she was forced to let the girl go to keep from landing on top of her. The Huntress turned and found that what caught her leg was nothing natural, but a chain with a weighted end. At the other end was the robed man, holding it with both hands like a vice. Weiss tried to pull herself loose, but the man whipped up the chain and yanked her several feet with it, sending pain up her trapped leg before it came undone and was tugged back to its wielder.

"So, it seems the sire came for the child," he growled out as he began spinning the chain in his hands. "I had hoped to end it painlessly, but I can already see you aren't going down without a fight."

Weiss sneered before drawing Strahlendjuwel. "You got _that_ right, at least." The weighted end was suddenly flying at her head, but she managed to duck under it before jumping at him and thrusting. His other hand came up with his warpick and parried her to the side before coming around and going for her ribs. She back stepped it, but felt it tug against part of her shirt and make a small rip at the bottom.

"In the name of the Divines, by the Temple of the Last Breath, I will send you both to Oblivion," the man, a monk by the sound of it, announced to her before his chain came back in hand. "Surrender, and I will be merciful."

"I don't think mercy means what you say it does." Weiss readied magicka in her right hand and sent a rain of lightning at him while charging. Rather than move out of the way, the monk raised an arm and let the spell hit him. Weiss was surprised by the action, but continued with her stab towards him. His warpick knocked her away again, but this time she went with the flow and made a twirl before slashing up, cutting into his arm and forcing him to back away. Several of the lynch mob had caught up and were now watching the battle unfold, none of them making a move towards the other vampire who had hidden behind a log. Whether it was due to a desire to see how the fight would unfold or some part of a macabre ritual she didn't know, but Weiss wasn't about to discount her blessings. This fight was already difficult enough without being able to use her signature glyphs in front of witnesses, and she'd prefer to kill as few people as possible in this whole mess. Still, she hoped that she could find an avenue of escape before it came to that.

Weiss scoffed as she jumped out of the way of another swing, and the chain came at her again, this time hitting Strahlendjuwel's hilt and knocking it loose from Weiss' grasp. She tried to bring it back to her with a telekinetic grab, but the monk suddenly rushed her, bringing his pick around for a powerful swing. She tried to move out of the way, but was hit with an impact against her side that sent her back several feet, clutching the point that his weapon had hit and nearly broken through her Aura with its concentrated force.

"Strong magic armor you have there. It won't save you," he told her as he pulled his chain back. Weiss looked back up at him with anger and starting coursing magicka through her body.

"Won't have to." She threw both of her arms forward, summoning a chilling blast with one and lightning with the other. Both crashed into the man, who took both of the spells with a block. Weiss felt a smirk forming as the magic hit him, but it disappeared when she saw him run forward with a flaming hand. She stopped and jumped to the side, barely being missed by the Burning Hand before she flipped back and gasped a few breaths. He turned back to her, and she saw that there was almost no damage on him.

"Born to Sun's Dusk and trained in the ways of the Golem's Skin, none in my temple are weak to magic." His hand came up again, but this time a fireball came at her. Weiss leaped out of the way of it, but was still sent flying by its explosion. Two more came, but she managed to dodge them as well, picking up her sword after the third's pass. Even with it in hand, the monk charged her and nearly landed another blow with his warpick and almost caught her with the chain.

As Weiss cursed her circumstances, screams began rising up from the gathered mob. The monk looked back, and they both saw another group had arrived, clad in layered leather and with death hounds at their command. Weiss recognized one of their faces and felt both relief and apprehension.

' _They're Volkihar. I don't know why they're out here, but…'_ She saw a man get cut down and then the woman he was protecting yanked away by her arm and thrown to three vampires who dragged her out of Weiss' sight, causing her throat to constrict as she swallowed the reflexive protest that would have blown her cover. The monk turned back to her, surprise and fury on his face.

"You…laid a trap for us!" His teeth were bared in a snarl as his knuckles turned white on his weapons. He suddenly whipped out the chain and swung it around, nearly braining Weiss during its first pass and almost taking out her legs on the second. He charged forward again, but this time Weiss met him, hitting her shoulder against his gut before flipping back and kicking up into his face. He tried to hit her with his warpick, but she threw up her right arm to catch it at its crook and stabbed into his belly. The man grunted in pain, then Weiss stepped back as he fell to his knees.

"Vampire…" he ground out as he clutched his mortal wound, "you won't…win." As he fell forward, the screams wound down into cries of anguish, and Weiss looked up to see anyone who hadn't been killed were being chained together. She took off the Morokei mask slowly, and a female vampire wielding a bloodied battleaxe came up to her with a smile, eyes glowing orange in the night.

"Well fought, new blood. Looks like one of those southern monks." She picked up the warpick and looked it over before tossing it to Weiss, who caught it in surprise. "All yours. We haven't met yet, have we? Fura Bloodmouth. I get sent to kill and catch."

"Weiss Schnee," she quietly responded. She looked back at the line of captured humans and elves who were being led away, some of them struggling, only to be hit with clubs and whips for their troubles. Fura looked back at the procession and smiled.

"Didn't think you'd have a whole herd lined up for us," she said with a laugh. "Well then, let's get this haul back to the castle. The wolves and skeevers will clean these up. Toss 'em off, boys," she commanded the force of vampires and thralls, who got to work dragging corpses over to the nearby cliff and throwing them off the side. Weiss watched, her stomach turning a bit at the sight, but then turned her attention back to the rescued woman, who now looked far more like a girl as she cowed away from the other vampires who were beginning to look at her.

"Are you all right?" Weiss asked her as she stepped over. The girl looked to her and nodded slowly.

"I'm fi-f-f-fine. No one h-h-h-h-h-hurt me and they…" she looked at the bloodied field and shivered before walking closer to Weiss. "W-w-w-will I be safe?"

Weiss sighed and took one of her hands. "You'll be safer. Just stay with me." She nodded at that. "What's your name?"

"G-Giledie. Giledie Vassonia, b-b-b-b-but my friends called m-m-me Gilly." She cleared her throat and looked up at Weiss. "It's…nice to meet y-you, Weiss."

The Huntress nodded at that and looked over to the vampires who had begun leaving, the last of them dragging the monk to the side and letting him fall, though Weiss was sure she saw his hands try to clutch at the grass and stone. She winced, cursing herself for not making sure he was completely dead, but at the same time could hardly summon up any sympathy for him. She looked at the warpick in her hand, noting how its bladed point was made from orichalcum and the grip was engraved quicksilver. She flipped it in her hand and offered it to Gilly. The girl took it and looked back up at her.

"Just in case," Weiss told her. "Stick close to me, and if anything or anyone tries to hurt you, hit them with the pointy side." Gilly nodded and Weiss began leading her to Volkihar Castle.

* * *

The procession arrived at the castle with the train of captives looking up at it in abject fear. Some tried to put on a brave face, but Weiss' vampiric senses could pick up the taste of fear from their heartbeats to the hairs standing on end. As they were shuffled past the gates, Rargal Thrallmaster came up and smiled at the sight, two lower-ranked vampires walking behind him.

"Didn't expect such a nice haul," he exulted while gesturing to the captives before taking a thoughtful look. "And so soon. Not too close, I hope?"

"Found them on the road," Fura answered while crossing her arms. "The new blood ran afoul of some vampire-hunting monk while saving a little bird from him." They laughed at that then turned toward Weiss, who kept her face even. "We got a hold of the mob, and she finished off the monk. Everyone will figure they just went on a vampire hunt gone wrong. I made sure some thralls covered our trail while planting a fake one. That abandoned tower ought to do since the witches got cleared out."

"Still cutting it close. We'll need to go further out next time. Grab a few from Eastmarch or some such. But we might not need to for a good while." He looked back at the captives and beckoned them to be brought closer. The thralls lined them up and held them still as they struggled before Rargal came to the woman who was first in line and held her head with both hands.

"Shh," he whispered to her as his eyes glowed from orange to yellow to green. "Don't be afraid." She went still and calm in his hands, then he brought her close and bit her neck. Rather than struggle, she seemed to moan and go limp before he let her go and she stumbled. The woman then looked up to him, and the expression she held looked like the happiest Weiss had ever seen on a woman.

"Master, I am yours," she offered him while raising her arms to the vampire. Rargal just smirked. Weiss was horrified at the sight, but she forced herself to not betray her emotions.

"Good, good. Got at least one worshipping thrall out of this. Unchain her." A couple of the other thralls did so and the woman waited in place. "Go downstairs to the pens and tidy up. Ask for directions and tell them Rargal Thrallmaster sent you." The woman nodded enthusiastically.

"I live to serve, Master Rargal," she said before scampering off, the other prisoners looking on in horror and confusion. The Thrallmaster made to take on the next and the man began struggling before several of his captors started clubbing him.

Weiss looked back at Giledie and gestured with her head to another room. "Let's go. You don't want to watch this," she whispered to her before leading her away. The two walked away from the processing and towards the library.

"Ronthil, where was that last batch of alchemy ingredients I asked you for?" she heard as she went by a laboratory.

"Ah, yes…that," Ronthil answered uncertainly. "There were…well, complications."

"I don't want to hear about it. I want what I asked for."

"Yes, Feran. Of course. I'll see to it."

Weiss noticed a shift in Gilly's step and shook her head. She would have to take time to reassure the girl once they had a moment. Not out in the open, though. They'd need a private space to talk. If nothing else, then outside of the castle's walls and with just a muffling spell to cover them would have to do.

Stepping inside the library, she found Garan leafing through an old tome. The Dunmer vampire noticed her and set it aside before standing to his feet to greet her.

"I see you have returned," he greeted her with a nod. "Lord Harkon will be pleased." He then looked past her to Gilly, who seemed to shrink under her gaze. "It seems you brought something else as well."

"I found her about to be strung up. Seemed a waste," Weiss answered him evenly. The vampire walked up to them and sniffed the air around her before nodding.

"One of the strains from the Iliac Bay. Montalion, I think. That…will need some correcting, but that is for later. You met Stalph and Salonia, I presume?" At Weiss' more dour expression, he smirked. "Lord Harkon and I suspected they might follow you there."

"Yes, and they tried to kill me. Their mistake," Weiss responded coldly, shutting her eyes as though in annoyance.

"Well of course they did. Welcome to the politics of Lord Harkon's court," he exasperatedly droned out. "Vingalmo and Orthjolf both long for our Lord's throne, but cannot make overt moves against him. Each sought to gain power by using his underling to kill you and keep the Chalice for himself. By ensuring the Chalice reaches our Lord, you have increased his power over them, and at the same time deprived them of their little pets. You've done Lord Harkon two great services. Take what you've learned to heart, and be careful who you trust." He smiled again as Weiss nodded and took out the Chalice itself. She passed it to him and he took it in hand. "Well, now to put this in its proper place. You should let Lord Harkon know of your return. He may wish to see the Chalice himself."

As he left, Weiss began thinking to herself. She never thought that the different vampires might have been gunning for the top position. Even if they were, Weiss couldn't imagine anyone here really challenging Harkon. In fact, while Vingalmo and Orthjolf still gave her a bit of that overpowering feeling, it was nothing compared to even one like Jarmak, much less Harkon. If those two were bright candles, then Jarmak was a good campfire, and Harkon was one of those fires that she saw Giants huddled around. To all of them, Weiss might have been a lighter, or a cheap nightlight.

' _Delusions of grandeur,'_ she decided before feeling something grabbing her shirt from the side. She turned to look back and saw her charge shaking in place a moment. Weiss felt her features soften and reached up to pat the timid girl on the shoulder.

"It'll be all right. Come on. We'll find a little spot to talk and…" Her words paused as a head of dirty blonde hair entered, and a toothy smile appeared on a young face.

"Well, well, new blood. You did well on your first little outing. Brought back a _slew_ of brand new morsels to sample from, and I see the rumor of you scooping up a little bird was true." The vampire that appeared to be no more than a young teen or pre-teen girl looked over at Gilly in interest. "Someone was saying you were fighting a mob for her?"

Weiss was preparing her response when Gilly cleared her throat and started talking. "Sh-she saved me f-f-f-from being killed by a m-m-m- a vampire hunter." The heiress wanted to smack her forehead. While it wasn't a bad answer, she was trying to keep a more aloof appearance to the Volkihar until such time she could take Gilly out of the castle and possibly leave her in the care of Duskfall. The other vampire's smile was replaced by an exaggerated expression of worry as she drew closer.

"Oh, you poor thing! You must be newly blooded, and obviously so young in life. That must have scared you back to death." A lighter smile returned. "Well, don't you worry. Our newest member, mm, Weiss, was it?"

"Yes," she answered calmly.

"Weiss here will keep you safe, I'm sure. After all, she _single-handedly_ defeated two rapscallions with some years on her." The way her eyes peered over at Weiss when she said it like that sent a chill down the Huntress' spine. "Oh, you should step out a second. My little ones are just outside, so they'll keep you company while she and I talk about some important things."

Gilly looked at Weiss, and the heiress nodded her head while gesturing. Reluctantly, the woman left her side and headed out of the library door. Weiss saw the other vampire weave a Muffle Room and added her own to the mix to plug in any possible holes.

"What do you know?" Weiss quickly questioned her.

"Wasn't that sudden?" she mouthed while stroking her chin. "Not even a little pleasantry. Young people are so rude!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes and head before crossing her arms.

"I'm Weiss Schnee, as you know. And you?"

"Needs a little work, but much better." The vampire placed an arm across her chest and nodded her head. "Natha Thensdottir. Now, as for what I know… Well, all I know is what everyone else knows. You left, Stalph and Salonia went out after you. It was no great secret what they were planning. Then you came back, and no word from either of them. _I_ knew that they took the most direct route, only stopping to avoid the sun. One of my little ones followed them about halfway before returning. Poor thing missed me, but we knew you were taking a more…scenic route." She leaned back while tapping a finger to her cheek. "Now, I may have been overhearing you wrong, but it sounds to me like you've killed them both. A remarkable feat. Stalph was known for his ability to heal, and Salonia was no fresh fledgling. Yet, I can't help but wonder what you may have done on your long trip to the den."

Weiss' eyes narrowed at her, and the vampire giggled.

"Oh, don't worry, child. It's not like I have any proof, nor do I really wish to dangle it over you. I'm a bit like Garan in that. I'm not trying to scrabble my way to the top."

"Then what are you doing? You're suggesting something…that others might not take kindly to."

"Oh, but it's something I, personally, don't mind." She laughed. "I know I don't look it, but I've been around quite a while. People like Vingalmo and Orthjolf come and go, and yet century after century passes," her smile disappeared and Weiss suddenly felt a weight fall upon her, catching her off-guard, "and I'm still here." Her voice had lost all of its cheerful inflection, leaving only a cold, low tone. "I've been here since the beginning. My family served the Volkihars when we were all but mortals. I've learned, child, and so will you." Her smile returned, and Weiss felt that weight slowly lift off of her.

"Wh- what did…?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. Just a little…reminder. I may not be playing politics, but there are more than a few people who would still see me as, bleh, an obstacle." She shrugged with a shake of her head. "Consider it like this; you need allies, and I need a nice buffer between me and fools like those goats that consider themselves possible claimants to a throne they'll never get. I'll play nice with you, and you help me here and there, alright?"

Weiss thought it over a moment before sighing and nodding. "Very well, but this had better not end in a double-cross."

"It would take Lord Harkon himself ordering me to make me drop a deal like this. Of course, at that point, it's self-preservation. You understand, right?"

"I suppose," she grumbled. "Fine. We'll see how this goes."

"Ah, excellent. Now, first, I'll take care of your little rescue for you while the princess comes to talk. She has a few things to say, and that little problem should be taken care of sooner rather than later."

"Wait," Weiss called as Natha started to leave, "what do you mean? What are you doing to her?"

"Oh, nothing harmful, child, trust me. Just a little walk and a little embrace. She'll be perfectly fine. Better than before, even." Before Weiss could question her further, Serana walked in from the other side. The tween vampire lord waved with a wide grin and left.

"You should be careful about her," Serana warned Weiss as she walked up, a folded bundle in her arms. "She might look harmless, but she's merciless."

"Yes, I figured as much." Weiss sighed as she put her hands to her hips. "At least she's interested in mutual beneficence."

"I assume that's good? Anyways, figured you might want to blend in a bit better." She handed over the bundle and Weiss found it to be the surprisingly sturdy leather armor that doubled as the castle inhabitants' uniform. "Mostly guessed at your sizes, and I figured you'd like it in your colors." Weiss unfurled the whole piece to find that it was mostly white with a higher neckline than normal. The pieces that would rest on her shoulders were baby blue and just right that she could see her collar showing without even trying it on.

"You made this?"

"Partly. Hestla did the armor parts and picked out all the leather, but I dyed them and stitched it all together." The vampire rubbed her fingers. "Never really forget how."

"Thank you. It's lovely." It honestly was, even if Weiss would likely never be able to wear it out in public.

"You're welcome. So…" Serana threw up her own muffling spell. "I'm going to address the mammoth in the room. You rejoined Yang and got her help, didn't you?"

Weiss sighed. She figured that, out of everyone in the castle, Serana would be the one to see through the little play she and Yang had put on before. "Well, I suppose I might as well explain it to you, then."

* * *

The marshes and swamps of Hjaalmarch were resistant to the oncoming winter, but not immune. While some of the waters remained clear of ice, others were freezing over. And where some patches had pushed away the snow, others had succumbed and were coated in a layer of white. The four were able to find a solid enough trail to their destination, and so followed it towards the ruins of Folgunthur.

"You know, this place is giving me an uneasy feeling in my gut," Rumarin brought up. "Either it's that or the stew I ate last night."

"Hey, don't badmouth the stew," Yang playfully objected. "That stuff saved my fingers from freezing off."

"Warmth does not flavor make. Which is why wasabi is overrated as well."

"Hey, now," Yngvarr spoke up. "Don't go disparaging an important piece of Nordic culture. Wasabi once made kings and saved kingdoms. Besides, you likely never tasted it prepared right, if you've tasted the real thing at all."

"I haven't run into wasabi once since getting here," Yang brought up. "Am I missing something?"

"Oh, it's terribly expensive, but I can usually afford a little around Saturalia," the old Nord explained. "Only the richest nobles could afford to eat it several times a year. It's quite difficult to cultivate, you see. Some in Old Atmora knew how to better do it, but the art was lost as the continent froze. Heard rumors before that there was a great deal more in Akavir, which makes sense, I suppose. Atmora got wasabi from Akaviri travelers, then Skyrim got it from Atmora. Now we barely have any."

"Huh, neat. Funny enough, we had wasabi back home as well. It's hard to grow there, too. And there's a sauce someone made and marketed as a wasabi replacement that got really popular, but Blake took me somewhere where they had the real deal, and let me tell ya, doesn't even cut it close. We also got these peppers…"

"Ah, now that you'd have to get from the spice islands of Esroniet, though I hear someone in Hammerfell has begun growing their own farm. Not nearly as hard to cultivate, I hear. But they are hard to buy, especially when the Khajiit and Harpies are clamoring to get as much as possible. Apparently those Bird Elves can eat even the hottest peppers and barely break a sweat. Sometimes, though, someone brings in hot pepper bantam guars. Those little chicken-lizards eat the hot peppers on their home island so much they become spicy as well. I actually know a Dunmer who tried to breed them, but without their hot food they lose that taste very quickly. The very first clutch to hatch was just regular old bantam guars."

"Whoa! A chicken that comes pre-seasoned? Man, I'd actually love to try that!"

"You smoothskins can keep trying new and improved ways to burn out your tongues, then. Leave me-" Anum-La stopped herself then peered forward, and Yang started smelling the air deeply. After a moment, they saw a small camp under the shadows of a ruin and came up to find a Redguard warming himself by a fire. He saw them approaching, and waved them down while moving toward them.

"So the Swamp Knight lives," he said as they closed the distance. "Thank Arkay."

"Bodan!" Anum called out before going up to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you and Elia. I searched east and west, high and low… The sands of time flowed for many months, but I managed to find you both."

Anum nodded at that. "I haven't seen Elia since we parted in Bravil. How is she?"

The Redguard's face went downcast, and he looked towards the ground with shame in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, old friend. She's dead."

"No… How?"

"I don't know." He shook his head and then rubbed his eyes. "She was found dead in her room, at the Oak and Crosier in Chorrol. It's not the sort of establishment where an assassin can slip in unnoticed."

The Argonian hummed in thought. "With Elia, he wouldn't have to. Not if he was handsome enough."

"True, but there's a reason I sought her, the same reason I'm here with you now. Elia isn't the only one." He gestured for her to sit, and she took a seat on a log near the fire, with him sitting nearby and everyone else following along.

"This doesn't sound like it's leading anywhere good," Rumarin whispered, and Yang shushed him.

"It started with Ula-Wei. At the time, I was disheartened, yet I was far from surprised. A Shadowscale builds a ledger of enemies that runs longer than a leviathan's tail. However, while mourning one friend, there came news of two others. Arnwulf and Moon-Tail had perished as well."

"By the Hist…" she quietly cursed. "What about the others? Dalum-Ei? Indrel?"

"They're fine, as far as I know. The first thing I did was seek Dalum-Ei's counsel. He was surprised to see me, but gracious as always. When I told him of what happened, he asked that I warn you and Elia, whereas he would stay and search for Indrel. Although, to be honest, the Bosmer did not concern me as much as you two. You know as well as I do that no one will ever find her, so long as she doesn't want to be found."

"Arnwulf… Moon-Tail… Elia…" Anum-La muttered to herself. "Why?"

"A question without an answer, or perhaps far too many. When we were a company, there was no shortage of people who wanted us dead. Together, we could always fend them off. Apart, we are at their mercy."

The Argonian clenched her fists before looking straight at the man and jumping to her feet. "Then we band together one last time! We take the fight to anyone and everyone who dares kill one of our own!"

Bodan smiled at this. "My friend I see that time hasn't frayed your passion." His smile then disappeared. "The problem is, our enemy has naught a face."

She sighed. "Forgive me, Bodan. All those years… All those lessons…" She sat back down and wrapped her tail around to rest in her lap, "and sometimes I wonder if I've learned anything at all."

"You were always his favorite. And in this case, you aren't in the wrong. Aggression may be what is needed. However, our best weapon at this point is our wits, not our blades." He rubbed his chin as he leaned back. "I've done some research on our past jobs, and it appears that there is one unscrupulous lord we managed to thwart far more often than the others. A baron, in fact, by the name of Gabania. As it so happens, it seems that one of his agents is here in Falkreath, attempting to secure a fur deal with the local hunters. I have other leads as well, which I myself will attend to. If you and your companions here can vet this one, perhaps we can narrow down our suspects."

"All right, I'll find out what I can," Anum agreed.

"Be safe, old friend."

The Argonian then looked to the other three, her eyes held like steel.

"I know this isn't your fight, friends, but whoever killed the others must be one damn good fighter, and I'd feel better if you were by my side. I only ask if you will."

Yang nodded. "Hey, I dragged you all across Skyrim for my work. Fair's fair. Besides, we're friends now, and friends help each other."

"Thank you. You're a true friend. Even better, you're a strong one. This baron has no idea who he's messing with."

"I suppose you're answering for me too," Rumarin pointed out. "Not that I disagree, but I had my own answer of acceptance lining up in my mind. It was quite flowery and beautiful and would have brought you all to tears, I'm sure, and now I've gone and forgotten it. Oh well, just mark me down for 'with you'."

"The same for me then," Yngvarr agreed. "Whoever's doing this, they're acting without honor. To strike down a lady of healing when she's vulnerable and alone…" He groaned angrily. "I'm going to bury Silverblur into their skull for it."

"I'm glad to see you can still make good friends," Bodan told Anum-La.

"On another note, what's up with the camp?" Yang asked, pointing out the several tents pitched up.

"Well, from what I understand, there may be a group exploring the ruins here, though no one's come up since I got here." Bodan pulled out a notebook and tossed it to Yang. "Seems to be after an old legend about Gaulder and his amulet."

"Oh dang, Weiss mentioned something like that." Yang took out her scroll and typed in a text, hoping to get an answer soon. "Don't quite remember what she said, but she has one of the fragments and my partner has another. Might want me to look into it before we go."

"Shouldn't take long, no matter how many draugr are down there." Anum-La muttered while gripping her sword's hilt. "Besides, I could use the stress relief."

* * *

After Bodan departed to follow his own leads, the four headed into the ruins of Folgunthur. From his notes, Daynas Valen was hoping to be the one and only to possibly claim the amulet's fragments. Seeing as the other two were already found and in the possession of her teammates, Yang figured he might be a bit salty. Of course, the fact that he hadn't surfaced for a few days didn't bode well for his chances. That, as well as the three fresh corpses they passed at the entrance alone, and the smell of more on the stale air. Yang looked over to her reptilian companion as they left the first, already opened gate behind.

"You going to be alright?"

"No, I don't think I'm going to be alright," she answered. "Not for a while. I'm going to be confused, frustrated, and angry." She managed a small smile in the end, though. "Still, I appreciate the concern, Yang. At times like this, I'm reminded what it is I value most, and why I have to see this through."

The blonde nodded and then they came out into a more open catacomb, where several draugr awoke and charged at them. Yang punched one and sent it flipping back to where it came, while Rumarin called up a bound blade and sliced through one before ducking away from a blast of frost. Yngvarr chopped the offending undead in half, and Anum-La sliced down two of them. Everyone looked around before relaxing themselves.

"Draugr," Anum-La griped. "At least these mummies have flesh. Nothing's more awkward than trying to cut bone."

"I'd say trying to cut wood is pretty awkward," Rumarin countered as Yang started walking around and searching the immediate area. "Those Spriggans are difficult to take down with a sword."

"Try having to kill something that constantly regenerates. Part of the reason why I started using axes, actually. Trolls suck," Yang added.

As they talked about what made for the most annoying enemy to kill, Yang found a set of old, wooden stairs and walked into the room to head up, but then the grate opened up underneath her and plunged her into the water just beneath it. As she sputtered and gasped while pulling herself out, the rest of the crew rushed over to her and helped her to her feet, where she immediately tucked herself into a ball and began shivering.

"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-cooooooold," she chattered out before focusing on summoning fire into her hands. At first barely caring, she focused in order to not singe herself as she did her best to get dry. "Damn! Wish I knew that clothes drying spell." She thought about trying it, and so tried to envision what it was Weiss did to make those warm air funnels. She attempted conjuring one, but only ended up with a small tornado of flame.

As she expended her efforts to warming and drying, Rumarin looked into the room and flipped a lever that brought the gate back up. Flipping it again seemed to do nothing, but he pushed it back up and put a foot onto the grate and pushed. It stayed solid, and so he did it again with the lever down and the grate fell in, leaving his foot in the air before he stepped back.

"Feeling better?" Anum-La asked Yang after she finished drying her socks and placed her boots back on.

"Much better, really."

"Guess we should have those lessons after all," Yngvarr figured. "We'll do it when we get back to Morthal. The marsh ponds near the town are a perfect spot to practice, and the inn's right there if we need it."

"Great," Yang mumbled.

"Well, it's safe to come up now," Rumarin called down from the upper level. "I promise I didn't reset the trap."

"If you did, they'll never find the body," Yang playfully warned him before carefully stepping through and going up. As the other two joined them, she walked over to where a Dunmer corpse was lying, old blood spilled around him and several downed draugr scattered all over. Next to his hand was a dragon claw key, which Yang picked up and turned in her hands, finding it to be carved from ivory. Also next to him lay another notebook, which she began scanning for clues.

"It seems this Dunmer took half the draugr in this crypt with him to the Void. How selfish of him," Anum remarked.

Yang just shook her head before coming upon the last pages of the journal.

"' _Gaulder himself was interred in a cave not far from where his tower once stood, in the place called Reachwater Rock. And when it was done, King Harald issued an edict: the name and deeds of Gaulder and his sons were to be expunged from every record, every chronicle. Under pain of death, no word of them was to be spoken, lest any try to recover the amulet that had been sealed at so great a cost.'_ Whoops!" Yang shrugged at that, but kept in mind the name of Gaulder's tomb. "So, Reachwater is in the Reach, I'm guessing. Have to look into that later." She flipped the page and sighed. "Oh, great! Guy went mad with power before he even got it."

"Premature megalomania can be a problem in budding evil overlords," Rumarin said as he walked up and pushed the corpse over, revealing a pedestal with a dragon claw-shaped keyhole. "Well, let's gain our limitless power before cackling about it."

"I don't know about limitless, but it should be pretty powerful." Yang took the ivory claw and pressed it into the keyhole, then turned it side to side, causing a drawbridge to lower and allow them further passage into the tomb. "I mean, the piece Weiss found she says was comparable to the Necromancer Amulet."

"Wait, Mannimarco's Necromancer Amulet?" Yngvarr asked her to clarify. "The one the Hero of Kvatch had to pry from The Revenant's cold, undead neck just to be able to kill? That Necromancer Amulet?"

"Yeah, actually. She found it on an actual necromancer who was murdering women in Windhelm, trying to use their parts to bring his sister back." Yang stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"Of all people," Rumarin groaned. "No, not a saint, or one of the ancient heroes. Not even some grand villain should you feel particularly malevolent. Talk about a waste. Also, the murder thing and desecration of the dead is pretty bad, but on top of all that."

"Yeah, I get ya."

The group continued on, fighting several more draugr and dodging some traps. Rumarin came across an old silver axe and contemplated for a short time whether taking it back to sell was worth it at all, while Yang and Yngvarr kept clear of him as he held it. They were stopped by a set of gates and several levers, and Yang started looking over the puzzle.

"Okay, so," she pushed one lever and the second and third gates went up. "Okay, then," she pushed the one across from it and the front and last ones went up, but the third came back down. "Okay, I see how this works now. Let's see what this one does." She went to the one next to the first one she flipped and pulled it, and the gate went up and none came down. "Oh darn, I was totally ready to figure this out too."

"That was exceedingly lucky," Yngvarr agreed. "Hope it keeps up."

They went down the hallway and further into the depths. Some stones dislodged near a wide set of stairs, but luckily, none of them were in the path of the small avalanche and the only one injured was a random draugr. They went past the little scene of carnage and came into a room with two thrones set next to a pair of levers. The draugr seated in the thrones awoke, but were quickly dispatched before the group started mulling over the levers' purposes. Yang pulled one, and a disk of stone behind the wall spun so that a door opened near her, showing them a room with three open-mouthed head carvings that held the symbols she had come to recognize as being on all of the puzzles.

"Well, I see where this is going," she griped before heading back out and going to the one on the other side. Just as she suspected, there were three pillars. She quickly matched them while Yngvarr busied himself with beating a draugr battlemage back to death. When she had them all aligned, she went back out and searched for a trigger, finding it in the form of a chain. Rumarin followed her gaze and suddenly had a giddy smile, which Yang shook her head at while waving to him.

"Go ahead."

The high elf pulled the chain, and the grate at the center opened, allowing them to venture deeper into the ruins. As they came to the water-logged bottom, Yang screamed when a dog-sized spider appeared, and kicked the arachnid away. Two more the size of horses appeared, and the blonde took out Fiery Kain before charging with a shout that was higher-pitched than what she normally went for. Anum-La jumped upon one and stabbed into a weak point in its carapace while Yang hacked and chopped the other to death.

"Ew," Rumarin remarked as he came upon the sight of dead giant bugs.

"You want in front?" Yang asked him while gesturing to their newest kills.

"No, no. I'm fine where I am in the line-up."

They went on and came into a hallway with three coffins lined on both sides and a stone door with a circle puzzle surrounding a dragon claw keyhole. Yang let out a puff of air that blew some of her hair back.

"Well, let's wake the dead, shall we?"

When she was about halfway down, the coffins popped open. One draugr had its head lopped off by Silverblur before it had even stepped out, and another was hallway split down the middle and on fire thanks to Yang. The Swamp Knight and Bladebinder both killed one apiece, then the last two were finished off by the human lycanthropes.

"Thought that might be a little harder," Rumarin muttered as he looked at the corpses.

"Wait until we're behind this door. Going by the notes, the boss of this dungeon has a superpowering amulet," Yang told him as she matched up the circles with the emblems on the claw.

"This isn't a dungeon, it's a tomb," Yngvarr corrected her.

"Oh, uh, yeah, you're right. Sorry, reference from my homeland." Yang let out a small laugh then pushed in the ivory claw. The door slid open and the four went through and up the stairs. Yang paused at seeing a carving in the wall, centered around a man holding two spears. After thinking about it for a moment, she carried on and led them into a large chamber with massive columns and a coffin sitting dead center of everything.

"That coffin must be where Mikrul sleeps," Anum-La stated as they walked towards it. "At least there's plenty of room to fight. Thank the gods this draugr likes open spaces!"

As they stepped up a few stairs, the coffin's lid was thrown off, and several other coffins to the side that they had missed began opening as well. Mikrul stood to his full height and looked at the intruders before pointing his finger and giving a command in an old tongue. The other draugr began charging them, and the party set to work. Rumarin summoned up his bow and began shooting ethereal arrows at the incoming horde. Anum-La began slicing through old flesh quickly and precisely. Yngvarr started wading through them and taking out huge swathes of undead with each swing. Yang took out Holy Ardon and Black Whsiper and started chopping trough the various draugr facing her. Some of them were about as expected, but others weren't even wielding weapons. There were even a few that had faced worse rot in their burial, looking halfway like skeletons rather than mummies. After she beat down the last, they all realized the room was nearly cleared of foes save for Mikrul, still standing next to his coffin.

"Whatcha gonna do now, tough guy?" Yang called to him. Possibly in response, the draugr waved his hand forward and streams of magic left him and flowed around the room like a mist. It sank into the bodies, and the undead began rising again, the more dismembered ones either trying to pull themselves together, or attacking as separate pieces.

"Not good!" Rumarin called out as he switched his bound bow for blades. Yang bashed away a draugr she had nearly chopped the head off of before, and looked forward to Mikrul. Realizing how endless the horde really was, she took in a breath and leaned down.

"I'm going in," she yelled before charging through the mass in front of her, knocking some down and others away. The Gaulderson seemed surprised by her move, and barely had time to block before her Dwarven axe swung around. Black Whisper then came from under and chopped up and into his armor, but Yang felt resistance underneath. She kicked the undead off her weapons then readied herself to rush him again, but Mikrul had pulled one of the spears from the nearest wall with a yank that pulled out some of the bolts of its mount and stabbed towards her. Yang twisted out of the way, then squared up against the undead as he held a spear in his left and his black blade in the other. She went at him and slashed one way to get her ebony axe blocked by his spear's shaft then the other got caught by his sword. She made for a double inward swing, only for both to be blocked.

" **Fus! Ro Dah!"** the undead Shouted at her, knocking her back through the air with a scream. As her back hit the pillar, her war axes went flying from her hands to clatter somewhere far behind her. The undead then made to charge her, but she reached around and pulled out Fiery Kain and knocked the speartip aside before ramming his face with the axe's handle. As he stumbled, she brought it over and around, chopping down into his shoulder with a yell. However, she didn't go very deep, barely hitting the shoulder blade before it was stopped. Mikrul then dropped his spear and grabbed the axe while swinging his sword from the side, but Yang let go with one hand and caught his wrist. He then spun, kicking up and knocking Yang over before standing up and ripping the axe from his body. He threw it away and then ran at her, but Yang simply uppercut him then followed it up with a spinning back fist. The draugr stumbled away with a sizable dent in his helm, but stayed on his feet.

"What does it take to put you down?!" the brawler growled through clenched teeth.

"Yang, heads up," Rumarin called. Yang turned to see an axe coming her way through the air and caught it, turning just in time to see Mikrul coming at her in a running jump, his sword held high. She knocked the incoming blade to the side then brought her axe around, hitting between his ribs and going in deep. She yanked back, then chopped into his chest and dragged down, ripping through armor, mummified flesh, and bone. Mikrul tried to stand back up, and Yang shouted as she brought the axe down into his face. The draugr stilled, then fell back and down, sliding off of the axe blade. As he did, the other undead finally collapsed, freeing the other three.

Yang sighed, then her eyes went wide as the adrenaline wore off and she felt as though her fingers were on fire. She screamed and dropped the axe, realizing that it was the silver one Rumarin had picked up. Even its grip had silver inlaid with the ancient leather. As she clenched her hands to stem the pain and coursed Restoration magic into them, the Altmer looked at her oddly, then picked up the weapon before looking at her in realization.

"Oh."

"Well done, lass. I knew you could do it," Yngvarr congratulated her with a hardy pat on the shoulder. Yang nodded, then knelt over and took the amulet fragment from Mikrul's neck, while Anum-La picked up a note from his coffin.

"Real flowery language here. Well, now we've got the amulet. What now?"

"Usually, the ancients leave a bit of treasure near the exit of such tombs," Yngvarr explained. "Though, I suppose whether or not this one has any depends on whether or not it was originally meant for Mikrul here."

"Well, either way," Yang said with a shrug, "let's head back to town. We've got a trip ahead of us tomorrow."

"And those swimming lessons to look forward to," Rumarin reminded them. Yngvarr nodded, and Yang groaned.

* * *

Ruby concentrated on the piece, watching as magicka was slowly sown into the fabric of creatia in a pattern near, dear, and familiar to her. As it all came together and slowly sank in, her tongue poked out from the corner of her mouth, unnoticed by the girl herself. More and more it was woven together, until it was as tightly done as she could manage. She tried to seek out any loose spots, but found none after her examinations were through. She sighed and then took up the armor piece, now enchanted with her Semblance.

"Okay, Bree! I think it's ready for testing!" she declared. She took the leather cuirass over to the Dunmer, who looked at it nervously.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely. Just feel it with your Aura like I taught you, then push it forward from your center of gravity while aiming for…over there," she indicated toward an empty space. "If it works, my Semblance will activate and you'll burst into rose petals and reappear there. If it doesn't then probably nothing will happen."

"Probably?" the test subject asked as she pulled on the armor.

"Well, nothing bad happened when Weiss tested Yang's Semblance. Speaking of, the courier finally caught up to me, and now I've got new gloves with Yang's reflecto-punch power!" Ruby shadowboxed while making whooshing sounds with her mouth, and Brelyna raised an eyebrow at the sight. The girl looked over to her and put her hands to her hips.

"Well, don't just stand there cadet!" The Dunmer recalled what she was doing and brought her attention back to her task. She reached forward with her Aura, an odd, but not foreign concept for the mage, then tried to focus her center-of-gravity forward. As she did, she felt something disembodying happen, then everything became a jumbled mess, then she was falling forward with a yelp.

"You did it!" she heard Ruby cheer from several feet behind her. A look around told her she had, indeed, ended up at the other end of the lab. Ruby rushed up to her side with her own flowery burst and helped her up with a bright grin. "It worked!"

"It did, actually." Brelyna didn't know whether it would or not, but there it was. She noticed a few jam-colored petals slowly fading away near her feet. "Interesting…"

"Yeah, although it wasn't...complete I guess? You moved as fast as you were supposed to, but your head, arms, and legs still seemed pretty solid instead of scattering completely. It kind of reminds me of how I used my Semblance...was it really less than a year ago? Anyway, I hadn't figured out the whole 'dissolve into a petal cloud' thing back then, and I just zoomed really fast in a straight line with the petals in my wake, and that's why we first thought that my Semblance was just 'Speed'. I've been developing it since then, but now the enchantment's back to the old version. I'm not sure if it's because my enchanting isn't strong enough, if you need to practice with it to figure out the more advanced tricks, or if it's just because the one piece isn't enough by itself, and you need to wear a whole 'Ruby' set to scatter properly... Or maybe it's a little of all three?" she rubbed her chin in thought before shrugging with a huff.

"We can work on that later. Now we just have to test it with a non-Aura person." Onmund went stiff at his workstation. Ruby's eyes then opened wider, and she took her scroll from her pocket and opened it. "Oh, Yang just went through some ruins. She sent me a photo of a Word Wall. Het nok brit kaaz Anurassa wen faad nis kos evenaar orin naal krah dinok. Huh, that's neat. Apparently they buried a Khajiit lady there."

Meanwhile, Brelyna was holding out the enchanted cuirass to a frightened Onmund. "Your turn," she demanded.

"I… I actually just remembered, there's some things I have to do for Madame Ervine."

"Onmund, I will disenchant that axe if you don't." The Nord gasped at that.

"I spent hours on that enchantment," he muttered fearfully.

"And I can erase it in seconds. If I had to do this, then so do you."

"I… Oh, fine, but you can't threaten me like this forever."

Ruby shrugged at their little spat and just watched in anticipation to see how well her newest creation worked.


	61. The Best of Intentions

**Despite missing a piece of my thumb, I was still able to bring you all this latest chapter. A thank you and mention to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for nudging me in the right direction on everything.**

 **Also, to help keep confusion to a minimum, I will post dates before and after each chapter to show when the events of that particular one happened. for this chapter, we begin at** _29th of Sun's Dusk_

* * *

Blake scribbled a few notes down next to the sketching of a knight. She had a much better idea of how to characterize Pelinal, recalling some advice she got from a forgotten source. _'It's not about liking or agreeing with a character, it's about understanding why they do what they do.'_ And so far, she was getting at least that, if bit by bit. And if her theory about Umaril's father panned out, then their rivalry would make tons more sense.

The carriage came to a halt and the passengers started unloading. The two carriage guards went to rest at the nearby stables, and most of the others either headed for the city gates or some houses sitting outside of the walls. Blake headed inside and was a little taken aback. The last and only time she had been in the city, it was so short a stop, with almost all of it in a single building, that they couldn't really absorb it all. Now she saw the city laid out in front of her, part of it looking more like it had been carved out of the mountain rather than built up. Ramps and stairs led to higher levels everywhere, layered up above the ground and climbing the mountain's side. The people were bustling through in some places and almost absent in others, only for crowds to disperse in one area and recollect in another. The majority of them were Nords, but there were more than a few Redguards and Bretons.

"I told you," she heard someone aggressively growling and turned her head to see a Nord standing in a doorway, blocking a Breton's entrance, "we don't serve your kind here!"

"My kind?! You barbarous oaf! I'm from Daggerfall!" the Breton screamed back. "Even if I was a Reachman, what gives you the right to just slam the door in their face?!"

 _We're not animals!_

Blake shook her head at the sudden memory and went on, weaving through the crowds of traders and merchants. The mass of people easily matched Solitude's, which only made sense. Solitude may have had the major port by sea, but Markarth was next to and connected to both Hammerfell and High Rock by land. Anyone bringing things by foot or hoof would likely have to stop here first. Even as she continued climbing up towards the palace, Blake had to stop and double-check when she thought she saw a trio of elf-eared people who had horse bodies below their waists.

 _'So that's what a Centaur looks like,'_ she thought as she spied them unloading items to trade. A few of the Nords were glaring at them, but most stopped after a few moments and carried on with their day. The same couldn't be said for the accompanying Bretons in the Centaurs' party, several of which were being accosted at that very moment.

"So what's this then?" a guard among four asked a woman across the street while pulling up an ivory talisman from her neck. She clutched it, but was careful not to break the chain.

"My grandmother's! Listen, I haven't e'en been to the Karth in months! I don' know a t'ing about it."

"A likely story. I'm going to have to ask you-"

One of the guards nudged his fellow and they all looked over and saw Blake glaring. Rather than look away, the Faunus decided to stand her ground and just intensified her gaze. The man let go of the woman's pendant with a scoff.

"Shovel off then, but we're watching you." The woman quickly ducked away and got lost in the crowd. Blake then allowed herself to go forward, but didn't lose the snarl on her face for a good few minutes. The entire situation landed too close to home. As bad as Windhelm got, it was becoming clear that Markarth, for all its glamour, was worse.

When she finally reached the keep, the two door guards eyed her, but made no moves to halt her from entering. Inside, the sun was almost immediately cut off. Blake also noted how the once muffled sounds beneath her feet were now loud and clear, machinery clanking and gears turning with the occasional puff of steam. There were a handful of people waiting, likely to see the Jarl, but Blake had a different goal than most. She was about to start asking for directions, but down a side corridor she saw an old man standing among various tables with even more various research items upon them, ranging from books, scattered notes, a jumbled chemistry setup, and one table obviously meant for more arcane things. Blake approached, and the wizard turned to her to reveal an old, bearded Altmer's face, annoyed at her presence.

"What are you doing here? The excavation site is closed. I don't need any more workers or guards."

"I'm actually-"

"I told you I'm not hiring any more guards! Why do you people always bother me when I'm trying to finish my research?! You idiot! Do you even know who I am?! The most recognized scholar on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel, and you people keep bothering me!" His eyes widened a moment before drooping in shame. "I... I'm sorry I... I got too excited. I'm in the middle of some very…stressful work, and I shouldn't have yelled. How can I help you?"

"It's okay." Blake nodded and let the tension in her shoulders that built at his outburst loosen. "I've heard you're the authority when it comes to ancient Falmer."

"Then you were well-informed. I am at this very moment on the cusp of completing my magnum opus on the subject. I'm calling it "Calcelmo's Guide to the Falmer Tongue". It will revolutionize the way we see those ancient beings."

"Sounds amazing!" Blake really did think it was interesting, but more of a side interest than a main one. "Would you mind if I got to view it a little early?"

"Preposterous!" he immediately exclaimed. "That research represents years of personal toil in some of the most dangerous Dwemer ruins in Skyrim. You must be mad to think I'd allow anyone to see it before it's completed."

"But…I really love your work," she tried to convince him. She tried to think up some kind of reason or excuse to get through to him, but none were really forthcoming. She really wished she had Ruby's Masque right now.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I still have to decline. Being an admirer, I'm sure you can understand the need to keep my research a secret."

Blake sighed. Maybe it made sense in some fields, but she didn't see how it applied to archaeology and linguistics. Still, she didn't want to press the issue and get on anyone's blacklist before making any real headway.

"Okay. Thank you for your time, then."

"You're very welcome, young lady. Perhaps when my research is complete, I'll feel more comfortable discussing my findings with you."

Blake walked out of the lab/dig site and back into the atrium. Some plans were rolling around her head about how to approach the problem, ranging from raiding Calcelmo's belongings to using a disguise and holding a blade to his neck. As she threw out that idea, a familiar footstep hit her ear and caused her to spin in place. Her hand shot to her sword, only to pause once she saw the sound's familiar owner.

"Finally caught up to ya, lass," Brynjolf said with a smirk. For a second, Blake was relieved, then confused.

"How did you find me?"

Brynjold stepped forward slightly, his face stoic and focused on hers. "Gnives pointed me to your trail. Figured you'd come by coach, so I just went a little quicker. Now, he didn't tell me everything, said you'd have the answers, so now I'm asking: what in Oblivion is going on Blake? Why'd Mercer come back saying he lost you in the snow?"

"He didn't lose me. He… He tried to kill me." Brynjolf's eyes widened at that and Blake sighed before looking around and pulling them to a far-off, dark corner where she began retelling him exactly what went down in Snow Veil Sanctum. The man's eyes went from surprised to angered, then to skeptical. Blake thought about leaving out the explanation of Aura, but it was too large of a factor at the moment, and she needed the Nord to understand how big of a deal the whole thing really was.

A quick test with his dagger on Blake's skin let him know she wasn't making some tall tale about it, either.

"So…this whole time, he's been playing us. That rat bastard…" Brynjolf grimaced, but his eyes were held steadfast. "You're sure this journal will indicate whether or not he did Gallus in?"

"Karliah seems to think so, and I think she just might be right. At the very least, I know what I saw and heard. And I know who gave me…this." Blake carefully undid a clasp and button on her armor and showed Brynjolf part of her scar, more than a little self-conscious of how showing part of her chest to a man might look. Brynjolf though, focused on the scar alone before looking back up at her.

"Someone went for your heart," he stated. "If it was Mercer… Gods, the Guild's going to turn upside down after this."

"So you believe me?" Blake asked while buttoning herself back up.

"I'll believe the evidence once I see it. Right now, it's not looking too good for him." He sighed and clenched his fist, then relaxed. "We need this Falmer translation key, right?"

"Something like that, but Calcelmo's hiding it until his research is done. I tried, but…"

"Talking's not your strong suit, Blake. Give me a moment at it, and I'll have something." The Nord thief then turned and walked down towards the Court Wizard. Calcelmo seemed to face him with a similar amount of annoyance he had for Blake, but gradually shifted to a thoughtful look before nodding and agreeing to something then handing over something to Brynjolf. The Nord came back with a smile on his face and key in hand.

"Well, good news and bad news. Good news, he'll let us into his 'Dwemer Museum', which is where I bet a good bit of his research is stashed at. Bad news, we need to kill a particularly large Frostbite spider what's taken up residence in Nchuand-Zel."

"Joy," Blake deadpanned. "At least it sounds doable."

"Right on that. Well then, give me a minute to get out of my day clothes and get on my armor," he requested while indicating his clothes. "Can't go delving into unknown depths while in my Sundas best." Blake just shook her head while the thief headed out. As she waited, she walked around the keep, seeing a few courtiers, townspeople, and villagers either waiting for the court to be held or discussing things among themselves. One of the oddest things to catch her sight was a black-furred Ohmes-raht Khajiit tending to several ravens and crows that flew in and out one of the few openings to the outside. He seemed to be talking with them while giving some food and others miscellaneous items.

"Now, Chester, show Rigal there how to dig with a shovel. There's an extra piece of cheese in it for you if he gets it today. Barnaby, good to see you. Your mother's out at the moment, but she should be back soon. Tessle, no! I don't care if you think crows are inferior birds, you do not pick on anyone in this roost."

Blake almost laughed at the odd sight, but as the Khajiit turned her ears popped up. His left sleeve was sewed up to the shoulder, indicating he had no left arm to speak of. After a moment, she looked away, hoping he hadn't seen her staring, but the man's attention never left his feathered wards. Just as she was thinking of walking away, odd footsteps sounded out and she had to step out of the way of a group of Altmer in traditional elven armor jogging through, a Thalmor in purple robes behind them barking out commands.

"Backs straight! Don't falter, and keep your strides even! Errdith, you're going to lose five years of your lifespan with steps that heavy, lighten them. And…stop!" The procession of Thalmor warriors ceased and turned towards their leader as he walked to the front of them.

"An improvement on the other day, but most of you still fall short. Work on that. Get some rest. We have searches to do tomorrow." As the Altmer scattered, the Thalmor looked towards Blake, and the Faunus felt a lot more self-conscious. He focused in on her and she thought about slipping away from his gaze before something told her that would just make her look suspicious.

"Not every day a new Khajiit comes to Understone Keep," he said as he approached. "What brings you here?"

"I was…hoping to get some information from Calcelmo," she answered, her fear abated by his revelation of just being intrigued by the rare sight of her supposed race. "Right now I'm waiting on a companion of mine."

"I see. Here I thought Kay might have had a visitor."

"Kay?" Blake asked, an eyebrow going up. She was sure she heard the name before.

"Tynaus Kay," he indicated the Khajiit working with the black birds. "Though some in Markarth refer to him as Black-Feather or Blackfur. Not very imaginative, these Nords. Reachmen, at least, put a little twist on it, calling him Dunnenn. He's been trying to train crows and ravens to carry messages. Not a terrible idea, but it's taking him quite some time, and he's only succeeded in making them more clever in how they mess with us mortals. As if they weren't bad enough as it was." He chuckled to himself.

"Huh, neat." For a moment Blake thought about the application of messenger crows and ravens, but her thoughts returned to the Nords and Reachmen she had seen on the way to the palace. "Wh- What exactly is going on in this town anyway?"

"You'll have to be more specific."

"I mean…with the Nords and the Reachmen. Honestly, they aren't all that different from Bretons from what I can see."

"The Nords' disdain of the locals runs deeper than looks, though they often can't be bothered to think past it. They conquered this land several times, and High Rock took it back several times, both under Altmer and Breton rule, but the locals historically resist such attempts to assimilate them. The Nords' treatment of them of late, however, has been abysmal enough to push many over the edge. And then their rebellion only serves to make the Nords grip the land and its people tighter. But, to be honest, the way these western Nords treat the locals of the Reach is worse than even the most callous Altmer ever dreamed of treating any human."

Blake was sure he was exaggerating, but his expression didn't seem to indicate he was. If she didn't know any better, he appeared to honestly believe what he was saying. The Thalmor shifted his posture, then nodded to her.

"Tread lightly here, Khajiit. Thank you for sharing a few words. It gets dull hearing Men complain about the same thing every day. Have a good afternoon."

"You, too," she wished him before they separated. She decided to go and see what this Tynaus was doing herself while she waited.

* * *

Lydia winced as she moved the shield around, focusing on keeping it up without overpowering it. It started to crack, and she let it go and it fell apart after a second. As the woman gasped for a few breaths, Ruby walked up to her with a large smile.

"Good job, Lyd! That was nearly ten seconds, and you've gotten to where you can move them around. If it keeps going like this, I bet you'll be able to throw them."

"Maybe." She made another shield and moved it around, a little smoother than before. "Making them doesn't seem difficult. It's keeping them up that's the problem."

"A problem that we can figure out eventually." Onmund then walked out into the courtyard while shuffling through envelopes.

"Hey, you got two letters, Ruby," he let her know while handing them over. The Dragonborn took them and opened up the first.

 _Ruby,_

 _I wish you well in these trying times. Everything with my friend's situation with the Old Priest has been looked into and handled with no worries. It seems that the whole thing was just a prank by a young mage._

"Weird," she muttered before scanning it to find more mindless pleasantries that she had no context for. "I think I might have gotten the wrong… Wait…"

 _Your Friend,_

 _Forest Son_

"Ah, Capric must have gotten my letter, but… Lydia, can you make heads or tails of this?"

The housecarl took the letter in her hands and looked it over a moment before humming. "An encoded message, maybe?"

"But what's the code?" Ruby wondered aloud as she opened the other and pulled out a blank sheet with rectangular holes cut out of it. "Oh, okay! He must have sent this one at another time or place or something." She took the letter in hand and fit the cypher over it. Rather than simply picking out words to show the true message, more words appeared on the once blank cypher.

 _Ruby,_

 _I wish you would have waited until I could have helped you. The whole situation with the Dragon Priest might have been better handled with another ally at your side, and not to brag, but I'm a fairly skilled battle mage._

 _Still, I'm not sure if I read this right, but you're telling me there are Nirnians with Aura? That shouldn't be possible, but I can take a closer look at this whenever you're next in Haafingar. I'll try to have people on the lookout for this Mercer, but I can't guarantee anything. A member of the Thieves Guild is hard to track._

 _In other news, we've got eyes on a few possible dangerous dragons and some Word Walls. It seems almost any Nordic ruin is bound to have one, but I don't want to send you on wild goose chases. I'll let you know once more information comes._

 _Capric_

"Okay. Guess he didn't want this stuff getting into the wrong hands." Ruby separated the pieces of paper then looked at them both. "Guess we should burn these or something. Onmund, yoouu saaaww nothiiiing!" Ruby chanted while waving the sheets. The Nord mage just shook his head while walking away.

"Saw nothing."

"Are you going to write a response?"

"After a while, maybe. It's not urgent…right now." She set the secret letter on fire and threw it away as it burned to ashes. "Let's do some combat practice for now. Gotta make sure you moving those shields is worth it."

Nearby, a woman who had been watching, but not actually listening to Ruby was suddenly plucked out of her seat.

"Oh, hey darling," Talia said to the large she-Orc hefting her up bridal-style.

"You were ogling other women again," the Orc accused her, immediately causing the Breton to frantically wave her arms.

"It's not like that, darling. The two over there are working on some interesting battle magic."

"Uh huh, whatever." She lugged Talia over her shoulder and headed inside. "Uncle Urag has some cataloguing that needs doing."

"Darling, Shu, you're not angry with me, are you? Are you?"

Shu did not answer.

* * *

With Brynjolf dressed in dark leather armor, though not the kind seen in the Thieves Guild, he and Blake descended into the dig site. They had already killed a few spiders, but none of them matched the description a guard had given them for Nimhe. It wasn't until they came into a room that looked like a Dwemer entrance that the car-sized spider with distinctive green markings dropped down from the ceiling.

"Holy Hell!" Blake muttered as she drew Gambol Shroud and the Blade of Woe.

"I'll get its attention! Flank it!" Brynjolf commanded. As Blake rushed around to the side, the Nord slashed his sword at the spider, catching its attention. His sword didn't bite far into it, as he was doing what he could to keep a decent distance between them, eyes on its sharp front legs and fangs. Blake jumped in from the side and sliced her sword at one leg joint, then stabbed with the dagger. Nimhe chittered in pain and tried to turn, but did so sloppily now that one leg was rendered useless. Brynjolf took the opportunity to cut at its face, blinding several of its eyes. The spider slashed at him with a limb, but the Nord thief blocked as he leaped back. Blake ducked in and stabbed up between the abdomen and head, hitting the soft flesh between carapaces. Green ichor poured out and Nimhe fell, where Brynjolf tossed a glass bottle that shattered. The liquid inside steamed, but where it hit open wounds it began to bubble. He tried to add a few more, letting the poison sink into the spider more completely, but Nimhe leaped back to her feet and bit at him, only for Brynjolf to jump back and roll away. Blake then jumped up and stabbed down into the spider's head as she landed on its back. She jumped right back off, and Nimhe shook before falling, struggling to get to its feet, and then falling again.

Blake took a moment to catch her breath once the spider's twitching began abating, then looked at Brynjolf, who had cleaned off his sword and sheathed it.

"What was that?"

"Little mix on Frostbite venom. Add some chaurus egg mash and the stuff will eat them up from the inside. Only problem is getting it inside of them." He chuckled and looked around the room. His gaze stopped on something and Blake looked over to see a relatively fresh corpse sitting before a set of doors that had been webbed over completely. She hopped up onto the platform to get a better look, and found it to be a corpse in Imperial armor, the flesh dried to the bone and a thin layer of silk around it. There was a piece of paper tied to his belt, so she took it out and unfolded it.

 _Salonia,_

 _We've been saddled with some researchers who can't go four steps without examining something and they fight about as well as you'd think… probably worse. Stromm at least has some magical competence but none of them can swing a sword. Erj and Krag seem up to something so I'll have to keep an eye on them, but Staubs assures me they're trustworthy._

 _Alethius_

Blake lowered the paper then looked at the door and the corpse. A part of her wanted to make sure these people were okay, but there was another, more urgent matter on her mind at the moment. For all she knew, they never went any further. The Faunus sighed and almost mechanically handed the note to Brynjolf when he walked up next to her.

"Looks like there's a lost expedition," he said.

"Yeah, but it's not our job." Blake turned and started heading back to the palace proper. Brynjolf paused a moment, then followed her out. However, even as they left it behind, Blake found her mind wandering to it and rubbed her thumb across the paper note. She took in a deep breath and hoped that Calcelmo's regulars would be able to go deeper now with Nimhe gone and find the missing researchers.

* * *

The Dwemer Museum wasn't _not_ impressive, but Blake had been expecting it to be a little more expansive than a single room full of curiosities. Some of them were certainly interesting, and Brynjolf's gaze was caught for a long time on a particular Dwemer sword. After a few minutes of idle observation, Blake was given her opening and slipped into the back when no one was looking. Brynjolf followed a minute later, closing the door quietly behind him and locking it back.

"Did you steal the sword?" Blake asked when she saw a new Dwemer sword on his belt next to the steel one.

"What do you think I am? A thief?" The two smiled, then Brynjolf took the bag from his back. "Hope you brought your thieving armor," he said while taking his own set out.

"Yeah. People could kind of…recognize the other." There hadn't been one city where someone didn't ask to confirm if she was really the Shadowkiller, so she normally wore regular clothes on top of the armor. However, she had a slight problem now, and was about to mention it to Brynjolf, but instead had to quickly turn away when she saw that he was changing unabashedly next to her.

"You alright, lass?"

"Yeah, just… Don't look," she warned him.

"Well, I'm hurt, Belladonna. I thought you knew I was a gentleman?"

"Yeah, whatever." Blake took out her own Thieves Guild armor and changed into it, making sure to listen out for any incoming footsteps and occasionally looking at Brynjolf to make sure his eyes were elsewhere. Once done, she packed up her Shrouded Armor and threw the pack onto her back. Ready, the two thieves made their way in, pausing when a voice hit their ears.

"Sir, are you serious?"

"You heard me, captain. Our work must not be disturbed. Kill any intruders on sight. Call for backup if you need it. But let no one through."

"...As you say, sir."

"Well, that doesn't sound too good," Brynjolf muttered before looking around. He started heading into a room to the left, where a table with several scattered notes and devices lay, including a bronze and red rod. Blake hummed in appreciation of the design and picked it up while Brynjolf seemed to be going through a few Soul Gems to the side, then a clanking sounded out behind them and the two spun around to see a Dwarven spider automaton that had apparently just activated. Blake readied herself, but the machine did nothing but stand in place and swivel to and fro. Brynjolf poked at it with a foot and it turned to him, but as Blake feared the worst and wished it would just go away, it started walking away from the Nord to the other side of the room. The two blinked, then Blake looked down at her hand, noticing how the rod seemed to be reverberating with the droid's movement.

"That's not something you see every day," Brynjolf said.

"I…think this thing controls it." Blake held up the rod and imagined the droid following her commands. To her surprise, it seemed to obey, though clunkily. As she laughed at the novelty of finding a remote-controlled machine again after being in Skyrim for so long, Brynjolf lifted up a few notes and shuffled through them.

"Hm, seems there's a wizard boy who's been experimenting with this stuff. Says here he figured out how to use a control crystal after reassembling that thing." Brynjolf hummed while flipping through a few other pages. "Huh, seems to be Calcelmo's nephew. There's a lot of wizard stuff here."

Blake looked at the table and noticed a glowing piece and picked it up before looking at it closely. Brynjolf picked up the papers under it and read through them while Blake brought the piece closer to her eye.

"Says he can't figure this piece out. It glows when the spider is moving-"

"It's like a camera," Blake answered, controlling the machine while closing her other eye and relying on the eyepiece. The control was much less clunky now. "It's…weird. The droid has a three-sixty panoramic view, so it can actually see behind itself. This'll take some getting used to."

"Amazing! How much do you think this would go for?"

Blake chuckled before lowering the eyepiece and humming in thought. "If I was going to steal this, I'd keep it."

"Fair enough, I suppose. Can't imagine how useful something like this would be."

"Yeah. Hey, got a strip of leather or something I can use?"

Soon, they had the eyepiece tied to Blake's face and were walking out of the room. The clanking footstep of the machine made them flinch, however, so Blake tried to think of a workaround. Not seeing many options, she kneeled down and had the automaton climb onto her back, wrapping its legs over her shoulders and around her abdomen, the main body pressed to her backpack.

"Is'at fine with you?"

"Not too heavy. I've had heavier backpacks." Brynjolf nodded at that, and then the two went forward, pulling their hoods low. They went through a side room that looked like a sort of chapel, dodging the sights of a pair of guards and slipping through the locked door with a swiped key. The clanking of Dwarven machinery helped to mask their steps and movements as they went through.

"What do you think this is?" someone up ahead of them asked another.

"Another trap, most likely" a woman answered him. "Things are dangerous… Three of the guards died when the lower hall flooded with some steam last week." They talked about the dangers of working these halls as the two thieves went behind them, heading downwards and pausing at the head of a hall with green mist hanging in the air and water covering its floor.

"Looks like a heavy poison. Would probably go away if we can cut off the source," Brynjolf muttered. Blake noticed in her panoramic lens a pressure plate behind her, and so put a hand to the control rod and had the Dwemer machine hop down and walk over to rest on it. As it did and Brynjolf watched with arched brows, the poison in the air before them dispersed.

"After you," Blake offered, and the man smiled before heading through. They came across the three bodies apparently left to rot, though the poison seemed to preserve them somewhat, then exited the danger zone. Blake silently called the spider to them, and the hall filled with poison again as it left the pressure plate. It clanked through without a problem then hopped onto Blake's back again.

"Useful little thing," Brynjolf noted. "May have to borrow it after this."

They walked up and through the halls of the ruins, sneaking past a few guards as they did so. They had to stop as they came to a room where a few guards and an Altmer wizard were lounging about. Blake's ears focused on the elf's mumbling.

"Uncle thinks a few guards are all we need… Someone's going to sneak in and steal something, I know it."

Blake had to roll her eyes at the one revealed to be Aicantar. Unless they were guarding the blueprints to some secret weapon, it was hardly serious enough to warrant the security they already had. If anything, the Dwemer spider she was already in the process of stealing was worth far more than some linguistics. Of course the young Altmer continued to complain to himself, causing Blake's sensitive ears to lay flat under her hood and her teeth to grit in annoyance at his voice, which maintained a level of whiny petulance that not even Weiss had ever achieved at her worst.

Brynjolf looked over at a nearby valve, then traced the pipes that connected to it and wound their way around the room. He suddenly had a dastardly smile and gripped the valve control.

"Here goes," he whispered before giving it a good turn. Several pipes suddenly shot out plumes of fire while a twirling blade popped out of the ground in one place. One of the guards screamed as his arm was set alight, but he had enough of a mind to hit the ground in a roll, extinguishing it almost immediately. Aicantar screamed and ducked for cover, only to be pulled to his feet by another guard who rushed them out of the room and down the hall opposite of the thieves.

"Everyone, fall back! Run for it!"

"No, no! This can't be happening!"

The two waited a moment after the place was cleared, then Brynjolf turned the valve control back. The fire died away and the blades sank back into the floor, letting them safely walk in and through, though Brynjolf did pause for some looting. Blake decided to join, but only ended up taking a book called _Chimarvamidium_ and some sort of Dwemer object that reminded her a bit of the brain-teaser toys back in Remnant. The other thief took just about everything of value, and a few things probably not worth that much.

They then proceeded through a door that led onto a balcony. Blake took in the breathtaking view of the city for a moment, leaning over the guardrails to look down before recalling they were sneaking and ducked back. She looked at the nearby waterfall and thought about how unfair it was such a nice place was wasted. They went on, going through another door into a large room with an upper balcony, then climbed up the stairs to the left to enter a room filled with scattered notes and etchings. Blake picked up a few and shuffled through them before spreading them out on a table then fishing out her scroll and snapping a photo of them, making sure it was stable and set to Hi-Res. She did this a few more times while Brynjolf went onto the balcony with some paper and charcoal. By the time she was done photographing everything that looked slightly useful, her partner-in-crime returned with new etchings.

"I think this stone was written in Falmer and Dwemer. Should help in getting that translation."

"Oh, uh…" Blake looked at everything she'd just recorded and then over at the stone. She walked over to get a closer look and sighed. "Yeah, I think everything in here is based on this thing. Don't suppose you can read Dwemer?"

"Sorry, lass."

"Well, back to Enthir, then. He should be able to figure out what Gallus' journal says from this much, at least." Just in case, Blake took a moment to snap a photo of both sides of the large, stone tablet. Almost as soon as she did, the entrance doors opened and a group of men marched through, Aicantar at their helm.

"Accidents like this just don't happen," the wizard's nephew bit out. "Someone is trying to sabotage my uncle's research."

"I... All right. If there is a thief, he won't leave this tower alive. But shouldn't we inform Master Calcelmo?"

"I'll deal with my uncle. Just...go! Scour this place from top to bottom!"

"All right men, spread out and search the tower. No telling who - or what - we're dealing with here."

Blake drew the Blade of Woe as they hid behind the stone and Brynjolf began shaking his head and hands.

"Remember the rules!" he whispered to her.

"I need something to block with," she told him before flipping over the stone then leaping down, catching the guards off-guard. Her knee went into one's gut then came back up and hit him across his upper chest, knocking him to the floor. Another tried to slash at her, but the dagger caught the blade between its tines and allowed Blake to flip the woman over her. Aicantar tried to bring up a spell, but Blake closed the distance and rammed her fist into his chest, knocking the breath out of him and breaking his concentration. She growled before socking him across the jaw like Yang had showed her. He hit the ground with a groan of pain and started curling in on himself. Brynjolf had jumped the guard captain and head-butted the last guard standing above their deadlocked weapons.

"Let's go," he shouted as they burst out past the doors, slamming them behind themselves. Blake looked around, figuring that guards had likely been alerted back the way they came, and it was only a short time before the ones they'd just left would be on their feet. She snapped her fingers and then touched the control rod.

A few moments later, the guards came out rushing after them, checking around the balcony before looking to the young wizard stumbling after them.

"Don't just stand there!" he squeaked out, still clutching his chest. "They have my spider and who knows how much more research! Find them!"

"Yes sir. They couldn't have gotten far. Men, spread the word throughout the tower. Leave no hall unsearched."

As the people left the balcony and went into the building, Blake allowed herself to groan. Touching the control rod, she commanded the spider to undo its grip on the very edge of the balcony that they were dangling beneath and climbed together side by side up the almost sheer rock face behind the waterfall while pulling up Brynjolf from below, the older thief keeping a tight grip on each of the stronger climbers. A pair of the spider's legs helped her to pull them up, then Brynjolf grabbed his own hold and got himself to safety.

"Phew!" the soaked Nord sighed as he collapsed. "That was one of the craziest escapes I've pulled yet."

"Not done just yet," Blake warned him. "We still have to get down or out of here. Any ideas?"

"Well, you know any levitating magic?"

"No."

"How about Drop Zone?"

"Sorry."

"Well then…" Brynjolf searched through his bag and pulled out a scroll, the enchanted paper resisting the water, but not immune to it. "Know how to aim a scroll spell?"

* * *

Weiss weaved together her latest enchantment experiment, combining her Semblance glyph with lightning magic, hoping to get the results she was after. She placed the ring on her finger, then rubbed a finger across it, feeling the world seemingly slow around her. To test its effect on her perspective, she grabbed a Petty Soul Gem and tossed it up, watching as it slowed its ascent once it left her hand, and just as slowly fell back down. Weiss suddenly felt alarmed by the ring's dropping energy reserves and cut off the enchantment, catching the Soul Gem as it dropped quicker.

Humming, she tapped the Soul Gem to her ring and let its energy recharge it. Just to run it for a few seconds had drained it halfway. Then again, this one was made with a Common Soul Gem. Now that she had the process down, she could craft another, stronger one with better ingredients all around. An amethyst gem on an ebony ring would probably channel it best, and being set with a Grand Soul Gem would put it at…almost maximum.

She eyed the Black Soul Gems and shuddered. Sure, they could hold any sort of soul, as the one she found before held just a regular Grand level White soul, but there would be no reason for them to be there unless someone was using them _specifically_ for mortal souls. She didn't even want to touch them for fear of what might be just under the surface.

She felt the Petty Gem dissolve in her grasp and watched as it wicked away into the ether. The things reminded her of Dust in so many ways. Someday, when she was certain of her understanding of them, she'd have to take out the last samples of Dust she had and see if any of her dozens of theories there held any water.

In the midst of her musings and jotting of notes, Giledie walked into the laboratory.

"Uh, um, e-e-excuse me, Lady Schnee," she started. Her stutter seemed permanent, rather than just an effect of fear like Weiss had originally suspected. Even in the rare moments the poor girl was completely comfortable, she still tripped over her words. "Um, Lord Harkon has called for a d-d-dinner tonight and he wa-w-w-wants you to be p-present."

Weiss sighed. She tried avoiding almost everyone else as much as she could, especially more than one in a single place, but sometimes it was unavoidable. And, if Harkon wanted her there, it meant that there was basically no choice in the matter. Playing the part of the dutiful and loyal subject wasn't foreign to her, but she still hated it.

"Very well, I'll be there."

"Th-they also said y-y-you sh-should let the kitchens know wh-what you wish to eat."

Groaning, Weiss nodded. "Very well. We'll stop by there. I'm through here, and we should start getting ready."

"We?"

"If you don't-"

"No! I-I mean, no, it's f-f-f-fine, ma'am. I'll join y-you."

Weiss nodded and gave no further objections. The girl felt safer with her. Serana was a close second, but Weiss had a feeling that they could be surrounded by fiery Daedra on a rock in the center of an active volcano, and Gilly would still feel safer there next to Weiss than on her own in some cold and quiet den. Attachment did not adequately describe what the younger vampire felt for her. If she had to make a comparison, Weiss felt Gilly was akin to a lost puppy.

Before going to her own private chambers, Weiss decided to stop by Serana's. The room had been hers before and no one was allowed to so much as enter them since she had left. Of course, entropy cares for no man's opinions, so the room needed to be restored when she returned. Mostly they just replaced the rotten furniture, swept up dust and cobwebs, and repaired the ceiling. Serana herself was at her desk, looking over some old antiques and a yellow-paged book. Weiss knocked, and she turned from her work to them.

"Ah, hello there. Everything all right?"

"Yes. It's just that your father has apparently invited me to dinner. I was wondering if you were coming."

"I am. I think everyone important is coming. Probably has some big announcement for the next step of his 'master plan'." Weiss couldn't help but smirk at the way Serana rolled her eyes at that. She knew the woman had been around for two hundred years before her interment in Dimhollow, yet she still kept up an air of youthful incivility. She had to wonder whether or not that was just 'in' over three thousand and five hundred years ago. "Anyways, mind taking a look at this? I think it has to do with some of my mother's research."

"Some of your mother's things?" Weiss asked as she approached and looked at the writing in the book. It was definitely an archaic script, but here and there were words that seem familiar. 'Herr' she knew was ancient Nordic for 'when', but that was almost it. 'Kor' at least, looked familiar. "Sorry, I can't read the old languages."

"Yeah, I was afraid of that. It's some kind of poem about a 'Last Dragonborn'."

"Oh? Does it say 'When misrule takes place at the eight corners of the world'?"

"Yes… Almost exactly that, in fact. How did you…know?"

"It was in another book I read. It's called the 'Prophecy of the Last Dragonborn'." Weiss rubbed her chin in thought. "I wonder why your mother was interested in that."

"Who can say, honestly? There was a lot my mother kept secret." Serana closed the old book then stood up and stretched. "Well, guess we better get ready for dinner."

* * *

The kitchens received all of the higher vampires' orders so that they could make each meal to the taste of its recipient. Weiss ordered what was, in her mind, a simple affair, but the cook seemed confused about the lack of blood until she explained that she preferred it separate and in a cup. As dinner was served, it became apparent why that was seen as odd. Several vampires ate nothing, but were only served large mugs of blood. Others had food served to them, but marinated in the red substance. There were some with seemingly normal food using blood as gravy or another sauce, and others with raw meat set for them. Weiss couldn't be sure, but something told her that some of that meat came from men and mer rather than some animal.

"Ah, glad to see you join us today," Weiss heard before turning around to see Natha joining them. They were all at the same table as Harkon, though Serana sat two seats away from him, with Vingalmo and Garan between her and him. Weiss sat to her left, and now Natha was sitting next to her, at the end of the table. Gilly came back moments later, but Natha quickly gestured to the nearest table and its empty seat at the end. "Luckily, I caught you there. We wouldn't want Lord Harkon to feel insulted allowing a lesser vampire to sit at his table."

"She's not lesser," Weiss said before she could stop herself, wincing at the slip-up.

"Perhaps you don't see it that way, but to Harkon, we are all lesser vampires, with the exception of our dear princess," she added while flashing a smile to Serana. "Ones like you and I have just been given special privileges for services rendered."

"What are you doing here, Natha?" Serana suddenly asked.

"I was one of those invited. There are some important discussions to be had after dinner. I suppose I'm a part of it, or at least, I need to know about it in some way." Her food was set before her. It was mostly normal, except her steak's halves were blue, barely cooked at all, and her mashed potatoes had blood sitting in them. She began spooning a little of it over her steak, then began stirring her potatoes in. Weiss winced, but then something else caught her eyes. What looked like a little girl younger than ten was led up to a table, a Nordic male vampire grinning wide at her appearance. One look in her eyes let Weiss know she was apparently a chattel-slave thrall, only enough consciousness left to her to tend to her own basic needs, yet someone had taken the time to clean her up and dress her. The man picked the girl up and set her on the table in front of him, laughing with some of the others sitting with him about his apparent 'meal'.

Weiss felt livid, but a crunching sound hit her ears, and she looked to the side to see Natha's hand clenching her mug such that her fingers were slowly sinking into it, compressing the metal. The vampire girl's teeth were gritting furiously and her eyes were glowing with venom. Before Weiss could say anything, she felt a cold presence fall around her and all across the room.

"What is that?!" Harkon's voice demanded, causing all others to go quiet.

"M-my lord, it's just my din-"

"I _explicitly_ said to order a meal from the kitchens, not the thrall pens!" he cut off the vampire's excuse. "There will be no bodies sprawled across the tables tonight!"

The vampire looked like he want to offer some words, but whatever they were got stuck in his throat, and he bowed.

"My apologies, Lord Harkon."

"Don't let it happen again. Now send it back."

The underling nodded and set the thrall on her feet, where she began walking away as though confused, which most chattel thralls did whenever they walked anywhere.

"Since we've already broken the peace tonight, I will go ahead and announce our next moves," Harkon began, bringing all attention back to him. "I have agents sowing ahead for us, but until then, there is a precaution we must take. A member of the esteemed Direnni clan has taken up a hidden residence here in Skyrim." There were a few mutterings, but they quickly hushed down. Weiss knew of the Direnni clan by legend and tale. One book she had read even described how one of the clan's early members, Raven Direnni, had been the one to discover the methods of modern enchanting through the usage of Soul Gems. "While we are not completely certain, we believe she may be readying a deal between her clan and their isle with the recent vampire hunting guild that has sprouted up. Even if she is not, she will be a valuable hostage to take. We shall send forth a group to take her prisoner. I have already chosen who shall lead this mission: Weiss Schnee."

Weiss felt all the eyes in the room land on her, and so put forth her best public face.

"You have proven your value to us once before, but this time you will not be alone. You will take a number of vampires to assist you, as well as several thralls I have hand-picked. Everyone may feel free to volunteer themselves or one of their children, but you shall only take five vampires, no more. Any questions?"

"I am honored, my lord," Weiss said while standing and bowing. "When shall we leave?"

"The night after tomorrow. You will have these two days to plan and prepare. Do so with caution. This elf is a master conjurer, and you will be pressed to survive long before you ever reach her. You will be given the necessary implements to ensure her capture. We will go over more details later. For now, everyone, let us feast."

With their master's blessing, everyone went back to digging in. Weiss sat back down and thought over the mission she was just given and what it meant. The Direnni were once the rulers of High Rock and a realm that was once their own empire, and still controlled to this day the island of Balfiera, where one of the most important landmarks of the world rested, the Adamantine Tower. They were one of the most renowned extant families in existence.

And Harkon was planning to kidnap one of them.

Trying to drive her mind off of her impending task, Weiss looked back at Serana, who seemed to be engrossed in counting peas, then to Natha, recalling her reaction to the man with the child thrall.

"Are you alright?"

The vampire simply smiled. "Fine, deary. I'm fine. I just…" She looked back at the man and Weiss saw a hint of rage in her eyes. "I don't care for being insulted."

Weiss didn't know what she meant by that, but she almost preferred not knowing.

* * *

Yang heard a beeping and opened up her scroll to see a message from Weiss. Wondering what it could be, she opened it and read it, her eyes widening with every sentence until she sat up in her sleeping bag.

"Hey anyone here still awake?" she asked to the camp. She then heard Rumarin groan.

"No."

"Hey, is there a Courier's Guild outpost at Rorickstead?" she asked him. The Altmer groaned again from his tent and she heard him shuffle around.

"Maybe? I don't know. They should at least have a pickup box. Why?"

"I just got an urgent message and… Oh, Ruby should be able to send it!" Yang forwarded Weiss' message to her sister, then typed up her own additional instructions.

"Was it really that unimportant?"

"Dude, vampires are planning something. It was very important. Uh, I think. Do you know what a Direnni is?"

"Special merchant clan or something. Go to sleep, Yang." She wanted to ask him more, but figured it was better to let the Altmer get his rest. She didn't want to wake up the other two either, but didn't think she could rest now with what she'd learned.

' _Well, sorry local wildlife,'_ she thought before leaving her tent and beginning the search for something to sink her teeth into.

* * *

' _Crime novels and movies would suggest returning to the scene of a crime to be a bad move,'_ Blake thought after walking away from Calcelmo's little space, now with a signed copy of _Dwarves, The Lost Race of Tamriel_ in hand. However, like Brynjolf had said, it was better to seem like they were here on their own schedule and not the schedule of a pair of thieves.

Said thieves were now the talk of the palace. The guard captain was beefing up security, Ondolemar – the Thalmor agent – was thinking of adding more wards to his quarters, Aicantar was trying to convince Calcelmo to let him take self-defense courses so that another 'random Cyrod woman' wouldn't be able to so effortlessly beat him into the ground. Even Tynaus was checking to make sure all of his crows and ravens were accounted for.

Blake left the keep while doing her best to not let her face show a knowing smirk. Her hand gripped a sheathed mace at her side and the straps of her Backpack adjusted. Luckily, the Centaurs had a mystic among their number, and they were more than happy to greatly alter the appearance of the control rod, no questions asked.

She left the city behind and readied herself to head back to Winterhold. Brynjolf was getting on a carriage back to Riften, but he'd be ready for her when she got there.

She just prayed she would have the proof they needed.

* * *

 _ **29th of Sun's Dusk**_


	62. One the Road Again

**Warm and genuine nods towards xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor. Without them, this story would be so much less.**

 _30th of Sun's Dusk_

* * *

Sundas was a quiet day in Rorickstead, with everyone either taking a big, long rest or going to the tiny temple to pray. Yang essentially had the Frostfruit Inn's bathing room all to herself, but she wasn't as relaxed as she wanted to be. Prey was scarce last night, so she ended up mostly just frustrated with only a couple of skinny rabbits in her belly. Her thoughts also kept circling back around to the message Weiss had sent her. Ruby had already confirmed sending a letter to the Dawnguard through an express courier – she even said she saw him leave, riding out on a leaner-than-normal horse – yet Yang couldn't help but feel a little antsy about it.

To try and get her mind off of things, she had messaged Blake and talked with her a few minutes. Apparently, the Faunus' heist went off pretty well, and she was heading back with the info even now. She was also close to where the Dwemer researcher that Isran wanted was at, so she offered to let the woman know about the job.

However, talking to Blake only helped a little bit. At the very least, she was able to draw her concentration away from the vampire situation and towards another upcoming event.

 _'Just a little over two weeks,'_ Yang thought, looking at her scroll's calendar and seeing the reminder. _'Maybe I could get her a new sword. Don't think Ruby can work with ebony yet. I know I can't. Might have to order the parts. Weiss might not like us dipping so far into the coffers, but it's her birthday! They only come once a year.'_

As Yang thought up plans, she finally took herself out of the bath and started drying off, mostly using her half-improvised drying spell while patting her limbs down with a towel. Once she was adequately done, she started getting dressed while checking her scroll and reading over the current situation again. She frowned and sighed before setting it down. A knock then resounded on the door.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"Just me," Anum-La called back, her voice a higher pitch than normal. "But this is a little urgent. There's a…black dragon flying around outside."

Yang froze for half a second, then scrambled towards the door, ripping it open so fast the wood creaked from the sudden stop. "What?!"

"Big, black dragon! I almost thought it was the size of the town when I first saw it! It's been flying nearby while everyone's screaming their heads off."

"Crap! Let's go!" Yang rushed over to her room and grabbed Fiery Kain and her crossbow, pausing only to grab her quiver of bolts before rushing out of the inn. Once the outside air hit her skin, she became momentarily aware that she was clad only in a sleeveless undershirt and shorts, but banished the thought when she saw the massive dragon circling around the nearby hill, his sharp-edged scales filling up a fair chunk of the sky wherever he flew.

"Uh, so he's not doing-" Rumarin began before Alduin roared to the heavens. "…Almost not doing anything," he said with a wince while rubbing his left ear.

"That's the dragon that destroyed Helgen," Yang told him while loading her crossbow with one of the Dwemer-made bolts she'd scrounged up from Mzulft. She took aim, but found the angle to be too steep, and so started running for the gentle incline up the hill he was circling. When she did, she saw the dragon grave at the top and felt her breath hitch. Yngvarr had come out at about that time, along with a now armed Anum-La, and they both saw her heading up to where the black dragon had begun hovering.

 **"Nahagliiv, ziil gro dovah ulse! Slen Tiid Vo!"**

Like before, the stone atop the grave shattered and the dragon's bones burst from the ground, fire running across its frame and fading away to reveal renewed flesh. His scales were primarily orange with black going from his belly and marbling into his side. The dragon roared and then looked up at Alduin in awe.

 **"Alduin, thuri!"**

 **"Nahagliiv, ti-"** Alduin's words were cut off as a bronze-colored bolt bounced off of his skull with a clang, going wide over him after veering off. The two dragons looked over and saw Yang with her teeth clenched and her crossbow being set aside for her axe.

 **"Meyus joor,"** Alduin growled. **"Is that you, friend of Dovahkiin? Do you think a mere mortal stands a chance against the Crown Jewel of Bormahu?"**

 **"Dovahkiin?"** Nahagliiv muttered. **"There is another?"**

"I'm more than her friend, you overgrown lizard!" Yang called out as she hefted her axe. "Now come down here so I can cut your head off!"

Alduin simply laughed at her before looking back to the much smaller, but still fairly titanic dragon. **"Nahagliiv, destroy this petulant annoyance for your lord!"** The dragon seemed to bow his head as Alduin began flying away. Yang made to chase after him, but stopped when she realized he was going way too fast. Even if he wasn't he flew straight over a tall mountain towards the Reach, so there was no way she could scale or go around it and still keep up with him. Nahagliiv then began to take wing. Yang readied herself to dodge whatever attack came first, but a spectral arrow flew through the air and hit his neck. The dragon's attention was immediately stolen as he banked away and looked towards Rumarin.

"Why did I do that?" the elf muttered before drawing another bound arrow. "Why am I still doing this?"

"Aim for the wings!" Yngvarr called over as he took out Silverblur and charged up the hill. Anum-La jumped up the side with agile leaps from rock to rock. Yang ran as Nahagliiv reared back his head, snatching up her crossbow as she did. A fireball exploded behind her, and the dragon spat out two more before banking down and going after her. She turned and quickly loaded a bolt and fired it at the dragon's face, hitting the tip of his nose and eliciting a roar of pain. As he went over her and turned to try again, another arrow sank into his right knee.

"Take that, you bastard!" Rumarin taunted him. The dragon growled and started gliding towards him. Yang readied another bolt and held her breath as she aimed just ahead of his wing. The Dwemer bolt was launched, and hit near the 'wrist' of the left wing. Feeling pain lance up from the wound, Nahagliiv was forced to the ground where he tried to shake it loose and then bit at it. Yngvarr rushed him, giving out a great battlecry as his axe came around and chopped deep into the base of the dragon's neck. Nahagliiv roared and jumped to the side, turning and swiping at the Nord with his tail. Yngvarr managed to duck it the first time, but as it swung back while scraping the ground he was swept up and knocked aside. Anum-La then came in, and Nahagliiv pulled his wing away and started backing away from the quick Argonian and her blade in almost a tiptoe manner. Yang came at him from the other side and swung Fiery Kain with a leap right into his back. The dragon screeched and threw himself up and rolled. Anum-La had to jump out of the way, but Yang was smashed into the ground under several tons of dragon before he rolled off of her and got back to his feet.

"Owwww…" she groaned as she pulled herself out of the woman-shaped hole her impact had made. Luckily, her Aura had been full this time around and taken it all. Yang took a breath then jumped up to her feet. Yngvarr was back in the fight, but Nahagliiv had caught his axe in his mouth and tried to pull it out of his hand, only for the old Nord to keep his grip and then start punching the dragon's nose with his meaty fist. Rumarin summoned up a pair of bound blades and tried to cut at the right leg, but Nahagliiv tossed Yngvarr away before fast walking away from the attack. The Nord went flying for several meters before hitting a tree, making Yang wince in sympathetic pain. Nahagliiv got close to her but was still looking back at Rumarin, so she ran forward and reared back a fist, pouring the recent impact into the blow with her Semblance. Her punch came as the dragon turned his head, and her fist smashed into his jaw, throwing it back around and causing his front half to rise off of the ground slightly. As he tried to steady himself, Yang slipped under him and punched up into his stomach with a jump.

The dragon let out a high-pitched sound and dropped, Yang getting out from under him just in time. She turned back with the intention of retrieving her axe from his back, but his head came to meet her in a snap that she jumped back from.

 **"Fus Ro Dah!"** he Shouted, throwing her back and into a boulder, partially shattering it. As she picked herself up, his tail then caught Rumarin and launched the elf back into Rorickstead's streets.

"Ru!" Yang yelled as she looked over to his landing spot. The Altmer weakly lifted up an arm to wave it, letting her know he was alive, and Yang turned back in time to see Anum-La having gone for his neck, quickly slashing her sword about in a way that almost looked random, but Yang could tell had purpose. Nahagliiv did his best to keep his neck out of her reach, but then his attention was taken by a loud roar from behind.

A gray-furred werebear barreled out of the trees and smashed into the dragon's side, knocking him over by several meters. Yngvarr stood up and roared before running at Nahagliiv again. His claws came down and tore through scales and flesh, shredding the dragon's left leg. Nahagliiv Shouted again, words that Yang couldn't quite hear, but knocked Yngvarr back a little. The werebear made to attack again, but green, red, and blue energies began flowing from him and into the dragon, who cackled as some of his wounds began to close.

 **"Die, mortals! Know your place in the afterlife!"**

His jaws came towards the old Nord, but Anum-La's sword was suddenly thrusted up between two of his top teeth. He wrenched himself away and tried to shake it loose, but it seemed stuck in place. Anum-La tried to lift Yang's axe from where it had fallen, but before she could even try swinging it a wing smacked her up into the air and down the hill. Nahagliiv managed to pull out the sword with his wing talon, but the moment he had his mouth freed a furry, yellow blur slammed into the top of his head, slamming the bottom of his jaw into the ground. The golden werewolf roared and started smashing her paws into his skull. Nahaliiv roared and tried to shake her loose, but she simply sank her claws into the sides of his face and held on. Seeing as he wasn't dislodging her, he moved over and suddenly slammed the top of his head, and Yang, into a large boulder. Her grip loosened with the impact, and she slid off as he picked his head up. The dragon growled and went to snap her up, but was suddenly jerked back. Nahagliiv looked to his tail and saw the weakened Yngvarr, Bjarni, and even Toggle all with a grip on it, doing their best to drag him back.

 **"Damn you beasts!"** He took in a breath and released it as a fan of flames, which the three had to run back from. Toggle picked up speed as he turned, then rushed at the dragon's side. Nahagliiv saw him coming, but didn't see Yngvarr as his massive paws gripped his leg and dragged it out from under him, Bjarni helping his master by grabbing one the massive talons and pulling at it. Toggle rammed into his side after he dropped, but the dragon still managed to head-butt the boar and kicked both bear and werebear from his side. As he picked himself up and roared, a howl rang out to challenge him, and he looked forward to see Yang coming at him on all fours, fire rushing around her like a canid pyre. Her right claw swung up from below and smashed into his chin, knocking his head into the air. She jumped up and brought around her left, bashing it to the side. As she fell back to earth, her feet connected with his chest and knocked him back into the air and over, onto his back. Nahagliiv tried to regain his bearings, but as he looked above, he saw a flaming gold meteor crashing down on him. Yang smashed down against his chest and slammed her claws into him with the force of her jump. The dragon's breath was driven from his lungs, and her claws dug in. Rib bones thicker than most arms were yanked apart and cracked under pressure before her claws thrusted in and pulled up the beating organ beneath. Her jaws clamped down and began ripping it apart and gulping it down hungrily.

By the time Yang got a hold of herself, Nahagliiv was completely still, his heart was gone, and she was licking her bloodied paws. She paused in her cleaning, and looked back at the dragon corpse with surprise.

"Did I do that?" she asked aloud.

 _"You did. It was quite amazing, actually,"_ Yngvarr told her while walking over to the corpse. _"Thank goodness you killed him, though. He hit me with some sort of draining power. I could feel it leeching away my life. It stopped with his death."_

 _"Oh, yeah, good thing."_ As Yang nodded, Bjarni walked up to the corpse and sniffed at the blood that had run all the way down to the ground. He then looked over at the two werebeasts as though asking for permission.

 _"It's good, boy,"_ Yngvarr said to him. _"Take a bite if you want."_ Bjarni happily chuffed and started clawing off some of the scales to get at the meat below. Toggle trundled up and started eating as well, not caring whether some scales were in his way or not.

"By the Hist! So that's what it looks like," Anum-La breathed out as she returned to the top of the hill, observing the two beastly forms. "With claws like that, I'm sure glad you're on my side!"

"Can someone get me a healer?" they heard from the village, all of them looking down to see Rumarin having flipped himself onto his back. "Barring that, can someone break my neck? Everything hurts right now." Some people started slowly coming out of their homes, and Yang and Yngvarr ducked down.

"Hey, after you get Rumarin some healing potions," Yang started instructing the Argonian, "grab some of our spare clothes and meet us at the creek in…that direction. Just, uh, tell them we're doing a Companion post-victory ritual or something." After making sure Anum-La saw which way they were going, the two slunk off into the nearby woods and started running toward the rendezvous point. Some villagers had climbed up the hill and were now looking at the dead dragon with awe.

"So what do we do with it?" a young man asked. A little girl then poked his leg and pointed towards the bear and boar eating bits of dragon.

* * *

A mudcrab was settling into the river's current, trying to pry open its newest prize. When it succeeded, all it found inside were useless metal objects, none of which were good for eating. As its simple brain, unable to process disappointment, began thinking of eating the bag itself, something knocked against its side and started grabbing its almost worthless items. Rather than know it wasn't worth fighting over, instinct told the crab to attack this rival, but its claws only clamped more metal. Other claws came forward, one grasping its main left claw and the other its shoulder. With a tug, its arm came off, then something kicked it back.

Knowing defeat, the mudcrab scuttled away backwards. Its foe then gathered everything back into the bag and started walking out of the river. On the bank at the bend, Sorine Jurard watched with wonder as Blake guided the Dwarven spider to them. Backpack set the knapsack down, and then went still, awaiting further direction.

"That was simply amazing!" the Breton exclaimed, Beatrice and Urzub clapping from their little camp. "You led it right in and right back out! Oh, I definitely need to see if I can pry out how that young man made this beauty!"

"Good luck with that. Honestly, going by his notes, he just got lucky. He couldn't even figure out the eyepiece." Blake knelt down and Backpack took its place on her shoulders. "The most important part is the resonating crystal. Just have to figure out how to attune it, I think. Anyways, about Isran and the Dawnguard?"

"I'll head there. If the vampires really got an Elder Scroll… Well, I don't know _what_ they can do with one, but it can't be good."

"So long and fair well, oh wonder-filled researcher!" Beatrice waved to her as she grabbed her pack and started heading towards Markarth.

"You two don't get yourselves killed," Sorine warned them as she walked away. Blake watched her for a moment, then turned back to the two.

"So, you guys just live here?" she asked them.

"Certainly, dear guest. Here is where our hearts lay, and thus this is our home. After all, it's such a place of importance, where our lives were changed evermore by the crossed threads of fate."

Blake nodded, wishing that the Reachwoman would just take off the Amulet of Articulation she apparently found while almost drowning in the river. She turned a simple explanation of how she and Urzub met into a whole tale worthy of at least a novel's first chapter. It wasn't really a problem, but Blake didn't want to hear a five-thousand word essay on someone's thoughts on drowning while trying to guide a Dwarven spider through the very same river to find a bag that blended in with the sediment.

The Mogo's Mead tale gave her some ideas, though. And a rare amulet like that could get someone past certain roadblocks no amount of lockpicking skill could breach, a very intriguing concept. Still, they were thoughts for later.

"Well, I'll try to come back here someday. Hopefully, we can have a little more time to talk next time, but I've got a lot on my plate."

"Then take care. Hopefully, upon your next visit we'll have just as wondrous of a feast as what we are about to partake in."

Blake looked at the skeever being spit roasted over the fire and held back a grimace.

"One can only hope. Have a good day." Blake started heading east towards Solitude, part of her wishing that she had her horse with her. When she was far enough, she took her scroll out and looked through the messages. Weiss had warned them of Harkon's next plan, but Blake wasn't sure what it was about. The Direnni clan was fairly powerful, but they didn't have the same reach and resources that they once enjoyed. In fact, Harkon could probably get more out of kidnapping any sort of Thane from one of the nearby Holds. Erikur came to mind, as he owned a few businesses in Solitude, a fair chunk of farmland, and several houses and stores.

The only other explanation in her mind was that he wanted something magically-based from them. On top of being a merchant clan, they had more than a few historical figures of magical talent. There was no telling what sort of artifacts the family had hidden away, or how important this person was to them and what they were willing to give for their safety.

Blake hoped the Dawnguard could get the person to safety. She thought about going in herself, but that could expose them to too many risks, including Weiss' cover getting blown. She sighed and shook her head before trying to peer through the mist that had slowly gathered around her.

* * *

"Sorry, but I don't like to leave the castle," the vampire explained with a shrug. "I'm more of a…homemaker type."

"Yes, I thought so. Thank you for your time." As the vampire left, Weiss brushed back her hair. She had been looking for decent members to take for her mission, but 'decent' vampires in the Volkihar clan were in short supply. One of Natha's 'little ones' had been volunteered, an Altmer with enough muscle to out-bench most Nords. Orthjolf hated that (and said Altmer's existence on principle), so he insisted on showing Weiss his wide array of personal followers. She ended up taking one unassuming looking Nord to keep the man quiet. Then Vilgalmo shoved his forward, and to keep the peace, she chose a Breton who had a good bit of talent in Restoration magic. A rather odd trait for a vampire, but she had apparently been a Lady of Dibella in life. She stated that she still worshipped the Goddess, but Weiss could tell something different was going on in her new approach to 'worship'. She managed to get a hold of some other vampire whose race she couldn't even tell through his deformed features, but he was apparently skilled at the blade by everyone else's word.

Unfortunately, she couldn't take Serana with her, that idea being shot down before it was even mentioned. Harkon wanted her close for a time longer, acting out the part of a doting and protective father. Of course, he was a hammy actor. Giledie she wouldn't even consider taking. The poor girl didn't even know how to fight, as Weiss discovered when trying to teach her some basics only to knock her onto her back twice and disarm her more easily than a child several times. She was a farmer's daughter who anticipated a life of being a farmer's wife. Unless she happened to catch a bachelor Noble's eye, then she might have lived a much cushier existence. Being turned into a vampire one day didn't change her into a killing machine.

Weiss wondered if her current crop wasn't good enough as it was when a smiling face came into her periphery. The Nordic vampire chuckled then offered out his hand.

"Heard about your mission. I want in."

"What can you do?" she asked wearily, tired of asking people that today.

"I can rip a man in half with my bare hands," he boasted while flexing his fingers before her. "Want me to show you? There's bound to be a couple thralls ready to throw out."

"That won't be necessary, thank you." She rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Very well, but make sure you're ready to leave tomorrow. Name?"

"Niege. Some call me Sword-Breaker. Don't think it rings quite enough though, ya'know."

"Niege," she wrote on her list before reading it to herself. _'Ocaduroncarinmarco, Teres,_ _Zoeyvyra Aulya, Curle Crux, Niege Sword-Breaker.'_ "Thank you, then. Now, get ready."

"Hehe, can't wait," he mumbled as he walked away. Weiss watched him with suspicion as she told herself to keep an eye on him. Sighing, she returned to her room and set her items down on a nightstand. Gilly was in there, but rather than trying to learn a new spell or meticulously cleaning like normal, she was speaking to a thrall about something.

"So, uh, oh! There's M-miss Weiss. Weiss th-th-this is K-k-k-kri, Lord Harkon's…servant he's sending."

"Yes, our Lord is sending me and some others to help and secure a few different objectives at the same time," the thrall explained to Weiss with a smile. "It's going to be quite glorious."

"I'm sure it is. What exactly are you doing separate from us?"

The thrall's smile disappeared and his pupils dilated. "I cannot tell you that." His eyes returned to normal and he blinked before smirking. "Sorry, but it's a secret. It's very important to the success of your mission though, so trust us." Weiss was pretty sure she could never trust any of them, but nodded anyways. "Have you managed to find some volunteers?"

"Yes, here." She took the list and handed it over to him. "I've told each of them to be ready by tomorrow. I'm assuming you'll let Lord Harkon know who I'm taking?"

"Oh yes. I'll be going to inform him immediately. Don't worry about readying supplies outside of your personals, they're being prepared as we speak. With that, ladies." He bowed and headed out of the room. Weiss shut the door and cast a Muffle Room almost reflexively before sitting down and then flopping back on her bed.

"Are you…all right?"

"I interviewed over fifty vampires, trying to find any who weren't overly murderous or otherwise criminal, yet still powerful enough to actually be of use. I had to bend my own rules for two of them, and the last one I picked I didn't even bother with."

"Are they really all that b-b-" the girl stopped and cleared her throat, "bad?"

"Not…all of them," Weiss admitted. "But even the best of them are a little apathetic to anyone outside of the clan. They want to 'take care' of the thralls in that they want them to have decent living conditions rather than substandard. Their ideas of who can be accepted and who shouldn't also range. It's difficult to explain, but…they're not all bad."

"What about, um, Harkon?"

"Oh, he's horrible." Weiss recalled how he so casually admitted to murdering thousands of 'innocents' as though reciting a recipe, then thought about his daily attitude. He was like a darker, eviler parody of her own father. At least with Jaques Schnee she could see him being against the idea of being directly responsible for so many people's deaths. Indirectly, well that was just the cruel reality of life. It wasn't like _he_ _pushed_ people into narrow mining shafts or unguarded machinery. Harkon however, from what she heard, once ate babies of every race to see what they tasted like.

The vampires telling her that didn't even sound like they were _half_ joking.

"He's beyond a doubt evil."

* * *

"…Ow," Rumarin groaned for the hundredth time. Yang just shook her head and leaned back in her chair as Jouane continued to go over his limbs with healing magic.

"Well, that's about as well as I can do for now," the elder Breton told him while stopping. "You just need to rest while the regeneration potion finishes up."

"That's good," Yang said. "How ya feeling, Roomie?"

"Ow," he answered, getting a chuckle from the girl. Sissel then came in and handed Yang and Jouane a drink each while going up to Rumarin's side.

"So you fought the dragon? Was it scary?"

"Quite. I might have soiled myself had I not just done so. Then it decided to slap me and broke most of my bones."

"That must have hurt. Do you feel better now?"

"Well, I feel like I have less broken bones than unbroken now, so yes."

"That's good. I hope you get better soon."

"Stop being nice. And cute. It makes it hard to feel bad," the elf faux complained, earning a laugh from the girl. As Jouane stepped into the inn's main hall, Anum-La and Yngvvarr walked in, the Argonian taking a seat near Yang and the Nord standing by Rumarin.

"How is it?"

"They just broke the news. I have only three hours to live unless a prince kisses me. Since the closest one of those is in either Wayrest or the Imperial City, I'm pretty much doomed. Well, all of my belongings go to the big Nord. All three of them."

"Jo said he'll be up by tomorrow," Yang explained. "How are you, Anum? You got thrown almost as far as he did."

"I'd say I'm made of tougher stuff, but that should be obvious to anyone not blind."

"Come now, I'm already wounded. Are you really going to jab at me like this?"

"Mostly though, it's 'cause I'm a Saxhleel. We lizards heal a good bit faster and better than you humans and elves. Reminds me, I once knew another Argonian who lost his tail and an arm. He grew them both back, but it took a few months, and it was awkward for him the entire time. For a while, he had a hand the size of that little one's," she indicated Sissel. "He called it his 'baby hand', and would fool around picking things up with it and pretending it was some great effort, or using it to touch people. It was funny at first, but got old after a few days."

"I just got reminded of a movie," Yang muttered before wincing at an unbidden image coming to mind. "Ew…"

"The villagers have decided to rebury the dragon once they've cut some meat off," Yngvarr explained. "Might not do any good, should the big one come back."

"Yeah, that was…Alduin. I thought he was in Morrowind, but then he came here? Then he went west? What is that guy's pattern anyways?" She groaned and leaned forward, putting her elbows to her knees. Sissel sat on a stool near her and mimicked the stance. "And yeah, if he comes back he could just bring Nahagliiv back to life. My sister has to be the one to permanently stop them."

"Oh good, we'll get her over here then," Rumarin decided.

"She's in Winterhold," she reminded him. "And she's fairly certain she has to actually fight them to permanently kill them."

"Well, not right now, obviously."

"I had a dream about a dragon," Sissel spoke up. Yang smiled to her, showing genuine interest. "But he was a good dragon. He was old and grey, but not scary at all. I don't remember what he said, but it was very nice. It reminded me of my grandfather's voice."

"Well, I hope we meet a dragon like that," Yang said, and Sissel smiled. "Sounds much nicer than the ones that keep trying to eat villages."

"Ah, Sissel," Jouane said as he poked his head in. "Your father's coming. Best make yourself scarce."

"Uh oh! Bye everyone! Good luck adventuring!" As the girl dashed out of the room and then the back door of the inn, Rumarin laughed a little before wincing.

"She's a good girl. Probably doomed now. How old is she, fifteen?"

"Ten this past spring," Jouane answered.

"Ah, right, I forget how quickly you humans grow. Almost like dogs. Or was it cats? Griffins?"

"Hey, welcome Lemkil," Mralki greeted the man as he walked in and up to the bar, going past the group's room as he did. "How is everything?"

"Terrible, that's how it is. I spend every day tending to the fields and what do my daughters do? Nothing! Complain and caterwaul! Sleep and eat! Useless!"

"Forget I asked. Stew?"

"Yes."

"I'm not saying it's my business," Erik inserted from the side, "but I have to ask. Why are you so cruel to your little girls?"

"You're right, it's none of your business. How about you keep your nose out of it?"

"You keep on like you are, you'll end up with two daughters who hate you."

"Hah! And what would a witless oaf like you know about raising children?"

Yang felt her blood heating up and took a deep breath while Jouane looked on sadly.

"Too bad the Dark Brotherhood is gone," Rumarin muttered. "Not that I'm saying I want someone murdered… No wait, that is what I'm saying."

"Words like that do no one any good, young man," Jouane admonished him with a shake of his head. "Rest well now. I have to head out and check on some things."

After the healer left, Yang looked over to her companions, seeing a tight frown even through Yngvarr's beard, and a grimace in Anum-La's eyes.

"We're still heading to Falkreath, right?"

"Kinda have to, Roomie."

"Right. Well, maybe there's something down there… I'll have to look around. Ugh, work."

"Yeah, work."

* * *

The next day found the group heading south again. Rumarin only complained about his rear feeling sore a handful of times, and only one of those seemed to not be a joke. Dusk was coming upon them fast when they crossed from plains to woodlands, but luckily Northkeep was just within the naturally made border.

"I love small towns," Rumarin said as he dismounted and stretched his limbs around. "None of that cooked garbage smell you get in the cities. Although, I guess that's more of a Cyrodiil problem."

"It's a nice little place," Yang agreed. The town itself was made inside of an old keep, Nordic-built going by the stonework. Inside were houses and shops, a marketplace right through the middle, and a smithy off to the side. Up on a hill that had eroded until it was pressed against the outside of the wall like an earthly ramp was a quaint chapel and a graveyard. As the four sought out an inn, Yang paused in her steps when she saw a Vigilant, looking a little muddied and worn, as though he'd been out looking for something. She started focusing on her sense of smell and looked back at the others. As they went over to Keeper's Inn, she caught a whiff of distant blood and looked towards the south. Yngvarr noticed and began smelling the air as well.

"Hm, seems we'll have to go look around tonight," he muttered.

"Sure looks like it."

"What? What is it you two are on about?" the elf asked them as Anum-La went forward to pay for their rooms.

"Just planning on a midnight stroll. Maybe finding a vampire."

"Oh, I see. Well, let me know how that goes. I'll be surrounded by furs, blankets, and hopefully dreams of cakes and sweets."

They agreed on that, and so the group set up for the day. But after night truly fell, Yang and Yngvarr went out, going just past the walls and by some guards who accepted their story of 'leaving something in the saddlebags'. One suggestively elbowed his friend, causing Yang to roll her eyes at their obliviousness.

The vampire was fairly easy to track down, having hunkered at some campsite near a stream. Yang was planning on talking to him, to see if he was anything close to reasonable, only to have to jump out of the way of a sword swing meant for her. He shouted in fury at missing, but didn't worry about it much longer as Yngvarr's axe came around. After that little debacle, Yang searched the camp to find that it wasn't even his, and then searched him for anything relevant.

"Huh, well, looks like this guy tried to build himself up a little posse recently," Yang said while looking through the now slain vampire's sloppily written journal. "Apparently some other vampires killed them off, though."

"They're probably the more careful sort," Yngvarr figured as he cleaned his axe blade. "Best to leave those alone, as it seems they're willing to clear the area to keep the peace. Smarter than normal. Might actually care about the town even. I've run into a few like that. Granger. Jarmack. Sybille." Yang perked her head up at the mention of a familiar sounding name, but just mentally, figuring it wasn't important at the moment.

"And we got the last of it. You know, I bet if people were willing, plenty of vampires would police themselves if it meant not being killed on sight." Yang closed the journal and leaned down next to the corpse before sighing. "Should have quit while you were ahead, buddy. Taking swings at heavily-armed warriors wasn't smart. Well, what do you think we should do with him?"

"We could probably tell that Vigilant we saw walking around town. He'll take care of it. Should also let the town know that whatever alchemist set up here is gone."

"Yeah. I can smell blood near the riverbank. He might have tossed the body in. Well, let's go see if we can't find it before heading back. I need my beauty sleep."

"If you say so." Yang playfully punched his shoulder at that, earning a laugh from the old Nord.

* * *

Weiss stepped out into the morning light, hearing the vampires behind her immediately hissing and complaining about it stinging them before pulling up hoods and throwing on cloaks. Weiss winced herself, and threw a hood over her head. The thralls, on the other hand, weren't bothered by its rays. Though for some of them it was less because they were mortal and more because they no longer had the mind to express discomfort. Weiss could only feel her stomach twist when she realized how utterly empty and void the mind-slaves were. Unlike those labeled as 'chattel', the mind-slaves lost everything, and she feared not even freeing them from their enthrallment would bring them back. They were just empty shells at the command of their masters, not even able to feed themselves without an order to do so. Kir would be leading them to whatever task they had, and Weiss hoped to keep as far away from them as possible.

"Good luck on your mission, my lady," the Watchman said as he bowed to the party. The half-dozen vampires and two dozen thralls then walked on to the docks and boarded several boats, some of the thralls taking oars as commanded.

"Do you have a plan of attack?" Zoeyvyra asked in interest.

"Mostly. We know she's a conjurer, so be prepared for additional foes to appear. I don't know what kind of guards she has stationed, but I won't be surprised if Daedra of some form or fashion are a part of it. Does anyone know how to banish or turn Daedra?"

"Have a dagger…" Curle Crux rumbled out. "Strong against Daedra. Banishes weaker types."

"That's good. Crux, take care of any Daedra that get summoned. Ocadur, Teres, you'll both be with me."

The Altmer and Nord nodded at that, neither one adding any words.

"Zoeyvyra, you hang back and hit enemies with magic at opportune times, and heal anyone who needs it."

"Of course."

"Hopefully, we can get in and capture her…without any incident." Weiss looked at the items she was given. She was given them and explained that they were similar to the slave gauntlets Dunmer used to use. They would prevent the woman they were after from being able to cast any magic outside of the simplest self-applied spells, and even those would take considerable effort to accomplish.

' _I hope the Dawnguard have gotten her already.'_ The boats hit the shore, and the group began disembarking. They all immediately began heading east, slinking through the trees silently. Weiss almost found it eerie, how she was now technically a part of an army of monsters that people had nightmares about. The very procession she was a part of could have made cities panic if they knew about them.

' _Just get to the Pale and get back,'_ she told herself. _'Find the cabin. Search it. And when it turns up empty, volunteer whoever annoyed you the most to personally tell Harkon about it.'_

Still, she couldn't get rid of the heavy feeling in her chest that something was going to go horribly wrong.

* * *

"Oh how I wish

"For soothing rain

"All I wish is to dream again

"Once and for all

"And all for once

"Nemo my name forevermore~"

"Uhm, my Thane, I don't mean to interrupt," Lydia spoke up as Ruby's strumming subsided for the moment, "but you never said where we're going."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry. I guess I was an autopilot. Well…first we should go to High Hrothgar. We haven't been there a while and I've got questions. I guess I should also ask about Delphine's stuff." Ruby nodded at that then set her lute aside. "After that, need to go to Kilkreath. If the Graybeards don't know, then he should know how a dragon joined Ilmaasi. He may also have more Magne-Ge magic I can use." Ruby looked to her left hand and began summoning a black orb within it before shifting it to white and then back.

"You think the Graybeards might know why a dragon joined him?"

"Well, they should know about dragons in general. Shouting is a dragon thing, and Arngeir has told me a lot about Alduin, and some things about dragons in general, though…he mostly showed me how to figure it out myself." Ruby hummed and rubbed her chin in thought. "But…I can't quite figure out what Biidurvul was talking about. Bormahu is Akatosh, I know. At least, when dragons say it. Bormah just means 'father' and the '-u' suffix is a first-person multiple possessive. Uh, that is, it means 'our'. So Bormahu equals 'Our Father' or Akatosh, the Father of Dragons. But he talked about 'uncoiling' him, and I don't know what that means."

"I…don't know what that could mean either."

"Well, it can't be a good thing, since Ilmaasi's goal is to end the world in order to 'save us'," Ruby groaned while making air quotes with her free hand. "Yeah. And either on the way or right after we see Seletar, we gotta talk to Capric. He's my last big dragon source before Delphine, but I sincerely doubt she knows what's going on there. She thought the Thalmor were behind the dragons at first."

"To be fair, we were going on almost nothing at the time."

"Still are. I have no idea where Alduin came from." Ruby let out a sigh and leaned back while bringing her lute back around. "Maybe if I'm lucky, I can just use whatever secret Shout Esbern was talking about and Alduin will be instantly defeated. Then all the dragons will behave and stop causing chaos." She raised her pick a moment before blinking. "Uh, where was I?"

"Um, I'm not sure."

"Ah well." She started up a slow tune, letting the notes hang hauntingly for a few repeats before tapping her thumb to the wood to add the beat.

"I hear music in the air tonight

"One familiar fading tune

"Something pulls at my infected soul

"I think I remember you.~"

* * *

"What a lovely day!" Yang exclaimed as they walked into the town, stretching herself in the sun.

"Yes. It was so lovely to have to kick a skeever aiming for my ankles," Rumarin complained. "Although, it did have a nice arch in its flight. Then Bjarni decided to go fetch it and share it with the pig."

"They've become _beary_ good friends," Yang quipped with a huge smile. "And they don't ever let themselves get _boared_."

"Those were absolutely terrible. Well done."

"Please, don't ever do that again," grumbled the Argonian.

"H-hold on, you've got the wrong guy!" someone up ahead defended himself while waving his hands in front of a woman with Thalmor robes. "I… I never challenged you to a duel!"

"Not again," a guard groaned.

"I'll go inform the captain and the Jarl," another said before walking away.

"What's going on?" Yang asked.

"Looks like another idiot threatened Jerulith with a duel. This one's more cowardly than most, though."

"Huh…" Yang looked back to the two, now arguing about it in the street as passers-by either cleared the way or warned others to stay clear. "What's the rules on that?"

"Loose. Jarl Siddgeir finds it…humorous, so we aren't supposed to really stop them unless they're just outright murders. Jerulith is rather infamous about it at this point, thanks to the robes."

"W-wait!" the man objected as the Altmer readied herself. "You know who I work for! Please!"

His pleas didn't stop the woman from throwing the Fireball, which exploded and threw him through the air, where he went right by Yang and slammed into a tree. She gritted her teeth, knowing she didn't have to check to make sure he was dead with the way he was bent. She paused, then looked back to the elf.

"Wait…who did he work for…?" She walked up to the woman, who sneered as she saw her coming.

"If it's a duel you seek stranger, then I suggest you leave. I am not here to fulfill your desire for pain, or free you from your wretched existence. At least, not today." A smirk rose up after the last sentence.

"No, just want to talk. Jerulith, right?"

"Oh, so you already know me then. Well, I suppose with that out of the way, what'll it be? Vengeance for a loved one? Retribution for your country? Well you are too late. I'm no longer a Thalmor. The clothes are just that; clothes. I will not discard a perfectly adequate robe."

"Oh, so you're not with them anymore? That's why you're alone." Yang had been trying to find signs of the Thalmor's footsoldiers, but aside from a few very faint Altmer scents there wasn't anything suggesting there were any.

"Interesting. I was quite certain that this conversation would become gradually more belligerent, not less. Is it possible that there is one individual in this bull netch of a province that is capable of reason?"

"You were probably just unlucky. Anyways, what do you know about that guy? He said something about the person he worked for."

"Hm…now that I think about it, perhaps I have seen that muskrat of a beard before. He might have even recruited me to assassinate some hunters. Come to think of it, I might have even agreed to the contract. It sounds like something I would do. I'm almost sorry I terminated him."

"You're all heart," Yang deadpanned.

"I will be whatever I want to be. That is my right as one of the First Children. It is the other races that must adapt to our whims."

Yang wanted to argue, or even just give Rumarin a silly order, knowing that the other High Elf would follow it just for kicks. But she needed information first, and so held it in for now.

"Well, did he tell you anything? Mention an Honorable Eight? Or a bard named Bodan?"

"As a matter of fact, he did mention a bard by that name. Here. Take this. I certainly have no need of it."

Jerulith handed Yang a piece of paper from one of her pockets and started walking away. The blonde unfolded it and began reading over its contents.

 _Jerulith,_

 _The business with the hunters will not be necessary, as our contact Sevaris has been killed. However, the Baron would like your assistance in another matter. A Redguard by the name of Bodan has been inquiring about the murder of his fellow company men._

 _While the Baron is well-acquainted with this company, he is not responsible for their recent demise. Nevertheless, he cannot have this bard poking around in his business, and asks that such behavior be put to an end._

 _I have already dispatched a band of sellswords to do away with him and his company members, but should they fail, I hope we can come to an agreement. Price is no object._

 _In the meantime, to maintain my cover, I will pester you at the inn tomorrow night. It is merely an act, so I beg you, please do not take offense to what I say._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Florentus Ivenucci._

Yang handed the letter over to Anum-La while looking over at the man's body, now being carried off by the guards.

"Well, that's one way to turn down a contract."

"If what this note says is true," the Argonian woman began, "then Bodan may get some exercise yet. Although by the looks of it, he's not the only one." She drew her sword and readied herself, the others following her cue and looking to where she had turned. "Sellswords, friends. Five by my count."

"Who wants two, then?" Rumarin asked as his sword appeared at his waist and his bow in his hands.

Two Orc men, a Nord man and woman, and a Redguard woman archer all came up from around the back of the nearby inn. Yang elected to fight bare-handed and caught the first Orc's sword hand as he swung at her, then kneed up into his gut before twisting his arm around and throwing him over her shoulder. Yngvarr met the other Orc with a greatsword, knocking him back and into the porch's railing. Anum-La ducked down and rushed the mace-wielding woman, quickly slicing with her sword and cutting her opponent's arm deeply. Rumarin took aim and loosed a few bound arrows at the archer, forcing her into cover. Yang shoulder-checked the Nord man and slammed him into a wall. He tried to bring up his axe, but her fist came around into his nose and left an indention into the wood with the force of the blow, causing him to fall slack to the ground. Yngvarr took an arm off of his foe, while Anum-La had beaten hers to the ground. Finally, the guards rushed up and looked around the scene.

"All right! Stop! What's going on here?!"

"Folks trying to murder us," Yang explained while dragging over the unconscious man and dropping him at the guard's feet. "We didn't like that."

"Well, the last one ran off," Rumarin added, dispelling his weapons. "Victory is ours! I always wanted to say that."

The other three chuckled at that while Yang looked over at the guards. "Well, you gonna arrest these guys?"

"And how do we know you ruffians didn't start it?" another guard asked her. Rather than answer, Yang took out her scroll and called up Ruby, putting the call on speaker.

"Hey, Yang. What's up?" Ruby asked, and the hold guards tensed as they recognized the visage of their newest Thane.

"Ruby, you're Thane of Falkreath, right?"

"Yeah."

"Some guards aren't doing their jobs," Yang declared with a pointed and unamused stare. Said guards then took a fearful step back.

"Wait, Thane Ruby Rose? Isn't she a dragon slayer?"

"I heard she was the Dragonborn?"

"What's she doing in a tiny box? Ow!"

"Don't be an idiot!"

"Wait, wait, we're taking them off to prison right now. Just making sure there's no foul play here." The lead guard grabbed the Nord sellsword and started dragging him away. Others began pulling along the rest of the attempted murderers, the one-armed Orc being led along while gripping his severed stump, promises of a healing potion pushing him forward. The four then regathered down another street.

"Well, we better check on Bodan," Anum-La decided. "If these sellswords are any indication, he's going to have a lot of corpses to burn tonight."

"You aren't worried about the assassin?"

"I am, and I'm not. It's different when we're all working together. I get that old feeling…like the Gods and the Hist are on our side. In any case, let's get back to Morthal. If this Baron isn't responsible, maybe Bodan knows who is."

"Yeah, we'll-" Yang heard a twang in the air and shot her hand up to catch a steel-tipped arrow before it hit her face. She turned to look and see the archer had circled back around, now wearing a horrified expression. As she turned to run, Yang summoned up a ball of fire, pouring more magicka into it than she had before, and threw it. The Fireball exploded, sending the archer careening and screaming through the air, and catching many of the townspeople's attention. The Redguard then landed on the inn's roof while her smoldering bow went the opposite way, and Yang turned back to her friends.

"Let's head back up there, then. Hopefully, they haven't unsaddled the animals yet."

"You know, I didn't expect us to figure it all out this quickly," Rumarin pointed out while looking up at the groaning, smoking woman on the tiles and following the group back out. "I assumed it would take a while to sniff it all out, figuratively and literally. Expectations: subverted."

* * *

 _1st of Evening Star_


	63. Fall of Honor

**Sorry for the delay. My workweeks have been...shall we say, compressed. Be sure to thank xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for sticking by me.**

* * *

Out on the open sea, Blake was able to breathe a little more calmly, but her mind kept going back to the mission at hand. Karliah had seemed so certain, yet Blake couldn't be entirely sure. And she wouldn't know one way or the other until she got the information back to Enthir and he decoded it for them.

If it did turn out to be a dead end, though, Blake didn't need the Guild's backing to take out Mercer. Feeling darker thoughts arising, she took the Ebony Blade from her back and laid it down next to her cot with her other belongings. Sighing as the intrusive thoughts faded away, she sat down and looked through her things for something to take her mind off of everything. At first she tried reading, but her mind wouldn't concentrate on the words. She tried writing, but everything seemed blocked. She thought about just listening to some music, then remembered for what seemed like the thousandth time that her music streaming service was no longer available. Exasperated and running out of ideas, she huffed and laid down on her rented bed. After a few moments that seemed to drip by, she heard some footsteps coming and moved her forearm from her eyes to see a familiar Dunmer woman.

' _Wait,'_ she thought to herself. _'Isn't that…?'_

"Well, fancy seeing you here," the prostitute chuckled before leaning against the bulkhead with a sashay of her hip.

"What are you doing here?" Blake asked her.

"Picking up a few things. In my line of work, one has to look their best, sweetling, and I need the best to look my best." She smiled and then switched as her hands rested on her hips, bringing Blake's eyes to them momentarily. "Now, I could ask _you_ the very same."

"Had to get something from Markarth. Now I'm heading back to Winterhold."

"Ooh, what a cold place this time of year." The Dunmer leaned over, her loose shirt dropping down just enough to give Blake a slight view. "And what's up in Winterhold for a cute little cat like you?"

"Information," Blake gulped as the Dunmer leaned closer. She shook her head and cleared her throat. "It's a private matter, so I can't really talk about it."

"Oh? But I love secrets." She put her hand to the cot and leaned towards Blake even more. "But if you don't want to share those, that's fine. There are…other things we can share, after all."

Her hand came up and brushed Blake's cheek, her pinky running just under her jawline, causing the Faunus' hair to stand on end as she lurched back, away from the elf's touch.

"L- Look! I don't want- I don't want this, so…stop it!"

"Oh? Too bad." The Dunmer said in disappointment as she stood back up. "And here I was about to offer my services for free just this once. Oh well. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. Just ask for Breel, oh Champion." The Dark Elf then turned away and sashayed out of the hold, going past a young man at the stairs. He seemed to be captivated by her for a moment before shaking his head and turning his attention back to Blake, who was trying to calm herself from the encounter.

"Uh, excuse me? I was told that Blake Belladonna was here?"

"That's me," she got out, and the man brought a pack around from his back and pulled out a letter.

"Got this from Falkreath Hold. Addressed from Lakeview Manor. Never ran into a recipient on the boat before. I half-expected having to track you down in the snow somewhere."

Blake took the letter and opened it, finding it to have a small drawing of two cat-eared and tailed people next to a large house at the very top.

 _Dear Blake,_

 _We are doing very well at this cozy house Ruby made for us. The kindly S'ahara moved in with us and brought all of M'rissi's chickens, and now they are good friends with Ruby's chickens. Inigo is afraid of them conspiring, but she thinks he's just being feather-brained._

 _Fresh milk every day is yummy though, so things are very good. Lirry likes it, too, but M'rissi has had to teach her how to share, otherwise she will drink it all and leave none for the rest of us. Lirry has grown much, but she started slowing down a bit and does not eat as quickly as she used to. Now M'rissi can sit on her back with almost no problems. She is as strong as the horses!_

 _However, she finds that she misses you and hopes you will come and visit soon. She knows you got into trouble with a thief, so she is_ _telling you_ _\- No, she is commanding you to defeat him and come back to us with tales of heroness._

 _Write back to her and let her know how you are._

 _M'rissi_

Blake was smiling by the end of the letter and folded it away to see the courier had wandered over to the other side of the room.

"Excuse me, can I write something and give it to you here?"

"Oh, uh, sure."

* * *

The sun was setting, and the vampires were beginning to leave the cave they had taken for the night. There hadn't been any occupants save a few bats, which Curle Crux had spent some time ensorcelling for a warning system. Weiss was both intrigued and disturbed by the type of magic he was using and was surprised when she managed to pull it off. It felt almost like a familiar being summoned, but rather than semi-programmed autonomous processes, there was a sort of mind beneath everything she was commanding.

"Never done this before?" the severely scarred vampire asked her, holding one arm out for a bat to hang off of. She looked at him and then the one bat under her control before nodding.

"I…didn't even know we could."

"It's not unique to vampires. Just easier." He reached over and picked up his bat, its belly resting in his palm. He started petting it, and the creature actually looked pleased. Weiss couldn't help but find it to be a little adorable. Her thoughts then turned over to her own bat.

"Can I…release it?"

"You know how to dispel, yes?" She nodded. "Do the same, but watch out for the animal's magic."

"Watch out…? No, I think I understand." Weiss felt for the threads of her spell and mentally broke them. The bat dropped, but caught itself and flew back up as though dizzied.

"Careful," Crux reiterated. "You can hurt them if you aren't." He lifted up his arm and the bat in his hand took off. Weiss watched it rejoin with a few others at the cave's ceiling, noting how the other bats began looking it over and seemed to be helping it groom.

"You didn't question me," he seemingly randomly pointed out, catching Weiss off-guard. She looked at him in surprise.

"Pardon?"

"Most would question why I care, which means you weren't surprised. Some might have even called me a fool." He nodded at that. "You sympathize, at least. Perhaps you also care."

Weiss was confused as to why this was being brought up at all, but at the same time knew she couldn't leave it hanging in the air. "So you care about the bats?"

"I care about a lot of things. Animals like them don't deserve harm."

"I have a feeling you're going to relate this back to people."

"People made me like this before I ever became a vampire," he said while indicating his mutilated face. "An animal will just kill you or try to run you off if they're afraid or something. Mortals, just mortals, like to inflict lasting pain. Perhaps that's why our souls are Black when theirs are White?"

Weiss took that statement in and thought to respond, but then Ocadur and Teres walked in from outside, the setting sun silhouetting them for a moment.

"Just 'bout ready to go," Teres told them. "We spotted the cabin. Doesn't _look_ defended, but I could feel something around there. Some kinda magic."

"The target is a Direnni. They're a little famous for their magic, more than any single Altmer or Breton family," Weiss explained. "Now, once the… Wait, where are the other two?"

"Deeper in the cave," Ocadur told her. "Wanted privacy."

"Privacy for… Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Weiss looked at a few of the connecting caverns and picked up where their scent was coming from. Holding up a hand, she summoned up a low-level Firebolt and launched it straight down the tunnel. She didn't hear any yelps, but a few moments later Niege and Zoeyvyra were stumbling up to the front of the cave, the man pulling on his trousers and the woman fixing up her mage robes.

"We were coming!" Niege objected as his buckled his belt.

"I'm sure you were, at least," Teres said with a grin. Niege looked incensed, but Zoeyvyra actually giggled at that.

"Well, where're the thralls?" he asked before throwing on his leather armor.

"They left for their task hours ago," Crux explained. "Kri told us to make sure we do not attack until _after_ sunset. It's important that we do so."

"What kind of idiot does he think we are? Why _wouldn't_ we wait for night? What kind of stupid vampire attacks a place in the middle of the day?"

"I'm sure there have been a few," Weiss interjected, remembering how she sometimes had to fight during daylight. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Dusk is here and it's time to get into position. Don't fight stupid or charge ahead, and don't underestimate anything at any time. And remember, we have to _capture_ the target. Don't unnecessarily rough her up. We get these cuffs on her and we won't have to worry about her magic." Weiss patted said cuffs strapped to her waist. "All right, let's move out."

The vampires went out into the remnants of daylight and made their way over to where the cabin was located. It was situated next to a hill with some trees planted around it for windbreakers, and past them a large open space. A frozen pond separated them from the building, but so much snow had fallen atop it that it was hard to differentiate from the ground. Once the last of the sun's light faded, they all felt their power coming back to them in full. Weiss began leading them forward, feeling out with Magic Sense to get feedback from several huge hotspots, as well as the cabin itself being lit up with enough to make her wince.

' _Well, that's reassuring.'_ She made sure to go around the hotspots while also guiding the others to do the same. However, they eventually came upon what looked like a bubble, thin and almost imperceptible, yet Weiss knew what it was. She stopped and the rest stopped behind her.

"Okay, there's a warning spell here. We cross it, and she'll know we're here."

"Can we get around it?" Teres asked.

"Not likely. It's probably all-" Weiss was cut off by a roar echoing across the land. She looked to where it came from and almost missed the bubble's sudden expansion that seemed to scan them all.

"What was that?" Zoeyvyra asked in wonder and concern.

"That was a dragon," Weiss answered as she pulled out Strahlendjuwel. "But that's not our problem!"

Bony hands began popping out all around them and pulled up equally bony corpses. The skeletons began creaking and chattering as they hefted up rusted weapons and began charging at the vampires. Niege pulled out his mace while Teres and Ocadur hefted out a battleaxe and greatsword. Two skeletons nearly reached Crux, but his sword flashed out of its scabbard and took off both of their heads before returning. Weiss and Zoeyvyra began launching ice spikes and balls at the bony undead, but Weiss was also meeting a few in melee range. Soon, a circle of bones had piled up around the vampires, but something else was coming their way.

"Clanfears!" Crux warned them before seeming to sink into the ice. Weiss was bewildered by that, but then saw the saurian Daedra charging them. She used Raise Wall, leading to two of them charging into it and getting stuck before it fell back into the earth, decapitating them. Ocadur was forced to grapple one, but threw it into the air then brought his sword down and through it. Crux suddenly popped back up and ran his saber through one going for Zoeyvyra then drew a knife and stabbed it into its neck. Niege smashed three of them as they charged him, bashing through their thick skulls with baseball-like swings. Scamps tried to rush them, but fared little better than their brethren when Weiss summoned up a pair of Frost Atronachs and then a white copy of Stalph's monstrous form.

As the last scamp was pinned by Ocadur's sword, the vampires took a moment to gather their bearings and look around for any other enemies. Seeing none, Niege, Teres, and Zoeyvyra began to laugh with relief.

"Well, that was an exciting scrap," Teres admitted. "Maybe next we can-" His words were cut off by a scream of pain as something hit his shoulder. Everyone looked to the source and saw three people in laminated armor, one of them reloading a crossbow while the other two were running at them with an axe and shield and a warhammer.

"Where in Oblivion did they come from?" Niege yelled as he brandished his mace.

"Doesn't matter!" Weiss yelled, trying to bite down on the words she really wanted to scream. She thought the Dawnguard would have gotten here either long before them or too late, not at the exact same time. Crux ran forward, sinking into the ice as a bolt came for him, causing the crossbow-wielding woman to lower her weapon in confusion. The warhammer man went at Teres and Niege while the axeman veered for Weiss. The heiress jumped out of the way of his first swing and parried the second.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn…it! You weren't supposed to…be here now," she ground out.

"Too bad for you, vampire!" the man taunted her while taking a defensive position as Weiss reared her rapier back.

"You were supposed to have been done by now," she whispered, which made the man's eyebrows rise. "We needed you to get the woman out of the way, not fight vampires over her."

"You… What are you talking about?"

"You got the message from Ruby, who got it from Yang, right?" Now his eyes went wide. "I'm the-"

A scream caught both of their attentions, causing them to look over and see Teres, now brained and with his blood sprinkled over Zoeyvyra, who had been standing just behind him. She tried to slow the vampire hunter with a cone of Frostbite, but he pushed through and nearly had her before Niege tackled him aside and started punching him to gory effect. Another scream had them look back to see the crossbow-woman being dragged down through breaking ice. She was frantically trying to pull herself back up, but once her waist went under, she seemed to almost slide into the icy waters. The axeman looked at Weiss in rage and she stepped back with a grimace. A dragon roar rose up and went across the land as the man yelled out a battlecry and went at her swinging. Weiss started parrying his blows, but was caught off-guard by the shield bash that knocked her on her back. She was about to roll out from under him as he swung towards her prone form, but then a sword came down on his shoulder and split him through to his hip at a slight angle. The man lasted a few more seconds, in which his face displayed shock and pain, before he collapsed as the sword was yanked from him. Weiss got to her feet and saw Ocadur there with his bloodied sword.

"Talk too much," he said to her before going over to where Niege had ripped off the other Dawnguard's head. Teres was lying still, part of his head caved in and gray matter seeping through.

"Son of a bitch had a strong arm, but mine were stronger," Niege boasted before biting into the head and sucking from it. Zoeyvyra checked over the dead vampire with a whimper before sighing. Curle Crux then rose out of the ice. Weiss looked at where he popped up from and peered closer to see something distinctly human-shaped floating beneath the translucent sheet.

"Vampire hunters from that new guild, Dawnguard," the scarred vampire deduced quickly before looking at Teres' corpse. " _Don't_ underestimate them."

"I didn't," Niege defended himself. "Not my fault he was playing around."

"It doesn't matter what happened," Weiss jumped in, her head swimming with thoughts of how almost everything went wrong. "We still have our mission to complete. Niege, Ocadur, you'll be up front. Crux, I want you to use that…phasing power of yours-"

"Only works with ice," he interrupted.

"Well, then just be ready to back them. Zoeyvyra, stay with me, get ready for a magic battle."

"Yes, of course. Um, but please, call me Zoey," she said pleasantly and with a smile. Weiss just nodded and gestured for them to go. As they neared the cabin, they could hear the nearby dragon roaring again.

In the first room, the men had to suddenly block a pair of wicked swords coming at them from a pair of Daedra Weiss recognized as a Dremora and a Xivilai. As the two blocked, Crux slipped beneath both and stabbed the Daedra in their chests, aiming for openings in their armor. The Dremora dropped as the anti-Daedric dagger took effect, but the Xivilai merely stumbled back before Ocadur brought his sword back around and sliced through the Daedra's guts. It cried out, then collapsed forward. They continued in, carefully checking a hallway before Weiss activated Sense Life. She saw a single, human-shaped glow and pointed it out to them. Ocadur was the first at the door, grabbing its knob before nodding to Niege, who nodded back. Everyone else readied themselves as well, and Weiss saw the person tense before she released the spell.

Ocadur threw open the door and Niege charged in only to be met by a rain of electricity. As he screamed, Crux and Ocadur tried to go around him, but the finely-dressed Altmer changed her attention over to them. She pointed an intricate staff at Ocadur and launched him into and through a wall while flames nearly caught Crux. He managed to slip under them, but then the woman turned her attention towards him completely and summoned up a green tether that fired at him and wrapped around his wrist. His arm was yanked and he was slammed into Niege and back down the hall. Weiss ducked under them and sped in, the Staff of Magnus in one hand. Stalph's copy came in and leaped in front of her as an explosive spell was launched from the woman towards her, absorbing the impact and allowing Weiss to fire a spray of sparks. The Altmer shouted in pain as they hit her, but then summoned up something that Weiss couldn't identify. The large, frog-like creature roared before it tried to smash her with a hammer. Weiss side-stepped and fired the Staff at it.

" _Disassembling Daedroth presence."_

The creature cried out as it was forcefully dissipated, surprising the elven woman.

"What in… Where did you get that?!" she cried out before beginning another spell. A fireball from Zoey caught her attention for half a second, allowing Weiss the time to ready her backup plan.

' _Drain the target's magicka. Do not harm the target,'_ she commanded the godly artifact.

" _Commencing magicka syphoning."_

A beam lanced out from the Staff of Magnus, hitting the woman from the side and knocking her back. A sudden explosion sent Weiss reeling, and she looked up to see the woman looking at her in fear. Niege had gotten back up and made to grab her, but she shoved her staff up and made another fiery explosion that smashed him into the opposite wall. Crux came in, but had to dodge a spell that burned a hole through the floor where he was standing. Weiss raised up her staff and sent in the same command as before, then another stream hit the elven woman and began draining her of her power. She turned her staff back to Weiss, but Zoeyvyra rushed up and grabbed it, yanking it up and away from Weiss while holding the woman into the beam. A moment later, the magic-drain ended and Weiss was rushing forward, slipping one of the cuffs on her arm and tightening. The woman gasped in shock and looked back to her, then Zoey's fist came around and punched her just below the sternum. As the breath rushed out of her lungs, the former Dibellan ripped the staff out of her hands and backed up while aiming it at her. Weiss grabbed her arm and shoved on the other cuff and tightened it as well, snapping the lock shut on it.

"You… you will all pay for this," the woman groaned out. A moment later, Ocadur and Niege had gotten back up. Niege looked at the gasping Altmer woman with a snarl and kicked her onto her back before looming over her.

"Niege," Weiss started. "Stop! We've captured her."

"Yeah, we did," he said while leaning towards her. "Good job. This bitch really…put up a fight." The High Elf looked up at him defiantly, and the vampire just smiled back down at her before reaching up and grabbing her expensive looking dress by the collar and then ripping it open. Her face was filled with fear again as she tried to cover herself and screamed as Niege started forcing her arms apart. Weiss was stunned for a moment, then her senses came back to her like a crashing train, and she pointed Strahlendjuwel at the man.

"Stop! That! Now!" she commanded. He continued to hold the kicking and thrashing woman still, but looked up at Weiss with a smirk.

"What's the matter? I'm not gonna hurt her. She might even li-."

"You finish that sentence, I will run you through this very moment." Weiss felt her blood boiling and something seemed to rise up in her and make her growl in fury. Niege's face became more serious as she brought her rapier's tip closer to his throat. "I said, get off of her. Now!"

For a moment, they were all still, then Ocadur stepped forward and held up his sword.

"Lord Harkon put her in charge of this mission. Are you going to disobey him?"

Niege scoffed and let the Altmer's arms go. She covered herself up, now in tears, and rolled onto her side while Niege slowly stood up. His hand suddenly grabbed his mace from his belt, and he started moving, but before he went anywhere Ocadur's sword flicked around and slashed through flesh. The "Sword-Breaker" seemed confused as his body stopped obeying his commands and fell over, less than a third of his neck connecting his head to the rest of him. The High Elf woman saw his bleeding corpse and then looked up to the rest of them in fear and confusion. Weiss felt her heart ache for her, yet she knew that even with only the nicer half of the vampires left, she still had an act to put up.

"Zoey, get her something to cover up with. There should be spare clothes somewhere. Crux, get the…chains. Ocadur, watch over her. I'm going to…" Weiss thought for a moment, and sighed. "Never mind. Zoey."

"Ye- yes ma'am," the vampire healer stuttered out before going over and rifling through a wardrobe and a chest-of-drawers. Weiss looked over at the broken wall and the moon creeping up from the horizon.

In the distance, the dragon roared again.

* * *

The woman said nothing as the three vampires attached chains to the manacles on her wrists and began leading her away. Weiss would've assumed she would be bursting with questions, but could understand her silence given how things actually went down. The fact that she wasn't even attempting to struggle spoke volumes.

When the cabin was just about lost in the distance, they paused at the approach of the thralls. Weiss looked them over and noted how several seemed wounded or even singed. On top of that, nearly half of them were gone.

"What happened?" she asked Kri as he came up to her.

"We were successful. I see you were as well," he pointed out. Weiss looked back at the captured Altmer woman to see her having taken her eyes from the ground for a moment. "We will need to return to Lord Harkon as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course." Weiss nodded and then signaled to the diminished group. They started their eastward march, most of the thralls just mindlessly walking by the vampires' sides. Weiss checked around herself a moment, feeling as though something was off, then noted that she hadn't heard the dragon in a while. She looked back at the injured thralls and noted their wounds and singe marks. Their number was noticeably reduced, and it certainly looked like they might have gotten in a fight with a dragon.

' _Why would Harkon need them to fight a dragon, though?'_ Her mind could offer no real answer, and the only one she knew that could wouldn't speak a word of it.

* * *

When they arrived at the scene, two sellswords were already lying on the ground and bleeding out. Bodan jumped away from hammer and axe swings, slashing his cutlass in quickly to try and carve back his attackers. A bound arrow came for one man, sending him into the snow with a yelp. The last two were rushed by a pair of humans that knocked them through the air, where they tried to roll to their feet and survey their new odds. Where once they had only a single Redguard to battle, now they had five various mortals to contend with, two of which had already bowled them over and were drawing axes. They immediately turned tail and ran, heading in the general direction of Solitude. Yang relaxed and stashed her axe away as the two shot off, but Yngvarr kept his at hand.

"Hey Roomie, watch out and make sure they don't come back," she asked, figuring why the large Nord was still tense, and Rumarin nodded.

"Might as well. I'll let you know if they sneak up and kill me."

As the High Elf went to guard against them, Bodan sighed and walked up towards the others. "There you are, Swamp Knight," he said to Anum-La. "Just in time to help me clean up."

"Bodan!" she drew out while walking forward to clasp his hand. "It looks like that Thalmor was right. Gabania sent these men." The Redguard nodded, and then sighed.

"If these are Gabania's men, then that means that the assassin is not."

"So now what? What's our next move?"

"That, my friend, is for Dalum-Ei to decide."

"He's here?" Anum-La asked in surprise and hope.

"Indeed. He should be arriving at the Moorside Inn any moment now. Although, it's occurred to me I don't know this marsh as well as any of you might…"

"Don't know where to go?" Yang asked him.

"I know to go 'south', but beyond that…"

"It's cool. It would confuse me, too. Anum, think you can show us out?"

"I'll take one of the drier paths so that none of you complain," the Argonian said with a laugh. The others just smiled while Yang looked for their final member.

"Hey Ru, ready to go?"

"Ready as ever," he answered while walking back and dispelling his bound bow. "They're still running away. Decent cowards this time. Not like those brave souls who keep trying to fight after losing all their friends, weapons, or limbs."

Anum-La quickly led all of the others out of the marsh and back to town. As they piled into the inn, Yang smelled another Argonian and smiled. Jonna seemed jostled out of a half-asleep state, but otherwise just ignored them. Following scent and intuition, they went to one of the rooms where an Argonian awaited them. He had green scales and long horns with rings set upon them, with two more spikes between them. His jawline was traced with horn-like spikes, and another pair was underneath his chin, almost like a goatee. He was also wearing a suit of plate armor, the gauntlets and greaves of which were sitting on the table next to him.

"Dalum-Ei!" Anum-La began. "It really is you!"

"Anum-La! Bodan!" he greeted his two friends, his voice bearing an accent Yang didn't recognize. "It is good to see you both alive and well."

"Hear any news on Indrel?" the bard quickly asked him.

"No, and I don't suspect we will. You were right, old friend. It was like trying to grasp the wind. However, it seems that we have an even more able warrior on our side." He gave a bow towards Yang. "I thank you Companion, for keeping Anum-La safe."

"Don't be so sure," Anum jumped in before Yang could speak. "It's not like the old days. Maybe this time it was me doing the saving!" The two women laughed at that.

"It wouldn't be the first time, dear Swamp Knight. You proved yourself that night in Thorn, and countless times thereafter. Now, I hate to delay our reunion, but I would like to speak to the Companion alone. The rest of you order a drink and we'll join you shortly. Companion?"

"Yang Xiao Long," she greeted him.

"Yang then, would you come speak with me outside?"

"Sure. You guys order us something for supper. Feel like chicken?"

"I honestly feel more like shit," Rumarin answered as he walked into the main hall. "But I would like to eat some chicken."

"Smartass," she muttered with a playful roll of her eyes while she and the Argonian man stepped back out into the night air. The door was closed, and the atmosphere of the warm indoors became muffled and then shut off. For a moment, Yang looked at Dalum-Ei expectantly, but the reptile took a moment to look up into the night sky and take a deep breath.

"First," he spoke up after a second, "I want to thank you again for protecting Anum-La. She is like a daughter to me, and had our company survived, I was to leave it to her."

"No need, man," Yang waved him off. "She's a good enough fighter on her own."

"True, but she has always fought better when she fights for someone other than herself."

Yang nodded at that. It was certainly reasonable. Sometimes she herself fought all the harder when there were others besides her at risk.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to ask for your thoughts on Bodan. Do you find him…trustworthy?"

Yang was caught a little off-guard by the question. Still, she ruminated over it and hummed to herself in thought.

"Well, Anum-La trusts him. That's good enough for me."

"Remember though, she is naïve. She grew up alone, and we are her family. She would be blind if Bodan sought to betray her."

"Why?" she asked him, wondering where he was going with this. "Do you not trust him?"

"No. I trust him now more than ever. For you see, the best way to solidify one's beliefs is to challenge them."

"Okay, but…" Yang resisted the urge to scratch at her head. "Something must have brought that on."

"You are perceptive, Yang. Yes, I misled you all earlier when I said I could not find Indrel. I neglected to mention she was more than eager to find me." Yang's eyebrow arched at that.

"And she brought this up?"

"She was…adamant that Bodan was a traitor. She believed he was only in the company for vengeance. She also said that Ula-Wei would never let his guard down unless the killer was someone he trusted. Lastly, the motive. She said that Bodan never forgave us for what happened in that cave. It made us no different than the ones who killed his wife." He took in a breath and sighed. "I admit, I was tempted to believe it. However, after talking with you and getting a fresh perspective, it's clear that Indrel was wrong."

"Yeah. If he was trying to kill Anum-La, he had a couple of opportunities," Yang pointed out. "When we first met him, he could have asked her aside somewhere and she would have went along. Or he could have waited and killed her in her sleep while we were here at the inn that night. Instead, he sent us to the opposite side of Skyrim."

"Ah, that is all true. Thank you, Companion. Now, do you have any questions for me? I am sure there is much you wish to know."

"Well, for one, who do you think is responsible for these killings?"

"In truth, as of right now, I've decided to stop thinking about it altogether. Indrel's words were poisonous, even though her intentions were noble. The last thing we need is to turn on each other. The assassin will come to us. There is no need to divine who he is."

"I guess so." Yang sighed and brushed her hair back. "Just hate to be the one waiting, you know."

"I understand. While I would prefer a more active approach, there is nothing to be done about it at the moment."

"So…" Yang clicked her tongue in thought. "Anum-La told us some stories. Why…did you accept her into your company?"

"Ah, a good question. I don't know if she mentioned this, but I had sent her invitation to another. She must have found it on a courier, as there was truly no other explanation. Bodan seems to think I chose her as a symbol, to be the one member of the company who was truly…'clean'." The word seemed to leave his mouth awkwardly, as though it were a foreign one. "That is the bard's way of thinking. A swordsman doesn't consider metaphors and the like. The truth is I never expected her to stay. I thought after the first night, she would go scurrying off back into the swamp. Throughout our years together, I kept waiting for her to buckle, waiting for that moment where I would be forced to send her home once and for all." A smile shone on his face, so clear it couldn't hope to be missed by anyone. "But she never did, and I never had to."

Yang smiled as well, remembering the night when she regaled Jorrvaskr with her tale of fighting off those poison spear-wielding attackers. Her heart swelled for a moment, picturing her friend standing against the odds and still coming out on top.

After a companionable moment of silence, Yang cleared her throat.

"So, why did you start up the Honorable Eight, if you don't mind?"

His eyes narrowed in sadness, a glossiness taking over them for a moment.

"To answer that, I must take you back to the Great War." He turned towards the town and leaned against the bannister of the inn's porch. "Before then, most of my experience came in tournaments and the arena. You risked your life, but there were always rules. A knight's code. But war… War is different." The way the life seemed to drain from his face reminded Yang of others, but none of the veterans of that conflict ever looked as…broken as Dalum-Ei looked at that very moment. She began to regret asking him, but soon he was looking back up and across the horizon, as though focusing on some far away point. "The horrors I've seen, I would wish them upon no mortal.

"You learn under all the pomp and pageantry, we truly are nothing more than beasts. Yet, what I couldn't live with was my own guilt. Countless times I chose my loyalty over doing what was right. Those horrors, you see, were mine.

"When the war was over, I vowed to never let loyalty cloud my judgement again. I would do what was honorable, and stay committed to what was right. The Honorable Eight was a company founded on that principle. In war, people chase victory at all costs. Come death or glory, the one thing we would never do is compromise our beliefs."

Yang looked out across the town and tried to imagine what it must have really been like. Skyrim's war was at a standstill, with winter forcing both armies to hold. Remnant had been at peace since before she was born, the closest major conflict having been a single battle on another continent, and the last real war almost beyond living memory. Yet she had seen the men and women who came back from Tamriel's Great War. She saw how their faces seemed to sink into darkness, how some of them were a hair's breadth away from losing it. What horrors could make people who see death on a weekly basis just…break?

Eventually, the two went back inside and helped themselves to a hot supper and warm drinks. Yang laughed and joked with her friends, yet the dead-eyed face stayed at the back of her mind, where it would come up unbidden just enough to keep reminding her.

* * *

The vampire troupe kept walking throughout the night and into the day. Weiss wanted to get back to the castle as quickly as possible, even if it meant not getting any real rest on the way. The vampires didn't actually need any, and the thralls couldn't complain, but their prisoner had to be carried on Ocaduroncarinmarco's back after a while. Natha's childer didn't seem to mind, but the woman herself was nervous about being held in any way by their captors.

"I…hate…the sun," Zoeyvyra groaned under her hood.

"We're almost there," Weiss told her, not feeling nearly as irritable as she expected. "We just have to-"

Something suddenly snatched her up by the ankle and dragged her across the ground. The heiress screamed as she sped along and then went straight upwards. Dizzied from being caught in the trap, Weiss almost missed the figure standing across from where she was strung up.

"What on-" She swung herself out of the way of a weighted chain end that flew towards her face, then grabbed her rapier and sliced the rope holding her aloft. As she fell back to the ground, she straightened herself to land on her feet, but had to dodge a dagger strike meant for her neck. "How are you still alive?"

"I know the healing arts, vampire," the monk ground out while taking a stance. His attention was taken by the incoming force ready to back Weiss, and he scoffed before going into a crouch. "You lived this time, but I will take you down." He jumped towards a tree then pushed off against it towards another, starting him off on a series of jumps that took him higher and further into the forest. Weiss watched him go in confusion as the others all gathered around her.

"What in Oblivion just happened?" Curle Crux asked.

"Nothing, just…crazy people." Weiss sheathed her blade and sighed. "Let's get back to the castle."

* * *

"Ah, and you've arrived victorious I see," Garan greeted the returning force as they entered the main chamber. He looked over their prisoner, who refused to shrink back and stood tall. "Certainly looks like her. Crux, if you would take her to the thrall pens for holding? Let Rargal know she's not to be touched until Lord Harkon sees to her himself."

"Yes sir." The scarred vampire took her chains and led her away from the rest of them. Garan nodded and looked back to Weiss as Kir and the thralls followed their charge.

"Well done. Although, I noticed you seem a little short."

"Vampire hunters appeared. Teres died to them."

"I see. And the other…Sword-Breaker, wasn't it?"

"He disobeyed me, then moved to attack." Weiss wasn't sure if he was actually going to or if he was just planning on posturing, but she had no tears to shed for him when Ocadur put him down.

"And so he's destroyed. At the very least, perhaps others in the future will think twice before going against you." He smirked. "Well then, I shall inform our lord of your success. He will be most pleased. We'll send someone for you should we need anything else."

Weiss nodded and went her own way as he left. Ocadur stopped and kneeled before Natha near the head of the room, but she caught some of their words as she went.

"Did you have fun, my little one?" the ancient vampire asked the Altmer.

"I did as you said. Everything was successful."

"That's good to hear. Well, let's go let your brothers know you're back. Schrubal and Djorni-"

Weiss came up to Serana's room and knocked. Soon, the door was opened, and Giledie sighed in relief at seeing her.

"Th-thank the gods, it's you, M-m-miss Weiss." She ushered her in where Serana was mixing together something in a few vials. The vampire princess smiled and nodded toward her.

"So, everything went…well?" Serana asked, and Weiss put up a muffling spell before allowing herself to relax.

"The Dawnguard sent three of its members, and they ended up fighting us. Teres and Niege are dead, and I'm now a little frightened by some of the things Curle Crux can do. Did you know he can phase through ice?"

"Technically, we can all do that."

Weiss blinked. "Beg your pardon?"

"It's one of our…bloodline powers." She set down the vials and went over to sit on the edge of her bed. "It's how we hunt… Or how we used to hunt. Just hide under the ice in a frozen lake and grab people and yank them down. It was…not difficult, but people have to actually be crossing wherever you're at. Some of us stopped using it too much. Others, like Crux it seems, found different uses for it."

"Like dodging crossbow bolts then pulling your enemy under where they're helpless." Weiss recalled the submerged woman and shivered as she imagined what her final moments would have been like. "Still…"

"Does that mean….I can d-do that?" Gilly asked.

"We all can, but…well, it's like any vampire power. You'd learn it better by seeing it or having a desperate moment. I…wouldn't suggest the latter. So, who was it?"

"Who was who?" Weiss asked, a little confused.

"The Direnni you captured. Did you get a name?"

"Actually…" Weiss paused and thought for a moment, "she never told us her name. We didn't ask either, but we didn't say much of anything to her. I…felt a little odd about it since…" Weiss winced for a moment, then sighed. "Niege tried to rape her."

Gilly gasped so hard she started coughing, while Serana's eyes went wide as saucers.

"I commanded him to stop, he wanted argue, but I wasn't having it. I threatened to kill him if he didn't quit, and I meant it. Well, he jumped up, and Ocadur cut off his head. After that, it was hard not feeling horribly guilty about…what we were doing. Zoeyvyra seemed just as off-put as me about it, if not more, and Crux and Ocadur weren't much for talking anyways, so we were mostly quiet coming back."

"I see," Serana muttered. "Well, good riddance, I say. If he was trying to do it then, he probably did it before and would've done it after. I'm not losing any sleep over him."

"Me neither. I was going to kill him myself. But now, I can't help but be afraid of what'll happen to that woman. Harkon wouldn't have commanded we bring her back alive and unharmed just to do it himself, I don't think. Yet…"

"Tell you what, I'll check on her for you if you need me to. Maybe I can even get her name? Maybe I already know her. Do you think she was around in the First Era, or too young?"

"Oh, far too young. I'm not even sure if she could have seen the Third. If she were from the first she would have some signs of aging."

"Oh, so I'm old now, am I?"

That managed to get a laugh out of Weiss and Gilly. For just a moment, they forgot where they actually were.

* * *

"Yang, wake up! Wake up, Yang!" The blonde blinked her way out of unconsciousness and sat up groggily, looking forward to see a worried Anum-La at the door of her room. "Bodan and Dalum-Ei, they're gone!"

"Wha- what?" Yang shook her head and rubbed her eyes before taking a quick, deep breath. "What do you mean gone?"

"I got up, and they aren't here! I have no idea where they went." The Arogonian started scrambling around as Yang got up to her feet. "They wouldn't have just left without telling anyone or leaving a note. There must be one-"

"Found it," Yang declared while moving one of her Springheel boots off of the dresser, which was certainly not where she left it, and found a piece of paper underneath.

"' _Anum-La,'_ oh, it's for you." When the Argonian didn't reach for it and instead waited, Yang looked back down and kept reading. " _'As I pen this, Dalum-Ei has asked that I join him for a walk. I suspect one of us will not return. In the end, the answer was obvious. He betrayed us because he could no longer betray his ideals.'_ " Yang blinked in confusion as any lingering sleep left her system, then looked at her traveling companion again. Anum-La, for her part, was stock still and staring straight ahead, as though held in place by shock. Undaunted for now, Yang continued reading.

"' _Dalum-Ei once told me, there is no right way to lead. Whether it be by passion, anger, or example, what matters is that you choose a method and stick by it. A leader must stand by his principles just as he must stand by his decisions. Only then will your subordinates respect you. And Dalum-Ei had my respect…as a soldier, as a leader, and as a friend. He never wavered. He always chose the side of honor._

"' _I will leave you with this. That day near Thorn, when Moon-Tail spoke and gave you the strength you needed, it was no secret that I wanted to speak, but nothing more needed to be said. Yet now, as you leave your old company, and perhaps forge a new one, I give you a speech of my own._

"' _I have watched you grow up from a young hatchling,_ " Yang felt her throat threatening to crack, but cleared it as she looked over to her friend to see her nod. Nodding back, she continued, " _'You were the youngest among us, but you were as hearty as Arnwulf, as charming as Elia, as cunning as Moon-Tail, and as fearless as Ula-Wei. You have Indrel's luck and my words, and you are every bit the swordsman as Dalum-Ei. Someday, you will be just as fine a leader."_

Yang let her arms fall as she silently read the rest of the letter. When she finished, she passed it over to Anum-La, who quickly read it over then folded it. Rumarin and Yngvarr had come in to see what was going on, and it seemed they had heard Yang's delivery.

"Bodan…thank you," Anum muttered before looking back up.

"What now?" Rumarin asked, his tone unusually somber.

"We have to move," Yang declared before turning and grabbing her boots. "He could still be alive."

"She's right. If there's a chance we can save Bodan, we have to take it!" the Argonian immediately rushed to get her own gear, soon followed by the others doing the same.

* * *

The four rushed out, following the noses of three of them into the marshes north of Morthal. They leaped over or charged straight through anything in their path, boots kicking up mud and dirt as they did.

"If Dalum-Ei is our foe, then be on your guard," Anum warned them over the stamping of their feet. "He's a master swordsman, a living legend, and a true knight."

"Won't be enough," Yang promised.

Soon, the scent of blood joined that of the two they were tracking, and distressingly, those who could tell realized it was human. They followed and came upon them at an island in a small pond, near where Yang first encountered Anum-La what seemed like ages ago. Bodan was on the ground and leaning against a tree on the islet, deep wounds marking his torso and blood pouring from them. Dalum-Ei was crouched next to him, a bloodied sword in hand.

"Rest easy, my friend," he comforted the dying man. "It'll be over soon. When you reach the other side, give Lillianna my regards."

The Redguard struggled to breathe, but he pressed on. "The day we met…I didn't want to come. But you insisted. You were always right."

The Argonian closed his eyes and turned his head away for a moment. "I wish it felt that way." He looked back to the man, and then stood back up to his full height. "Goodbye, my brother."

The four stopped at the edge of the pond, Anum-La's eyes locked on the dying form of Bodan. The Redguard managed a smile before his breathing quickened, and then went still.

"No!" Anum cried out, causing Dalum-Ei to turn towards them.

"I'm sorry, little hatchling," he said to her. "I know you loved Bodan, as did I."

"Dalum-Ei," she gritted out while drawing her sword and taking a few steps closer, "I stood by you, trusted you… Is this what you call a knight's honor?!"

"I understand your anger. Moon-Tail, Elia, Arnwulf, Ula-Wei, and Bodan… With every loss, a piece of me died with them. Yet I made a vow when I formed the Honorable Eight: to stand by what I believed was right, even if it meant slaying our own." Slowly the volume of his voice grew as he spoke, anger lacing its way further into every word. Yet in his eyes, Yang noticed something she saw in them last night. They were full of grief and pain, the likes of which she couldn't even begin to understand. Especially not if this was what it could lead to. "That is what it means to be a knight! That is the very definition of honor!"

"And I swore my own vow, to protect the lives of my friends, and to never let another innocent die."

"Then stand by your vow, Swamp Knight, as I will mine. Show me my lessons were not in vain."

As Dalum-Ei took a step, Yang and Yngvarr drew their axes while Rumarin began gathering magicka, but Anum-La threw out her hand towards them.

"Stop!" she demanded, freezing everyone in place. "You've all stood by me, all the way to this. I haven't known you all very long, but you have all been good friends and companions. But right now, this battle is mine alone. _I_ have to do this."

"Are you sure you can do this?" Rumarin asked cautiously, keeping his eye on Dalum-Ei across the water.

"There may be honor in taking him on your own, but we don't want to lose you as well," Yngvarr added. Yang looked over to her and saw the steadfast look on her face. She wanted to advise against her facing him alone as well. In her own words, the Argonian was not to be underestimated. He wasn't just a warrior, but a trained knight and soldier.

Yet the feeling in her chest when she saw the grief in his eyes and the blazing fires in Anum's were telling her something. The Huntress lowered her axe and met her friend's gaze.

"Is it still big enough?"

A moment of silence passed, then Anum-La offered a small smile and a nod.

"It is today."

With that, Yang stashed her axe away. "Then go and show us."

The Argonian woman nodded and then went forward, stepping into the shallow water while her former teacher did the same. They stopped several feet away from one another and then began to square up. Anum-La started in an aggressive stance, but then switched over to a more defensive one. Dalum-Ei shifted from a scorpion pose to hold his hilt up and near his cheek, his blade ready to come down. For a frozen minute, they seemed to stay just that way, like painted statues rather than two combatants about to fight to the death.

Dalum-Ei's left leg shifted and his sword tilted ever so slightly, and Anum-La moved in turn.

"For honor!" he cried out before swinging his blade around. Yang felt her breath hitch, but Anum-La stepped under the lightning-quick strike and swung up her own, moving through the water as though it wasn't even there. Dalum's sword came back and knocked it off course, then their blades continued to collide as each sought to cut the other and deny each other's attempts. Their swords sang through the air as mere blurs, then they both jumped back and rushed to meet each other, ending up in a deadlock. Using the weight of his armor and greater strength, Dalum-Ei was easily able to shove Anum-La back, but the female's body went slack as he did, and then she dived backwards into the water.

Yang's mind almost didn't compute what had happened until after Anum-La burst back up in a spray of muddy water, her sword aiming for Dalum's neck. He parried her aside, and she dove back down, but this time he jumped forward and followed her. The two jumped out of the water, Dalum swinging up from below while Anum jumped clear above the water and blocked him as her feet kicked out behind her. As she landed, she readied herself and the two went still again. Neither moved for a long moment, and the swampy waters stilled until a few drops of rain began to drop onto them.

Yang blinked and Dalum's sword was going for Anum's left. She parried it up, then knocked it down before stabbing forward. Dalum twisted out of the way and swung his sword at her legs, but when she blocked, he leaned down and rammed her with his shoulder. Before he stopped himself, she rolled over him and went for a slice at his back, but his tail hooked around her ankle and pulled her off balance. The distraction was minimal, but just enough to allow him to spin around and try to get a hit in that was barely dodged. Anum-La dived backwards and sped through the water, Dalum-Ei right on her tail. Both splashed up, but were back under almost as quickly and the clang of steel meeting steel rang out. Their wakes split and met back where they popped out for a quick exchange, then they dived under again. This time, Dalum leaped out of the water and prepared to stab down, but Anum's wake disappeared. He stood still, waiting as the only disturbance of the water's surface was the slow but steady drops of light rain. His eyes searched the area around him for any signs of his hidden foe.

He flashed around as she burst up from the water and slashed towards her. Anum-La's sword was thrusted up with the force of her jump and her primary arm, only her free arm coming up to defend her body. His blade's edge bit into her arm while hers pierced through him. His eyes widened while her teeth grit, and she pushed her arm even as it was being sliced into, turning his blade away from her just before hers came out from his back.

With a yell, Anum-La landed him against the shore of the pond. The Argonian knight looked at the sword jutting from his chest, then to her. His mouth opened, but no words came. He just continued to look upon her as he drew his last, raspy breaths and slowly closed his eyes. Anum-La caught her breath as her friends came to her side to check on her. Rather than let them fuss over her, the Argonian turned around and walked towards the islet where Bodan's body lay.

"It was a tree like this," she began. "Sitting on a tiny little island. The seven of them were standing there, waiting for the eighth. I marched up to them, lashing my tail against the water. I said 'I heard this company is in need of a true knight. Well, look no further.' They all laughed. All except Dalum-Ei. He walked right up to me, shook my hand, and said 'Welcome.'" She shook her head, but looked back up at the tree. "I don't know if what he did was the honorable thing. But he believed it was, and that's a burden few are willing to bear. Now, having slain him," she began to sob, "I know his pain."

* * *

The rain stopped quickly, the skies clearing up soon after. The four took the time to bring the two dead to the Temple of Arkay, explaining their deaths as the work of bandits. No one questioned it. It made perfect sense to everyone else.

Back at the inn, Yang got herself a mug of mead, but only took a few sips of it before sitting still, holding onto its handle but not moving. Yngvarr managed to finish his own drink, but made no moves to get another. Rumarin didn't even attempt, sitting just off to the side before fiddling around with some coins, cards, and even a sewing needle. Anum-La stayed back at the Temple to oversee her friends' internments, making arrangements to send Bodan's remains back to his home in Hammerfell to be buried next to his wife and Dalum-Ei's to Thorn.

"Yngvarr?" Yang finally managed to get out.

"What is it, lass?" he softly asked her.

"I was thinking… I know I need to head back to the Rift and try to help the Dawnguard…but the Companions also need some help. Do you…want to visit them on the way?"

"Ah, it's been a while." He hummed in contemplation before releasing a deep breath through his nostrils. "Been a while since I've been to Jorrvaskr. Kept putting it off. But now…I think I should see old friends while they're still around to be seen." He set his empty mug down and leaned back. "Yes. We should go by there."

The door opened and allowed Anum-La to walk in. The Argonian came over to their table and sat down along with them, her eyes looking a little puffy, but otherwise she seemed perfectly fine. Even her wound was healed up after a good potion.

"Hey," Yang greeted her. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be alright, traveler. I just needed a moment to say goodbye." She sniffed and scratched at the side of her snout. "For all he did, and all he put me through, I still forgive him. More than that, I understand him. All he ever wanted was to be clean."

"In any case," Yngvarr said as he raised a hand up, letting Jonna know to bring them more, "it is over. Your companions have their peace. We can only fondly remember the fallen."

"Thank you, Yngvarr. I'll do my best to remember them. Moon-Tail for his surprises. Arnwulf for his laugh. Bodan for his wisdom. Ula-Wei for his cunning. And Elia for being the sister I never had. And of course, Dalum-Ei, for taking pity on a little hatchling from the swamp and showing her the way."

Jonna set mugs before Yngvarr and Anum-La. The two then picked and raised them up.

"To companions," she said.

"To companions," Yngvarr agreed just as Yang lifted her own mug.

"To companions."

They smacked the cups together then all took a deep draught of their drinks, each releasing a sigh as they did.

"Speaking of companions," Rumarin spoke up from his spot, "I just realized something. When he was…listing off your friends, he didn't mention Indrel, the Bosmer ranger who apparently sleeps in trees and whatnot."

Anum-La looked at him for a moment and then gasped.

* * *

"Phew, can't believe _two_ trolls took that last one's place," Ruby said as they continued their climb up the mountain.

"They may have eaten that one when they moved in," Lydia responded, more focused on practicing her Semblance. She had managed to reach the point where she was able to move the shield around with her thoughts, though she was far from accurate with it. In pulling back on how much power each new one was given, she also made them last longer, with each produced going for about twenty seconds before fading.

"Yuck!" Ruby stuck her tongue out before they turned towards the monastery. Inside, the place looked almost empty, but Ruby could practically feel where Arngeir and the others were. She followed their presence, soon hearing the crackle of embers in a brazier just before coming upon them all in a meditative pose. The Greybeards all shifted and looked towards the Dragonborn, who waved towards them. Arngeir stood up to his feet and walked over to her.

"Dragonborn. Everything is going well?" he asked politely.

"Mostly. I'm learning more and more of the Thu'um as time goes, but we've got a lot of problems to worry about. First of all, can you tell me about the Shout used to defeat Alduin?"

All of the Greybeards stiffened at that, and Arngeir's smile instantly faded away.

"Where did you learn of that? Who have you been talking to?"

"It was on Alduin's Wall."

"The Blades! Of course," he immediately deduced before Ruby even got to that part. "They specialize in meddling in matters they barely understand. Their reckless arrogance knows no bounds. They have always sought to turn the Dragonborn from the path of wisdom. Have you learned nothing from us? Would you simply be a tool in the hands of the Blades, to be used for their own purposes?"

"I'm not going to be a tool, and they aren't just using me," she defended. "They want to stop Alduin. Don't you?"

"What I want is irrelevant. This Shout was used once before was it not? And here we are again. Have you considered that Alduin was not meant to be defeated? Those who overthrew him in ancient times only postponed the day of reckoning, they did not stop it. If the world is meant to end, so be it. Let it end and be reborn."

Ruby could only stare forward, flabbergasted at what she had just heard. Her hands tightened for a moment, but then went slack.

"So that's it then?" she sighed with a small drop of her arms. "You're giving up? You're not going to help me?"

"No. Not now. Not until you return to the path of wisdom."

"Arngeir," Einarth butted in, his voice shaking the building around them, "Rok los Dovahkiin, Strundu'ul. Rok fen tinvaak Paarthurnax." For a moment, Arngeir looked downcast, then turned back to Ruby.

"Dragonborn...wait. Forgive me. I was...intemperate. I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgement. Master Einarth reminded me of my duty. The decision whether or not to help you is not mine to make."

"So you'll teach me the Shout?" Ruby asked, hopeful.

"No. I cannot teach it to you because I do not know it. It is called 'Dragonrend,' but its Words of Power are unknown to us. We do not regret this loss. Dragonrend holds no place within the Way of the Voice."

"Wait, you don't know it? What's so bad about it, anyways?"

"It was created by those who had lived under the unimaginable cruelty of Alduin's Dragon Cult. Their whole lives were consumed with hatred for dragons, and they poured all their anger and hatred into this Shout. When you learn a Shout, you take it into your very being. In a sense, you become the Shout. In order to learn and use this Shout, you will be taking this evil into yourself."

Ruby was taken aback by this, but thought back to her discovery of every Word of Power she had learned so far. It seemed so…trivial each time, but there were changes. Changes that might have seemed like natural growth to an outside observer, or even to herself. Suddenly, she understood why the Greybeards wanted her to learn of her own accord over a period of time rather than just list out every Shout and have her cram it all in a matter of days, if not hours.

"I…" Taking a deep breath, she steeled her resolve. "Still, I need to know it. I _have_ to defeat Alduin. But if none of you know the Shout…where could I possibly learn it?"

"Only Paarthurnax, the master of our order, can answer that question, if he so chooses."

"Yeah, you told me about him before. Can we…go and get him?"

"He lives in seclusion on the very peak of the mountain. He speaks to us only rarely, and never to outsiders. Being allowed to see him is a great privilege. Only those whose Voice is strong can find the path." Arngeir looked to his brothers and they all seemed to share a silent conversation. "Your Voice is strong, Dragonborn. There's no denying that. But, this shall be a test of sorts, to ensure you are ready. The Shout to reach Paarthurnax is 'Clear Skies'. If you can learn the first Word of Power on your own, then we shall teach you the rest, and you shall be able to clear the path on your own.

"Clear Skies," Ruby muttered before nodding. "And then I'll be ready? All right, but… Well, there's more. Concerning dragons, at least. Someone else put me on the path to solving a…dilemma with some Magne-Ge."

"There have been loud whispers on the wind, though we also heard a Voice Shouting over some of these whispers, of the Children of Magnus. Perhaps you can enlighten us?"

"Basically, the Dark Archon wants to destroy the world. He tried to get me to join him, but I told him there was no way. Then he sent a dragon after me, Biidurvul, who seemed to have joined him and gotten some freaky dark Magne-Ge powers. We fought, but he got away."

"It's not unheard of for dragons to join or make deals with other powers aside from Alduin or an aspect of Aka, but this is the first I've ever heard of a dragon siding with an Orphan of the Stars. I would not discount there being more dragons, and mortals as well, following this Dark Archon."

"Not good," Ruby figured. "Very not good. So, what did he mean when he said they were going to 'uncoil' Akatosh?"

"Oh… By the Gods, are you certain that's what he said?"

"Well, he called him Bormahu, which is-"

"Dragonborn, what do you know of the creation of the world?"


	64. Trailing the Trials

Sorry, this took longer than normal. Lots of stuff happened, like me getting C.R.U.D. Amongst other depressing matters. I thank xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for their support. Hopefully, I can pick the pace back up closer to how it used to be soon.

* * *

 _5_ _th_ _of Evening Star_

* * *

 _It's finally done. I'm leaving my homeland, long after it had ceased to feel like home. I'm leaving behind my two daughters, who I could never call my own. As far as they know, they are the daughters of their father's wife. Just as well, I hope they are happy and that they never know. But first, I wish to write down my tale, in the words of our old tongue that my mother first taught me._

 _My name is Ellemhes, but the Men called me Ell, elf, or slave. I was told I was a half-blood of Man and Mer, but to them, I would always be an elf. Where others were made to work and toil, the man who bought me saw my beauty and thus fancied me. Compared to others, I have lived comfortably. As they wasted away in quarries, mines, and fields, I cleaned the house that I lived in, warm by the hearth as they froze. Sometimes my master took me to his bed. I hated it for a long time, wishing they would just take me out and bury me beneath the walls of their city as my brothers had been. Yet I was always told to live. Even as they passed by with their ribs threatening to tear through their skin, they always told me to stay. To live long and be happy._

 _My master had a wife who, at first, was disgusted by me. But after some time, she saw my use in keeping the house clean, cooking, and performing other household duties. Then things changed drastically when I was with my first child. For a short time, there was a fury. She could not bear children, yet there I was with her husband's child. But then she visited a priestly man and her fury was gone. My first daughter was born, looking for all the world like a child of Man. They gave her a Nordic name and called her their own. I was to be but a wet-nurse to my own child, who I would never be able to call mine. The same thing happened with my second daughter, and both times a part of me felt as though it had died inside. They called her mother and me by my name, if not just seeing me as an elf. I was as much their property as their father's, and it broke my heart every day._

 _My master died last week, years after his wife had parted. My child decided to do me what she sees as a kindness, and has made a deal with one of our Chimeri kin across the Velothi. I'm to be sold to one of their houses. The deal was made yesterday, and now I'm being led across to this new land, away from all the Nords and their bitterness. Away from the snowy land that should be red rather than white._

 _But they are happy. My two daughters who will never know the truth. Already they have husbands, and one has a child of her own coming. I want this to be my last memory of them, of them both smiling at me happily as I leave. Of them imagining their nanny having a happy future among other elves._

 _I don't know where I am going, but it doesn't matter anymore. Their smiles are all that matters now, and I will always have them._

Blake set the page down and then dropped her hands onto the table while staring forward. The page had been a translation of what was known as Ellemhes' Note, which had been displayed in a Dunmer museum for thousands of years, along with what the people she had told about wrote down. While people knew the general idea of the text, no one ever made a complete translation, until Enthir did it just now with a copy of the famous note as a form of 'practice'. It was exhausting and mind-numbing at times, taking hours of grueling work just to decipher one page, yet in the end, Blake felt it was worth it. Much had been learned from the endeavor, which she knew historians would cherish for years to come. At the same time, she couldn't help but note the parallels between Ellemhes' tale and similar ones from back home, ones where Faunus slaves were with child from their human masters. They usually didn't end as 'happily' as Ellemhes' did.

As Blake sat back and looked forward with a numb feeling in her mind, she took out her scroll and checked it for any updates. Nothing had come from anyone so far, so she let her arm back down and pocketed it again. She then turned her attention back towards Enthir and Karliah. While Blake herself had been working on deciphering Ellemhes' Note - separately from Enthir's practice, in case she might need to use this skill in the future -, the Bosmer worked on translating Gallus' journal. He had only recently finished, and now he and the Dunmer thief were poring over its contents with a fine-toothed comb.

"Hmm. This is intriguing," she heard Enthir say from where he was working, "but highly disturbing. It appears that Gallus had suspicions about Mercer Frey's allegiance to the Guild for months prior to his assassination. He had begun to uncover what he calls an '...unduly lavish lifestyle replete with spending vast amounts of gold on personal pleasures.' The specifics are...quite sordid, if I must say."

"Does the journal say where this wealth came from?" Karliah asked him, having stopped her pacing to listen to him.

"Yes. Gallus seemed certain that Mercer had been removing funds from the Guild's treasury without anyone's knowledge."

Blake filed that little bit of information away at the back of her mind. Her thoughts drifted back to when she, Brynjolf, M'rissi, Inigo, and that Argonian stole from Volgahrotru. Now that her mind was no longer clouded by his Semblance, she could see that Mercer was eyeing the gold with a particular glint in his eye. Something told her that, if Mercer had indeed been stealing from the Guild back when Gallus was still in charge, he undoubtedly still did.

 _'Might be a way to show proof,'_ she thought.

"Anything else, Enthir? Anything about…the Nightingales?" Karliah asked tepidly. Blake still had no real idea of what Nightingales were. The most she could figure out - from a book titled _Nightingales: Fact or Fiction_ and not from the annoyingly reclusive elf herself - was that they were a secret sect of super thieves renowned across the entire continent.

"Hmm." Enthir hummed to himself while trailing his finger across the page. "Ah yes, here it is. The last few pages seem to describe 'the failure of the Nightingales' although it doesn't go into great detail. Gallus also repeatedly mentions his strong belief that Mercer desecrated something known as the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Shadows preserve us. So, it's true..." the Dunmer woman muttered.

"I'm not familiar with the Twilight Sepulcher. What is it? What's Mercer Frey done?" Enthir asked, mildly concerned, but Karliah shook her head.

"I'm sorry Enthir, I can't say. All that matters is we deliver your translation to the Guild immediately." Karliah then smiled warmly and bowed. "Farewell, Enthir... Words can't express..."

Enthir, still seated, waved her off. "It's alright, Karliah. You don't have to say a word." He handed over the book after letting the ink dry, and Karliah looked through it once more before stashing it away.

"Now then, we don't have any time to lose. Let's get back to Riften," she said to Blake before walking out of the room and down towards the exit of the College. Blake shared a look with Enthir, and the Bosmer sighed.

"Listen, all I want is the truth to be revealed to the Guild. They respected Karliah, and she deserves better. Do whatever you can and I'd consider it a personal favor."

She nodded and smiled. "Don't worry about it. We've got this. And…thanks."

"It was no problem." Enthir smiled. "And hey, if you're ever in Winterhold and need something…discreetly acquired or sold, just look for me."

The Faunus shook her head as she took after the Dunmer woman, but paused as her scroll began to vibrate. Enthir looked confused once he heard the strange (to him) sound, but Blake merely pulled the device out to see that it was Ruby who was calling her. Smiling despite herself, Blake answered the scroll and brought it up to her head.

"Hello, Ruby. Anything come up?"

* * *

A few minutes into the conversation, which mostly consisted of simple status updates on both Ruby's and Blake's end, Yang managed to join the conversation. She told them that Anum-La had decided to stay in Morthal following the incident with her former leader, and now she was heading back to Whiterun to meet with the Companions. Weiss, understandably in her teammates' eyes, was unable to join them due to her currently being embedded in Castle Volkihar, but her presence was no less felt.

"Alright, so now that we're all here, we can talk about why I called," Ruby started, bringing everyone's attention to her. "I received another letter from Capric earlier today, telling me about how a dragon has gone missing in the Pale. The problem is that, by the time I got the letter and could feasibly head back down, any trail I might have been able to find will have gone cold."

"Is the dragon dangerous?" Yang asked. She remembered that Weiss had mentioned something about how a group of thralls possibly fought against a dragon while she was on her mission in the Pale, one that she managed to 'successfully accomplish', and she wondered if the two were interconnected.

"No, apparently he mostly kept to himself. The problem is that we have no idea why he's gone, and I'm unable to go down and find out why."

"Because of the distance, or the time it took to get the letter to you?" Yang pointedly asked, and Ruby sighed and nodded.

"Both. Remember how I got the letter about Horvutokinah burning up the White Shore and teleported to Whiterun? Even though we were there almost instantly, much of the damage was already done. Which is why, after Weiss forwarded me the schematics, I made this." Ruby then held up a rectangular laptop-like device. It was silver in color, with a grand soul gem embedded into its center. Opening it up revealed a crude glass screen on one half of the device, while the bottom stand contained a rudimentary speaker, microphone, and keyboard. "It's the latest version of Weiss' communicators. I made two of them, one that will stay here with the Greybeards, the other I'm sending to Capric with Lydia."

"You're sending Lydia on her own?" Blake asked, still somewhat apprehensive about handing Capric such a sensitive piece of technology. Apparent ally or not, he was still a Thalmor, one that rubbed her the wrong way.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, she's gotten pretty good with her Aura and Semblance. Plus, I can't really leave at the moment. Either way, I trust her."

Blade nodded in agreement with that assessment. The housecarl had undoubtedly proven herself these past few months, to the point where she could consider Lydia the unofficial fifth member of team RWBY. Still, she couldn't help but press caution.

"You sure you want him to have that?"

Ruby, understanding Blake's concern, nodded. "I already know the oath I want him to make. Pretty straightforward and no loopholes to exploit. He can't share the technology without one of us directly giving him permission to do so. If he tries, Malacath will drag him to the Ashpit." Ruby then paused and blinked at the ease with which she just explained how a demon god would, essentially, drag someone into what was ostensibly a form of Hell.

"At least he'll be able to get that dragon info to you quicker," Yang figured. "If the White Shore was more populated than it was, who knows how many people that jackass dragon could have killed before we ever heard about it."

"Yeah. Plus, now that I think about it, he might've been able to teleport with us," Ruby mused.

"If he's as good a mage as Blake described him being, it really would have been useful," Lydia agreed. "At the very least, we might have not been so cornered."

"Yeah. A good mage," Blake muttered under her breath. She then looked up to see Karliah looking in from outside with both of their horses, and with a sigh, Blake waved at her. "Guys, Karliah's looking at me like Weiss after one of us takes too long to do homework. I gotta go. Tell me if anything comes up."

"Will do. See ya', Blakey," Yang replied, as did Ruby and Lydia. Blake then hung up and pocketed the scroll, wrapped her furs around herself, and stepped outside into the harsh Winterhold air. She shivered for a brief moment before hopping on top of Patches, taking the reins from Karliah.

"We should be able to get to Riften in a few days' time. You sure Brynjolf will let us in?" Karliah asked, and Blake nodded as they began to trot away.

"Yes. I have no guarantees the rest of the Guild will listen, but at the very least he will. Besides, I think I may have a way to convince everyone about what Mercer's done."

* * *

Weiss flipped through the yellowed pages of the old journal. Valerica Harkon seemed to have been both an expert enchanter and alchemist, especially for her time. The different concoctions she had developed were quite wondrous, and her particular enchanting technique had allowed Weiss to increase the power output of her own works by a fair amount. Now her 'Semblance Rings' could actually pack a decent punch, and be used more than just a handful of times before running out of magicka. Of course, these were secondary and side effects to what Weiss and Serana's real goal was: to find out what happened to her.

"What about under Solitude?" Serana asked. "I know there were some places under the streets there that she could hide."

"Doubtful. There was a recent…incident concerning a necromancer trying to come back to life. A friend of mine went through those catacombs. While she ran into a few vampires, she defeated them all and found that they were, and I quote, 'not nearly as tough to beat as that draugr with the scythe'."

The vampire princess let out a beleaguered sigh and laid down onto her bed. "Damn it all. She couldn't have left any real clues?"

"Well, to be fair to her, anything we might find your father could have found… And something tells me she wouldn't want him finding where she's been all this time."

"Yeah, that's…true, I suppose."

"At l-least we're learning together," Gilly offered from where she was reading through some books. "I f-f-figured out how to s-summon a…Cold-flame Atronach." She demonstrated the spell, screwing her eyes closed in concentration as she did. After several seconds of building up the magic, she released it, and a feminine spirit seemingly composed of blue fire and blackened stone appeared. Gilly smiled brightly at her success as Weiss felt the being seemingly sucking up the heat from the room, then it faded away.

"Ehehe, I can't k-k-k-keep it up for very long, th~ough," the girl explained while awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck.

"Still, that was very impressive," Weiss complimented her.

"Reminds me of that horse-shaped summon she'd bring up for riding," Serana added. "Might've been based on that, what with how the structure of an atronach can change depending on the needs and whims of the summoner."

The heiress actually found that quite curious. Just as Weiss was getting ready to begin discussing the techniques of summoning with Serana, a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Serana said as she sat up. A thrall then opened the door and bowed to them.

"Good evening, mistresses. Lady Natha requests your presence in the main hall."

"Natha? What does she want?" The thrall could offer no answer but a shrug. Serana sighed and stood up. "I'll be there in a minute. Guess I have to do this sooner rather than later."

As the thrall left, Weiss looked at Serana inquisitively. "Sooner rather than later?"

"I knew Natha from…before. She's one of the few still around from all that time ago. I wouldn't say we were close, but…you know. I was the princess. She was the daughter of one of the Thanes. We knew each other by name and all. Still, it's a little strange, knowing what I know. I saw her as an actual little girl. I would have seen her grow up, but…"

"She became a v-vampire," Gilly finished for her.

"Yeah. It's…not something I really ought to talk about. Let's just go and see what she wants." With that, the three vampire women walked out of the room, locking it behind them, and then headed towards the main hall. Many vampires were enjoying their 'breakfast' at this time, but Natha was seated away from most of the others with her childers alongside her. She waved them over and they sat across from her, Weiss ending up in front of Ocadur, who was calmly eating.

"So, you wanted something?"

"Mostly just to show you something, but it may take a moment. Don't worry, though. It's worth it." She smiled brightly at them, then looked over to Weiss. "I heard you might have gotten an admirer. How is that for you?"

The heiress' eye twitched at the memory coming forth.

* * *

"Maybe I could clean your room for you? I could wash all your clothes? Ooh, yes! Please, let me do that," the man practically begged Weiss. She contemplated throwing him out of the nearby window but then decided that the window had done nothing to deserve such treatment.

"For the last time, I don't need you to do anything for me."

"Surely there's something, my lady. I can be of most use to you if you'd just let me."

* * *

"It was sickening."

"That doesn't sound _so_ bad," Serana commented.

"H-h-he was looking at her like…a starving animal," Gilly explained. "I think he started d-drooling at some point."

"Between your fair appearance and the power and dominance you've displayed, you've quickly become the sort of master many weaker vampires wish to have," Natha explained before putting her hands together and resting her chin on them. "Hm, but whatever did happen to him?"

"I finally figured out a way to get him away from me. I sent him to gather ingredients. And I gave him a very…long list."

"Twenty pounds of troll fat. Five preserved skeever tails. Twenty deathbell blossoms," Gilly listed off as examples.

"I don't think deathbells are in season," Serana pointed out.

"Well, I did tell him not to return without _everything_ , or I would be displeased. So that should get him out from under my feet for a good long while."

"Or we'll all be lucky and he'll die and never be seen again. He wasn't even-" Natha stopped as she looked out the corner of her eye, then everyone else followed her gaze and saw Harkon coming. All the vampires stood and bowed to him, and the lord of the castle waved his hand to set them at ease.

"Good evening," he said towards their table. "Serana, I'm happy to see you out of your room. How has everything been?"

"Just getting used to the times. Figuring out there's been not one, but _three_ empires out of Cyrodiil was pretty surprising."

"Yes, they were quite the events. Ah, and dear Weiss." The Huntress felt his eyes upon her. There was a discomfort, but not the same as when Talia or that annoying man tried to undress her with their eyes. This gaze was far more bestial. It was more akin to a predator taking its time to assess whether something was worthy as prey or not. "I hope you have rested well. There is a new mission coming, and we'll need all able hands for it."

"I'm ready to go at a moment's notice, my lord," she answered him with a respectful nod of her head.

"Good, good. I'll let you all know once it's ready. Then…we'll be so much closer." He began to walk away, heading downstairs and beyond their sights. The vampires all sat back down, and Natha released a sigh first.

"Well, looks like he's visiting the lady elf," she said before taking a sip of her red drink. Her Orcish childer made a grunt and gestured to the side, indicating a vampire man who had just come in. Natha smirked and watched him from the corner of her eyes. Weiss looked over to him and recognized him as the one who had been planning to 'have' a little girl for 'dinner' some nights ago. He practically snarled towards them, arrogance and disdain all over his face.

A thrall brought him a dish with a sort of pie on, which he took and sat down with before digging into. A few moments later, he grimaced and forcefully swallowed his bite before looking back for the thrall, who was now gone. He made a retching noise and shoved the pie away, gaining a few laughs from his fellows.

"What is it? Not to your taste?"

"It's disgusting! Tastes like…rotten meat!" One of them sniffed it and then lurched back before chuckling again.

"Maybe they got you an old pie?"

"I don' know, still warm. Had to have been just cooked," another pointed out as he prodded it with a fork. "Well, hang on." He twisted the utensil and brought out something. The vampire grabbed it and then wiped it off, revealing a square-shaped piece of metal. "Groggil?"

"Wait, isn't Groggil the name of your death hound?" someone asked before everyone began looking at the meat pie. The one who had received it went still and wide-eyed as he looked at it, grasping his mouth before shooting up to his feet. For a second, he seemed to just stand there in horror, then grabbed the name tag from his fellow before looking around frantically and started to briskly walk away.

"Groggil? Groggil?!" he started shouting as he went down the halls. "GROGGIL?!"

Gilly, Weiss, and Serana were all silent and frozen as they saw the man run away while beginning to tear up. Some of the vampires seemed to empathize with him, others were actually laughing. In Natha's case, she had a wide smile on her face.

"Did… Did you…?" Weiss began to ask, disgust and horror seeping into her voice.

"I did say, dearie, that I don't care for being insulted." She took another sip of her drink, her smile never leaving her face.

* * *

"Wait, the bear was seriously as big as a mammoth?" Yang questioned with incredulity as the trio passed by Whiterun's walls, still in the process of being reconstructed.

"A small mammoth, I'll admit," Yngvarr answered. "All the same, I never saw one that big, and haven't seen one that big since. Valenwood is home to some truly terrifying creatures."

"Well at least they don't have rhinos, furry or otherwise," Rumarin commented. "If I have to climb up another tree to avoid one of those…"

"Wait, where'd you see a furry rhino?" If Rumarin was talking about what she thought he was, then that meant that Tamriel had woolly rhinos alongside mammoths, mastodons, and saber-toothed cats.

"Ah, you mean the neshorn? Yes, those can be pretty dangerous. Luckily, they mostly stay out in eastern Haafingar for most of the year, but we might see them coming into the tundra looking for food. A lot rarer than they used to be in the old days, unfortunately. I fear they might go the way of the unicorns."

"Honestly, that might be for the best," Rumarin commented disdainfully. "At least unicorns were magical and useful. Rhinos just want to spear you with their ridiculously long horns or stamp you flat."

"Hey now, being defensive is no reason to drive something extinct," Yang argued. "Woolly rhinos have as much right to live as you or me."

"Okay, but if the choice comes down to them or me-"

"Thane Yang!" the three heard from the side and turned to see Valdimar waving to them. "Good to see you!"

"Hey, Vald. Meet my buds, Yngvarr and Rumarin. Guys, this is Valdimar, my housecarl."

"A warm hello to you," Yngvarr said to the man with a bright smile.

"And you as well. I suppose you're back home for a time?"

"For a little while, I guess," Yang answered with a shrug. "We're gonna rest up our riding legs and talk with the Companions for a bit." Guards nodded their heads as they passed through the gates. "More than a few things happened while I was gone."

As she caught Valdimar up with some of the recent happenings, they dropped off their things at Breezehome and then made their way up to Jorrvaskr. The mead hall was rather quiet when they entered, but some of the older members started looking over and saw the big man behind Yang, and talk began erupting.

"Yngvarr?! Is that you?!"

"You massive beast! I haven't seen you in an age!"

"By Shor, when's the last time you had that thing trimmed!"

Yang saw Kodlak come up and smile brightly when he saw the man. He walked right over and clasped his arm before pulling him into a hug, the two old men laughing as they embraced.

"Here I thought I was going to pass on before I ever got to see you again," the Harbinger said as they separated.

"Well, part of me didn't want to ever come down. Luckily, I came across a young warrior who gave me the little shove I needed to get out again." He patted Yang's shoulder, and Kodlak beamed at her. "And what's this I see? Is that Aela Blackblade? Couldn't be. She doesn't come up to my knees."

"I was nearly grown when you left, you old codger," the woman said mirthfully as she crossed her arms and smiled. Yang then saw the twins come up from the lower level and saw them pause in their steps when they caught sight of the big man.

"Is that…?" Vilkas began.

"Uncle Yngvarr?" Farkas asked.

"Boys, look at you both!" The werebear walked over to the two men and then wrapped them both in a hug before lifting them off of their feet, armor and all. "Does an old man good to see the next generation growing strong."

"Right… Can I…breathe now?" Farkas asked as he tried to wriggle loose. Yngvarr let them both go and laughed heartily before patting their shoulders and then pulling them to his sides.

"Oh, I bet you both got some stories to tell! In fact, I bet everyone does."

"We certainly do," Kodlak told him. "And I think you might have one or two to share as well."

"Ah, nothing too recent. Unless you want to count when I came down with the fury of Shor on some vampires attacking a pair of fair maidens."

"That was me and Anum-La," Yang inserted.

"What, you contesting the fair or the maiden thing?" Torvar asked with a laugh, only to receive a punch across his jaw a second later.

* * *

"So, right now, Sorine should be on her way to Fort Dawnguard. Last letter I got about Gunmar said he was heading towards Mixwater Mill. I sent a message to him, so hopefully he either heads over to the fort or at least waits for me." Yang then released a sigh. "Unfortunately, last I heard from Weiss, our attempt to stop the Volkihar from getting that woman failed. I don't know if the Dawnguard guys did their own thing or if it was just bad timing, but they were killed and the vampires got her."

"What do we know about this woman, other than that she's a member of the Direnni clan?" Vilkas asked.

"Honestly, that's about it. Though Weiss' message mentioned that the master vampire sent some thralls to do something about a dragon that was in roaring distance. I didn't think nothing of it at first. Maybe he wanted dragon pieces, or he was making a deal with him? Then my sister got a letter from a guy monitoring dragons saying that one in that same area just went missing."

"Did they kill it?" Farkas asked.

"I don't know, but I think that would have been mentioned if it were the case."

"So, the vampires got their prisoner, and now something to do with a dragon," Kodlak mused while stroking his beard. "Not good. We were already at a great disadvantage, even combining our forces."

"What about the mage college?" Vilkas tried. "We could get them to help, surely?"

"No doubt, but the Volkihar still have twice as much as whatever we can get," Yang pointed out. "And that's if the college brought all their novices along. Doesn't even factor in their terrain advantage."

"What about the other vampires?" Farkas asked, causing heads to turn towards him. "The, uh, Duskfall guys?"

"Hm, well, that _would_ work…" Yang figured. "Buuuuut…"

"I highly doubt the Dawnguard would want to work alongside vampires, even if they are helping against a far worse coven," Kodlak concluded. "Besides, most of them live in relative peace. They are more thinkers than warriors. Asking for their help should be a last resort."

"So, our best course right now would be to move forward," Yngvarr concluded. "See if Yang's friend can't undermine them from within, and if the Dawnguard can't come up with a solution."

"Looks like it is. Well then, no point thinking ourselves to death over it." Kodlak stood up and stretched. "Let's get ready for supper. They were putting on salmon last I smelled."

"Ooh, yes!" the werebear beamed as he and Vilkas followed the Harbinger from out of the room. Yang was about to go after them, but Farkas waved her over.

"Hey, Yang. I need to…tell you something."

"What's up, man?" she asked him as the other three left them behind.

"It's about…Aela and what she's planning." Farkas looked and sounded worried, immediately putting Yang on edge and causing her to sigh.

"She didn't try running off to something on her own again, did she?"

"No, no. She's bringing me and Vilkas with her, but…she's purposefully leaving Kodlak out. I think she was going to ask you to come…but she hasn't yet."

"Okay. What is she doing?"

* * *

"Aela!" Yang called out as she approached the woman practicing her aim out back. The Companion turned towards her with a smile as she lowered her bow and let her stance loose.

"Hello, Yang. Is everything all right?"

"It can be," Yang replied tersely, staring deep into the Companion's eyes. "Farkas told me about your plan."

Aela's eyes went wide and then she breathed in deeply. "I know what I'm doing."

"I'm not saying you don't. Trust me, I see how big of an opportunity it is." The huntress' brow went up at that and Yang shook her head. "How did you even learn about the Silver Hand's leaders gathering anyways?"

"Ran into one that begged for his life. When we asked what he could possibly offer us, he told us about the meeting. I didn't believe it at first, so I brought it up with another Hand, and he got worried and started demanding I tell him who the traitor was. Of course, I didn't. I've been quietly looking around, and I found where their meeting place is."

"And you're sure nothing ever got back to them?"

"Dead men tell no tales."

Yang paused for a moment, then awkwardly scratched her neck. "And you're sure it's not a trap?"

"If it is, then it's being set up perfectly. Everything I've listened in on points to it being a real meeting. They've actually tried setting up bait _away_ from it."

"Well, all right then. Still, I do have one problem with this," the blonde said while holding up a finger. "You've been keeping Kodlak out of the loop."

Aela sighed and averted her gaze from the other woman for a moment. Yang stood in place and patiently waited for her to turn back to her.

"Look, he's an old soul. Whatever he might say, we can all tell. He's tired of fighting. And he's starting to get scared _for_ the rest of us."

"It's because he cares," Yang quickly shot in. Aela was about to say more, but Yang raised up a hand. "Look, you know as good as I do that he's not going to make you stay here if you want to go out and fight. He said it himself to me when I joined; he's not really in charge. He just guides the Companions. He can't forbid you from going out and doing your own thing. And even if he wanted to, how would he stop you?"

A moment of silence stretched between them, then Aela released a sigh and nodded.

"Fine. We'll talk to him about it. But no matter what he says, I'm doing this. This could be our chance to really cut the head off the snake. No more culling them like rats in a cellar. We could finally be rid of them once and for all."

Yang nodded. "As long as we're on the same page."

* * *

The blonde made her way down towards Kodlak's room, seeing him sitting on a chair just outside of his door and reading through a book. He looked up at her as she approached and offered a smile before closing the tome and setting it down.

"Everything good?" she asked while taking a seat across from him.

"I believe so, yes. Thank you, for convincing Aela to speak to me. I was afraid of her bottling everything up since…Skjor's death." The older man took a deep breath and shook his head. "She took it harder than most. Lately, I have been afraid that every time she left the city it would be the last time."

"Yeah. I was afraid of her doing something too."

"I wasn't just fearful for her life, but for her mind and soul as well," Kodlak explained. "People leave the Companions all the time. Some are more like Yngvarr, always a part of us, but away for a long, long time. Some are very detached from the rest of us, and only come in to join their shield-siblings occasionally. Some leave us forever. And many times I have felt like it was partly my own fault."

"Hey, don't get yourself down like that," Yang gently told him. "Everyone's got their own course in life, ya'know. You can only really give them advice and tips." She then snapped her fingers. "Ah, that's it! You're like a counselor."

"Hm, certainly sounds right. But you must admit, the title of Harbinger sounds far more grand."

The two lightly laughed for a moment before sitting in a companionable silence, listening to the crackle of fire in the room next to them and the din of people above. After a minute, Yang shifted in her seat and looked to Kodlak again.

"So, about Aela's idea…"

"While I must advise caution, I can see the merit of her plan. The Silver Hand…" Kodlak sighed deeply.

"They've been hurting you guys for a long time."

"Something…that is partly my fault."

Her eyes went wide at that, and the old man leaned forward and rested his elbows onto his knees.

"I didn't tell you the whole tale. Back when we were still unknown to the Silver Hand, there was a capable young warrior among the Companions. He was skilled, bright, and an all-around good man. There was so much promise in him. I was willing to promote him to the Circle, and everyone else agreed that he had earned it. But…when we revealed what we really were…" He sighed again. "At the time, we were unwilling to let someone become a member of the Circle without the Beastblood, but when I saw how hostilely he rejected it, I rethought our stance. Just when I was ready to convince everyone that it was no longer necessary, I found that he had left us. No notice, no notes, nothing. It was only a couple of weeks after that that the Silver Hand began targeting us."

Yang blinked a few times, then looked down at the floor. "He betrayed you guys?"

"Perhaps. I never saw him again after he left us, but the timing of events certainly points to it. But even if he did, it was I who gave him the secret. I told him before he was ready. Perhaps he would have never been ready."

Yang shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. If they didn't learn it from him, they might have found out on their own eventually. Or someone else would have spilled it."

Kodlak just nodded and gave her a brief smile. "I suppose you were planning to join Aela on this hunt."

"You got me. Honestly, if this does finish them off, then that's a huge burden off of our backs. I trust those three, but I'd like to be there to at least make sure it goes down all right."

"Yngvarr's already offered to go with them."

"Oh damn. Then it really is good as done. No way can the Silver Hand _bear_ it." The two laughed at that. "How about you?"

"Sorry, but…not this time. I'm not as young as I once was, and even Yngvarr's kept a hold on some of his young spirit. Battle like that…"

"It's cool. You don't need to excuse yourself to me, Kodlak."

"Thank you, Yang. I just don't want people thinking I've lost my nerve, or that I've grown afraid."

"Well, I don't think that. You just gotta move on your own time."

"I suppose. Doesn't sound a little selfish, does it?"

"Nah. Even if it was, we're all allowed to be a little selfish from time to time. Can't live for everyone else."

He chuckled at that. "No, I suppose not."

* * *

Blake woke up with a slight start and an intense sting in her chest. She groaned in agony for a moment while turning over, clutching at the scar. Her breathing slowly evened out, but there was still a dull ache in her chest.

' _Damn,'_ she thought to herself. It wasn't the first time the scar had such a sudden flare of pain, but it was definitely the most intense so far. Part of Blake wished that they could stay in the sprouting village of Onsen a little longer, if just to soak in the hot springs and let it ease the pain in her body. However, they were in more than a hurry. When Karliah came into the room to check on her, Blake was already up and getting ready.

"We should be able to leave by the time the sun nears the tree line," the Dunmer woman said. "Did you rest well?"

"As well as someone running against the clock to stop their attempted murderer could."

"Sorry. Once we're at Riften, things will finally be straightened out for you."

"Hopefully." Once Blake was dressed for the weather, they headed out and towards the stables. As they neared the edge of the settlement, a whoosh of air was felt above them, followed by a small shaking of the ground. The two turned to see Vulgahrotru, his head just a few meters away from them.

" **Hello again, little thief,"** he greeted Blake.

"Hey…you," she said nervously before clearing her throat. "Sorry again about robbing you."

"Wait, what?" Karliah asked in bewilderment, but Volgahrotru ignored her as he gently waved his wing around in a light circle.

" **Hm, it is over now. What's that mortal phrase? A bridge over water?"**

"Water under the bridge?"

" **Ah, an apt metaphor then. Just as the water flows under the bridge, then past it, and forever remains beyond the bridge, these events have passed us both and are long gone. There is no need for us to dwell on it any further."**

Blake raised an eyebrow and then shrugged. "If you say so."

The dragon nodded at her, then narrowed his eyes knowingly. **"Yet, I sense you are in a hurry. There is something of importance going on?"**

"You could say that." Blake nodded while placing her hands to her hips. "Man tried to kill me over secrets and treasure. We're going to stop him."

The dragon laughed. **"Then I hope you fight him with at least half of the vigor you used against me. Tell your other thieving friends that Vulgahrotru sends them greetings."** He then turned in a leap and took to the air, flying above the village, the foothill, and then over the craggy lands. The two went back to their goal, though Karliah eyed Blake for a moment.

"What was that about? You _robbed_ a dragon?"

"It's a long story. And possibly partly your fault."

"My fault?"

"Honningbrew Meadery ring any bells?"

"…How did that lead to you robbing a dragon and living to tell about it?"

"Like I said, it's a long story."

* * *

"Okay, so you've got your bedroll, your winter coat, and-"

"Lyd, I'll be fine," Ruby reassured the woman. "Besides, you're the one going off on your own. I'll be up here with some of Skyrim's most powerful people, who can yell really loud and make a person fly off the mountain while on fire. I should be worrying about you." She smiled. "But I'm not, because I know you'll be fine."

Lydia nodded and sighed. "I'm sorry. I just… No, you're right. There's nothing to worry about." She looked up towards the peak of the mountain, seeing and feeling the intense maelstrom of wind and ice swirling around it, and frowned. "Well, almost nothing."

"I have a feeling that'll be fine. This Shout is supposed to clear the way, after all. I think they meant the sub-zero, threatening to freeze us solid winds too."

"True, but then you'll be meeting this man, this Paarthurnaax. And if you find the way while I'm gone…"

"He's a Greybeard. I doubt he wishes me any harm. At worst, he'll put me through another test like the others did after my first round of lessons." Ruby shook her head slowly then reached over and patted her housecarl's shoulder.

The two walked together to the front of the monastery, exiting the front doorway and then stopping at the stairs. Ruby turned to look at her and nodded.

"Call me once you reach Seletar. If he doesn't know what to do about Ilmaasi, then no one does. Well, except maybe those other Magne-Ge. And _just_ maybe Capric."

"I'll call you on the way, as well," Lydia promised. "Take care, my Thane," she said before walking down the steps, heading down the mountain slope.

"Bye, Lyd. You take care of yourself." After they waved and the Nordic woman disappeared around a bend, Ruby turned back and headed into the stone building. The Greybeards were going through some sort of meditative exercise. Ruby tried it before, but right now it took more concentration than she had to give. Instead, she made her way outside and towards a spot with three braziers arranged in a triangle. Taking a few handfuls of incense from a clay jar, she threw a little into each of the fires and inhaled the sweet scent wafting up into the air and around her. She then sat between them and closed her eyes, feeling as the breeze took away the smell and brought it to her. She then looked up at the sky, took in a deep breath, and released it. Inside her mind, she could envision the forms of dragons flying around the great, red pillar. She took herself closer to them and listened as each one spoke, slowly saying the words they saw as Truth, looking for the words she wished to hear.

"Sky," she muttered to herself. "Sky."

* * *

"No horses," Rumarin noted as he walked over to where Yang was packed up and waiting for the rest of the Companions. "Or giant pigs. I guess there's one big positive with your group."

"Yeah. Sorry we can't bring you along for this one, bud. It's just…"

"No need to explain it to me. You're all greedy for avenging your fellows and whatnot, and that happens to be keeping me out of harm's way. I have no complaints. Unless you have fun without me. That'd just be insulting."

"Yeah, I sincerely doubt it'll be too much fun. This is all business." Her gaze shifted over as her shield-siblings appeared, coming down from the gates of Whiterun, moving around the workers tasked with repairs on the walls' tops. Oddly, she saw Kodlak at the rear of them, talking with Yngvarr about one thing or another from their past.

"And after that, no one ever emphasized the 'frail' part again." The men chuckled while Aela merely smirked and shook her head.

"Hey Kodlak," Yang greeted the Harbinger. "Change your mind about coming?"

"Just seeing you all off, child. Perhaps next time I'll join you."

"Don't worry about it, friend," Yngvarr assured him. "I'll keep an eye on these cubs for you. We'll be there and back before you know it."

"And when we do get back, there will be that much more we won't have to worry about," Aela said with a glint in her eyes. "We'll only be a day or so out. We should be back before four have passed."

"Best of luck to you all, then," Rumarin told them as he headed back up towards the gates. "I'll just lie around and eat all of Yang's food until you return."

Aela eyed the Altmer for a moment then looked back at Yang.

"He has a mouth on him."

"Eh, he makes up for it by being a good fighter. Plus, I actually find him funny a lot of the times. Can't wait for my team to meet him. Weiss' reactions alone are gonna be hilarious."

"That's the hoity-toity mage, right?" Farkas asked, to which Yang nodded.

"Yes, but don't tell her that. Or do, just make sure I'm there to see it."

"Let's get a move on then," Aela said. "The sooner we can get into place, the better we can plan our strike."

The five werebeasts began to move, with Yang waving goodbye to Kodlak after a bit. The old Nord waved back and offered her a smile before heading back into Whiterun and Jorrvaskr. He was confident in their success for this mission, Yngvarr's presence alone making it so that they would almost certainly come out the victors. However, a different part of his heart ached.

As he took out his journal and began jotting down his thoughts, he stopped and flipped back a few pages.

 _Then I see every next Harbinger turn away from Sovngarde and enter the Hunting Grounds of their own accord. Until it comes to me, and I see great Tsun on the misty horizon, beckoning me. It appears I have a choice. And then, at my side, a stranger I had not seen before. As I look into her eyes, we turn to see the same wolf who dragged away Terrfyg, and she and I draw weapons together._

He remembered the dream. It was not a vivid memory, but part of it was. How the warrior woman's hair burned like a golden fire. How she smiled as she readied herself for combat. The striking violet of her eyes. The dream had ended before any battle began, but he could tell she was a warrior through and through.

It seemed almost unreal when she appeared in the waking world. Kodlak wondered for a time if it had simply been a coincidence, but he couldn't deny what his dreams had shown him. And he could not deny what the world showed him even now.

He finished his words and let the ink dry before closing his journal again. A ghost of a smile found its way onto his face as he stood up and made his way to the practice yard. The rot might be keeping him from truly swinging his hammer, but there was nothing keeping him from teaching the youngbloods how to go about it.

* * *

 _6th of Evening Star_


	65. Pieces of Apocrypha: 14-16, Y, and 17

**Birthsigns: The Ritual**

In light of the New Year and the stalling of my trip, I decided to jot down some of my knowledge concerning my Birthsign. As I was born in Morning Star, I have The Ritual Birthsign, but there is a good deal of confusion as to what this means. Most Birthsigns have a very specific effect, and while not everyone learns to use the 'active' effects of their own, they normally know them either through a reading of the Firmament or just as common knowledge. The Ritual's uniqueness, however, comes in that it's different within itself. As stated in The Firmament: _"Those born under this sign have a variety of abilities depending on the aspects of the moons and the Divines."_ What this means is that the abilities depend on the moon phases and the planetary positions.

There are two basic parts to The Ritual Birthsign, the first being the Moon Blessing. This is often an outward power, usually related to Conjuration spells. They number well over twenty, and the existence of some is still uncertain. I have known some people who have the ability to crumble or turn almost any undead with a pair of innate spells known as Blessed Word and Blessed Touch. A fellow student during my formative years (born days away from me) was able to turn almost any earth into a golem with what was called Mundane Servant. My own blessing was less showy and not very apparent, but I soon learned that it was Spirited Guide. Essentially, it boils down to my luck is so that almost anything I set as a goal I will eventually reach, if in unexpected ways, so long as I strive for it. This has been proven several times in my life, especially very recently. I still have no idea why that bear liked me so much.

The second part is the Divine Gift. This one is trickier, as it depends on more than just the planetary alignment. Weather, witnesses, hour, and the general beliefs of the locale are all factors that seem to go into what decides a Ritual's Divine Gift. In the end, though, they are always a gift from the gods. Religion of the parents play a key role in this, as an Altmer born to parents on Alinor would most certainly never birth a Ritual child with Talos' Gift (a personal 'spell' that gives one immense strength and melee skill for a short time), yet the same could be said about a Nord couple never having a child with Y'ffre's Gift (the ability to turn a sapling into a full-grown house tree within minutes). I myself was blessed with Akatosh's Gift, which allows me to perceive time as so slow it's nearly frozen for, what feels to me, like ten to fifteen seconds, depending on how quickly I move. It's saved my life more than a few times.

The myriad effects The Ritual grants are intriguing and expansive, with almost innumerable possibilities. It's been studied by mages as far back as anyone can recall. Some say that it's like the Sign itself has its own signs. Some evidence even indicates that its special range is exactly what earned Morning Star the place as the first month of the year when our calendar was first crafted.

 _Jesse Kay, The Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **Skyrim and its Individual Provinces: The Old Holds**

 **Date: 4E195**

As one of the oldest provinces in the Empire, Skyrim's political and economic situation has always been a matter of interest. Seemingly backwards compared to the high political intrigue of High Rock or the cosmopolitan Cyrodiil, Skyrim nonetheless contains a robust and intriguing political landscape, as well as a thriving economy.

Culturally, the Nords are the closest races among Men to cling to their Atmoran ancestry, and their internal politics reflects this. Similar to Cyrodiil's counties or Morrowind's Great Houses, Skyrim is divided into nine distinct holds. These holds are further culturally divided into the Old Holds and West Skyrim. The Old Holds are named due to their shared origin of being the first lands settled by the ancient Atmorans, with Windhelm itself being founded by Ysgrammor in the Merethic Era. These holds are much more isolated from the rest of the province, both geographically and culturally. West Skyrim, in contrast, is much younger than their counterparts to the east, as well as more culturally progressive and intertwined with the other Imperial provinces.

Each hold itself is ruled by a Jarl, who exercise unlimited autonomy on how their individual hold is governed and run. They, however, answer to the High King or Queen of Skyrim. The position is granted by a Moot, a council of all the Jarls of Skyrim specifically meant to determine who the next High King or Queen shall be upon their death or abdication. In theory, the Moot is meant to select the best person for the job, however in practice most High Kings or Queens are children of the predecessor unless the heir proves to either not be a good choice for the position or there being a much more suitable candidate elsewhere. Whomever climbs to the position, the High King or Queen has the authority to override any individual Jarl while also coordinating the province as a whole. This can range from simply raising armies to enacting overarching policy goals that affect the entire province.

The current High King of Skyrim is Torygg, son of Istlod, who rules from his throne in the Blue Palace of Solitude.

 **The Old Holds**

 _Winterhold_

The northernmost province of Skyrim, Winterhold's capital is the city of Winterhold, from which the province receives its name. Founded by the great Archmage Shalidor following the establishment of the College of Winterhold, for much of its history Winterhold was one of the most prosperous holds in Skyrim. At the height of its power, Winterhold even rivaled Solitude in economic and political strength, and was even the seat of the High King or Queen.

However, the Great Collapse of 4E122 changed the hold's prospects practically overnight. For an as of yet unknown reason, currently theorized to either be the work of College mages or long-brewing aftereffects of the Red Year, on that day the Sea of Ghosts turned monstrous and quickly eroded the city's support along the cliffs. Eventually, that support gave way and collapsed, causing much of the city to fall apart and disappear under the sea's monstrous waves. Even almost eighty years later, the province has not recovered, and distrust of the local mages and Dunmer refugee populations remains staggeringly high.

The current economy of Winterhold is made of several key sectors. Despite locals either distrusting or outright disliking the College of Winterhold, the College's mages do provide a valuable commodity in supplying magical services to the rest of the province, including enchantments, spellcasters, alchemical potions, and the necessary trade for raw materials the mages need to operate. For the rest of the province, however, the main source of income stems from mostly mining, fishing, or ice farming. Occasionally, adventurers brave the Dwarven ruins in search of the fabled Dwemer capital of Blackreach, bringing back the scraps of animunculi to melt down into ingots, but those are few and far between.

The only major settlement in Winterhold outside of the capital city is Amol City. Once a prosperous trading town, it is now a barely mentionable village surrounded by crumbling walls, so insignificant that many maps don't include it. The current Jarl of Winterhold is Jarl Korir. There is, however, a large statue of Azura in the Winterhold Mountains that was constructed by Dunmer refugees, who credit the Daedric Prince with warning them of Red Mountain's pending eruption and saving their lives in the process.

 _The Pale_

Neighboring Winterhold and Eastmarch to the east, Whiterun to the south, and Haafingar to the west, The Pale is one of the oldest holds in Skyrim. Mostly shrouded in icy tundra and pine forests, only the southernmost lands are arable. The northern coastline, however, teems with fish, and its central location has made it a useful port of weary seamen.

Its economy is mostly built around a small agricultural and hunting sector, with fishing and lumber being key exports to other provinces. A small cadre of merchants in the capital city of Dawnstar has also sprung up, further expanding the economy.

In regards to Dawnstar, the hold capital presides over rich veins of iron ore. However, The Pale is still one of the poorest holds in the entire province.

The current Jarl of The Pale is Jarl Skald the Elder.

 _Eastmarch_

The oldest and most prosperous of the Old Holds, Eastmarch's capital is the great city of Windhelm. Founded by Ysgrammor himself, Windhelm boasts a strong cultural claim for the Nord people. Unlike its northern neighbors, Eastmarch's environment is much more diverse, containing frosty mountains to the north before turning into a volcanic tundra to the south. Bordered to the east by the Velothi Mountains and to the south by the Frostwater Tundra, which itself contains the Aalto sulfur pools, the hold has emerged as a central piece of Skyrim's political and economic landscape. Many of Skyrim's greatest generals hail from Eastmarch.

Eastmarch's economy is situated along several key sectors. Its rich pine forests in the southern regions has enabled a robust lumber trade, as well as rich ore veins along the nearby Winterhold and Velothi Mountains. In particular, the settlements of Kynesgrove and Darkwater Crossing preside over rich veins of malachite and corundum ores, respectively, which themselves are used for forging of weapons, armor, steel or high-grade iron, and even jewelry. The volcanic soil has also proven to be quite fertile, allowing for several farmsteads to develop in the south. Fishing in the Sea of Ghosts and the Yorgrim River has also proven to be quite lucrative for the brave sailor willing and able to traverse the treacherous waves.

The city of Windhelm itself is also a major source of the province's economy. Situated in a pocket of the Winterhold Mountains at the mouth of the Yorgrim Estuary, its location has enabled it to become a thriving sea port into the mainland from the Sea of Ghosts. As such, it has become a primary trading hub, with services including banking, financing, and more. Currently, the only hold in Skyrim to rival Eastmarch in economic and political power is Hjaalmarch and its capital city of Solitude.

Its current Jarl is Ulfric Stormcloak, who inherited the title from his father, Hoag Stormcloak. The Stormcloak clan has always been a prominent family in Windhelm, stretching back to even before the Second Era. This has awarded the once-extensive family great respect across the province, however Ulfric himself remains controversial. Both for his role in the handling of the Markarth Incident as well as comments he made during the Moot that elected High King Torygg. According to observers, the comments made bordered on treason towards the Mede Empire, and he leads a somewhat rebellious faction that is poised to cause a lot of damage should the current strife in Skyrim escalate further. As such, many are watching him wearily.

 _The Rift_

At one point one of the more prosperous holds in Skyrim, The Rift has unfortunately fallen into corruption and decay these past few decades. Despite official statements to the contrary, it is a well-known secret that the province is home to many of Skyrim's thieves and bandits, who feed on the corruption festering within. Several of the more enterprising sort have taken advantage of the current political strife to expand into the other holds as well. Its capital city of Riften is perhaps the greatest example of this rampant corruption, as it is rumored to be the seat of Skyrim's Thieves Guild.

Despite this, Riften's economy is relatively diverse. Its location along the borders of Morrowind and Cyrodiil has enabled a healthy trade network. The towns of Ivarstead and Shor's Stone are a prospering logging and mining town, respectively, with Ivarstead itself having a thriving tourism trade built around pilgrims attempting the One-thousand Steps up to High Hrothgar. Lake Honrich, upon which Riften sits, contains many species of freshwater fish which are harvested for trade, and the Rift's vast forests teem with game. The fur trade remains a thriving sector of the Rift's economy because of this, especially as Skyrim's colder climate demands such furs for winter clothing. The Rift also houses a significant portion of Skyrim's mead trade thanks to Riften being the home of the Black-Briar family, the largest developer of mead in the province.

The capital city of The Rift is Riften, from which the hold's name is derived. During the Second Era, Riften emerged as Skyrim's principal trading hub, becoming a center of banking and financial activities for the Ebonheart Pact. This new prosperity brought great riches to the city, but it also led to a severe overpopulation problem. Despite this, Riften was able to maintain its prosperity for centuries, with the occasional downturn, until year 4E98. During this year, Jarl Hosgunn Crossed-Daggers ascended to the throne upon the assassination of the previous Jarl during the infamous Void Nights. Many rightfully believed he had been responsible, yet despite the people's protests, he was appointed Jarl. Over the next thirty-one years, he ran the hold with an iron fist, imprisoning anyone who dared to act against him while also enacting crippling taxes on the populace, driving away Riften's businesses in the process, with which he spent almost entirely on himself.

As Riften itself descended further and further into poverty, disease, and famine, he continued to live extravagantly, and even had the audacity to construct an extravagant wooden palace over the course of seven years, which quickly became a symbol of his oppression the people called 'Hosgunn's Folly'. A tipping point was reached in the year 4E129, when the people of the Rift successfully rebelled and overran the city guard. Hosgunn foolishly fled into his palace, only for the oppressed people to simply burn the hated structure to the ground. This act killed the Jarl and his chief supporters, but also destroyed the city to such a degree that it took nearly five years to rebuild. Riften still has not yet recovered from Hosgunn's policies, and his subsequent destruction.

The current Jarl of the Rift is Jarl Laila the Law-Giver.

 _Trestus Whovinici, Historian at the Imperial Academy_

* * *

 **Minor Races of Tamriel 2**

I've had more time to study and further question what I know, as well as go over more distant facts (and myths) that don't come up as often. This will be a continuation on my overview of races that you may meet, for good or ill, in Tamriel.

 **Giants (Jo'Tunn)** – To start where I left off, I'll speak of the massive Tundra Striders. Giants could be classified as Men, but for a few large differences. Oddly, their size is not one of them. Some Giants have horn-like growths on their head, similar to some Orsimer, and many have pointed ears. Their ears might cause some to think of them possibly being more closely related to Mer, but a Giant's ears' tapering will bend to the side rather than point up. Many stories seem to indicate that Giants were the first people from Atmora to land on Tamriel and populate Skyrim and some places beyond. They were also the first to meet the Dwemer and called them Dwarves.

 _Note: while Dwarves weren't all that short, it's believed that they were barely taller than most male Bosmer, therefore even after Men and Falmer arrived the Dwemer would have still been the shortest people in Skyrim._

Most Giants live in semi-nomadic tribes, herding Mammoths as livestock and foraging large amounts of plants, mostly leaves. While omnivorous, their diet mostly consists of large amounts of leaves and other vegetables and a fair portion of mammoth cheese. They supplement it with bits of meat but do not really hunt so much as eat whatever they happened to have to kill that day, with the exception of us smaller mortals. They'll also roast and eat the skeevers caught in the traps set to protect their stored foods from the vermin. Despite tales to the contrary, Giants do not eat people. They will, however, throw the corpses of those who died trying to fight them into a fire, leaving only blackened bones, which may be the source of this myth.

Finally, Giants can and have interbred with Men and Mer. There are more than a few Nords who would boast being descended from Giants while certainly looking like they were, but there are also Orcs and Bretons who have mixed with the Jo'Tunn. This usually ends up with several people much taller than most of their kinsmen from one side and much shorter than the other. There is said to be a tribe of Giants in the north-eastern parts of the Reach who have interbred with the local Reachmen so often they seem to have become something else, referred to as Muspell Jo'Tunn. Interestingly enough, they may have inherited a lot of their Bretonic ancestors' skill for magic, so it may be worth investigating soon.

 **Falmer (Snow Elves)** – While I am in Skyrim, I may as well bring these beings to light. Outside of High Rock, Men do not seem to know how to be humane when it comes to Mer. Yokudans slaughtered the elves from their old continent and then many (who they never met before landing on Tamriel's shores) from ours. The Alessian Order of Cyrodiil chased out the Ayleids who had helped their enslaved forebears at great cost. And then there's the ancient Nords' treatment of the Snow Elves. I will not say Ysgrammor and his Companions were wrong to wage war after Saarthal's destruction, but when a stranger comes to your town and murders a family, you do not respond by having his entire village burned to the ground and all who lives there killed. Retributive justice was not really a concept at the time, however, so the Nords spent the next thirteen or so generations killing and enslaving the Falmer to the last. It's believed a handful may have gotten to Morrowind and hid amongst their Dark Elf kin, but the majority of the survivors went underground under the care of the Dwemer.

Normally, when something like one people fleeing into the care of another happens, there's either a rejection or a grumbling acceptation. The latter happened when the Ayleids ran to the Bosmer and Direnni. The former happened (several times) when a great many Kothringi got on a ship to flee the Knahaten Plague, and now the Redguards have a holiday of mourning, and many poseurs in western High Rock boast about how their ancestors would have taken in the poor wretches and found a way to heal them.

The Dwemer, however, completely accepted the Falmer, but only by enslaving them. It's not clear how quickly it occurred or what all the terms of this enslavement were, but it is what happened. For reasons beyond my understanding, the Dwemer also forced the Falmer into blindness by forcing them to eat a particular mushroom. The exact mushroom is believed to be a relative of Namira's Rot called Blackgrain. Studies on this fungus have proven that it causes blindness in mammals, but serves as part of many subterranean creatures' diets. It also causes a growing dependency in subjects, so they will continue trying to eat it even as it takes away their vision and causes part of the brain to function incorrectly. After subjecting them to this, the Dwemer likely believed they would have an obedient workforce. However, as the recent studies show, Blackgrain also causes heightened aggression and something of a paranoid violent reaction toward anything that can be perceived as a threat. A master threatening to beat you for not doing whatever it is fast enough to his liking would obviously trigger this response eventually.

After the disappearance of the Dwemer, the enslaved Falmer had no one to control them, but likely no idea what to do. The Dwarven automatons still roam the halls of their long dead masters to this day, so they couldn't really stay in those without warring with tireless machines. For thousands of years the Falmer kept underground, building up their numbers, cultivating the mushrooms they all craved, and even taming the massive chaurus insects. In recent times, they've broken up to the surface and had run-ins with those of us who dwell under the sun, likely seeing us as monstrous as we see them. While Falmer attacks reached their peak several years back, they still make occasional raids on the surface or in mines that have touched their territory. Still, there has been a marked shift in their attitudes. Whether that means they've started taking the surface world seriously or are beginning to plan for what they've found, none can say.

Many in the Pigmole Racial Outreach Committee wish to establish some form of non-violent communication with the Falmer, but there is, unfortunately, little known about how the Falmer social structure works (though a sort of matriarch has been observed on occasion) and there isn't much of a communication baseline to work with. Some radicals have suggested capturing a number of them and simultaneously weaning them from Blackgrain while teaching them the Common language, but that is a suggestion that has been almost completely thrown off the table excepting there being extremely dire circumstances for the Falmer.

 **Reiklings** – Small, blue, and believed by some to be Goblin-ken, these pygmy-sized beings live on the island of Solstheim and seemingly nowhere else, though they once existed on the mainland in northern Skyrim, but those have been wiped out. I was only at the island a short time, but did hear tales about them and managed to see a few, but had to pull back when I learned how good their throwing arms are. Their origin is unknown, but some people speculate them to be cousins to Goblins while others think they may be the descendants of a Snow Elf tribe that survived the Nords. I have learned that they are primarily hunter-gatherers, but they have tamed a local wild swine known as a bristleback, which they use as steeds. Whatever their origin, I hope that Pigmole can one day find the funding for their expedition to Solstheim, as they would be more skilled than I in getting hostile, primitive tribesfolk into society.

 **Shadowsilk Goblins** – The Guardian of Lightning had pulled up the Mulukan of both Cyrodiil and Hammerfell to a civilized status, but she never ventured up to Skyrim except for a short time where she teleported to a specific location (and for something completely unrelated and often considered Apocryphal), and she never set foot in Morrowind at all. This didn't keep the Goblins of the Stonefalls down, however. Rather, a couple of adventurous Goblins from Cyrodiil made the trek about a year later and both taught and learned from the Shadowsilks. The crafty Mulukrin of Morrowind took what they were given and ran with it.

There were already major differences between Shadowsilks and most other Mulukan by the time of the Third Era, with the major turning point being sometime in the Three Banners War in the Second Era, when after being pushed from their caves by the Daggerfall Covenant, the Shadowsilk tribe invaded a Mephala cult's secret lair and learned how to tame the giant Venomspitter spiders local to the area. After the Daggerfall forces were repulsed, the Goblins went back to their homes, but hadn't forgotten what they learned.

While other Goblin tribes rose, fell, combined, and split, the Shadowsilk stayed strong and independent, even resisting being ousted by the Dunmer, and absorbed the few tribes that stumbled upon them. The Mer and Men living in Stonefalls decided to leave things be and simply kept a wary eye on the Shadowsilks, whose society was undergoing changes all throughout this time. The idea of a strongest Goblin being leader had fallen by the wayside, and instead their leader had become the craftiest of them, though this leader would still need strength to be considered. Their pantheon also extended, first worshipping a version of Mephala, known as Miphi, alongside Muluk, the Mulukan version of Malacath. They later adopted versions of Boethiah and Azura, but Miphi and Muluk remained as their main gods.

After the Cyrodiilic Goblins came and brought knowledge of Goblins from other lands, the chief at the time, Tota Thintooth, saw an opportunity. He sent Goblins from out of the caves and had them build some structures with the travelers' help, but this caught the attention of the local Dunmer. After having barely made it through the Oblivion Crisis, none wanted to deal with possible Goblin invasions, so Houses made a small army and prepared to try and whittle down the Goblin numbers, if not completely drive them out. Tota figured this would happen, and so he had the Goblins retreat and go back underground, leaving structures above for the Dunmer to try and puzzle out. As they did, though, traps far more sophisticated and deadly than anything ever made by the Shadowsilks before felled many soldiers before the small platoon was routed. Several of those taken by traps, however, were not killed, and thus taken prisoner. With hostages in hand, some of them even being a little important, Tota was able to make demands of the Great Houses, and thus did the Goblin city-state of Silkstone begin.

The structures were built upon until they came together in a grand building that served as both the city center and main temple of Silkstone, called Miphi's Nest, which was and still is an amazing piece of architectural design, covering a small valley and its three caves that now lead to subterranean chambers while also reaching towards the heavens, much of the inside of its upper half being able to interchange halls and rooms like the Cyrodiil Mulukan were only beginning to learn to do. Houses and businesses began cropping up, with a few intrepid Dunmer seeing an opportunity in a brand new market, or a place where they thought they could be the giant among dwarfs. Tota and his successor, Rider Thintooth, foresaw them attempting such, but hedged against it with specifically drawn out laws that kept the Dunmer from gaining much power over the Goblins. This intermixing of people eventually caused a change in the Shadowsilks, and nowadays most Shadowsilk Goblins have skin much darker than their Cyrodiilic kin, and red eyes are common amongst them.

When the back-to-back crises of Red Mountain's eruption and the Accession War came, Silkstone proved to be a bastion where many refugees would find shelter, but once they reached capacity, any more seeking sanctuary had to be turned away. They further assisted Morrowind in doing all they could to make the Stonefalls habitable again, a task that took them decades even with other Great Houses putting in the effort. By this time, the Shadowsilks had become something of a great power in the region, and were speculated to only keep growing in influence and authority as time went on. The Houses tried to consolidate, but thanks to their actions after the eruption and during the war, the Goblin House had become as entrenched as Miphi's Nest. While not a far-reaching power, in the area of the Stonefalls and along the northwestern bank of the River Thir, the Shadowsilks' fingers run deep.

 **Satyrs** – Among the number of races that lived in Valenwood before the arrival of Aldmer, Satyrs have the most confusing origin. Centaurs share ancestry with elves, Giants (some Giant tribes once lived in Valenwood) share ancestry with Man. The Faerie races seemed to be descendants of a third faction of Ehlnofey. Satyrs, however, cannot be determined to have come from beasts, man, or mer. Their own myths speak of how their first ancestor was born purely from Nir then mated with Nymphs, Dryads, and other Fey to show them how to bear children while also having his own. While it's likely there are some embellishments to this tale, similar things have happened in different histories, and the fact that this happened during the mutable Dawn Era probably helped things along.

Satyrs have never had a large population or advanced civilization, though they did have a steady migration from Valenwood after the Bosmer became the dominant race, similar to Centaurs, and then settled around in the forests and plains of southern Hammerfell and northeastern Cyrodiil. They were first mistaken for a breed of Minotaur, but closer observation reveals that what should be cattle-like on a Minotaur is goat-like on a Satyr. Most Satyrs live in tribes that function almost like herds, with the occasional loner that tries to fit into civilized society. Pigmole has attempted to bring them into the fold, but the majority of Satyrs prefer to live as they always have, as a part of nature. They actually tend to invite civilized people to live among them, and some do accept, though the lifestyle of a Satyr is probably not suitable for any Man, Mer, Khajiit, or Argonian.

Satyrs worship Nirn itself, as well as all of nature, but they are not above inviting the debauchery of Sanguine into their lives. Marriage is nonexistent to them, and the word for family is almost always interchangeable with the word for tribe. The only thing they ever crave from cities and towns is good food and wine, which they will often trade for en mass with woodwind instruments, carvings, and gemstones found during their travels. Part of their wish for delicious food is what drove them from Colovia almost as much as being eaten drove them from Valenwood. Some people who live near a Satyr tribes' stomping ground find them to be a nuisance, while others just see them as much a part of the forests as the trees and animals.

 _Jesse 'Bubba' Kay, The Heavy Scribe_

* * *

 **Journal: Property of Yang Xiao Long**

Entry 1:

Kodlak got me this journal the other day. Figured it was about time I start writing about all the crazy stuff that's been going on, if only for my sanity's sake. Plus, should we ever get back to Vale, I figure we can auction this baby off for the movie rights. Or would it be television rights? Eh, depends on how long we stay here.

Where to begin...?

Entry 2:

Okay, so a lot has happened since we turned up in Skyrim. Starting to think I've inherited Uncle Qrow's bad luck that he's always complaining about. First we get our collective asses handed to us by a dragon, I accidentally took a guy's head off with my fist, Weiss drank a guy's blood until he was practically a prune, we fought _another_ dragon (whose soul Ruby apparently ate), and then I got turned into a werewolf after Blake's crazy series of incidents. Well, I say turned, but it was sorta my choice. It was either a werewolf with most of me under control or a werelion and possibly no control. Honestly, it wasn't that hard a decision to make.

It's not so bad. My senses are top notch and everything seems so much clearer. Me and Ruby did a few tests and we've found that I can hear a person yelling from half a mile away and track down a person through smell from twice that distance. That's when I'm not transformed. Transforming easily doubles that and gives me a huge strength boost to boot, though I've found that magic's way more difficult in beast form. Pretty much impossible, really. I could go without the eating people part (almost always on accident. Usually I don't even notice that I'm swallowing until it's too late), and there's this sort of restlessness not really letting me get a full eight hours straight, but I'm working on it. Farkas and Vilkas need to stop smelling so good, though! They are way too old for me, no matter how sexy the wolf bit thinks they are!

Entry 3:

Okay, so how to put this thing into words? There's a sort of voice in the back of my head? Not really. It's not a separate entity, not even really a split personality. It's still _me_ that's saying and thinking it, but it's different from what's mainly _me_. I like to think of it as a shoulder-wolf, and sometimes I imagine a tiny werewolf whispering things into my ear, trying to get me to act out my more base instincts.

In any case, I have this constant hunger hanging in the back of my mind that always grows. It wants me to hunt, to kill, to eat, and the tougher the prey the better. (And of course, I've gotten a bit more snuggly, almost like a puppy really, with the folks I know and love.) Aela says it's the Blood calling me. Skjor said it's good to give it a little, and Kodlak agrees, but warned me not to overindulge it. Usually after a few animals are chomped down on it fades back, but it always starts worming its way back up. I think it's actually worse for Farkas. It's probably why he's always so constrained. He's not purposefully unenthusiastic, he just doesn't want to end up doing something he'll regret. I saw how his eyes flashed the other day when during some fistfight between a couple of dudes one of them split the other's eyebrow. They called it with that, but Farkas' face looked like a grinning savage for a split second before he seemed to reel himself back in. He looked ashamed and horrified. I think it's different for all of us.

Entry 4:

Skjor died. His funeral just happened a few days ago, and everyone's feeling down. A member of my pack is gone, and the wolf in me feels it thoroughly. I think Aela's taking it hard in particular. Those two were...close, for lack of a better word. I'm not entirely sure they were mates, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were. We're going to have to watch out for her. She's already tried going out on her own, but I managed to talk her out of it. For how long, I have no idea.

Seeing Skjor dead has reminded me of my own impending mortality. Not the best thoughts for an eighteen year-old girl, but here I am. From what I know, my soul's kinda attached to Hircine's Hunting Grounds. Not the worst place, but there are certainly better ones. I've been looking for ways out of it, and they so far seem to be limited to somehow turning myself into a vampire, which would honestly just land me somewhere far, _far_ worse; attaching myself to another afterlife even more strongly, which I have no idea on how to do; or curing myself. But, since the actual affliction is caused by a symbiotic presence, my body's actually welcoming towards it. If there's a cure, it's liable to be something magical or extremely hard to do. Until then, I'll just browse the religious sections until I figure out how to switch my soul over to Mara or Dibella or something.

Entry 5:

Ran across another werewolf in Falkreath, locked away in their dungeon for killing a young girl. He wasn't related to the Companions. I think he was from Cyrodiil, actually. Still, he had something called the Ring of Hircine and somehow got it stuck to me. He told me how I _might_ be able to get it off and I'm going to have to do it, too. I compulsively changed just before we had to fight some vampires and then back again right in the middle of fighting a Vampire Lord, all thanks to the stupid thing. Ruby saved me before the creep could do anything. Sure, I could've still smashed him into a pulp, but I was naked at the time and fighting while naked is never comfortable. Especially when you're being leered at by a man-bat created by the Rape King.

Well, it's off to hunt for me. Gotta find that White Stag.

Entry 6:

Well, that escalated quickly.

So Hircine (or a piece of Hircine? Honestly, the whole 'divine aspect' thing confuses the hell out of me) told me to go kill Sinding, the other werewolf, and, I quote, "Tear the skin from his body, and make it an offering to me." Now, Sinding did a _really_ messed up thing, but even though I couldn't really come to grips with it, I guess I could understand what was going on with him when it happened. In the end, he swore to stay away from civilization, and I helped save him, but promised to take him down myself if he ever becomes a problem.

And apparently Hircine was cool with that. Me joining Sinding caused all those other hunters he sent after him, including some Silver Hands, to run for the hills, and he _loved_ that. So much so that he took off that stupid curse from the Ring, and now I have total control over my transformations. It lets me change quicker and painlessly, going from werewolf to human and back again as often as I want, even stopping halfway through shifting. I'm gonna try growing _just_ the wolf ears and surprise Blake when I get it down. It'll be great!

Entry 7:

So I went to liaison with this new Vampire Hunter guild called the Dawnguard, as the two of us already were acquainted thanks to me and one of their members solving a vampire problem in Morthal together, and the first thing that happens is their boss gives me a job. Well, I'm a nice gal, and the vampire problem is getting worse from what I've seen and heard. The Hall of the Vigilant (Vigilants of Stendarr being anti-Daedra monks) was destroyed by vampires recently, and one of their own thinks he knows why and what they were after. I'm going with him to investigate it.

Entry 8:

Looking back, I have to agree with my earlier sentiment. We're cursed. One moment, we're helping Weiss on her quest to find a magic doohickey because a magic orb-man told her, the next there's some guy threatening to destroy the world and we have to get a MacGuffin from some other ancient place to stop him. At least we succeeded there.

I also met an ancient draugr-esque woman who wasn't really undead, just undying, named Iorel. She ended up asking me to kill her, which, I know, is a pretty heavy request, but I could _kinda_ get. Part of me wanted to tell her there was plenty to still live for in the world, but I realized that it's not _her_ world. Everyone she knew and loved died thousands of years ago. Her kingdom was toppled and overtaken before then. And it wasn't like she could just throw on a hood and sneak around modern civilization.

Still, after the fact, I remembered I set my scroll to recording video and ended up getting our whole conversation. Once everything from Ancano's attempt at gaining unlimited power was calmed down, me and the librarian went over it and he started penning it all to paper. Well, it's not every day you meet and talk to someone who witnessed history from the losing perspective.

Entry 9:

Everything sucks right now.

Tolan ran ahead, then me and Weiss had to chase him halfway across Skyrim only for him to turn up dead. We went ahead through the ruins and fought off a bunch of vampires, then found Serana. Seeing as she didn't immediately bite or otherwise try to attack us, we played nice and even agreed to take her back to her home, even though she and Weiss pretty much figured she'd been underground for thousands of years. Thought it would give her peace of mind to see what had happened to it.

Turned out, her home was still in one piece, and her father, the _head vampire_ in all of Skyrim, was still in charge. Then we found out that that big hunk of whatever she's been carrying around was an Elder Scroll, which we had inadvertently hand-delivered to the _head vampire_ in all of Skyrim. So now Weiss is playing infiltrator in a castle full of evil vampires – and I mean full! – and I'm heading back to the Dawnguard to let them know about everything.

Why can't life just be simple for once?

Entry 10:

Met a lot of nice people traveling around; a few even came along for the ride. Anum-La just kinda invited herself along a time ago, but she's grown on me. But now we've got this guy named Yngvarr (I asked, that's how it's spelled). He's an old guy, but huge! And he has a bear that he rides into battle! Essentially, he's peak Nord. He's also a werebear, but that's a rather minor detail. I've never seen him transform, but he does have a sweet tooth and a thing for berries and salmon.

He's decided to show me and Anum-La as many survival skills as he can cram into our noggins. At first I thought he was just a full gentleman about everything, but then we picked up Rumarin yesterday, and his eyes keep wandering over to the elf. Not sure how to think of it. I haven't asked, but Rumarin could be older than him for all I know. Kinda makes me wonder how elf-human couples work out their differences in that regard. I mean, Weiss has mentioned this one Dunmer wizard who's been alive for four thousand years a few times. Even still, Yngvarr's in his twilight years and Rumarin's pretty young, even if only by elf standards so…

Still, feels like a good group. We just need a dedicated mage, preferably a healer, and we'll have the perfect fantasy role-playing party, minus the role-playing.

* * *

 **The Imperial Legion: Its History and Organization**

 **Date: 4E190**

It has been said that the founding of the Third Empire of Tamriel was based on two main forces. The first was Tiber Septim himself, then known as Talos of Atmora. His shrewd tactical ability and diplomatic expertise was known throughout all of Tamriel's provinces, for good and ill. The other, and perhaps more consequential, was the very army he led in his conquests: what became known as the Imperial Legion. He found it a rabble of disorganized, motley soldiers and mages from his lands of barely ten-thousand, and he left it an organized and powerful machine exceeding eighty-thousand. Indeed, there is little question that, at its height, the Imperial Legion was the greatest fighting force Tamriel had ever seen, rivaled only by the unknown empires of Akavir. Even the armies of the Third Altmeri Dominion during the Great War pale in comparison.

 _History_

Formally founded at the dawn of the Third Era, the Imperial Legion was among the most influential facets of early Imperial society. True, other empires had fielded large standing armies before, but none to such a scale as Tiber Septim conceived. Consisting of over a hundred-thousand soldiers and cavalry, made up of highly trained conscripts and volunteers from around the Empire, it was and is practically a civilization. Doctors, engineers, mages, scientists, cartographers, and many other professions all find a home in the Imperial Legion.

Over time, the Legion's purpose shifted from conquering new lands to enforcing the ones already held by the Empire. Due to its unprecedented size, the number of threats that encroached upon the Empire was astronomical. The Legion was uniquely equipped to handle such a monumental responsibly, which was undertaken with gusto. Many a bandit, necromancer, and Daedra worshipper met their end by a Legionnaire's blade.

 _The Imperial Simulacrum and the Oblivion Crisis_

Unfortunately, it was the dual events of the Imperial Simulacrum and the Oblivion Crisis that directly led to the near collapse of the Imperial Legion. During Uriel Septim VII's early reign, he was known as a brash and heavy-handed ruler who wanted to bring the disparate provinces more closely together. To do this, he grew the Legion to its greatest size since its foundation, sending entire legions to crush any threat to his rule and ambition. This led to the Legion becoming unwieldy, and once Jagar Tharn banished Uriel Septim to Oblivion, he deliberately mismanaged the Legion and the Empire to obscene levels. For ten years, it was practically anarchy with bandits, Orsimer warbands, brigands and monsters running amok. Once the Eternal Champion managed to stop Jagar Tharn and bring an end to his usurpation, Uriel Septim returned a changed man.

In sharp contrast to his earlier days as sovereign, Uriel severely cut back on the use of the Legion as an extension of his will, delegating them more towards keeping the peace. Instead, he relied more on the Blades, a shadowy cabal of spies and bodyguards that served at the Emperor's discretion, to subtly influence the provinces and achieve his goals. For several decades, this strategy worked to bring the provinces more closely together than any other time in the Empire's history. The Blades even had a direct role in the actions of the Hero of Daggerfall and the Nerevarine.

However, the act of reducing the size of the Legion had an unforeseen development which only became apparent after the Mythic Dawn cult assassinated the Emperor and all but one of his sons, plunging the world into the Oblivion Crisis. The hordes of Daedra overwhelmed much of the Legion, devastating the Empire and killing nearly a quarter of the continent's total population in merely six months. Were it not for the actions of the Five Heroes, who bravely led the Legion and other warriors in Cyrodiil, all would have been lost. In the end, it took the sacrifice of the last living Septim to bring about an end to the crisis, but the damage was already done.

With the Empire in shambles, the Legion was shrunken down to its core components. This allowed for the Argonian Invasion of Morrowind, which the Empire was unable to respond to. This lack of assistance directly led to the Great Houses regaining control over what was left of Morrowind following the Red Year and the Argonian Invasion, leading to an independent Morrowind. The calamitous events of the Stormcrown Simulacrum, the period following Imperial Potentate Ocato's assassination during an unsuccessful bid to elect a new emperor in 4E015, further weakened both the Empire and the Legion. Each change in hands over the Ruby Throne led to an increasingly lawless land. The Thalmor took advantage of this crisis, if not possibly conducting the assassination of the Potentate and orchestrated a coup d'état in the Summerset Isle, seceding it from the Empire entirely, reclaiming Alinor, and founding the Third Aldmeri Dominion. By the time the Mede Dynasty finally obtained full control of the remnants of the Empire in 4E029, the Thalmor were already too entrenched and as such, no attempt to retake the Isles was made.

This would prove to be a mistake.

 _The Great War_

If the Imperial Simulacrum weakened the Imperial Legion and the Oblivion Crisis broke its back, the Great War nearly decapitated it. By 4E171, the Aldmeri Dominion had become a veritable superpower on the continent. Its army and navy rivaled that of the Empire, along with an equally sizable economy. An uneasy peace had existed between the two powers for decades, broken only by the occasional border skirmish and political discord. That all changed when the Dominion brazenly demanded that the Empire pay hefty tribute, surrender large swaths of Hammerfell to the Dominion, disband the Blades, and outlaw the worship of Talos, among other outrageous demands. The newly crowned Titus Mede II refused, only for the Thalmor to present the head of every Blade operative found in Dominion lands. They invaded days later, opening fronts in both Cyrodiil and Hammerfell, catching the Legion off-guard and decapitating much of its leadership in the opening salvos.

For the next five years, the Empire was pushed back closer and closer to the brink. City after city, county after county, the Aldmeri advance seemed unstoppable. However, a series of miscalculations on the Thalmor's part eventually enabled the Legion to resupply its forces from High Rock and Skyrim. The first was typical Altmer arrogance. Due to their early victories, they allowed themselves to believe that the Empire was weaker than they had originally anticipated. As such, they allowed themselves to take increasingly bold and risky actions that they hoped would hasten their victory while further depleting their forces and stretching their supply lines. The second was the Battle of Skaven, in which Lady Arranelya's Aldmeri Army clashed with General Decianus' Legions in Hammerfell. While the battle itself was indecisive, it did halt the Aldmeri advance and allow the Legions to regroup.

Seeing how their window of opportunity was shortening, the Thalmor redirected all of their forces onto the siege of the Imperial City, eventually forcing Titus Mede II to fight his way out. The city was subsequently sacked, becoming known as one of the worst atrocities ever committed during wartime. Nearly ten percent of the city's inhabitants were murdered, and countless more had their lives irrevocably ruined by the Dominion soldiers' brutality. The Thalmor, believing themselves triumphant, began to discuss terms of surrender which Titus Mede II pretended to be interested in. Instead, he merely regathered his forces and launched an attack to retake the city, himself leading the charge with Goldbrand in hand. The Thalmor were routed, and the decisive battle led to Imperial victory.

Still, with the Empire heavily weakened, the Emperor and his generals knew that it was only a matter of time before the Aldmeri Dominion recuperated their losses and invaded again. As such, the Emperor reluctantly signed the White-Gold Concordat, which ceded large amounts of territory from Hammerfell to the Dominion as well as the outlaw of Talos worship. Enraged, the Redguards of Hammerfell seceded, eventually driving the Thalmor from their lands entirely, while Skyrim was plunged into its still ongoing civil war. Some question whether the treaty was worth it, whether the Empire gave away too much.

What isn't in question however, was the war's effect on the Legion itself. From the war came some of the greatest generals the Empire had ever seen, including Generals Decianus, Jonna, Tulius, and Ulfric Stormcloak. Knowing that the Great War was only the precursor to a large conflict yet to come, the Empire has been undergoing a constant state of military expansion, locking the two powers in a cold war that lasts to this day.

 _Organization_

As the preeminent military machine in Tamriel, the Imperial Legion has a sophisticated organizational structure. As of 4E190, there are twenty legions composing the Imperial Legion's total forces. Each legion is made up of roughly five-thousand soldiers and cavalry, itself comprised of several smaller subdivisions.

The smallest group making up a Legion is the Contubernium, which is composed of eight legionnaires. Ten Contuberniums make a Centuria. Six Centuria make a Cohort. Finally, ten Cohorts make a Legion.

A Legion is joined by a permanently attached cavalry unit called an Eques Legionis, consisting of nearly a hundred-and-twenty cavalry. The remaining eighty individuals of a Legion is the leadership, including centurions, legates, and the presiding general.

 _Rank_

The Legion, since its inception, has served as a model of a meritocracy. All individuals start their services as a legionnaire, and through dedicated service can rise through their ranks. The first rank above a legionnaire is a Decanus, who leads a Contubernium. Its cavalry equivalent is the Decurion. Above them is the Tessararius, who themselves are led by an Optio. Each Centuria is itself led by a Centurion, the commanding centurion being the Primus Pilus. Above the centurion is the Legate, who answers only to the commanding general of the Legion. Only the most skilled legionnaires, who have proven their ability, can rise to this prestigious rank, and their word often has ears beyond that of the battlefield.

 _Specialty Units_

Beyond the traditional ranking structure, the past two centuries have introduced a new assortment of recruits beyond the traditional races of Tamriel. Unfortunately, many were only implemented in the closing year of the Great War, which itself proved to be decisive enough to warrant their inclusion.

Minotaurs and Ogres, thanks to their large stature and enormous strength, proved to be excellent shock troops and siege breakers. Often they would be outfitted with tower shields, which would protect both themselves and their comrades from enemy fire. Originally, such a tactic was considered to be impractical due to the tower shield's size being too great for the smaller races, however after a few Minotaurs and Ogres proved themselves capable of effectively wielding such equipment with ease, the tactic began to spread. Now, a core component of a legion is the advancing shield wall generated by Minotaur and Ogre legionnaires.

Goblins, thanks to their natural knack for engineering, have proved to be some of the best military engineers the Legion had ever seen, shown in the infamous Battle of Pigmole. At one point, a bridge leading into their city was destroyed by the Thalmor, and the Goblins not only reconstructed it that night, they managed to improve its structural integrity out of spite.

Out of High Rock came the Centaur Knights. Composed of a partnership between a centaur and a man or mer, the pair train for years to build trust and loyalty between them. By the time their training is complete, many knights regard their partner as members of their own family, often quite literally. There have been many tales of centaurs invited to their rider's familiar outings and vice versa. Nevertheless, the benefit of a Centaur Knight cannot be understated. Rather than merely a rider on a horse, the Centaur Knight is two warriors acting as one, with both mount and rider equally capable for combat. A plethora of armament combinations exist for Centaur Knights, such as a bow-wielding Centaur and a rider wielding a lance, or a spear-centaur with the rider using a sword and shield.

Harpy fliers, ironically, are itself an Aldmeri invention, one that was adopted and refined by Imperial Generals. Originally, Harpies only served as messengers or supply movers. However, during the Battle of Pigmole, the Thalmor agent Capric Thorn recruited a group of harpies into assisting his siege, where he had them drop heavy flechettes (heavy steel arrows and bolts invented by Thorn during the battle) onto the Goblin fortifications. The Goblins had no defense for such a tactic, allowing Capric to rout them and obtain victory. Inspired by this action, the Legion began its own recruitment of Harpies into its ranks, which itself had the effect of boosting Harpy morale. Now, the aptly named Harpy Aerial Knights pester their opponents from the air with a variety of weapons. Heavy flechettes have been relegated to merely an opening salvo, the rest of their arsenal composed of javelins and short bows. A few brave individuals even fly into battle wielding spears. Due to the number of Harpies living in Empire-controlled lands, the number of Harpy Aerial Knights is limited.

Another specialty unit within the Legion hail from the unique physiology of the Khajiit. Despite their homeland being ruled by the Thalmor, a fair number of Khajiits live in Imperial provinces both in migrating caravans and as permanent settlers. Because of this, there are many Khajiit warriors who belong to the Legion. The Legion has found many uses for these Khajiit warriors, using each form's unique characteristics. Cathay-rahts, Ohmes, and Ohmes-raht make up the bulk of the Khajiit contingents, with Pahmar-rahts and Senches operating in similar roles as Centaur Knights. Senche-rahts even serve in a similar capacity as war elephants, only with claws instead of tusks. The Dagi often serve as excellent scouts, using their smaller size to go where others cannot tread, and many a puzzled soul has been outsmarted by the housecat-like Alfiq, making them excellent spies. Still, for as many Khajiit who honorably serve in the Legion, yet even more fill the Dominion's ranks, often using the very same tactics we employ.

The advent of these specialty ranks has greatly bolstered the Legion's strength, which will only continue to grow in the years to come. Had they been utilized at the beginning of the war, perhaps there was a chance for a greater outcome of that terrible conflict. Regardless, with the lessons learned from the Great War, the Imperial Legion stands tall to protect the Empire and its citizens. A network of forts dot the border between Cyrodiil and the Aldmeri provinces of Valenwood and Elsweyr, aimed at the prevention of another invasion.

Now, an uneasy peace exists between the Empire of Tamriel and the Aldmeri Dominion. Another war is coming, that much is certain. Unless another great hero emerges from legend to save the Empire at its darkest hour, the only thing separating the Empire from Thalmor tyranny are the stalwart swords, spears, shields, and bows of the Imperial Legion

 _Trestus Whovinici, Historian at the Imperial Academy_

[~][~]


	66. Meeting Expectations

Chapter 59: Meeting Expectations

* * *

 _7th of Evening Star_

* * *

 _They flew through the air, neither the speed of their flight nor the winds of Kaan stifling their Words._

 ** _"_** ** _The mortals along the eastern mountains have all joined the rebels,"_** _Golalthur explained._ _ **"Even now, several of our brothers have been felled."**_

 ** _"_** ** _Hah,"_** _Horvutokinah snorted. "_ _ **What weaklings have succumbed to mere mortal hands?"**_

 ** _"_** ** _It was no mere mortals,"_** _Mirmulnir corrected._ _ **"Horvutokinah, some of our brethren have joined them."**_

 _This made him go still for a moment, his flight drifting downwards as he digested these words._

 ** _"_** ** _Who? Who would turn from Alduin?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Few, but some still. Not only that, but one of our Dragon Priests has rebelled. He has…a gift. A dragon's soul. His Thu'um is said to be mighty, and he has slain many of our brethren in the north."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Madness! Pure madness! The folly of mortals spreads even to our kin?! A mortal dares to hold dominion over dragons?!"_** _He roared and then Shouted, winds sweeping around him and rain pouring from the sky._ _ **"I will find one and slay him myself as an example of what will come to all traitors!"**_

 ** _"_** ** _Be careful, Horvutokinah,"_** _Mirmulnir warned him before he turned to go north._ _ **"No mere weaklings have joined the rebelling humans."**_ _He then left, with Golalthur turning west as Horvutokinah continued to fly east. The sight of those revolting rebels came, but he continued on until he laid eyes on the form of one of his brethren among them. The men were watching him warily, but his gaze immediately turned to the one flying above them._

 ** _"_** ** _Fool! I will destroy you for your treachery! Horvutokinah will scatter your bones!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _You will not defeat_** _ **Krinothjun so easily."**_

 _The two crashed into each other in midair, biting, clawing, and arguing. Krinothjun was championing to teach and guide the mortals, rather than rule them. Horvutokinah was defending the position of their dominance. The humans tried to help Krinothjun, first hesitantly, then with fervor, but there was little they could do to turn the battle of two Revered Dragons._

 _For a moment, Horvutokinah fell upon the back leg, then managed to reclaim his spot ahead when he Became Ethereal, many attacks passing through him as he did. He then rammed his traitor brother while shouting of their birthright hold over the world as the children of the First Dragon. The traitor was then smashed into a mountainside with Unrelenting Force, where he crumpled to the ground far below and expired. Horvutokinah landed above, and his brother's soul flowed into him._

"What is Our Father's, is not our own," _the soul of Krinothjun said as he sank away into the being of Horvutokinah, becoming one with him. The dragon merely snarled, then looked out at the masses readied to slay him. As injured as he was, he knew he was in no state to try and fight an army. Instead, he flew out across the mountains, planning to rest among their highest, unreachable peaks to let his body heal._

Ruby's eyes opened, and she was looking out across the vast lands beneath the mountain. She had been meditating in one of the small towers, letting the sunlight and wind brush her with their touches as she did. She was finding that they helped to pull her into her meditation.

A hand reached up to feel her eye, checking as though to make sure it was still there. Then her mind thought back to what she saw and felt from Horvutokinah's perspective, then how he felt through Krinothjun and his absorption.

 _'_ _That must be…what happened with Paalduzaam.'_ Ruby had ruminated a while on why one of the dragon souls within her had seemingly up and disappeared. The Greybeards didn't really have any answers, but now she had a few theories. The top one in her mind so far was that she had somehow 'rejected' him completely. Which wasn't too far-fetched. That disgusting dragon represented everything Ruby was against, and it seemed dragons didn't have the same problem as she did when it came to absorbing each other. She still wasn't sure what that was all about.

Still, these were all the wrong questions and answers. With a huff, Ruby lay back and stretched her limbs, feeling some joints pop in her shoulders. As she went limp, she heard footsteps walking up to her place, then saw Argneir above her.

"Is everything all right, Dragonborn?"

"Not bad. Just having…difficulties figuring stuff out." She sat up and then leaned against her arms as she pushed from behind herself. "I keep doing literal soul-searching, but I don't really have control over what comes up. It just seems so…random."

"Hmm, perhaps you could tell me about it."

Ruby nodded and took a minute to explain her vision to him, all the way from where Horvutokinah summoned up a small storm in his rage to after his battle with Krinothjun.

"I think that's when he fell off the map and went into hiding. The Dragon Wars must have ended while he was away, and then he just kept hiding until Alduin came back."

"Hm, I see. And you understood all the words intrinsically?"

"Yeah. I don't really hear it with a 'mortal ear' in my head. If I focus for a while on one thing, I can figure out what the word is and differentiate that from normal languages, but…I can't really do that word by word and expect to get anywhere anytime soon."

"Perhaps you should refocus your efforts towards related subjects," the old Nord suggested. "After all, you are looking for the Word to clear your path, not just any Word of Power."

"No, I guess that's true. I just…got a lot on my mind." She stood up and then reached around in a swivel to further stretch herself. "Well, I'm going to take a quick run around the place, then I'll call Lydia and see how she's doing. Supper at sundown?"

"As always." With his nod, Ruby took off and began at a slow jog, looking at the arch that led into the deadly winds sealing her path from her. She had tried an array of Shouts she already knew on the winds, but none of them had worked so far.

 _'_ _I'll figure this out. Just gotta…clear the way somehow.'_ As her mind continued rolling, she ran on.

* * *

With their hoods low, the two women made their way through the mists of Riften's morning and down to the lower levels, where they waited a moment before slipping into the sewer entrance. Blake saw perfectly well, but Karliah had to take a torch from the wall and light it.

"It's been a while since I've been here. Yet, it doesn't feel all that different. Like it was only…" The Dunmer lowered her head before looking back up at Blake. "One moment." She pulled out a blade and offered the hilt to the Faunus, who took it in hand and began to look it over. The blade was black, almost ephemeral, and the guard was shaped into the same insignia she had seen used in reference to the Nightingales. "I want you to have this. It belonged to Gallus, but given the circumstances, I think he would approve."

"Thank you," Blake murmured before nodding to the woman. The blade was enchanted to absorb something. Unlike the Ebony Blade or Blade of Woe, however, it didn't seem hungry for blood. Rather, it almost felt like a thief with an itch to steal. "I'll put it to good use."

"If the Guild isn't willing to listen to reason, you might have to."

Her words bounced around in Blake's skull for a moment as she tied the new sheath to her side and they continued on through the Ratway. She really hoped it didn't come to that. The Brotherhood was one thing. They were a bunch of death-worshipping assassins who directly threatened her and her friends, not to mention killed innocent people. But this was something entirely different. She knew the Thieves Guild, worked with them. There were some she could even call friends. Still, if Mercer was around, convincing them would be all the harder.

"What if Mercer's there?"

"Then we show them Gallus' journal and hope for the best," Karliah answered. "Remember, we have proof and all he's got is his word. He can make hearts lean to his favor, but he can't erase knowledge and facts."

As they came into the Ragged Flagon, Blake felt a few eyes land upon them. A few stayed glued to Karliah, though many of the younger members lost interest fairly quickly. Others seemed to zero in on them, surprised both at seeing Blake alive and Karliah with her. In one case, someone hopped to his feet and rushed over to the cistern. Blake cursed inside of her head, but said nothing as they continued on their way. When they did enter, Vex, Delvin, and Brynjolf were all standing and waiting, weapons readied. Four other Guild members were at the far side with bows strung and arrows nocked. While Blake felt she could take them all on if she had to, she noticed how their focus was really on the Dark Elf.

For a long, drawn out moment, nobody said a thing. Karliah stood stock still while holding the journals in her hands, and the Guildsmen all seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move. Finally, Brynjolf seemed to let up some of his tension and stepped forward.

"Well, I was told there would be proof. Do you have it, or are you here for something else?"

"I have it," Karliah answered, holding up the book in one hand. "Gallus' original journal, the translation, and the ciphers needed to translate it, if you don't believe us."

The Nord looked at the materials as Karliah offered them, then took them in hand, opening up the translation first.

"What's all of this then?" Delvin asked as he peered over Brynjolf's shoulder.

"This is the proof that you've all been misled," Karliah explained.

As she said it, Brynjolf's eyes went wide and he turned the page.

"No, it…can't be." As he scanned the pages, his arms seemed to falter, taking the book further from his face. "I was hoping you were all wrong… That you were mistaken, but…"

"It's true, Brynjolf. Every word," Karliah told him.

"There's only one way to find out if everything here is true," he declared before looking to the man at his left. "Delvin, I'll need you to open the vault."

"Wait just a blessed moment, Bryn," the bald Nord objected as Brynjolf turned and began heading towards the far side of the cistern, his two compatriots following him. "What's in that book? What did it say?"

"It says Mercer's been stealing from our vault for years," he explained as Blake and Karliah followed after them. "Gallus was looking into it before he was murdered."

"How can Mercer open a vault that needs two keys? It's impossible. Could he pick his way in?"

"That door has the best puzzle locks money can buy," Vex pointed out as they neared it. "There's no way it can be picked open."

"He didn't need to pick the lock," Karliah muttered as they neared the vault's door.

"What's she on about?" Delvin asked as he looked at her in distrust.

"Use your key on the vault, Delvin," Brynjolf commanded. "We'll open it up and find out the truth."

The bald-headed man did so, walking forward and then inserting a key hanging from a cord around his neck. After a twist and a click, he gave the door a push then turned to walk back towards the rest of them.

"I used my key, but the vault's still locked up tighter than a drum. Now use yours."

Brynjolf nodded and did the same, taking his key from a secret pocket at his wrist before using it. The doors then came open, and the man was the first to look inside. He ran in and his face morphed into one of abhorred surprise.

"By the Eight! It's gone! Everything's gone! Get in here, all of you!"

The group ran inside to find the vault almost completely emptied. Chests were open and bare. Tables meant to hold items had nothing upon them. All that remained were a handful of iron weapons with scratched-at sockets, whatever gems that were once inlaid now pried loose. The other thieves began looking in as well, shouts and gasps of surprise coming from all of them before they backed away.

"The hundred-thousand we got," Blake realized, looking at the chest that once held their gains from a dragon hoard.

"The gold… The jewels…" Delvin quietly whispered. "It's all gone…"

"That son-of-a-bitch!" Vex shouted before whipping out her dagger, almost cutting an elf that narrowly moved out of the way. "I'll kill him!"

"Vex, put it away, right now," Brynjolf ordered her before stepping her way. "We can't afford to lose our heads. We need to calm down and focus."

"Do what he says, Vex. This ain't helpin' right now," Delvin advised, barely keeping his own anger in check.

As the woman put her blade away, Blake felt herself nearly overcome by rage. Taking a quick breath, she managed to order her thoughts and calmed herself.

 _'_ _Maven never made that order,'_ she realized. If the old crone had, she would have likely thrown it in Blake's face at every opportunity before they happened to pull off the impossible. Mercer had done it hoping to either get rid of Blake or somehow milk her for whatever he could. _'_ _He was playing me like a damn fiddle!'_

As the other thieves went out to complete whatever tasks they were assigned, whether it was watching the entrances or informing others of their own roles, Brynjolf came up to Blake with a dour expression.

"Well, lass, looks like you weren't lying at all. It's not that I didn't believe you, but I've been working with Mercer for so long…" He sighed. "So, is there anything else I should know? If I'm going to help you track down Mercer, I need to know everything Karliah has told you. I mean everything."

Blake let out a sigh and looked at him. "All right, but… There's a lot to take in."

For the next few minutes, she explained everything she knew and learned, including what little she knew about the Nightingales and their role, as far as she understood it.

"Nightingales," he muttered while rubbing his chin. "I always assumed they were just a tale. A story to keep the young footpads in line. So, they were real this whole time…" He nodded and then crossed his arms. "Was there anything else?"

"Nothing that comes to mind, no. That's basically it."

"Then I have an important task for you," he laid out. "I need you to break into Mercer's home, and search for anything that can tell us where he's gone."

"Right, his house. I… Wait, he's gone?"

"Aye. It's been some days now. I thought he was following a trail to finding Karliah. Certainly made it sound that way. Now though, it looks like he's got something else in mind. Might be deciding to leave Skyrim entirely at this point. If he is, we aren't going to let him." The man nodded. "Anyways, get into Riftweald Manor, find what you can. But be careful about his guard. A big lout named Vald. Vex can probably help you with taking care of him. She used to know him pretty well…if you catch my meaning."

"I…wish I didn't." Blake took in a deep breath and nodded. "All right. I'll take care of it."

"Be careful lass. This is the last place in Skyrim I'd ever want to send you. Just find a way in, get the information, and leave. And you have permission to kill anyone that stands in your way."

The Faunus' eyes went wide for a moment, but then she set her face to grim determination and nodded. "I understand."

With that, Blake went and began planning, quickly getting what information she could on the place from whoever knew anything and laying out her options as she learned more. As she scribbled out her plan in a spare notebook, she felt the weapons on her side and looked to them.

* * *

When the Valtheim Towers were cleared the first time, they made for a decent place to rest. Another group of bandits had tried to set up within them, but were run out even quicker than the first bunch. Now, they were being patrolled by a new group, only this rabble was fairly better organized and equipped than mere bandits. While most still wore patchwork leather armor, there were several with better-kept and tougher armors, ranging from decent leather to high-quality steel and elven. Though even they rarely had full sets. Also separating them from the everyday bandit was how their weapons tended to be free of rust and tarnish. Some still were marred by time, but they were the exception rather than the norm. These men and women had set up a camp across the bridge and into the woods behind the furthest of the towers, practically turning it into a small fortress.

Aela figured out how to bypass it all fairly quickly. While it was a tiring uphill trek, the five werebeasts came up one of the more sloped edges, away from anyone who might have spotted them approaching. They then took up position behind several large stacks of crates set off to the side and began taking in their surroundings. The Silver Hand seemed to be everywhere, but already Yang was seeing some holes.

"Okay, I think I know how we can approach this," she started.

"Wait, who's in charge here?" Farkas asked in genuine curiosity.

"No one's in charge, but it is Aela's mission," Yang pointed out while looking at the other woman. "Wanna hear me out?"

Aela smiled. "Go ahead."

"Right." Yang drew a circle in the dirt and then a few smaller circles. "These guys should be meeting at the big tent over here. Now, we'll need to make sure we cut off their avenue of escape. Yngvarr, think you can head here?"

* * *

"Hey, did you hear?" a Nord asked his Orc comrade. "They said that the group with Niri and Ashpi got hit some time ago."

"I forget, who are those?"

"Niri was that timid little elf maid. Ashpi was the Omhes Khajiit slut."

"Oh, them!" The Orc grinned in memory. "That little cat was some fun while we were down there. Didn't have to worry about leaving a brat, either. Shame. What happened?"

"Well, part of it looks like they were getting too cocky about their animal wrangling, but another part looks like they were attacked. Might've been the damned Compan-"

Both went silent as something hit their skulls and sank in. Yang wrenched her two axes from them and then dragged the corpses behind the bushes she was hiding in. While the scent of fresh blood was now added to the air, she was hoping that the nearby skinner and butcher turning wild boars into pork helped to conceal it for just a moment longer. The blonde then snuck over to the main tent and looked inside. Around a large table were a little less than a dozen men and women, a few of them of advanced age, all sitting and discussing things. Listening in let her know that it was mostly inconsequential things, so she didn't pay too much attention.

 _'_ _All right, Aela. Just waiting on your signal.'_

As Yang settled into place in a way that wouldn't stress or cramp her muscles, a few more leaders came in and sat, leaving only one seat open for a few minutes. The last of them then came in, and everyone went quiet. He was a large Nord, with some sort of pale paint all over his face and chest that looked almost silvery. He also wore a wolfskin coat over Dwarven and steel armor, the head of it resting upon his helmet. The man walked over to the head of the table, then was seated.

"Everyone, do you know why I've called you all together?" he asked.

"After ten years, I admit, I don't even know who most of you are," a younger man said. He received both glares and laughs, but the head honcho merely nodded.

"We haven't met, Captain Gelard, because we've essentially been on the run for this entire time. We've had to be careful, otherwise our organization would've been wiped out already."

"Aye, which is why we're wondering why you've gathered us all here," an elder woman asked.

"Heh, are we finally gonna end the Companions?" Gelard asked with a smirk. While a few others seemed to cheer at the idea, their apparent leader held up his hand to demand silence.

"Our mission has _never_ been to destroy the Companions." At their confused looks and grumblings, the man sat up straighter and put his hands upon the table. "It is and has always been the elimination of werebeasts, no matter what kind or who they are. Our mission begins and ends with the werewolves who have seized control of the Companions," he declared with a fist hitting the wood.

"Yeah, but we have to get through the other Companions to get to them," a Redguard pointed out.

"Sometimes, yes. It is unfortunate. But that's the price we'll have to pay to free them. The Companions are meant to be the heirs of Ysgrammor, but right now Hircine has his filthy claws sunken into them. This is part of why we're all here today. Right now, the number of werewolves in the Companions numbers less than half a dozen." A few seemed surprised by this, but more remained stoic as it was explained. "The Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane. Vilkas and Farkas, the twins. Aela Blackblade, the Huntress. And their newest member of the Circle, a golden-haired woman known as Yang." Sketches were set out by an assistant of sorts so that all could see their likeness. Yang noticed how hers was basically just a copy of the poster informing the guards of her status as Thane.

"What about the One-Eye?"

"Skjor the One-Eye was killed by Krev, just before his untimely demise at the hand of their newblood. This means that-"

The man was cut off by a howl that made everyone nearly jump from their seats. The elder ones calmly pulled out their silver weapons.

"That was no mere wolf," the old woman recognized as she readied a mace. Yang tensed, grabbing her axes, then an arrow came through and hit one man, quickly followed by five more, all hitting their intended targets. Some went down almost instantly, but a couple managed to push through the pain. As the Silver Hands started heading out the entrance, Yang crashed through the side and began rapidly chopping around herself, doing her best to close off her mind to the screams of pain and death and the feeling of blood splashing out from mortal wounds. The old woman tried to brain her, but Yang smashed the mace aside and swung towards her neck. The elder still had enough agility to spin out of the way, but wasn't quick enough to dodge Yang's second strike, which dug into her guts. She grunted in pain and then looked at the blonde in fury.

"Damn you…all!" she seethed before falling to the floor.

"Fall back and regroup!" the leader tried to rally them. Some came to his side, but then a black-furred shape came in and smacked two away with his claws before biting off half the head of a third. Vilkas turned to face the leader, ready to swipe through him, but as his claw came, the man drew out a battleaxe and managed to knock his arm aside. Vilkas staggered a moment, giving him enough of an opening to chop around and swipe into the werewolf's chest, getting through the special armor. As the axe blade dug in, he roared in pain and Yang screamed.

"Vilkas!" she cried out, smacking a man aside before rushing over to him. The werewolf dodged another swipe, but nearly buckled as he backed away. He made to bite at the man, but when the chomp was side-stepped, the axe was already coming around towards his neck. Yang dropped Holy Ardon and grabbed Vilkas by the tail before yanking him out of the way, letting the Silver Hand's axe hit dirt while the werewolf yelped.

"Yang…" the injured werewolf got out. Another man came up swinging, but the werewolf grabbed his arms then bit his head, crushing it.

"You go heal. I got this."

Vilkas looked like he wanted to respond, but instead his ears flattened back before he turned towards the nearby corpses. His mouth salivated, then he began ripping open chests with his claws and teeth to get at the organ beneath.

"So, you're the new one," the leader said. "Yang Xiao Long."

"What's it to you?" Yang asked as she kicked up Ardon and caught it in her hand.

"I am Agmen, Harbinger of the Silver Hand." He reared back and Yang readied herself for his swing, but rather than come straight at her like she expected, the blade went towards her ankles, forcing her back a step. As his axe came around, she blocked it under the beard of Black Whisper, then rammed the man with her shoulder, knocking them both out of the tent and bowling them both over. Yang felt herself go up and realized the man had kicked her off. She managed to land on her feet as the man rolled onto his, then brought both her axes around, only for Agmen to twist out of their way.

"If Vilkas had just faced me as a man, he may have stood a chance," the Silver Hand stated as he began slowly circling, keeping his eyes on Yang. She watched him carefully and tried to match his steps.

"What do you know about him?" she bit out.

"Just that I could never best him at arms."

Caught off-guard, Yang was almost too slow as he rushed forward, swinging the butt of the axe handle at her arm. She managed to block him, but when she took a swing, he moved in and shoved against her. Rather than be knocked over, she grabbed on and pulled him into a crushing grapple. The man tried to force his way out, but after a mere second, he instead slipped out from her grasp, leaving his wolfskin coat behind before swiping from the left. She knocked his axe over her head, then saw his armor, which almost exactly matched the same Wolf Armor that most of the Companions wore before.

"The hell…?"

"Let me guess: they didn't tell you about me. I suppose they wouldn't." He spun the battleaxe in his hands before charging her. Yang made to block his swipe, but the he pulled back in a feint before spinning it under and up. The blade hit her and knocked her back, but simply slid off of her with some sparks and a small glow of her Aura. The man's eyes actually went wide, but then he went back on the offensive. Yang pirouetted around his next swing then elbowed down onto his back. She tried to bring up Black Whisper into his face, but his own axe's head deflected it before he shoved into her again, this time smashing her back into the rockface. She heaved him off of herself and punched him, hitting his arm with a satisfying crack that brought out a scream from him.

Grunting and backing away, Agmen looked at Yang for a moment before making a run for it, but stopped when he saw the carnage being wrought by Yngvarr at the Valtheim Tower's bridge. The older Nord had gone back around and pushed into the towers to close off the only real escape route, and now he was all the way up to the center of the bridge, felling anyone who tried to get past him, either chopping into them or knocking them into the waters far below to freeze and drown.

"You're not getting out of here," Yang told the man. "Just surrender, or else."

"Do you even realize what you're doing?" he asked her as he turned back around.

"Yeah, I heard you. Werewolves leading the Companions is bad and whatever. I don't care who you think should be in charge of what. That's not a reason to go killing people."

"As opposed to letting their souls be damned?" He tried to grip his axe, but winced as his arm shifted. "Generation after generation… How much longer will it go on?"

Yang fumed. "I don't know! It doesn't matter! I'm stopping you, one way or the other! You can come quietly, or you can fight me and lose!"

"Maybe, maybe not. If not…tell Skjor I'm sorry."

The man's hand grabbed something at his side and brought it to his mouth, biting off the cork and downing it as Yang moved to stop him or capitalize on the opening. He finished it just before she reached him and knocked one axe off course only to get the other in his thigh. With a yell, his fist came around and slammed into her cheek, hitting her with enough force to knock her aside despite its injury. Yang stumbled then blocked his axe as it came at her with far more force than before. Her nose picked up whatever potion he'd drank, and her eyes widened as she recognized a mix of skooma, mushrooms, and a plethora of things she would never willingly consume.

"What did you…" His foot kicked out and connected with her stomach, sending her backwards before he rushed her again. She met his axe with hers then shoved him aside before chopping at his arm. He managed to knock it aside, sending Black Whisper flying and leaving Yang with one axe. She took Ardon in two hands and made an upward swing, splitting part of his armor and cutting skin, but not seeming to slow him down.

"What the hell did you drink?!" she screamed as she blocked his next attack. As she twisted out of it, her left fist came around and hit his arm again, this time visibly breaking it. The man continued attacking her, however, even with his effectiveness essentially halved. After sidestepping a few swings, Yang managed to grasp his axe's handle and swung Holy Ardon into his gut. He shouted, but seemed to push on through it and headbutted Yang, who let go of the weapon and backed up before taking out Fiery Kain. Even with an axe in his body, he continued trying to attack Yang, who by now had gotten used to his berserker state and easily dodged him before using Kain to swipe off his other arm. He shouted and snarled as blood gushed from the stump, but when he seemed to try and attack, he stumbled and fell to his knees. Yang saw his dilated eyes return to normal, then his gaze went down to the axe in his gut.

"Damn," he grunted as he tried to stay up right. His broken arm moved, but it was clear that it pained him to even try. Yang huffed a few times before looking around herself to see that it was mostly all over. The Silver Hand on Valtheim Mountain had been slaughtered, and now the Companions were coming towards her.

"It's not over," she heard Agmen say before turning back to him. "Listen to me, Companion. It's not over."

"What? You're going to tell me more Silver Hand are out there. I know this isn't all of you."

"No. No. I meant this fight. I was trying…to save the Companions."

"Save them?" she growled out. "You've been trying to kill us!"

"As long as werewolves are at the head of the Companions, there will be those who seek to remove them." He grunted as he forced his body to stop leaning towards the left, his knees spreading a little further to hold him up as his visible skin paled from the blood loss. "I only wanted the werewolves gone, so that the Companions could be as they are meant to be. Tell me, Yang Xiao Long, can you go to Sovngarde and join the ranks of those who have come before you?" He looked up at her eyes, even as he gasped all the harder for breath. "Werewolves belong to Hircine, even those Harbingers who have led the Companions. It will not stop. Not…not if you continue to make every generation after you…one of you."

Yang felt the expression on her face soften a bit. The man continued to look at her, as though hoping for something.

"Book… In the blue tent with…silver lines. My journal… Read it. Please…don't…" The man's breath fell short, and he fell over slowly as the others came up to Yang's side.

"Shor's Bones," Aela muttered. "It is Agmen."

"So we were right," Farkas said as he walked up to the dead man. "He ran to the Silver Hand. Didn't think he'd end up leading them."

"He was still a savage with that axe, though," Vilkas added, having returned to his human form. "Lucky that Yang pulled me out of that one. Are you all right?"

"Yeah," the blonde quietly answered him. "Just… Some things I need to check for before we go." She started to walk away, but then paused in her steps. "We should…do something about all of the bodies."

"We'll get a pyre going," Yngvarr stated as he walked up to Agmen's corpse, leaning down next to it and then pulling Holy Ardon free. After he handed it over to Yang, he patted her shoulder. "You all right, lass?"

"Just some things to think about. He said some stuff, and now that the fights over…"

"It's all right. Go find whatever you're looking for. We'll handle this for right now."

Yang nodded and then set off to find what Agmen had pointed her towards. If nothing else, she figured she needed some insight into what he was talking about.

* * *

Weiss felt her wings flapping against the wind in the strangest sensation she had ever felt. Before, her wings had seemed vestigial, almost decorative. But now they were long and filled with the skin that other Vampire Lords appeared to lack. They seemed to scoop at the air, pushing Weiss forward in conjunction with the vampire magic that held her aloft several feet above the ground. Now she felt like she could have taken to the sky if she really wanted to, though she wasn't sure of how well she could pull that off. Still, just the thought of being able to truly fly was an adored, if novel, idea.

Her mind was dragged away from its elated state when Solitude began coming into view, forcing her to land and assume her human form. She was on yet another mission, one that hopefully shouldn't take too long. Garan had information that some coven of 'wild' vampires had sprouted up in Haafingar and were beginning to wreak havoc around Solitude and nearby villages. Weiss wasn't sure why they cared so much, but when asked it was explained that too much attention was already on the area, and the coven was acting without restraint. If they were left to their own devices, it could bring other forces in the area and eventually lead them to the Castle, setting them back by who knows how long. While Weiss wouldn't mind the Volkihar getting set back, there was the fact that this coven was indiscriminately killing around a dozen and a half people every week. They needed to be stopped and quickly. Harkon had also told her to make haste. He didn't want her taking too long finding it, as he felt they were nearly ready for 'the next stage'.

Weiss feared what he meant by that, but put it out of her mind as she entered the town gates. Sunlight was coming over the horizon, touching her skin and making her wince a little, but bringing no real pain or discomfort to her.

* * *

"Well, that was useless," the vampire muttered as she left the Bard's College. There was a Breton there she _knew_ was a vampire, but either he was thick as frozen molasses, really good and dedicated to hiding it, or was just somehow unaware that he was a vampire. She highly doubted he had known where the coven might be anyways. Garan had said they were acting more akin to wild animals, whereas Edwayne was of aristocratic stock, closer to her and Harkon's ilk, as terrible as it was to think of them as similar. As she ruminated in her thoughts, a pair of guards approached her, one with his hand out to gain her attention.

"Excuse me, but you've been summoned to the Blue Palace," he told her as she turned to them. "We ask that you come with us."

"To the palace?" The heiress was unsure why anyone would be calling her there. It wasn't like she had made her presence loud and proud. She hadn't even dropped by the manor to let the servants and tenants there know about her. "Who has asked for me?"

"The Court Mage," he answered simply. Weiss hummed in thought, wondering what the Court Mage of Solitude could possibly want with her, but then decided to just roll with it for now. If she was lucky, perhaps the mage had a lead on her current task.

"Very well. Take me to them." As the guards led Weiss through the streets and towards the palace, she tried to recall what she knew about the Court Mage. She was pretty certain from what Ruby had said it was a woman, but that was about the extent of it. They went through the palace entrance and then off to the side, stopping at the door of a large laboratory setup. A Breton looked up at them and waved towards the guards.

"Thank you, men. You may go." They nodded their heads and left, leaving Weiss alone with the woman.

"You are the Court Mage," Weiss stated in greeting.

"I am. Sybille Stentor, Court Mage of Solitude."

"Weiss Schnee. So, what did you want to meet me for?"

Rather than answering, Sybille waved a hand and telekinetically shut the door behind Weiss. The blancette quickly reached for her sword, but the mage before her held out her hands in a placating gesture.

"Listen, if I wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have had you brought straight to me. We just needed some more privacy. Silence and muffling charms aren't as effective when the door is open."

Weiss mentally reached out and felt the weave of magic running through the room and its walls. She let go of Strahlendjuwel's hilt and went back to a normal stance. Sybille nodded at this, and continued.

"As for what this is about, I noticed you poking around, little vampire." Her eyes widened and she looked straight at the Breton. "I do have to commend you, however, on your disguise. You even managed to shift your eyes' colors back to normal."

"How did you know?" Weiss asked.

"I always know, usually. You'd have to be exceptional to slip past all the wards and magical scry-orbs I have set everywhere. Even then, I would have found you snooping around." She crossed her arms at that. "Speaking of, don't worry about Edwayne. He's…under control, for lack of a better term."

"You know about him, too." Weiss took on a thoughtful expression then pulled the magic through her, casting Detect Undead. Sybille lit up slightly in her eyes, indicating her undeath. The mage noticed and let out a dry laugh.

"Well, at this range, you saw it." She pulled back her hood and Weiss saw the intense orange of her irises. "Yes, I'm a vampire. I've been one for decades, now."

"Yes." Weiss let go of the magic. "Well, in that case, maybe you can help me. You wouldn't happen to know about a certain group of vampires in the area?"

"Who's asking? And I mean, who sent you to find them?" While Weiss thought about how to answer, Sybille took a few steps towards her. "It was Harkon, wasn't it?"

The heiress winced and tried to think of a way to skirt around the issue. "Yes, I'm…here on his behalf."

"Surprised he sent another one of his acolytes after what happened last time."

"I'm not an… I mean…"

"Yes, I figured as much. I've seen you and the Dragonborn Thane together more than a few times, as well as those other associates of hers. I may not know exactly what you're doing, but I know someone working towards subversion when I see it. While I can't suggest it's a smart route, I suppose it's, at the very least, an honorable one." The Court Mage nodded and then put her hands to her hips. "So, he's culling again? Well then, we have the same enemy here. I'll show you where they are."

Weiss was a little surprised by that. "You know where they are? You haven't told anyone?"

"I only found them… Well, one of them came to me and told me. Seemed decent enough, although by his words he more missed the amenities of life than any actual compunctions. Well, I've made sure he's taken care of, but now it's time to take care of the rest before my standing in the Court takes any more hits."

Weiss scoffed. "You're worried about your standing while people are dying?"

"Yes, because my standing can prevent yet more death," Sybille shot back. "I've been at this a long, long time, since the younger years of High King Istlod. I've done my best to keep the vampire presence in Haafingar…quiet." Her eyes narrowed as she looked down to the side. "Ever since I was turned, I've kept at this. I ensured that little about my life changed, save a few more responsibilities and necessities. One of those is keeping the local vampires in line and…ousting the parasites whenever the need arises. Unfortunately, the Volkihar are no simple chaff, and they've started mobilizing for whatever gods-forsaken plot they've been brewing. Something _I_ can't really hope to stymie. Then Potema, the most infamous necromancer in Skyrim's history, nearly returned from the grave, with a dozen vampires fighting for her sake, right beneath Solitude's nose. Underneath my nose. Now, what was once a solid foundation built on decades of trust and goodwill has become…shaky, as of late."

"People know?" Weiss asked, slightly surprised at hearing how Sybille refused to let her vampirism significantly alter her life. Most of the others she had met succumbed to it in some form or fashion, either as monsters or amoral minions. Even the few she met who retained their morality in some sense of the word seemed dedicated to curing themselves of their ailment above most everything else. It almost sounded like Sybille was treating her vampirism as little more than a chronic illness. The sort with a bad reputation attached, but still.

In a way, it was what Weiss at the very least wanted.

"People in the court know. The ones who need to, for the most part. It's gotten a bit harder to keep secret as the years go by. People tend to notice when someone who isn't an elf doesn't age for decades. It's not important. What is important is getting rid of these vampires."

"I agree, just… Nevermind. It's something for later." Weiss refocused on the task at hand, shelving away thoughts of questions lining up for Sybille. "Where exactly is this coven?"

* * *

Once again, Weiss was flying through the forests, heading towards Pinemoon Cave. The smell of blood hit her long before it came into view, and when it did, she swooped in and felt her body correct itself. Her clawed feet touched the ground and then she shifted back. A vampire saw her enter and dropped what he was doing to turn towards her and begin backing up hesitantly. Two wolves came up and snarled at her, but already Weiss was summoning up a Boarbatusk. As the summon appeared, the wolves charged and the pig-like apparition rolled into its spin attack. The canines were practically shredded by the Grimm, and the vampire made a run for it.

Weiss went after him, her summon just in front of her. When they came out in an open area, there were several more vampires who had just been roused from their own activities by their fellow. Some began taking out rusted weapons, but others backed away. Weiss could tell what they were feeling as she approached. A part of her realized that these vampires were weaklings, barely stronger than the farmers they ganged up on and drained dry.

The fear on their faces was feeding a part of Weiss she wanted to keep down. She wasn't here to grind them in the dirt underneath her heels. She was here to remove a threat. A threat that the bled-out corpse on a table and mutilated human and elf body parts attested to. Her summon began spinning again, aiming for the nearest vampire, and Weiss readied the flaming magic in her right hand while drawing her rapier in her left.

* * *

 _Wings beating against wind. Body soaring through clouds. A storm against a Voice, and a roar to the sky._

 _Sky_

 _A curve towards the mountains. A turn above the tree line. Sauntering towards earth, then lifting towards the sky._

 _Sky_

 _Feet pushed against rock and snow, lifting a body into the air. Rain pelted against scales and lightning struck about, all called by another Voice. A Shout rang to clear the sky._

 _Sky_

 _The sky is open. The sky is free. The sky is above all, even the dragons who may touch it. The sky holds life-giving rains and destructive storms. The sky guides the winds and mind._

 _Sky_

 _The purest of skies are those without anything to fill them. No clouds or rain._

 _Clear as the sky._

" **Lok!** " Ruby felt it leap from her throat in sudden understanding. From the spot where she was seated, she could see her Thu'um reaching towards the heavens, spreading out until it was no longer visible. As she gasped for air and stared above, she saw the few clouds hanging above them begin to dissolve far more rapidly than she could have imagined. After a few seconds of watching this and the clear sky left hanging afterward, she began hearing footsteps coming through the snow toward her and turned to see the Greybeards approaching.

"Dragonborn," Argneir said with a bow of his head as they neared. "You are ready."

* * *

" **Lok… Vah… Koor…** " the speaker of the Greybeards Shouted in whispers at the stone, revealing the ancient inscription beneath the snow like fresh emblazonments.

 _'_ _Sky. Spring. …Summer.'_

As Ruby read the words to herself, Argneir turned towards her.

"I will grant you my understanding of Clear Skies. This is your final gift from us, Dragonborn. Use it well."

"Thank you, Master Argneir."

They bowed towards each other, then the Greybeard took in a deep breath before Ruby began to feel the linking between them. The other Greybeards had done it before to help her understand, but this time she was being granted the full understanding of two Words at once, even if she had already begun to understand them herself. As the connection between the two faded, Ruby looked up towards the gate leading to her goal.

"Clear Skies will blow away the mist, but only for a time," he warned her. "The path to Paarthurnax is perilous, not to be embarked upon lightly. Keep moving, stay focused on your goal, and you will reach the summit."

Ruby nodded to him and began to climb up the steps to the gate. When she reached it, she felt inside of her chest as she took in a deep breath, imagining a sky clearer than any she had ever seen, an endless blue outstretched before her.

" **Lok! Vah! Koor!** " she Shouted. Immediately, the cold misty winds that had once blocked her way cleared before her, and she began to walk.

The path before her wound its way around the mountain, occasionally requiring Ruby to Shout once again to keep it clear of the mists creeping back in. As she went, the circles grew smaller, and she could feel the air growing thinner. Yet her breath never faltered, always deep enough to keep her going and Shout back the cold that threatened to engulf her.

As she came upon the peak, she saw before her the remains of a wall, worn by time yet still standing. The very peak was just within her sight, and she began walking towards it, pausing in her steps when a massive shadow passed overhead. She turned around just as the ground shook, but then came a memory, and a smile stretched across her face.

" **Drem Yol Lok, Dovahkiin."**

"Drem Yol Lok," she greeted the dragon, "Paarthurnax."

* * *

 _7th of Evening Star_

* * *

 **And there you have it! We've made it to Paarthurnax! =D**

 **Always remember xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor**


	67. You Ever Wonder

Busy weeks behind me and busy weeks ahead, but at least I got a friend in xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor.

* * *

 _7th of Evening Star_

* * *

"You know, it seems pretty obvious in hindsight," Ruby said as she took in the sight of a weathered, white dragon with chipped and worn spikes, teeth, and tattered wings. "All the signs were there. The name, the timeline, the memories… You're a dragon."

 **"** **Indeed. I am as Our Father made me. I had expected you to be more…surprised, Dovahkiin. Though, I am not disappointed that our first meeting shall be one of drem ahrk mindoraan…peace and understanding."**

"I was, just…" Ruby shrugged. "Well, if this is our first meeting…we should be giving each other a feel of our voices now that we've greeted?"

 **"** **Ah, so it's seems I am not the first of the Dov you have peacefully spoken with."**

"No, Vulgahrotru was. Um, now that I think about it, he's the only other one." Ruby felt a tinge of disappointment that she hadn't spoken with very many dragons in a peaceful setting.

 **"** **So, the thief flies again? Ah, I should wish to speak with him. But first, let us engage tinvaak before I imagine speaking with others."** He reared up his head and took a deep breath. **"** **By long tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones! Match it, if you are Dovahkiin! Yol Toor Shul!"**

Fire leaped from the dragon's mouth and bathed Ruby in its warmth. Like before, the flames did not harm her, but these were even more powerful and controlled than those of Vulgahrotru. The warmth sank into her clothes without consuming them, enveloping her body like a summer wind as it passed her by. When it ended, she stood exactly as she had before, feeling the power of the old dragon in front of her.

" **Yol Toor Shul!** " she answered in kind. The flames from her own mouth managed to cover Paarthurnax's head and spread around his frame, reaching the very tip of his tail before her breath gave out. Steam rose from off of him, but the dragon himself gently closed his eyes and seemed to bask in it all.

 **"** **Ah, yes! Sossedov los mul. The Dragonblood runs strong in you. It is long since I had the pleasure of speech with my own kind."** Paarthurnax then turned and leaped up before flapping over to the old wall, where he landed and perched on one side of it. Ruby followed him over and found that the wall was guarding against some of the cold winds that flowed against the top of the mountain peak.

 **"** **So, you have made your way here, to me,"** the dragon began after they settled in place. **"** **No easy task for a joor…mortal. Even one of Dovah Sos. Dragonblood. What would you ask of me?"**

"Well, for starters, I need to know about the shout that defeats Alduin: Dragonrend. Can you teach it to me?" Ruby asked, getting straight to the point. Paarthurnax took her request with nod.

 **"** **Ah, I had expected such. Prodah."** Ruby blinked at the word for prophecy, part of her realizing just how long he might have waited for this very moment. **"** **You would not come all this way for tinvaak with an old Dovah. No. You seek your weapon against Alduin."**

"I would've come to talk… If I had time… and knew more. There's a lot I didn't know. Argneir and the Greybeards didn't want me to come at all until it was inevitable."

 **"** **Hmm, yes. They are very protective of me. Bahlaan fahdonne,"** he hummed appreciatively. **"** **But I do not know the Thu'um you seek. Krosis. It cannot be known to me. Your kind – jorre – mortals – created it as a weapon against the Dov…the dragons. Our hadrimme, our minds cannot even…comprehend its concepts."**

"You mean you can't even _know_ it?" At Paarthurnax's nod, Ruby hung her head. "Well, how am I supposed to learn it, then?"

 **"** **Drem. All in good time. First, a question for you: why do you want to learn this Thu'um?"**

"Because…I need to stop Alduin," Ruby answered, figuring it should have been obvious.

 **"Yes. Alduin...Zeymah. The elder brother. Gifted, grasping, and troublesome, as is so often the case with firstborn. But why? Why must you stop Alduin?"**

"I…" Ruby's mind seemed to swirl around in her head. It was obvious, wasn't it? Alduin was the bad guy. She was the hero who had to stop him. For a moment, she almost forgot why they were fighting him in the first place. Then the memories came back up. Of finding a couple burned to a crisp. Of the people fleeing the destruction. Of burning fields and refugees. Her hands tightened and she looked back up.

"Because of the people he's hurting, the lives he's destroying. Because I won't let him destroy this world."

 **"Pruzah. As good a reason as any. There are many who feel as you do, although not all. Some would say that all things must end, so that the next can come to pass. Perhaps this world is simply the Egg of the next kalpa? Lein vokiin? Would you stop the next world from being born?"**

"I can't save the next world," she answered immediately. "I can only help this one. When the time comes, the next kalpa will have its own saviors."

 **"Paaz. A fair answer. Ro fus... Maybe you only balance the forces that work to quicken the end of this world. Even we who ride the currents of Time cannot see past Time's end... Wuldsetiid los tahrodiis. Those who try to hasten the end, may delay it. Those who work to delay the end, may bring it closer."** Ruby contemplated his words, imagining a balanced interplay akin to the prominent yin-yang symbols. The imagery made sense to her, and the dragon's words reminded the young Dragonborn of stories she grew up with. How people would learn of the terrible fate that awaited them and how their attempts to avoid said fate only brought it closer to them. It was funny how such concepts seemed to transcend universal boundaries.

 **"But you have indulged my weakness for speech long enough. Krosis,"** he apologized, breaking Ruby from her thoughts. **"** **Now I will answer your question. Mm, do you know why I live here, at the peak of the Monahven – what you name Throat of the World?"**

Ruby looked around at the mountain's peak, even stepping away from the wall to get a glimpse of the land of Skyrim far below them.

"Well, it's a nice mountain," Ruby admitted as she kept her eyes focused on the tundra below. "And dragons like mountains, right?"

 **"True. But few now remember that this was the very spot where Alduin was defeated by the ancient Tongues. Vahrukt unslaad... Perhaps none but me now remember how he was defeated."**

Ruby looked again in awe at their surroundings. As she took in the fact that this was where that world-decisive battle had taken place all those millennia ago. Suddenly the desolate landscape held a new meaning for her, and she felt the magnitude of that victorious moment so long ago weighing down on her.

"Wow!" she muttered. "So this is where they beat him with the Dragonrend Shout?"

 **"Yes, and no. Viik nuz ni kron. Alduin was not truly defeated, either. If he was, you would not be here today, seeking to…defeat him. The Nords of those days used the Dragonrend Shout to cripple Alduin. But this was not enough. Ok mulaag unslaad. It was the Kel – the Elder Scroll. They used it to... cast him adrift on the currents of Time."**

"Wait, you're saying the ancient Nords sent him forward in time?" Ruby asked, bewildered yet not all that surprised to hear that time travel was apparently a thing on Nirn. She mentally filed that fact away, figuring that Weiss would be interested in that field someday.

 **"Not intentionally."** Paarthurnax shook his head. **"Some hoped he would be gone forever, forever lost. Meyye. I knew better. Tiid bo amativ. Time flows ever onward. One day he would surface. Which is why I have lived here. For thousands of mortal years, I have waited. I knew where he would emerge but not when. When the day finally came, we engaged in lot grah. Great battle. In the end, his Thu'um overpowered my own. I…managed to escape him, in the end."**

 _'_ _That explains some of the broken spikes,'_ Ruby thought, noting how a lot of Paarthurnax's wear seemed more recent and sudden. Time wouldn't have caused them to be cracked off like that, and even then, they would've slowly grown back. "I've heard of Elder Scrolls before," she said as she tried to remember what she could about them. "What exactly are they?"

 **"** **Hmm. How to explain in your tongue? The Dov have words for things that joorre do not. It is...an artifact from outside time. It does not exist, but it has always existed. Rah wahlaan. They are...hmm...fragments of creation. The Kelle...Elder Scrolls, as you name them, they have often been used for prophecy. Yes, your prophecy comes from an Elder Scroll. But this is only a small part of their power. Zofaas suleyk."**

"Okay, but how will that help?" Ruby asked while tilting her head. Although she found this conversation fascinating, she needed to know more about how to accomplish her goal.

Paarthurnax licked his teeth as he thought on how best to answer Ruby's question. **"Tiid krent. Time was...shattered here because of what the ancient Nords did to Alduin. If you brought that Kel, that Elder Scroll back here...to the Tiid-Ahraan, the Time-Wound... With the Elder Scroll that was used to break Time, you may be able to...cast yourself back. To the other end of the break. You could learn Dragonrend from those who created it."**

 _'_ _Go back in time?'_ Ruby wondered, imagining all of the implications she could about taking such an action. _'_ _Hopefully, it works more on_ Dragon Orb Z _rules and not_ Return to the Future _.'_

"Would it have to be the same Elder Scroll? I know there are…a lot."

 **"** **Hm, yes. It would have to be the very same one to…resonate with the bond it created."**

"Well, that might mean it's not the one Weiss and Yang talked about. Still, worth a shot. Do you know where it is?"

 **"Krosis. No. I know little of what has passed below in the long years I have lived here. You are likely better informed than I."**

"Well that's just peaches," the girl grumbled. "I'll have to check with people. Maybe Argneir has some idea where to start. And then there's the College of Winterhold. If all else fails, Esbern might have an idea."

 **"Trust your instincts, Dovahkiin. Your blood will show you the way."**

"Thanks, Paarthurnax." Ruby turned back to the mountain pass, preparing to walk towards it, only to stop. As she took her surroundings once more, she felt a sense of clarity come to mind, and so she turned back towards Paarthurnax. "…If you don't mind, though, I think I might wait up here a while before going. I'm waiting on someone else and…I think it might be good to talk to you and try to learn a bit from the Grandmaster."

 **"** **Ah,"** he laughed. **"** **Very well. I will teach you what I can. I feel as though your Voice will need all the strength it can hold for the tasks ahead of you."**

* * *

Blake's mission was simple in explanation but more complex in execution. First, there was Vald to worry about. She started looking into his debt to Maven due to him losing a Quill of Gemination somewhere in Lake Honrich, which Blake sent Deaku to find. After he went after it, however, she decided to distract the big man another way. With her Guild armor on, she got his attention and told him that Vex was wanting to speak with him and make amends for the past. That got him really excited, but when he realized he couldn't leave the place unguarded, Blake offered to watch over it while he was away. Given that she had technically worked for Mercer too, he decided that was good enough and left her with the key.

With that, she packed away the thieving armor and headed into the manor, searching nearly every nook and cranny she could find. After the first few minutes of finding nothing, she decided to steal some expensive-looking items for good measure, figuring there was no point in leaving them to gather dust when they could get her a fair amount of septims. That and, she had to admit, petty revenge for trying to kill her. It was only when she found an old note on a table that she was first clued in to there being more to the house than what first appeared. A more thorough check of all the wardrobes later, she found one with a false back panel like the one in the Ragged Flagon. The new path led her to a secret basement that opened to what appeared to be a closed-off portion of the sewers, complete with booby traps. Those included a floor of flame-spewing flagstones and a hallway of perpetually swinging pendulums, which she cursed to no end. Luckily, Backpack was small enough to slink along the corner under Blake's control and deactivate them from the other end.

Finally, she entered what looked like nothing more than a simple office with some papers, books, and an inkwell and quill set upon it, along with a bust with the words 'Grey Fox' inscribed on its base. She gathered up the important-looking papers for Brynjolf, then packed up the bust for good measure, pausing to look at a sword in a display case next to everything. It appeared to be made of malachite, yet was a cold blue and had a smoother blade. Taking a moment to liberate it, she put it with her other weapons after feeling the icy enchantment upon it.

After packing up what she could, she left Backpack both to continue scouring the place and to help her in breaking in later should the need arise. As she exited the mansion, she couldn't help but feel accomplished. Even though she had essentially just robbed the place, it was also the home of someone who had attempted to murder her and had probably robbed countless people himself. Going by one note she happened to get a glance at, he even robbed the Imperial Army, straight from their armory no less.

While she was lost in thought, Vald came back from the town's center and stomped towards her, an angry scowl on his face.

"You lying harlot!" he yelled while brandishing a mace, stopping Blake right in her tracks. "I just humiliated myself in front of the whole Flagon! You just wanted to rob Mercer's house!"

Between the need for self-defense and the fact that there was a voice whispering about how good of an idea it was to just kill him, Blake was all but ready to strike him down before he could even bring his mace to hit her, with just a sliver of her mind trying to think of a way to non-lethally stop him. That sliver was enough to stay her hand, although she did grasp the hilt of Gambol Shroud in a threatening display.

"Put it away, Vald," another woman's voice commanded. The two turned their heads to see Mjoll the Lioness coming from the nearby alleyway. "Or are you planning to fight the Shadowkiller and Thane of the Rift all by yourself?"

"Shadow- Thane?" The man looked at Blake again, now with quite a bit of fear and reverence. "I, uh-"

"I'm going now," Blake announced before brushing past him. A moment later, Mjoll started walking after her, both of the women leaving him behind. There was a long silence between the two of them, with Mjoll seeming content with it while Blake felt awkward. When the silence finally became unbearable, and as they neared the main street, Blake looked at the woman and cleared her throat to speak.

"Thanks for that. I, uh-"

"You broke into Mercer Frey's house," Mjoll stated, causing Blake to stop. Mjoll stopped as well, turning to stare into Blake's eyes. "I try to keep an eye on that place and the man who owns it, but almost nothing happens there. Until today, when someone wearing Thieves Guild armor snuck in after distracting the guard. That was you, and it's gotten me to wondering."

Blake gulped and looked away. "Yeah, well, it's…complicated."

"I know he's the Guild Master," Mjoll stated evenly, causing Blake to sigh. "Which makes it all the more strange. What were you after in there?"

Blake thought for a moment on how best to respond. From what she knew of her, Mjoll was an honorable warrior who exemplified everything a Nord woman was supposed to be. Strong, courageous, dedicated. There was a reason why she was called 'the Lioness'. In the end, Blake didn't know her enough to trust Mjoll with the finer details. But, at the very least, she could clue her in.

"Sorry, Mjoll," she apologized to the Nord woman. "If I could explain, I would. Let's just say that after this…Mercer's probably going to be gone for a long time."

"Well, that will be no loss for us," she concluded with a nod. "You know, I never did thank you for helping me get out of that dragon's clutches. I was thrashed around, so I don't quite remember how, but I think you threw your sword at its face."

"Yeah, Gambol Shroud has an Aura-Reactive Super-elastic Tether." Seeing the baffled look on Mjoll's face, Blake realized that might not mean much to the Tamrielic woman. She coughed, then added, "Uh, it's enchanted."

"Right... In any case, may I help you to a drink? It's the least I can do," Mjoll offered. Blake thought it over for a moment, mentally tallying how much time she had, then nodded.

"Thank you. I could use a good drink."

* * *

"How did he get you out of there? He doesn't exactly look like a fighter," Blake asked while nursing a bottle of mulled wine outside the Bee and the Barb.

"I managed to get myself out of the ruin before falling unconscious, and then he found me. I owe him my life for that, but you'd think he was the one who owed me," she said with a smile. Blake nodded at that, then saw the Nordic woman looking up at the sun's position. "Ah, I should get going. It was good speaking with you, Thane Blake."

"Good to talk with you, too. We'll have to do this again sometime." As Mjoll went back towards the city center, Blake looked around the area before walking into the graveyard and heading towards the crypt with the secret entrance. Down in the cistern, she was about to find Brynjolf and report her success when Deakutuactyl sprang up from the side, a towel on his head.

"Found it!" he called out while holding up a quill. Blake, eyeing the towel and wondering just where the Argonian got it, took the quill in hand and felt the enchantment within it. While she couldn't place it herself, if Maven was to be believed, then it would allow anyone with the proper ink to copy anyone else's handwriting perfectly.

' _Yeah, she's not getting this._ '

"Thanks, Deaku. I'll get you a reward for this after I've talked with Brynjolf," she said while pocketing the item.

"You're not gonna take it to Maven?" he asked.

"No. I've got other ideas for it," she admitted. Deaku nodded at that, then turned and walked away. Blake watched him go, then looked over to Brynjolf. He was poring himself over a large collection of reports, journals, travel logs and more. All to find Mercer Frey, she imagined. Steeling her gaze, Blake walked over to him, the man only looking up at her when she was right before him. He stared at Blake then sighed, looking back down at the papers on his desk.

"We've scoured the town, and I've spoken to every contact we have left," he begrudgingly admitted. "No sign of Mercer. It's as though he just vanished off the face of Nirn. Any luck on your end?"

"He wasn't at his house or anything, but I found a good few things." Blake took out all the documents she found and laid them on a blank space on the table. Brynjolf started flipping through them, speedreading most of the notes but stopping on what looked like a drawn-out map of a building. He studied it for a moment, reading through the scribbled notes along the crinkled paper, then gasped as his eyes widened with realization.

"Shor's beard!" he exclaimed. "He's going after the Eyes of the Falmer?"

"The what?" Blake asked.

"The Eyes of the Falmer. They're a pair of gemstones said to be about the size of your head. Their existence was discovered centuries ago, in old Dwarven texts, and adventurers and thieves had been looking for their true location ever since. Some for glory, some for fame, and others for wealth, as the Eyes were said to be priceless. In fact, the Eyes were Gallus' pet project. If Mercer gets his hands on them, you can be certain he'll be gone for good and set up for life."

"Then we've got to stop him," Blake declared with a firm nod.

"Agreed. He's taken everything the Guild has left, and to go after one of the last greatest heists is just an insult." The man stood up and looked over the page one more time before folding it and placing it in his pocket, his look of frustration replaced by focused anger. "I've spoken to Karliah and made amends for how the Guild's treated her. Now she wishes to speak with both of us." He walked around and towards the center of the room, where Karliah seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

' _Where did she-?'_ Blake wondered as both her and Brynjolf walked towards her, the Dark Elf interrupting Blake's thoughts when they got close enough.

"Brynjolf, the time has come to decide Mercer's fate. Until a new Guild Master is chosen, the decision falls to you."

"Aye, lass," he agreed with a solemn voice, "and I've come to a decision. Mercer Frey tried to kill both of you. He betrayed the Guild, murdered Gallus, and made us question our future. He needs to die."

"We have to be very careful, Brynjolf," she warned him. "Mercer is a Nightingale, an Agent of Nocturnal."

Brynjolf looked at her with a focused expression then placed a hand on his hip while rubbing the other along the back of his head. "Then it's all true… Everything I heard in the stories… The Nightingales, their allegiance to Nocturnal and the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Yes, that's why we need to prepare ourselves and meet Mercer on equal footing." Whispering to where only they could possibly hear, she continued. "Just outside of Riften, beyond the southeast gate is a small path cut up the mountainside. At the end of that path is a clearing and an old standing stone. I'd ask you both to meet me there."

Blake and Brynjolf met eyes for a moment, then the Faunus looked back at her and nodded while the Nord gave a quiet, "Aye."

* * *

As Blake walked up into the clearing that seemed almost hidden from view of the outside world, she spied a large, black stone with that same Nightingale sigil etched onto its face near the top. She wondered what sort of rock was such a pure black before looking around herself.

"So, what's here?" she asked, turning towards Karliah.

"This is the headquarters of the Nightingales, cut into the mountainside by the first of our kind," Karliah answered. "We've come to seek the edge we need to defeat Mercer Frey."

"What kind of edge is that?" Blake asked, wondering if it had anything to do with how he managed to have Aura apparently long before they even showed up.

"If you'll follow me, I'll try to explain on the way." With that, the Dunmer headed towards a door just as a stone slid open to reveal it. Brynjolf and the Faunus both followed her through it, finding it to be a cave-like entrance.

"So, this is Nightingale Hall," Brynjolf observed. "I heard of this place when I joined the Guild, but I never believed it existed."

"The assumption that the Nightingales were just a myth was seeded within the Guild on purpose. It helped divert attention from our true nature." She looked back at them, and Blake could almost swear she saw the ghost of a smirk at the corner of Karliah's lips. "What's wrong, Brynjolf? I can almost hear your brow furrowing."

"I'm trying to understand why I'm here, lass. I'm no priest, and I'm certainly not religious. Why pick me?"

"I could almost ask the same from that angle," Blake added.

"This isn't about religion. It's business."

They turned another corner and the cave gave way to stone structure, braziers lit by magical means coming to life as they entered.

"This is Nightingale Hall. You're the first of the uninitiated to set foot in over a century. Now, if you'll both proceed to the armory to don your Nightingale Armor, we can begin the Oath."

"Oath?" Blake asked as they came up to a bridge near a waterfall. Karliah continued to lead them into a room where three banners and three almost cube-shaped stones awaited, each with the sigil upon them. "What Oath?"

"Don't worry. I'll explain before we enter. For now, we need the armor."

Blake looked towards the stone in the center while Brynjolf took up the right, just opposite of the one Karliah was at. The Dunmer touched the left stone, then shadows seemed to wisp up and around her, solidifying into a sleek black armor and cloak that appeared to be leather, yet gave off a magical vibe that Blake could sense from where she was standing. Karliah turned towards them, and Blake saw that her face was obscured by a veil. Even what little should have been visible was completely hidden under the shadow her hood cast. Not even Blake's night vision could pierce it. All she could see was a pair of star-like lights where her eyes were. Hooking her cloak together was an ebony Nightingale crest embedded into the armor's chest.

Brynjolf looked at the stone closest to him and reached out for it, a similar process happening to him, giving him a nearly identical set of armor. The man looked at his hands, seemingly in awe, before looking back up to Blake.

"Well, it's safe." Even his voice was disguised, rendered unrecognizable by a subtle reverberation.

Blake looked at the center stone and took a deep breath before reaching out and touching it. The shadows leaped from its face and wrapped around her arms like dark wisps of mist before sinking in and setting down on her. Instantly, Blake felt a difference in how she stood. Her hands felt more precise and dexterous, her body felt warmed and filled with energy, her legs felt stronger and lighter, and her senses seemed to grow more acute as both Brynjolf and Karliah lit up in blue light before it dimmed down. Just beyond the room, she could see lights in the shape of small fish where the stream was, as well as a few spider shapes on the wall.

"This is enough to make yer head spin, eh?" the man asked her as Karliah walked out of the room and towards another, indicating for them to follow her. The two went after her, stopping with her in a hall with rows of braziers on either side of them, each set on stone pedestals that were gradually raised higher than the last until they were above everyone's head.

"Okay, lass, we've got these getups on. Now what?"

"Beyond this gate is the first step in becoming a Nightingale," Karliah explained as she indicated a gate further down.

"Whoa there, lass. I appreciate the armor, but becoming a Nightingale? That was never discussed."

"I figured that's where this was leading," Blake said as she crossed her arms. "That's what the Oath is about. You want us to swear ourselves to her or something." Of course, the Ebony Blade made itself known to Blake then, calling for recompense for her being nearly led into the arms of a Daedra. She distracted herself from that thought with its inherent irony.

"To hold any hope of defeating Mercer, we must have Nocturnal at our backs, Karliah explained to them. "If she's to accept you as one of her own, an agreement must be struck."

"What sort of arrangement?" Brynjolf pressed. "I need to know the terms."

"The terms are quite simple. Nocturnal will allow you to become a Nightingale and use your abilities for whatever you wish. And in return, both in life and in death, you must serve as a guardian of the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Aye, there's always a catch," he groaned. "But at this point, I suppose there isn't much to lose."

"Wait, in death?" Blake tried to clarify. "You're telling me I should sell my soul…for a powerup to beat one man?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Brynjolf reconsidered.

"No, I… Look, there isn't another way to beat him. Not as we are. You may think you stand a chance, but what Mercer has done is far more than just Aura."

"How much more? You still haven't explained that to us."

"…No, I haven't, have I? There is still one thing I can't tell you about, but I suppose I could tell you what it's done. Mercer has…unlocked an assortment of abilities and skills… No, I suppose it would be more apt to say that he's unlocked _all_ of them. You mentioned that Aura is like unlocking the soul, I believe." At Blake's nod, she continued. "Well, Mercer has unlocked his soul, his body, and his mind. He is at the very peak of what he can possibly be, and maybe even more."

"You make it sound like he's turned himself into some sort of god," Brynjolf commented.

"Not a god. Just nearly the most a mortal could possibly be. The only respite is that by unnaturally bringing himself to such a level, he doesn't truly understand what he can do. But what he does is enough. We need Nocturnal's help."

Blake considered it for a moment before looking back at the gate ahead of them.

"Well, if it means the end of Mercer Frey, you can count me in," Brynjolf said. "Didn't have any better ideas for my soul, anyway."

"Well, I do," Blake stated evenly. "I actually have friends and family I want to spend eternity with after I die, especially after learning that there really _is_ an afterlife So, here's the deal; I'm going to go in there, and Nocturnal and I will negotiate _my_ terms. If I don't like what she offers, I _will_ walk out of it and just go as I am."

Karliah sighed. "Very well. I suppose I can't stop you. I'll open the gate then. Stand in one of the circles, and I'll begin the ceremony. …I suppose that's when you may try to strike your own agreement."

Karliah led them in, opening the gate to a large, cavernous room where a small bridge led to a dais surrounded by calm waters, and three more bridges leading from it to a trio of higher, narrow pedestals. At the center of the large one the Nightingale sigil was carved into a raised stone, and it was emblazoned on each of the pedestals as well. Blake took her place at the left one, and then readied herself for whatever came next.

"I call upon you Lady Nocturnal, Queen of Murk and Empress of Shadow, hear my voice!"

A blue light centered upon a small, nearly white point appeared, casting its hue everywhere.

 _"_ _Ah, Karliah. I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Lose something, did we?"_

Blake was more than a little surprised at Nocturnal's…less than sophisticated manner of speaking. She had expected something more akin to what she had heard from Azura, or how Ruby described Meridia or one of the Magne-Ge. Then again, perhaps the patron of thieves talking closer to how Sanguine spoke to mortals made sense.

"My Lady, I've come before you to throw myself at your mercy and accept responsibility for my failure." Karliah, however, the actual thief, was speaking to her like a noble.

 _"_ _You're already mine, Karliah. Your terms were struck long ago. What could you possibly offer me now?"_

"I have brought one wholly ready to transact the Oath; to serve you both in life and death. And another…who wishes to bargain."

 _"_ _You surprise me, Karliah. Even with the one bargaining, this is weighted in my favor."_ Blake felt as though focus shifted onto her. _"_ _Yes, she was speaking of you, wasn't she? Very well, I shall hear what you have to say."_

"I just want one thing clear; I'm not giving you my soul."

 _"_ _Well, I suppose this isn't too surprising. You're not the first who wasn't willing to part with it. Though I should tell you, I had no plans beyond your spirit occasionally guarding my Sepulcher. Mm, still, it doesn't matter. I could not take you in death even if you offered it."_

"You…couldn't?" Blake was rather surprised to hear that.

 _"_ _No. There is already a higher, tighter claim upon you. One I do not wish to challenge. Your spirit belongs to them."_

Blake felt as though the world was crashing down on her and a weight was growing upon her back. She tried to take a few steadying breaths, her mind going static as she did.

 _"_ _Still, for my favor in life, I ask that you serve in life. And there is something you can do for me that none before have ever discovered. Share this with your fellow initiates here, and you may have all the benefits of a Nightingale until the day you die, whenever that may happen."_

"I… Yes. I'll… I agree." Blake, numb to the world, accepted the Daedra's terms. Her mind shot back to the Ebony Blade still strapped to her back, and felt a cold chill run down her spine.

 _"_ _Then the deal is struck. These conditions are acceptable, Karliah. You may all proceed."_

"Lady Nocturnal, we accept your terms. We dedicate ourselves as both your avengers and your sentinels. We will honor our agreement…until your conditions have been met."

 _"_ _Very well."_ Pillars of blue mist seemed to rise up around the three of them. _"_ _I name your initiates Nightingale, and I restore your status to the same, Karliah. And in the future, I suggest you refrain from disappointing me again."_

Nocturnal and the lights disappeared, returning the room to its original hue. The three walked back towards the center, and Karliah looked towards the other two.

"Now that you transacted your Oaths, it's time to reveal the final piece of the puzzle to you; Mercer's true crime."

"You mean on top of the murdering and stealing from the Guild?" Brynjolf inquired, and Karliah nodded. Blake, still shocked to her core, turned towards Karliah in an attempt to distract herself.

"Mercer was able to unlock the Guild's vault without two keys because of what he stole from the Twilight Sepulcher: The Skeleton Key. By doing this, he's compromised our connection to Nocturnal, and, in essence, caused our luck to run dry."

" _The_ Skeleton Key," Blake muttered. "So, it can open _any_ door?"

"Well, yes. But the Key isn't only restricted to physical barriers. All of us possess untapped abilities. The potential to wield greatness, securely sealed within our minds. Once you realize the Key can access these traits, the potential becomes limitless."

"By the Nine! What has he unlocked?" the Nord wondered.

"I don't know what all he has found, but he must have made many discoveries in the past few years."

"Like Aura," Blake interjected. "Somehow, he unlocked his very soul. Something my friends and I weren't even sure people on Tamriel were capable of until very recently. Even then, no one could do it on their own. You'd have to have someone with unlocked Aura and knowledge of the ritual, and even _they_ would've had to figure out the extra step for people of Nirn."

"People of Nirn?"

"Long story," she said to Brynjolf. "But now, at least, it makes sense."

"Why would he have tried to unlock his soul, though?"

"What else is there after you've gained a way to unlimited wealth?" Karliah proposed to him. "When you have everything you want in life, you either hate it or grow to want more. The only thing he could get more of is life itself."

"What, he wanted to become immortal? …Actually, I could see that. Greedy bastard." Brynjolf then paused and looked towards Blake. "Does this 'Aura' give immortality?"

"No, it's not a way to immortality, not as people think about it," Blake explained. "But it…could lead to more life. Aura…works like a shield. Protecting those who have it from harm. There's a limit to it, kind of like magicka, but it can be trained with to expand it and find new uses for it. It also strengthens the body, heals wounds, and enhances reflexes. It's…how I stole from you. I moved so fast you didn't actually see me."

"Wait, that's how… You have this Aura thing? Of course, you do. What am I saying?"

"More than that, I know how to unlock it." Blake looked towards the sigil that Nocturnal had appeared over. "I _think_ she was insinuating that I _do_ that, actually."

"You can actually unlock it in others?" Karliah asked in surprise. "Without the Skeleton Key?"

"Yes, but it'll take a lot out of me. Since we're not in any danger, however, it shouldn't do any harm." The word 'yet' went unsaid, but no less understood. Blake then turned to face the two thieves and suddenly gained a nervous expression. Luckily, the veil hid her face, but the two thieves seemed to sense it from her body language. "Um, okay, so, I have to…touch you and, um… Just a second." Blake took a deep breath and looked over at a suddenly nervous Brynjolf. "All right, just hold still."

Blake placed one hand on his temple and the other over his heart. The two were still as Karliah watched them, with Blake reaching out with her Aura in a directed manner, touching upon the familiar center point. A slight glow enveloped them both, shining above their dark armor.

 **"** **For it is from shadows that we descend upon the world. Through this, we become champions of liberty and justice who will stand up for all. Fearless in our steps and unburdened by hate. I unleash your soul, and by my voice, inspire thee."**

Like Weiss had described, it took a redoubled effort, yet in the end, the light shone from the two, before going out around them. Brynjolf took a step back and looked at his hands, flexing them as though to get a feel for a new pair of gloves.

"Did it work?" Karliah asked.

"I- I'm not sure. How do we-"

Blake made a sudden jab at him, and the man blocked her with his arm at an unnatural speed, a navy-blue sheen covering his body where her fist struck. Karliah staggered back a step at the sight.

"What?" the Nord got out.

"I went fast enough that you should have barely been able to perceive it, but you saw it coming," Blake explained as she lowered her arms. She reached into her pocket – which she realized she could somehow access through her Nightingale Armor – and took out her Scroll before scanning Brynjolf and coming up with an Aura signal. "It worked."

"By the Nine… What all can I do?"

"We'll get there, but first, Karliah?"

"I… I'm ready," the Dunmer stated.

"All right. That took about thirty-eight percent of mine, so I can do it once more." Blake pocketed the scroll and took up the position again.

 **"** **For it is in the dark that we find our salvation. Through it, we become specters in the night and avengers for all. Righteous in our path and undaunted by danger. I release your soul, and by my shadow, shroud thee."**

Once again, she had to press far harder than before in order to fully awaken the Aura deep within. As the purple glow faded from them, the Faunus had to stumble back and lean against the wall while taking several lungsful of air, and her Dunmer companion looked about herself in amazement.

"This is… I can truly feel it. There's strength running through me like I've never felt before, not with any spell or potion."

"Are you all right, lass?" Brynjolf asked Blake as he checked on her.

"I'm fine," she assured him while still taking deep breaths. "Like I said, it took a lot out of me. I probably have only a quarter of my Aura's full strength right now. In a moment, I'll go over some basics with you guys. We can get more in-depth while we go after Mercer."

"Yes, well, there's one last piece of business we have to go over before we go after Mercer. The leadership of the Guild."

"Okay? Why tell me?"

"I've been thinking over this a while now. Thanks to your efforts, Mercer's treachery has been exposed. After we deal with him, all that remains is restoring the Guild to its full strength."

"Wait, hold on. You're not suggesting what I think you are?" she stopped him.

"Look," Brynjolf said, raising his hands. "Everyone in the Guild admires what you've done. Maybe they won't come out and simply tell you, but I promise you it's true. And-"

"Brynjolf, no! Look at me." Blake reached up and pulled the hood and veil back from her face. "Do you remember why I joined the Guild?"

For a moment, the Nord stood still, then his gaze shifted away from her.

"The Dark Brotherhood."

"Exactly. I'm sorry, Brynjolf, but my business with the Guild was always just business. In the end, I was always going to leave it all once I was sure my friends and I were safe. And I'm not a leader, not for such a large organization."

"Yes, but…I'm no real leader myself. I'm good at what I do, maybe even one of the best, but I've never been one to lead."

"You won't have to. At least, not alone. We'll figure something out, when we have time. Right now, we've got some bigger fish to fry."

"Right you are, there. I've been poring over the plans you brought us, and I'm convinced the Eyes of the Falmer are in the dwarven ruins at Irkngthand."

"Then that's where we'll be headed," Karliah put in. She reached up and ran her fingers along the edges of the crest, then the Nightingale Armor seemed to retract itself from her, until all that was left was a black leather vest, even the crest having disappeared. Brynjolf did the same with a bit of curiosity, and Blake followed, both of them getting similar results.

"Let's ready our horses then. We're heading up to Lake Yorgrim."

* * *

Yang flipped through the pages of one of Agmen's journals, letting the words she had read through several times already pass her gaze. It was one of the older ones, filled up years ago, but it was the most important as well, showing his thoughts at the very moment he left the Companions and sought out the Silver Hand.

The journals painted a vivid picture. Agmen had been a wide-eyed idealist who looked up to the Companions as heroes to emulate. He joined them with a fiery heart and rose up in renown quickly thanks to his talent. Unfortunately, things took a turn. Like Kodlak had described, he was asked to join the Circle, but the price of it was becoming a werewolf like the rest of them. There had been more members at that time, but neither the twins nor Aela were among them, meaning all of those names she was unfamiliar with were likely dead.

Later entries showed where he had tried to organize the Silver Hand _before_ they began striking the Companions, but many had rushed ahead, leading to the conflict that lasted for years and years. He kept pushing his way up the ladder, until he finally had taken control of the group as much as any one person could. The meeting they were holding was meant to reorganize them completely, making them more effective while actually developing a strategy to remove the lycanthropic influence from the Companions with as little collateral damage as possible, with further, vaguer plans to bring back the Silver Hand to a respectable position and out of the bandit-like situation they had been stuck in since the Great War.

 _"_ _After years of fear and hate, I no longer can be angry at them,"_ one of his entries before her eyes read. _"_ _But I can't save them. Their souls are Hircine's. But maybe we can save others from his trap."_

 _'_ _Their souls are Hircine's,'_ she thought to herself before looking at the white ring on her finger. _'_ _My soul.'_

Upon arriving at Whiterun, Yang went straight to Breezehome and collapsed in the master bedroom, sprawling herself out over the mattress to stare at the ceiling above. For a stretch of time that simultaneously seemed like an eternity yet barely any time at all, she simply lied there, unmoving. A knock caught her attention and she looked across herself and the room to see Rumarin.

"The door was open," he started off. "Well, I saw you come back, but not even a hello for your friend?"

"Hey, Rumarin. Sorry, it's just…stuff." She plopped her head back and released a sigh.

"Yes, I'm sure stuff is involved. It looks like this particular stuff is bothering you, though."

"Yeah, a little. Sorry, but I don't think you'd be able to help."

"Oh, I absolutely wouldn't. But that's me. You have people whose entire position is all about helping people to fall back on. I'm just a useful elf that can summon swords and bows and use them to kill things."

The young woman nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to go talk to Kodlak soon, but…not right now."

"Well, I suppose I can't make you get up, then. Would you like anything in particular for supper? I was planning to raid your pantry again, but since you're here I might as well share the spoils."

"Meat."

"As easily done as said. I'll be downstairs trying to cook and avoid your tenant's glares. At least, I hope she's just glaring."

As the High Elf headed back down to the kitchen, Yang raised up a hand and looked at it. Her eyes focused in on her skin for a long moment, catching the contrast it held against her brown coat sleeve. Golden fur then sprouted up and claws came from her fingertips. She stared at the furry claw for a while as well before shifting it back and then letting her arm drop again.

In her mind, she remembered the dream she had just before accepting the beastblood, where Hircine had promised they would hunt together. She couldn't feel fear or apprehension right now. All she was feeling was a cold numbness as the reality of her current destination truly sank in.

* * *

Kodlak, like a lot of old men, tended to wake up very early. Having never really gotten any sleep, Yang managed to find him in the hours leading to dawn, hefting his hammer and making katas with it towards imaginary foes. Despite the chill of the sunless day, sweat had beaded along his brow and his breathing was deep and heavy. If Yang wasn't mistaken, it also sounded ragged.

"Kodlak," she called out quietly, catching his attention. The old Nord turned to look at her and gave a soft smile before lowering his hammer to his side.

"Yang, good to see you. The others told me about your success." The smile disappeared and was replaced by a sad frown. "So then, you fought Agmen. He's gone."

"Yeah, but he put up a good…" Yang stopped in her words, wondering if she could speak of someone known so personally like that after being the one to kill them. Kodlak seemed to understand Yang's intent, however. He closed his eyes and sighed regretfully.

"May he rest in Sovngarde, then. He may have caused us much harm these past years, but I still believe it was from good, if misguided intentions."

"You know, I'm not sure I would have agreed with you if this had been a few days ago." Yang pulled the main journal from her side and handed it to the man, who took it in hand and looked over its cover and first page. "Agmen's journal. He seemed to have brought all of them." She hefted around a pack full of similar notebooks, all from different ranges of time. "Ya'know, it seems like everyone has a journal."

"It's one of the first things the Priests of Akatosh teach people at a young age, 'record all your days, just as He records all of Time,'" Kodlak explained. As Yang took that in, he flipped over to the page where she recalled reading Agmen learning from the Circle their secret. "He truly was afraid of us," he muttered before closing it. "I shouldn't have pushed him."

"Hey, it's not your fault. He made his choice."

"Hm, I wasn't always so calm, Yang. As recent as ten years ago, I could still call myself hot-blooded. There were a lot of things said that could have been taken for quiet threats. Some of what was said was just outright threatening. We were so sure he'd join us in the end…" The man went quiet, letting out a deep breath as he looked up towards the coming daybreak.

"He was scared," she agreed. "But…he mostly just wanted the Companions…to be clean. He wanted the werewolves gone. He described us as 'unwitting bait in a trap set by Hircine'."

"A trap, heh? I suppose that's a way of hunting." He walked over to the porch and sat upon its edge. "Tell me Yang, do you feel trapped?"

"Not by you. Not by the Companions." She followed him over and sat on the steps nearby. "I was trapped when that werelion came out of nowhere and I let myself get bitten. I underestimated it, didn't set up my defenses right. I didn't even let that happen with the werebear, but I dropped my guard because I thought I had a handle on it." Yang let out a humorless laugh. "I was really considering taking up the offer of joining the Circle, too. I mean, I was on the fence, but I could've gone either way at that time. We had really only just learned about the whole afterlife-being-real thing, and I wasn't that deeply invested. Just thought I'd have plenty of time to figure it out later. Then…things just got way more real." She looked at her hands where the beast had bitten into them. "I didn't have much of a choice. It was the least worst option."

"I can understand. I wish I did a long time ago." A heavy silence descended over the two as they both contemplated the choices they'd both made, choices they both were coming to regret. Then, with his attention squarely on the horizon, Kodlak spoke again. "What if I told you, there may be a way?"

"A way? For what?"

"A cure, Yang. After years of searching, I think I've nearly found a way to cure ourselves."

At that, the blonde perked up. "Ho- Holy cow, you're serious? Really?"

"Yes, but I have to confirm a few things first," he admitted. "Still, I think I should discover it before spring finds its way to us."

"That's awesome! Just… Wow, you have no idea how much I needed that right now," Yang admitted, feeling a sense of relief flood her veins. Kodlak looked at her then smiled knowingly.

"I have some idea. My dreams, when I manage to have them, often have me looking towards Sovngarde, yet I fear that Shor would not take a beast as readily as a man."

"Hey, don't put yourself down," she tried to comfort him, reaching over to pat his shoulder. "You're a good man, Kodlak. And the least beastly werewolf I know, including myself."

"Thank you, Yang." Kodlak smiled, then turned his expression more serious. "I would appreciate you keeping it to yourself for now, though. Not everyone looks forward to ridding themselves of the beastblood."

"I know Aela wouldn't. I mean, if I'm right, then her mother and most of her family is probably waiting for her at the Hunting Grounds." She also figured that Aela would've wanted to rejoin Skjor, but didn't say anything for fear of opening up a relatively fresh wound. "Not sure about the twins, or Yngvarr for that matter, but I'm on-board. At least, for now. Might wanna wait for the whole dragon thing to calm down before I put away my claws."

"I can see that. Call me old-fashioned if you will, but I think I'd be more satisfied slaying one with Skyforged steel."

"Hey, I've done both. The novelty wears out pretty quick and you just want it done, trust me." The two lightly laughed at that as the sun peaked over the horizon and cast its rays upon the land.

* * *

Weiss flew over the water and banked up before landing, sending a flew splashes of water up into the air in her wake. Morning was coming soon and she was beginning to feel dead tired. As she changed back into her human form, she paused to look at one of the bone hawks that had sauntered down and landed on a gargoyle statue. The creature's plumage was a dark purple and black, and its head looked like a skull with blue, almost fluorescent eyes. It watched her walk by as though it was tame, which given all the details of the castle, they might well have been.

 _'_ _Wonder if I'm allowed to feed them?'_ she thought to herself. If they were anything like the death hounds, then they were probably less like evil abominations and more of an ugly version of existing animals. Not for the first time, she wondered how well death hounds could get along with regular dogs.

After she walked through the foyer, trying to ignore the scattered vampires around her, Garan came up to meet her.

"So, it is done?" he asked, and Weiss stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.

"Yes, though when you said 'feral' I wasn't expecting actual animalistic actions like growling and crawling along the walls and ceilings." If she hadn't already become one of the scariest sorts of bogymen in this world, the way those vampires acted might have scared her half to death. They were more like something out of a thriller-horror than the sort of aristocratic macabre she had begun associating with vampires.

"Of course. We don't use these labels lightly. If you are targeting Vampire Lords looking to challenge our rule or mindless beasts, you will be informed of such." He smirked. "By the way, Lord Harkon wished to be informed when you returned."

"I'll let him know, thank you." Garan nodded with a hand to his chest as Weiss passed him by and made her way to Harkon's chambers. She happened to find him next to the fireplace in the atrium before his room, sitting on a cushioned seat and staring into the fire as it burned slowly. It would have almost seemed like a normal place to lounge if it wasn't for the bloodied device in the back of the room. His head turned and a false smile came across his lips.

"Ah, you are here. Good," he intoned.

"You wished to see me, my lord?"

"Yes, I did. When I told you I was grateful for my daughter's safe return, I told the truth. But I did not tell you everything."

"I suspected as much." Weiss didn't want to mention to what degree she suspected it, but there was no reason to hide the thin veneer of suspicion that showed.

"Good. Strong instincts and a cunning mind will serve you as well as blade, spell, or claw." His smile actually seemed genuine for a moment as he looked at Weiss with some sort of pride, though she felt as though it was closer to the pride one feels at having a well-trained dog. It disappeared, however, and was replaced by a serious gaze.

"As you know," he began, "vampires are powerful, but we have limits. Our great enemy is the sun, and until recently it's an enemy we've had no way to fight. For countless centuries I've searched for an answer to this problem. One day, I found an old prophecy written by a Moth Priest, those scholars that read the Elder Scrolls. The prophecy tells of a time in which vampires will gain power over the sun and will no longer fear its tyranny. I believe the secret to unraveling that prophecy is written in Serana's Elder Scroll."

 _'_ _Control over the sun?'_ Weiss didn't think such a thing could be possible. At the same time, if there was even a little bit of a possibility, it could spell disaster for the world at large. Her mind ran through all of the potential outcomes she could fathom of such an act and began to see why Harkon might desire this end. While the sun didn't hurt her as much as it did before, it still made her weakened when compared to how she was indoors or at night. Wounds still healed slower and energy recovered sluggishly. Other vampires had it either worse or better. Gilly was a bit better off than her, but Crux was unable to let his skin be touched by midday sunlight or he would actually begin to burn. If Harkon actually found a way to get control of the sun…

"I have ordered the court to assemble," he told her, breaking her thoughts away to see a small, blue light in his fingertips. "I have a new task for us all to carry out, and that includes you. Come now, and hear my proclamation."

"Yes, my lord," she answered while bowing and backing away. The vampire king stood up and began heading towards the entrance, Weiss following him like a dutiful servant until he stopped at the balcony overseeing the main hall, where the vampires had begun amassing. For the first time since joining them, Weiss finally got a good look at how many they had overall. The single, massive room was packed full of vampires of all kinds, even a Senche Khajiit was among them. There were some who couldn't get in thanks to it already being filled and instead had to wait in the connecting hallways. Serana came up from the back, standing opposite of Weiss behind her father.

"Scions of the night! Hear my words!" he began his speech, quieting the bustle that had started up from the crowd. "The prophesied time is at last upon us. Soon we will claim dominion over the sun itself, and forge a new realm of eternal darkness. Now that I have reclaimed one of my Elder Scrolls, we must find a Moth Priest to read it.

"I have spread false rumors about the discovery of an Elder Scroll in Skyrim to lure a Moth Priest here. Now it is time to see if those efforts have borne fruit. Go forth, and search the land for rumors of a Moth Priest within our borders.

"Look to the cities. Speak to innkeepers, carriage drivers, anyone who would meet a traveler. Go now, and carry out this task. This is my command!"

As he finished speaking, several began heading straight for the door, eager to serve their lord's wishes. Others took flight as Vampire Lords to the windows high up rather than wait their turn at the door. Other, calmer and more collected vampires hurried off to begin planning and preparing before leaving the castle. Weiss felt a cold chill as she watched them go, wondering whether or not any of them might find the baited priest before something could be done about it. As Harkon retired back to his chambers, Serana walked over to Weiss' side.

"Hey, we need to talk."

Weiss took a deep gulp, looked back at Serana, and nodded.

* * *

Weiss took the journal in hand and flipped over to the page Serana had indicated.

"I'm not sure how accurate this is, but if it's true…" Serana drifted off as Weiss began to read.

 _I finally found out what happened to Nigel. While I won't be losing sleep over that monster's death, the way Harkon went about it has me fearing for us all. Doesn't he understand what Bal will do to him for this?_

 _Either way, Natha seems more than glad her father is gone, though I think she still doesn't quite comprehend what has happened. She may be free from her father's grasp, but we're still under Molag Bal's and Harkon's rule. While Lord Bal is willing to let us live upon Nirn with little interference, Harkon holds dominion over this kingdom and everyone in it. And now, either one of them could take our very souls for themselves. While he hasn't completely lost himself, it's only a matter of time._

 _I understand now why Jarmack left us. He knew, maybe even saw it coming. He tried to warn me, but I wouldn't listen, and now I have no idea where that elf is. He'll be hiding, obviously. There are few places in Skyrim an elf can go without everyone planning to murder him, and we never found him in any of them. I doubt he'd take me in after everything, anyway. I have some ideas, but they'll take time._

"What's this about?" Weiss asked the vampire princess.

"If my mother's journal here is right," Serana pointed to the page, "then it explains why almost no one here is from my time, outside of Natha. Diablerie."

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term," Weiss admitted, even though the term sounded instinctively sickening. "What is it?"

"In an old tongue, it means 'black magic', but when we're talking about vampires, it's far more sinister."

"More sinister than black magic?" Weiss cocked an eyebrow in clear disbelief, but Serana nodded.

"Yes. It was something of a curse within a curse, created by Boethiah to strike back at Molag Bal. To put it shortly, Diablerie is when a vampire completely consumes another vampire's blood and soul, taking all of the victim's power and making it their own. But…why would father do that?"

"To gain power? It certainly sounds like him," Weiss said before shivering at the thought of someone eating another person's soul.

"No, it doesn't make sense because committing Diablerie is a crime against Molag Bal. He sets aside the worst of all punishments and tortures for those who 'steal' a soul from him. Father knows that and is a worshipper of Bal. So why would he do something so…"

"Let's be honest here, your father probably doesn't believe he can ever be killed," Weiss cut in, "so he doesn't believe he'll ever need to face any sort of punishment. If he's really doing this though…it's all the more reason to leave now."

Serana looked at Weiss for a moment, then sighed and nodded in agreement. She then looked at her pointedly, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm guessing you're not on-board for the whole 'blotting the sun' plan?"

"You already know I'm not. I could never go along with something like this. Besides, if you gave me an hour, I couldn't list all the reasons it's a terrible idea, even for vampires."

"Yet, I bet we're going out to search for that Moth Priest."

"Yes, but not for the reasons… Wait, we?"

"Yes, 'we'. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get something."

* * *

Just as Weiss, Gilly, and Serana had finished packing and were on their way out, an altercation began. Weiss saw the man first, with a dagger raised high and running at the childlike Natha. She was about to scream her warning, but as the words left her mouth, the smaller vampire dodged, seeming to move like a blur as she did. Her childers reacted instantly, the Orc chopping off one of his hands and the Nord grabbing him by the head just as soon as he started screaming. While he tried to thrash his way loose, the man smashed his head against the wall, cracking his skull and leaving him to slide to the floor, leaving a trail of grey matter.

"What in Oblivion is going on here?" Vingalmo shouted as he entered the room.

"He just tried to kill me," Natha said while pointing out the corpse. "Luckily, my little ones came to my rescue."

"Th-th-that's the one she f-f-fed his own dog to," Gilly hesitantly got out. Weiss looked at the corpse's face and recognized it from those nights. She then recalled how confidently Natha had avoided his attack and how quickly her childers reacted to the situation. Some vampires didn't seem all too surprised about it, and Vingalmo already seemed to be moving past it and ordering a cleanup.

The three women slipped out, barely noticed now with such a gruesome scene to distract the crowd. A bone hawk swooped down nearby and Weiss reached into a pack to grab a piece of dried meat and throw to it. The creature grabbed the food and landed to begin eating it, and the three vampires continued on their way.

* * *

"So, I guess I need to check with the College of Winterhold," Ruby concluded while brushing away some snow. "Whoa! I think there's an ebony vein up here!"

 **"** **Yes, there are many metals revealed to the air-"** A beeping started sounding out, interrupting the dragon's words. Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll before answering.

"Hey Lydia. All good?"

"I'm almost at Whiterun. I just thought you should know." Lydia paused, then narrowed her eyes. "Is- Is that a dragon?"

Ruby looked up to see Paarthurnax looking down at the scroll in interest.

"Well, aren't you nosy," she teased him, getting a small look of confusion. "Yeah, this is Paarthurnax."

"The…Grandmaster of the Greybeards…is a dragon?"

"Yep. Paarthurnax, this is Lydia, my Housecarl."

 **"** **Drem Yol Lok, kendov,"** he greeted the Nord. **"** **It seems joor have learned to build the long-distance speaking devices again."**

"Again?" Ruby wondered aloud. "Oh yeah. Dwarves were mortals. Well, glad you made it around to-"

"Hey Ruby," Yang called out as she suddenly popped into Lydia's picture. "'Sup, Lyd," she then said to the woman she was pressed to the back of.

"Thane Yang. Glad to see you," Lydia got out.

"Hey, Yang. I got up to the peak. This is-" The scroll started ringing again, and Ruby swiped to reveal Weiss' face.

"Guys, big news. Bad news. We… Is that a dragon? Never mind. We've got trouble. Have any of you heard about a Moth Priest showing up in Skyrim?"

"What kinda priest?" Yang asked.

"The Moth Priests are the order dedicated to unraveling the secrets of the Elder Scrolls," Lydia explained. "They're based in Cyrodiil, but I haven't heard of any in Skyrim."

"Well, keep your ears open and ask around if anyone's seen one. Yang we'll need you to warn the Dawnguard. Dozens of dozens of vampires went out when Harkon made his announcement. They'll be combing the countryside looking for one."

"What's this guy need a- He wants one to read the Elder Scroll," Yang figured quickly. "Okay. So, we don't want that."

"No. Especially now that we have an idea of what's in there. It's apparently a prophecy of how vampires may gain control over the sun, and I don't think I need to explain how that's a terrible idea. We can't allow that to fall into their hands."

"Well, first thing is making sure they don't get this Moth Priest," Yang said while rubbing her chin. "Next, we should try to get the Elder Scroll out from under them."

"Done." Weiss angled her camera to show Serana, who was wearing the Scroll on her back. "Serana figured we ought to get that as far away from the castle as possible. She left a fake in its place, but I have no idea how long that'll last before they figure it out and come hunting for us."

"Wow. Looks like we're a step ahead. I'll keep an ear to the ground about the priest, then. What're you guys going to do?" Another beep sounded out, then Blake's face popped on screen. Before the Faunus could speak, her ears went up at the mix of faces she was seeing.

"Okay… Why is there a dragon?"

"He's my teacher, Blake, be nice. Guys, for those who don't know, this is Paarthurnax."

"Wait, how many good dragons does that make?"

"Uh, two?" Ruby figured. "I mean, you guys ran into some neutral dragons, so do those count? Eh, whatever. What's up, Blake?"

"Way too much. We've figured out where Mercer is headed. North of Lake Yorgrim."

"Sweet, I'll head there."

"Yang, no-"

"Yang yes! Look, last time you were around this guy you got a hole in your chest. I'm going to go up there, and I am going to kick his ass for what he did. And don't try to get ahead of me, 'cause I will sniff you down," she declared.

"I'm afraid to ask, so I won't," Serana commented.

"Oh, I wonder if that Scroll is the one we need for up here."

"Wait, what? What do you need an Elder Scroll for?" Weiss asked her partner.

"So I can use it at the broken spot in time and go to the past to learn Dragonrend. Paarthurnax said it has to be the specific one that made it in the first place, though. So it may or may not be the right one."

There was a long pause as everyone slowly processed what Ruby had just brazenly stated. They stared at her through the scroll, then Weiss sighed and slapped her forehead.

"Only you could be so nonchalant about something as potentially significant as time-travel..." Weiss muttered, then Yang shrugged and continued on as though nothing was wrong.

"Wasn't it buried a long time ago with Serana?" Yang double-checked.

"Yeah, good point. Guess I'll just double-check with the College anyway. Hey Serana, got any info on Elder Scrolls we could use?"

"I mean...I know about as much as anyone. Not a lot. You'd figure a couple hundred years locked away with one would have given me some insights, but no. Turns out you don't learn much from just sleeping with something."

"You can say that again," Yang mumbled.

"Ew," Ruby responded with a raspberry.

* * *

 _9th of Evening Star_


	68. Follow Your Heart

Sorry this took a while. I recently moved across state lines, which may have slowed me down. Thanks going toward Trest and Naan.

On another note, I know I've mentioned it before, but seriously, if you're going to post a review with a lot of criticism in it, don't go it as a guest. It's annoying because I actually like to talk to people to find out what exactly they feel about something, therefore I can improve myself for the future. Telling me you think that people showing mercy is dumb and leaving it at that does nothing but make me hit that 'delete' button.

But anyway, back to the story.

* * *

 _9th of Evening Star_

* * *

"So dragons can be pretty different from each other?" Ruby asked as she looked around the black boulder of ore. She had spent hours practicing with different ranges of Unrelenting Force to pull it from the mountainside, and occasionally chipping at it with some ancient and enchanted pickaxe. She was pretty sure it was made from ebony as well, seeing as it could actually break the stuff. She'd found it embedded into the very summit of the mountain, almost like a flag, and she wondered who'd put it there.

 **"** **Yes, dragons are quite varied, yet are still one. Vomed ahrk med. There are those with serpentine necks and wide jaws, able to angle their Voices and snap up their prey in an instant. There are many who are long and lithe, who fly like strings through the air, able to leap from a mountain and glide on the winds near endlessly while barely opening their wings. Some are covered in thick fur and could hide among hills as though they were one with the earth. Some have feathery plumage and appear as massive eagles in the distance."** He looked over to her and a small chuckle came up. **"** **Some are small and are without wings or tail, with only borrowed scales."**

Ruby's brow cocked at that, and she looked away from her chunk of ore to the dragon before smiling in realization. She walked over to the dragon and nudged him a little.

"And some dragons are big and white and look like they got old."

Paarthurnax let out a steaming breath from his nostrils and shook his head and neck.

 **"** **Battle damage,"** he said jovially before stepping over to the other side of the ore boulder. **"** **Are you certain of this plan, Dovahkiin?"**

"Yeah, I've jumped off of cliffs before. Even if it doesn't work out exactly, you'll be there."

 **"** **Ge. I would not want you to make a mistake and perish for it. Still, I have every confidence in you. You believe. This is enough."**

"Thanks." Ruby took out her rifle and looked down its scope to the area around them. "Hm, all right." She put the weapon away and then went around the boulder, adjusting her stance and raising up her hands to make sure she was looking in the right direction. In the end, she was down on one knee, her other leg off to her side to hold her steady, and a hand pushing against a rock next to her.

"Okay, I think I got it. Ready?" At the slight nod from the dragon, Ruby took in a deep breath. " **Fus! Ro…DAH!** " she Shouted at the top of her lungs, the concentrated force hitting the massive rock and launching it away from her at an upward angle. It went off the side of the mountain and dropped like the rock that it was. The Huntress hopped up to her feet and ran after it.

"Time to catch it!" she hooted before jumping off in a burst of rose petals. She fell through the air rapidly, keeping her body streamlined to help catch up with the ebony ore. After a moment, she caught up with it then swung out the notched pickaxe to get a hold of it.

" **Wuld Nah!** " she Shouted, propelling herself forward along with the piece of god blood she was on. Both were moved forward several feet, bringing a smile to her face as she saw that the incoming slope was now behind her, but there was still more mountainside to go.

"It's working!" she yelled back to her companion, hoping that he could hear her. She turned back forward and saw that she was still a ways from the river near Whiterun. " **Wuld!** "

* * *

Lydia had found some time to relax before going about the next step of her mission, but a message from Ruby had stopped her traveling plans for a while. She still wasn't sure why her Thane wanted her to keep watch to the east, but she figured there was good reason for it. Besides, she always enjoyed looking out over the Whiterun Plains.

A loud boom echoed across the land, bringing the Nord woman's attention – and that of several other people – to the Throat-of-the-World. After a few seconds, another boom came, with the slightest tinge of a near-recognizable word chasing it, and Lydia caught sight of a black and red object falling from the peak.

"Dear Gods, that can't be…" Lydia began in pure disbelief.

Another boom, as well as what the woman was certain was the word 'wuld' echoed out. The housecarl sighed in resignation and decided to go ahead and get the horses and go out to where it looked as though the Dragonborn and whatever object she had dragged along was set to land.

She only paused a moment when she managed to see the white dragon speeding after them, in just the right place to be missed by anyone not looking for one on the horizon.

* * *

 _'_ _All clear,'_ Ruby thought when she was finally out as far as she needed to be. The river was nearby, as well as the bridge leading over it to Whiterun, and the shadow of her boulder was right next to the road and slowly growing larger. In her mind, she began counting down the seconds, years of sniper practice giving her the confidence that she was right on the money with it. Tens of seconds counted down to the single digits, then she stood against the rock and pulled the pickaxe free. As the last moment of the incoming earth came, she jumped and Shouted.

" **Feim!** "

Ruby Became Ephemeral, taking on a ghost-like visage all throughout her body and gear. The ore slammed into the ground like a meteor and broke apart into large chunks as it sank in around a foot into the ground. Ruby landed softly next it before fading back to flesh. There was a small whoosh of air, and she turned and looked up to see Paarthurnax having turned back to head up the mountain, staying near the snow that helped to camouflage him. She waved towards the dragon before turning to see a couple of farmers staring at her like deer in headlights.

"Hi! You guys got a wagon or wheelbarrow I can borrow?"

* * *

As daylight dimmed, the three women came out of the small, abandoned cabin. Gilly seemed to sulk about preparing while Weiss did what she could to freshen up. Serana seemed the best put together of the trio, managing to have her travel items ready and be out the door just as twilight began to truly give way to night. Weiss sighed at the refreshing feel of natural darkness and stretched out and limbered herself.

"How f-far is it?" Gilly asked them.

"I…have no idea," Weiss admitted. "I've never actually been there."

"Wait, you've never been there?" Serana asked her. "Then how…?"

"Normally I sent things and people through the College of Winterhold. Arch-Mage Savos knows how to communicate with them at least." The heiress brushed her bangs back and looked about herself. "But, the leader did tell me something when we met." She hummed and rubbed her chin while calling up the memory. "He said, 'look for where dusk falls at the heart of dawn and sing'. Beyond that, I just know it's somewhere in the Pale."

"And what does that even mean?"

"I haven't the slightest. Maybe something to do with Dawnstar?"

"W-w-wait, the Heart of Dawn?" Gilly wondered aloud. "Like the poem?"

"Poem?"

"Yeah. It's a p-p-pretty old one, but my gram used to tell it to us before bed. And some…others. S-she had a book."

"I never heard a poem like that," Serana said. "Then again, Duskfall Haven probably wasn't a thing until after I went underground. How does it go?"

"It, um, one second. I… 'Child the day has come to close. You cannot wait here in the cold. But if we go forth to meet the sun, we may come upon the Heart of Dawn. O'er waters bronze we set our sail. Through stony hills we make our way. As the glow of sun has fell, we keep our vigil until the day.'"

"You're actually really good at this," Serana complimented her, bringing a blush to the girl's cheeks. "In fact, I don't think you stuttered once reciting that."

"N-n-n-no, I just…r-r-remember it v-very well," she nervously got out.

"Wait, bronze water? Stony hill?" Weiss took out her map and quickly unfolded it, focusing on the Pale's territory and its immediate surrounding areas. "The Stonehills," she pointed out before tracing her finger to the other side of the Hold. "And on Lake Yorgrim, there's a place called Bronze Water Cave. Then down here, to the south, is Fellglow. And then there's where the Hall of the Vigilant used to stand." Weiss traced her fingers across the map, focusing on where the four points created lines intersecting each other. "There's more of the poem, yes?"

"Um, yes. But, uh, what is… What are you doing?"

"I think the Heart of Dawn must be giving directions. It wouldn't be as easy as that, though, but I'm sure this crossing point is the first step."

"That's actually pretty smart," Serana admired. "Unfortunately, wouldn't the terrain have changed as time moved on? I doubt every village it references is still standing."

"Maybe not, but something tells me they would've accounted for it. And he wouldn't have given me the outdated instructions. At the very least we've got a lead." Weiss handed over the map and looked to Gilly. "So, can you tell us the rest of the poem?"

* * *

Throughout the night, the three made their way towards what they were sure was the first step to Duskfall. At points, they had to stop to gather their bearings and ensure that they were on the right track. Serana's knowledge was outdated Eras ago, Gilly was more used to Wayrest's terrain, and Weiss hadn't been through the area enough to really know it well. They had come across only two people so far, one being a woman who seemed to be a hermit, though Gilly was convinced she was a witch, and the other a hunter. They seemed to be decently on track, but Weiss still yearned for a GPN or something more certain to go off on.

"What I'd do for one of those maps Inigo managed to find. But noooo, there were only four and if anyone else needed one it was Ruby." Weiss groaned before feeling Gilly tug on her cloak.

"Uh, I…need t-t-to…stop."

"Hm, what's the matter?" she asked the younger girl, turning towards her. Gilly looked away and swayed a little bit while biting her lower lip, making Weiss raise an eyebrow.

"I…have to…uh, stop." Weiss recognized the pattern in Gilly's motion and resisted the urge to palm her face with a sigh.

"Okay, it's fine. Go ahead. We'll wait." When she stayed still and seemed to shrink into herself, Weiss frowned. "Well?"

"I don't w-w-want to go alone."

Serana let out a slight chuckle and walked up to her. "It's okay, I'll watch out for you." Weiss gave her a thankful look and Serana smiled and nodded while leading Gilly off of the beaten path and into the woods. For a moment, Weiss stood looking in the direction they went before turning around and starting to look out across her surroundings. Aside from snow, conifers, and the occasional boulder sticking out of the white, there wasn't much to see. The natural ambiance was quiet and sparse, with very few creatures willing to remain or stay awake in such cold. Weiss picked out an owl some distance away, and the sounds of some hoofed creature, perhaps a deer or elk. She started listening to these, but then it all suddenly stopped. The world grew quiet, and the air became as frozen as the ground. Weiss went still, her ears straining against the unnatural silence that had taken the world, not even daring to breathe. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and the slightest chink of metal on metal was heard. She leaped to the side and twisted to see a flaming flail head on the end of a long chain smash into the snow where she had been standing with a small, fiery explosion. Her teeth clenched as she came to a halt and looked to the source of the attack.

"You again!" she yelled at the monk, who now looked in even worse shape. If she were to guess, he probably hadn't stopped to bathe or wash himself since his attack in the forest while never sleeping indoors. "Can't you just…" Weiss' words were interrupted as she had to leap over the flail head, which then hit a tree and dug/burned a deep gash into it.

"I'm going to end you, vampire," he ground out, rage twisting his face. His hand clenched and then magic flowed over him, leaving a grey glow about his form. "I will avenge those people you had killed and corralled." Two more spells coated him, one after the other.

"If you hadn't chased us it would have never happened!" she screamed back as she drew Strahlendjewel and charged forward. She already knew magic was ineffective against him, which meant she needed to physically stop him. A glyph under her feet, she sprang forward and reared back to strike. He yanked his chain back toward him, parrying her thrust away with its links and forcing her to come to a stop where she slashed up with a spin for momentum. The orichalcum alloy blade hit a farming sickle and bounced back, leaving a deep slice nearly haflway into the blade before she brought it around from the opposite direction, where it collided with the monk's arm, now wrapped in his chain, which unlike his other weapon did not give. The flaming head came at her from the side, making her jump back before trying to thrust again. The monk managed to dip to the side before slicing up with his sickle, but Weiss quickly pulled back and parried, forcing him toward the side and breaking it. The two backed up and began to slowly circle one another, Weiss poised for a strike and the monk's flail spinning next to him.

Weiss charged, and the monk opened his palm to release a blinding light. The vampire shouted and winced while moving back, dodging the next two swings of his weapon almost instinctively. However, the flail struck her sternum on the third, smacking her backwards and further launching her with the small explosion it made. Her back hit a tree as the pain in her chest registered, knocking the breath completely out of her. She managed to look up, trying to see her attacker, but then the feeling of dread came.

It was like feeling the cold for the first time, as the man came towards her, marching with purpose. Her body was quivering. She couldn't even gasp. She began kicking herself away from the man, fear overriding her every sense. She had to get away from him! Had to get away!

She turned to run, but then a glass bottle went past her and smashed against a tree, sending its contents everywhere. The flail came out after it and, though she was moving, it wasn't aimed at her. It hit near where the bottle had and the liquid burst into flame almost instantly. He repeated the steps in two other places, surrounding her with fire on three sides. Weiss felt herself shrink in and –

Almost as soon as the fear came it was gone. The heiress managed to take a breath and stood straighter, still shaken by her experience, but now knowing somewhat what to expect.

 _'_ _Fear enchantment? No. Not so specific. Turn Undead? Maybe… It would have definitely worked on me.'_ The faded fear was then replaced by anger. Once she was done here, she'd have to take more precautions against such devices. Even as she thought of it, she noticed another pair of bottles being dropped by the monk's side, likely potions he had just consumed. A spell ran across his frame, tinging the Steelflesh spell with red, and then he began readying his weapon.

As she saw him beginning to move in, a rain of ice spikes erupted from the trees, all aiming at him. He nimbly leapt out of their way while smashing several aside then took cover behind a log just before Serana jumped into the clearing. She created several more and sent them at him, but the monk jumped out of his cover and came at the vampire princess. She sent twin cones of frost at him, but he barely slowed his steps before reaching out and grasping her by the face, electricity pouring out of his arm a moment later. Serana screamed, and Weiss yelled at the top of her lungs while coming at the man. Her sword swiped down hard enough to blow snow away, but he had managed to pull back in time and only had a scratch to show for it. Serana jumped back and sent a ball of ice his way, only for him to smash it aside.

"He's an Atronach sign," Weiss warned her partner. "Magic's almost useless against him."

"You just have to know the right magic." Serana reached towards the ground and rocks began popping out of the snow under her command, which she then directed with her hands towards the monk. He managed to get out of the way of several, but then a log being led by Serana's other hand slammed into him before Weiss took her cue and began concentrating on Alteration. A Raise Wall here and Perilous Path there helped to harry him and force him out of his defensive position to face them. His flail flew towards them, but with two fighters to aim for, an attack on one was to leave himself defenseless against the other. They kept on his trail, pursuing him towards a cliff edge while Serana harrassed him with wood and stone and Weiss continued her melee and magic assault.

"Damn you!" he shouted as he kicked up while pushing Weiss's blade away, catching her off-guard. His knee hit her chest, then sprang out, smacking her back towards the trees. He charged at her, but Serana intercepted him with a ward spell, holding him off. Her foot then kicked up behind her, hitting the bottom of her sheath and making her short sword spring up into the air. She let up with her right and grabbed the sword from just behind her head then swung down with a shout while angling the ward downward with her left. The blade hit his shoulder and elicited a scream as blood sprayed out and flesh parted, the strength of his magic armor enough to keep her from splitting him further apart. Serana began to back up, but without losing his stride at all, the monk pulled his chain upward, wrapping it around the vampire's sword arm then stepping on it and pulling it tight. Serana found herself trapped and barely noticed the broken sickle coming for her throat.

"No!" a high-pitched voice screamed as a blur rammed into his side. Serana pulled loose, and Weiss got back to her feet, and both saw Gilly atop the man and trying her best to wail on him with her fists, screaming curses and insults as she did. The monk quickly recovered and threw her off of him, but didn't have time to focus on her before the other two were back on him.

He took in a few breaths while both sides waited for the other to make the first move, and Gilly got up to her feet with a snarl. Weiss saw blood crawling around her body and was stunned for a moment when she realized the girl was taking on her Vampire Lord form. She burst loose from her bloody chrysalis and Weiss saw how the monk's face twisted further in rage and disgust. Gilly's form was similar to most others, but the webless wings were much thinner, longer, and further back than most. Her claws were also smaller, seeming to come out like cat claws instead of the dangerous steak knives others had. Her face still looked like Gilly's but with a corpse blue color and a mouth full of razor-like teeth.

The monk moved, and Gilly's hand went forward. An impossibly strong gust of wind came forward with a bloody mist, blowing all of the snow away and the monk backwards. Weiss saw him struggle, only to be forced all the way back and off the cliff's edge. Gilly's spell ended, and the three ran up to see him falling. He hit ice, which broke apart and swallowed him into the waters below.

"G-good riddance," Gilly yelled out before reverting back to her normal form. She stumbled back and the other two caught her and helped her stay on her feet. "Ooh, I…never…did that…before."

"It's all right. You did well, Gilly," Weiss congratulated her. "Can you walk?"

"I th-th-think so." The girl tested her legs, then nodded. The other two let her stand on her own, then they looked back down to where the ice had resettled.

"We better move on," Serana told them. "He's not getting out of that without some kind of divine intervention."

"I hope he stays gone this time," Weiss muttered as she followed the woman.

* * *

Day was breaking, and the women began looking for a place to rest for the day. Serana had suggested a cave, but Weiss would have preferred something else if it was available. It wasn't that she refused, but if there was a hunter's rest or another abandoned home, she was pretty sure anyone would prefer those to a random cave with gods know what in it.

"Hey, I think this will do," Serana said to her as they came to a wooden building. It seemed to be a hunter's rest, but it might have just as likely been someone's old home. "Let's find Gilly. …Where is she?"

Weiss looked around and groaned. "I thought she was with us."

"It's all right. Here." Serana summoned up a Clairvoyance, and the blue light flowed from her and along the ground. "This way."

They followed the tracking spell for a moment, coming up to where a lean-to was set next to a campfire. They both froze in their steps, however, when they saw the other vampire leaned over a man, her mouth on his neck and her eyes glowing orange.

"No! Gilly!" Weiss cried out as she and Serana jumped forward. The younger girl seemed to hear her and looked up, but it was Serana's fingers pushing under her lips and prying that got her off. Once her mouth was pulled from his neck, the vampire princess slapped her across the cheek, knocking her out of the haze she had been in. Weiss pulled Gilly away while Serana checked over the man, then she grabbed the girl by her head and forced her to meet her eyes.

"Gilly! What in… What were you…" Weiss saw tears collecting in her eyes and let go as she broke into sobs.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she got out. "I d-d-d-didn't mean… I d-didn't mean to."

"Shh, it's fine," Serana said to her, one of her hands glowing green over the man's head. "He's okay. I'm erasing the memories right now."

"You can do that?"

"For recent things. Going back further makes things tricky. Hey," she gently directed to Gilly while kneeling next to her. "Sorry about that, but I had to snap you out of it. Why didn't you tell us you were hungry?"

"I- I th-thought I could find something. I kn-know how to hunt deer and- and things, but… In the castle, all w-w-we ever had was human blood. It tasted…so _good_." Gilly's breathing became even, and the quiver in her throat seemed to disappear. "I saw him lying there, sound asleep, and I thought about how _good_ it would taste, and…" Her eyes squeezed shut. "And it w-w-was some of the best I ever tasted."

Weiss covered her mouth and unbidden memories returned, of her draining an elf until he was dry and dead. She remembered vividly how euphoric she had been in that very moment, and how nothing before or after had ever come close.

"It's okay," Serana continued to comfort her. "We all fall a little once in a while. Just keep it in mind and be careful in the future, okay?"

Gilly nodded slowly and Serana helped her up to her feet.

"Come on. We've got a place for today. We should be able to find the Haven tonight."

They went back towards the shack, stopping a moment to pour a bit of cure potion into the man's mouth. Weiss looked at him a moment longer, then turned to follow the other two.

* * *

"That's…a lot of numbers," Ruby mused while looking over the statement.

"You _did_ just sell around half a ton of ebony," Lydia pointed out.

"Yeah, but I kept most of it. That's just what Ulfberth and Adrianne have been able to smelt so far. I'm still going to have another two and a half sitting in the basement because nobody else will buy any more! I know we need some for our projects, but there's no way we'll use more than a fraction of that."

"Remind me to upgrade the locks and security wards for the house and basement later. Again. In fact, I'd say it's past time to commission a proper vault." her housecarl mused dryly. Lydia was glad she'd convinced the gawking farmers to forget what they saw with a generous payment for the use of their cart, and had gotten a canvas tarp to cover it before her Thane paraded her haul through Whiterun's streets (the wonders of Aura making themselves known to her once again when it kept the wooden cart from shattering under the entire load). Normally she wouldn't think anyone would be stupid enough to try their luck at robbing Breezehome at this point, but rumors of the fortunes (both literal and metaphorical) her Dragonslayers tended to accumulate could be enough to spark...unwise impulses. Shaking her head, she returned to the topic at hand.

"Ebony is one of the rarest materials in Tamriel, as well as being the strongest. The Empire can only ever mine enough of it to outfit their most elite soldiers, and most of it comes from Morrowind and Skyrim," she reminded Ruby. "Most merchants and store owners aren't going to have enough coin on hand to buy too much of it on such short notice. There likely isn't enough liquid capital in the entire city to take the whole thing off your hands. Selling off the bulk of it is probably going to involve a bank transfer and a caravan or two, and you know Weiss will never let you hear the end of it if you don't include her in that kind of sale negotiation. At least by then you'll have processed it all into proper ingots so you're not just selling raw ore."

They reached the top of the stairs and, Ruby suddenly stopped and reached out towards her housecarl. Her eyes were locked on a sight near Jorrvaskr, which Lydia looked at as well and gawked at momentarily before both women collected themselves and walked over. Ruby stopped a few paces away from Coiroy and Sherman as the two spoke to Kodlak Whitemane, a Giant standing patiently behind the Goblin and Ogre researchers.

"It is true. Back in the old days there were Giants among the Companions," Kodlak said for both the benefit of the Companions and the ones before him. "Looking at you, though, I wonder, can you truly be a part of our great company?"

Coiroy looked back to the Giant, almost distracted by Ruby's presence, but focused and began speaking in the Giant language. Ruby gasped and pulled out her translation amulet, but before she could even move to offer it to Kodlak, the Giant raised up his hand.

"Gihrer. Knows. Words," he seemed to struggle out. With a hack that sounded a bit like clearing one's throat, he continued. "Heard. Stories. Grandfathers. Warriors. Fight evil. Grandfathers' grandfathers fight. Gihrer not. Fight. Want to. Make good. Help. Like grandfathers. Like Companions."

"I see. Yes, there's that spark in you. In that case, Gihrer, I welcome you to this hall. We'll speak more about your proving later. Until then, come on in, my boy."

A big smile drew itself across the Giant's face before he walked into the mead hall, not even having to duck to get inside. The Mulukan professors looked right pleased as Ruby walked up to them.

"You guys have made some progress, huh?"

"Ah, Miss Rose, we're happy to see you! And yes! Aside from dear Gihrer there we've actually managed to bring Giants and local Nord communities closer than they ever have been before. Still, we're seeing them develop independently, if slower now. A lot of it is them copying Nords at this point, but I wouldn't be surprised if they stood alongside them as equals in a human generation or so."

"Nah to mention the centralizin' power," Sherman added. "Seems the tribes all 'round the Whiterun Plains in e'ry direction's communicatin' and tradin' more an' more. From our notes, they normally stay put in the winter. Seems dey got a new confidence in their thunderous strides."

"Yes, it is quite fascinating. I think we're seeing the beginnings of trade routes, all of which are focused around Whiterun. Pretty soon the Hold will become an important center of commerce for the Giants, and by simple social osmosis, everyone else as well. Ah, but we're getting carried away now and rambling on. How have you been?"

"Well, I just learned some important stuff from a dragon, brought a couple tons of ebony down from a mountaintop, and now we're heading out to meet a special ally and learn how to stop an evil god before beginning a search for an Elder Scroll to help stop another evil god."

The two stood in silence for a moment, then Coiroy nodded while cupping his chin.

"Interesting times, indeed."

* * *

 _He walked up the stairs towards the palace, key in hand and ready to be used the moment he reached the door. Quickly unlocking and opening it, he stepped inside and looked forward to see an androgynous figure of two colors, split down the very middle between golden and ashen skin. The being, who was certainly Vivec, suddenly seemed to lift their feet off of the ground and hovered, floating in place in the lotus position about a triangular dais with braziers at each point._

 _"_ _I expected you," Vivec said in an ephemeral voice as he stopped before the triangle. "We have business, you and I."_

 _"_ _That we do." A moment's silence passed between them. "Well, let's move on with it then."_

 _"When I was young like you, I was very impatient. So I will keep our business short. Then, later, there may be time for other things. First, I propose to remove my curse upon the Nerevarine, and end the persecution of the Dissident Priests, and proclaim all of Morrowind that you are the Incarnate and Nerevarine, the prophesied savior of Morrowind, and the last hope to withstand the menace of Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House. These things I will do, whether you wish or not."_

 _"_ _No complaints here." Not that he had any choice to complain._

 _"_ _Next, I propose to surrender to you the power and responsibility of defeating Dagoth Ur. You may choose to refuse; I will not compel you. You will receive the power as a gift, in the form of an artifact called 'Wraithguard'. You may accept this gift, and then do with it as you will. You will receive the responsibility as an oath. You may give your oath, then keep it or break it as you like. First, will you accept Wraithguard as a gift?"_

 _A groan escaped his throat. He hated being pushed around by all of this, but at this point, there was no turning back._

 _"_ _Yes. I accept Wraithguard."_

 _"Good. Sensible of you," they said before proceeding. "And now, will you give your oath, before all gods and men, before all spirits visible and invisible, before my honor and your honor, to dedicate yourself and Wraithguard to the defeat and destruction of Dagoth Ur, and the preservation of Morrowind and its people?"_

 _For a moment, he ground his teeth together. "I don't like making promises," he admitted. "But, I will swear it. I will defeat Dagoth Ur. And I will protect the people, just like I've been doing."_

 _"Not very sensible. But very good. I was hoping for someone who would have no hesitation about making such an oath. You will now have a brief, momentary sensation of time passing. Don't be alarmed. You are being taken out of time in order to avoid the unpleasant experience of learning how to use Wraithguard. It will be over before..."_

 _Suddenly, he felt a brief sensation of motion in total darkness, floating, but without a sense of weight or direction. His mind whirled in confusion, but he managed to make himself stay calm. Just when he was beginning to plan out how to keep his focus, it was over._

 _"_ _...you know it. Now. I will notify the Temple that you are our champion. There shall be no more persecution of the Dissident Priests, and I hope both sides shall swiftly be reconciled. We have time for questions, if you like. Or you may leave, as you wish. But I think there are at least two things you ought to know before you leave: how to use Wraithguard, and how to defeat Dagoth Ur."_

 _He took a breath and looked to the object now in his hand, which, by all appearances, was a Dwarven-made gauntlet. He held it in his left and slowly fitted it onto his right, clenching his fingers once it was fully on and feeling some sort of enchantment size it down to fit him perfectly._

 _"_ _All right. Let's begin."_

* * *

Weiss awoke and blinked away the sleep in her eyes before reaching toward her pack. She shot up a little when she felt something prick at her hand and looked over while clutching the small point of pain. She sighed and then reached over more carefully, opening her sack and taking out Azura's Star, still glowing from the last time she filled it. She concentrated, and then it folded back into its 'travel' form again.

"What even made it…" She blinked and thought back to the dream she had just had. Like the others, she was sure it was sent to her by Azura, for whatever reason the Prince of Dusk and Dawn was sending them.

 _'_ _Prepare for the future, by looking at the past,'_ she recalled. She hardly thought a meeting with Vivec was in her immediate future, unless Ruby did something Dragonborn-related to catch his attention, of course, so it was likely something less obvious that she couldn't quite perceive just yet.

"Wraithguard was a Tool of Kagrenac, the one needed in order to make use of the others. With it, the Nerevarine would have been able to use Sunder and Keening, all three of which were used to defeat Dagoth Ur." Thankful, once again, for Brelyna making sure she was educated on the pasts of Azura's closest and most well-known followers, Weiss hummed in thought. "Am I about to get something…that leads to something I need?"

Sighing at the vagueness of it, Weiss got to her feet and started packing away her bedroll. Serana was already up and Gilly was soon to follow them. Going by her notes dissecting the Heart of Dawn's stanzas, Weiss began leading them onward.

"The 'cold emeralds' probably refers to the evergreens. Well, we're west of those now and…" She looked forward, seeing sheer mountainsides in three directions. "Okay… We might have gone the wrong way."

"Wait, what's the last line?" Serana asked.

"'Where we'll sing the dirge of our travels and lay our heads to rest.' That doesn't mean anything unless it's telling us to go to sleep here, which I doubt is a step on the way there."

"I mean, this could be a good hiding place, assuming there's a cave anywhere around here."

"Wh-what if we're supposed to sing?"

The other two looked to Giledie and then at each other.

"Okay, that makes sense," Weiss admitted. "Jarmak did tell me specifically to sing. But what though?"

"'Th-the dirge of our travels'. A song is just…poetry that you sing."

"Ah," Weiss muttered in realization as she nodded. She smirked, planning to begin singing it, but then realized she didn't quite remember the words. Just as she was about to flip back a few pages where she started penning it down, she heard Gilly's voice start up, a surprisingly smooth and sweet tone that carried the song well.

"~ Child the day has come to close. You cannot wait here in the cold. But if we go forth to meet the sun, we may come upon the Heart of Dawn. O'er waters bronze we set our sail. Through stony hills we make our way. As the glow of sun has fell, we keep our vigil until the day. ~"

Just before the next word, a small rumble came from beneath their feet. The three stumbled back and watched as something rose out of the snow, pushing aside much of it as it did. The object was revealed to be a pair of trap doors, each several meters long and across. After they had risen, the girls walked up and looked down to see a set of stairs leading to what seemed to be a black abyss. They began walking down, and before any of them could prepare a light, braziers to the side lit themselves with fire. A few steps further, and another set did the same. With the third set, they heard stone moving and looked up to see the doors closing themselves. Gilly groaned in fear, but Weiss patted and squeezed her shoulder in assurance, and they started heading back down again.

After a minute or so, they reached the bottom of the stairs and a doorway. Weiss began looking around and studying the place in more detail as Serana opened the door before them and walked in.

"Place is definitely lived in," the vampire princess confirmed upon seeing several sets of boots and shoes set nearby, some of them with mud that hadn't totally dried yet. "Somebody came in less than two days ago. That snow on the doors wasn't naturally placed."

"We blow winds from some of the higher levels after each use," a new, accented voice said. They turned to face it and saw a tall, pale, blonde-haired woman. "Welcome, sisters. I am glad to have you find us."

"Well, you're friendly," Serana observed with crossed arms. "We could've been vampire hunters for all you knew."

"Most vampire hunters are not undead as well. And if you were, you know not the passcode for opening the doors from this side, nor doest I believe you could face and defeat well over two-hundred of our kin." She smiled at that, revealing her four fangs to them.

"Fair enough. So this is it, then? The Duskfall Haven?"

"Yes. Ye must have spoke with one of ours before yon search."

"Yes," Weiss affirmed. "Jarmak told me about this place."

"Jarmak of Volkihar? Truly? Ah, ye must be of the College. Verily, let us go seek his counsel and find you lot a place of comfort. The road must have made ye weary."

As the woman led them further into the lair, Gilly tried to speak up. "Y-you talk with a very arch- uh, old way of speaking."

"Well, ye're surely not surprised to find a few vampires of ancient times?"

"Uh, no, uh, my grandfather talked like that…some. But, um, he was old. He was half…elf."

"Yes, the way of common speech changes every few centuries in many provinces. You art of High Rock, yes? I am of Atmora."

"Oh, Atmora?" Weiss wondered aloud. "I never met anyone from there. A friend met one person…but that was a draugr from the days of Ysgrammor."

The vampire woman laughed. "Truly? I was in the latter of my first millennium when Ysgrammor was but a sulking babe."

"Really?" Serana asked in surprise. "Gods, that takes the place of 'oldest being I know', no contest."

"Y-y-you can't just call someone old," Gilly squeaked out.

"Why not? Am I not old? Ye shall see I bear the wisdom of these years with pride."

The three came into another room where some other vampires were moving about and Weiss snapped her fingers at the sight of a chandelier.

"Wait a moment! Is this place what I think it is?"

"Think what is?" Serana asked her.

"I _thought_ I recognized the architecture when we entered. I've only ever seen one other example of this, but this place matches with some Snow Elf ruins we once came across."

"Snow Elf ruins? What's so special about those?"

"The Nords who fought them destroyed all Falmer buildings they came across," the lead vampire explained. "They had few in the beginning as it were. Falmer were very nomadic peoples."

"Oh, so… How many are there?"

"Counting this one, I've only ever so much as _heard_ about two," Weiss told her. "We only found the other one thanks to some psionic tether attached to my friend's mind by a Magne-Ge."

"…what?"

"Hey, is that who I think it is?" Weiss stopped and looked to see a Redguard woman walking up to her, her eyes going up and down her frame as she approached. "You, aren't you friends with the Dragonborn?"

"I am," Weiss answered hesitantly, only to get wrapped into a sudden and somewhat crushing hug.

"Thank you so much!" she said while swinging the hug a bit. "I haven't been able to rest comfortably in years since turning, then she and you helped us get here and I've never been happier." She pulled away and then patted Weiss' arms. "I'll let the rest know you're here! They'll be so happy to see you!"

The Redguard let her go and ran off to somewhere else, leaving the four a little confused.

"Wha-what was that?" Gilly asked.

"I…did say I sent a few vampires this way."

They continued on until the tall woman led them into a somewhat spacious room with three water fountains set within it. At their center Jarmak was seated, meditating as pieces of ice slowly spun around him.

 _'_ _Azura couldn't have been more blatant if he was floating,'_ Weiss thought to herself while also wondering what exactly this meant. Jarmak opened his eyes and stood to his feet while the ice settled around him in a circle.

"Hm, so you've actually come. You're here as well, Princess Serana."

"I don't know if I count as a princess anymore, Jarmak," she said to the elf, a smile finding its way to her lips. "Good to see you're still alive, old mer."

"You as well." He looked over to Weiss and hummed before his eyes settled on Gilly. "And who is this?"

"She's a friend," Weiss answered. "Giledie Vassonia."

"Uh, hello…sir."

"Hm, hello, child. Please, if you would go with Svoldyn, I would like to speak with these two alone for a moment." Gilly looked towards the other two, who both nodded to her, and then she quickly bowed and followed the Atmoran vampire. When the door closed behind them, Jarmak hummed a moment.

"I assume this visit was not for pleasure's sake. Something is happening."

"Well, Harkon is finally making a move," Weiss relayed. "He's hoping to capture a Moth Priest and use him to read an Elder Scroll."

"I thought such might be his next step." The elf hummed and rubbed his chin while tilting his head forward. "Yes, it seems he's still pursuant in that goal. All the living world will be in danger from this."

"You know what he's planning?" Serana asked.

He nodded with a hum. "It is the same as it has been for thousands of years. Whenever he was not given in to despair from his…loss, it was all he could focus upon. I've seen his agents searching, fruitlessly, ever since for any sign of his lost Elder Scroll. Fruitless, until recently, that is."

"Then they found me," Serana muttered.

"Yes. Hm, in a manner of speaking. They found solid clues which had been unearthed by the Vigilants. After that, the Volkihar began to move with haste. But the adversity has given rise to a boon. The Dawnguard."

"The vampire hunting guild?" Weiss questioned him.

"They have presented themselves as a bulwark against the increase in hostile vampire activity. Hm, other guilds and mercenary groups, perhaps even armies, can focus themselves alongside the Dawnguard and truly fight against Harkon's forces. They may be needed if we are to stop him for good."

"True. I was heading there next," Serana told him. "If the Scroll's safe anywhere, it's with the guys who want the vampires to have it the least."

"And yourself?"

"I might _have_ to escape, but I'm hoping that bringing them the Scroll, letting them know I know Yang, and telling them who I am will be enough to keep them from staking or burning me. For a little while, at least."

"Hm, a risky gambit, but I think you might be able to handle it. There's…heh, well, I see something in you I haven't seen…in an age." He hummed while looking over to Weiss. "And you?"

"I…was planning to go with Serana."

"You were?"

"Well… I'm thinking now that there might be something here I need. Call it intuition."

"Does it have to do with that dream you were talking about this evening?" Serana asked her.

Weiss turned to her in surprise. "Wha- How did-"

"You weren't exactly whispering. You've mentioned dreams before. What did you see?"

"Well, don't laugh, but I saw the Nerevarine receiving the Wraithguard."

"The first of Kagrenac's Tools," Jarmak said before humming and stroking his chin. "You think I can give you…a key to defeating your own Sharmat?"

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose."

"You…are not wrong. There are things I can teach you, but it will take time, and you must be willing to learn. I hadn't suspected it would be you, but now…"

"That what would be me?" Weiss asked, wondering what exactly he could be talking about.

"It is not so easily explained with words. You will learn, like with other things. But you must be certain of this. Some of what I will teach you…may break a weaker soul."

"I'm not afraid."

"Hm, not now. But you will be." He reached out and a door that they hadn't seen before opened up from the side opposite of where they had entered. "You will be."

* * *

Blake blocked the sun from her eyes as she peered forward, seeing a bronze inlaid wall that screamed Dwemer. The horses were taken to Heljarchen Creek by the other two, who were coming up alongside her. She nodded to them both, then her ears flicked at the sound of different footsteps.

"Hey Yang," she greeted her partner as she came out from the nearby underbrush.

"Okay, just so you know, I spotted you first," the blonde bragged before looking over to the thieves. "So these are your guys, huh? You two know how to work your Auras decently?"

"Well, Belladonna here's been showing us on the-" Brynjolf's words were cut off as Yang's fist came for him, forcing him to block with a navy-blue sheen springing up at the point of contact. "Gagh! Are all of you going to do that?!"

"Just had to see for myself. All right, well, if you guys get carved up, can't say it's our fault."

He looked back at the Dunmer woman with a frown. "Next time, you stand in boxing range of one of her friends."

"Noted," she said with a smile.

"Okay, so I've already scouted up ahead," Yang relayed to them. Looks like a camp of some kind used to be here, but now there are bodies everywhere. Either bandits or something were trying to set up here. Wounds are fresh. Blood hasn't all frozen."

"So, we're right on his tail," Karliah concluded. "He should still be delving in."

"And here I was hoping we could get some rest and cut him off," Yang complained. "Well, at the very least, most of the problem should be cleared out of the way. Don't get complacent though."

"We won't," Blake responded before pressing three of her fingers to her black vest's sigil, causing misty shadows to wisp around the rest of her body and solidify into the Nightingale Armor. The other two followed her example as the enchantment began to take effect. Yang let out a whistle in appreciation.

"Nice. Wish my armor did that. Would've saved me a whooole lot of work. And spiders."

"Wasn't she bringing some friends?" Brynjolf asked as they moved forward.

"Yngvarr's going to find a guy for the Dawnguard, and Rumarin doesn't have Aura, so I'm not getting him mixed up in this. He's waiting by the lake, fishing."

"You didn't just unlock it?"

"Yeah, we're trying…to not do that too much." At that, he looked over to Blake.

"She didn't break some sacred laws, did she?"

"No. Nothing like that. Eh, it doesn't matter. Right now, let's move in and get this creep."

* * *

 _11th of Evening Star_

* * *

Vomed ahrk med - Different and similar [Lit. non-same and same]


	69. From Shadows, Freedom

**I really have slowed down on the updates here. Not sure if it's the new locale or if that's just correlation. Still, hope I get back to being a little more regular with it. Don't like my own thread going to sleep. Well, Halloween is nearly upon us. Be safe and eat candy. Spooks to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor.**

* * *

Chapter 62: From Shadows, Freedom

* * *

 _11th of Evening Star_

* * *

After climbing up some scaffolding and finding the entrance to Irkngthand, Blake, Brynjolf, Karliah, and Yang walked in to see yet more bodies, many of them looking as though they had been killed in their sleep or as they were waking. Yang sneered at the scene in disgust.

"This look like Mercer's handiwork?" she asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Karliah responded. "Such senseless violence. He could have easily snuck past all of these people."

Blake frowned, realizing that Karliah was right. Mercer was certainly skilled enough to get past. Perhaps he could have even used his Semblance to convince them to let him through, but no. He just felt like killing them, apparently. It reminded her of a person she once knew back home, she sighed. Once again, she let herself be manipulated by someone pretending to be someone they weren't, only this time she was going to put an end to it here and now.

"Wait, I think I see something up ahead," Blake said, stopping her thoughts as she focused her gaze on something small off further into the ruin, "Looks like someone's alive."

"How can you tell?" Yang asked, raising her eyebrow while taking deep sniffs. She didn't smell anything indicating a living person nearby.

"Armor's enchanted with some kind of life detection. I'm seeing a glow up ahead."

"I see it too," Brynjolf confirmed. "Let's go see what we've got."

Nodding to each other, they walked to the far side of the room, going up a short set of stairs and past a water basin up to a scuttle chute, where the glow was coming from. The three Nightingales looked at each other in confusion, somehow expressed despite their veils, while Yang lifted an eyebrow and walked up to it.

"So…are they in here?" She banged a fist against the chute and then a Dwarven sphere popped out and began unfolding, only to end up with an axe splitting apart most of its mechanisms. "Got 'em. So, did you see a rat or something, 'cuz that wasn't-"

"Did you guys see that?" Blake asked the other two, interrupting her partner.

"See what?" Yang asked, not offended in the slightest as she pulled her flame-enchanted axe free and started pulling out some crossbow bolts from a built-in quiver.

"That machine was what was glowing," Brynjolf said with incredulity. "But…it's not alive?"

"Well, it definitely isn't now." Yang stood up and packed her looted bolts and Soul Gems away. "Maybe your detection stuff picks up anything that moves under its own power? Maybe the Soul Gem?"

"That…makes sense," Blake admitted while looking at the scrap. "At least nothing will be able to get the drop on us like this." She looked forward into the hallway next to them and saw another scrapped robot and a few distant glows. "Yeah, not all of them popped out at Mercer. We also don't know how fast this place fixes itself up. Yang, try not to step where we don't."

"'Kay." The four began heading in, keeping their eyes and ears open for traps, though Blake was beginning to hear the sounds of machinery associated with Dwemer ruins as they passed another large water basin and began heading down stairs, hugging the edges away from the chutes with glows inside of them. To the other two thieves' surprise, Yang was fairly quiet and light in her steps as well. She wasn't practically undetectable like they were, but they were getting past the ancient automatons.

Things hit a hiccup, however, when they came to a room with spinning pillars spitting out flames in four directions each. Brynjolf began looking around, gauging how he could slip by, when Blake leaped up and jumped from the top of each one to the next until she reached the gate to the next room. Karliah followed in her footsteps while Yang smirked and took a helmet from her belt and placed it on, brazenly walking through the flames as the antlered helm's enchantment roared to life and gave her perfect fire immunity just long enough to make it through. Brynjolf sighed and skirted around the sides, keeping out of reach of the flames and timing his way through the last one to safety where the women were waiting on him.

"Not everyone can be acrobats," he defended. "Or keep their youth for several centuries."

"I didn't say anything," Karliah nonchalantly stated as they moved on. Blake had pulled a lever near an empty shaft with guardrails, which summoned up an elevating platform and lowered the rails to allow the group onto it.

"I think he went this way."

"Yep," Yang agreed. "I can smell a bit of blood, probably from his weapons."

"Detection enchantment's not picking anything up down there," Brynjolf noted as Blake pulled the lever in the center of the platform.

"Probably too far and too much between us," Blake supposed. "Even something like this armor has its limits. We'll just have to track him in other ways."

"I just hope we aren't too late," Karliah muttered.

The elevator came to the bottom and the four walked off and towards a set of double doors down a hallway. Upon opening it, a spiked ball trap swung down. Blake ducked under it, but Yang reacted by yelping and punching it away, embedding it in the nearby wall and cursing as she nursed her hand. Brynjolf stared at the newest wall decoration in surprise.

"Stronger than you look, lass. And you looked pretty strong in the first place."

"Thanks. I try." Yang flashed the thief a toothy smile, while an amused Brynjolf shook his head.

They turned the corner and several glows began showing up. Unlike before, however, these were not primarily orb-shaped. They seemed humanoid, but most of them were walking about in a hunched stance, save for one.

"Wait a moment. What's that?" Karliah pointed out as she rushed forward, the others going after her to a fenced off rise, letting them see the cavern and structures within it below. The same straight standing figure came close to one of the others, then that one's light went out, signaling an end to its life. Yang immediately picked up the scent of Falmer and chaurus before they all spotted a man at the far end of the cavern, standing over the body of a Falmer bleeding from its neck. "It's Mercer!" she said in a worried but hushed tone.

"I'm on it, lass," Brynjolf said as he took out a dagger and tried to pry out one of the bars of the Dwemer-made fence. Yang decided to try and bend some out of the way, only to find that it wasn't giving. She knew that Dwarven metal was tough, but she figured the stone would give. Looking up however, she saw that there was a long mount that the bars were embedded in rather than directly into the rock. Brynjolf's efforts weren't bearing much fruit either, unable to find a bolt or strip to loosen. The Breton seemed to look over at them before turning and continuing on his way.

"Damn it, there's no way through!" Brynjolf silently declared as he pulled his blade out and backed away a step. Yang huffed and let up, having barely budged the bars she was working on.

"Yeah, this stuff's too strong. And chopping through it might take a minute and make a lot of noise." She looked back down at the Falmer going about, who seemed to have noticed that something was off from the sounds they had already made. "Way too much."

Blake looked around and saw a path they could follow, likely the same one used by their target, and was about to inform the others when she looked back and saw Mercer having turned around and made some sort of gesture. It didn't take enhanced vision to realize what that expression was, and Blake, Yang, Karliah, and Brynjolf scowled.

"He's toying with us," Karliah seethed as Mercer finally retreated. "He wants us to follow."

"Aye lass, and we'll be ready for him. Let's keep moving."

"This way," Blake indicated.

"We'll have to be careful," Yang warned them as she took up the rear. "If he keeps killing one or two Falmer here and there and one of them finds a body…"

A loud gargled scream interrupted her as they moved past several chaurus egg sacks. They stayed still for a moment, but then, with relief, the Nightingales noted how the Falmer were moving away from where they were, likely towards the scene of Mercer's victim. Once the immediate area was clear, they stepped out and took a moment to admire the cavernous area they were in. High above them, the cave ceiling was dotted with luminescent lichen and mushrooms. Before them was a three-tiered set of walkways carved from stone with buildings set on each. A few of them had collapsed thanks to time and wear, but the unblemished Dwarven metal stuck out at odd angles. The whole buildings, on the other hand, looked untouched save for where Falmer seemed to have set up shop with chitinous construction. Linked between several of the higher buildings were stone and metal bridges, almost wide enough to be thought of as roads.

"Look at the size of this place," Brynjolf muttered in wonder. "Have you ever seen anything like it in your life, lass?"

"Can't say that I have," Karliah answered. "Imagine the riches hidden in these walls."

"Might have a little trouble with the locals, though," Yang mentioned, reminded that the two were thieves by the exchange. "This is a lot bigger than the last Dwemer ruin we were in. Right Blake?"

"Yeah, but I think that's the difference between a research lab and an actual city," Blake mentioned. Yang nodded, then took a quick look with an appraising eye and nodded again.

"Now that you mention it, I could see people living here in its heyday."

The group continued around, hugging the far wall as they headed toward where Mercer had gone, only to see a closed gate near the murder scene that was now being heavily investigated by the Falmer. Blake began looking around to find where the lever to open the gate was, seeing one high up on the opposite side of the cavern.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she muttered. Everyone else followed her gaze and saw it as well.

"Mind doing the honors, Belladonna?" Brynjolf asked her.

"Yeah, sure," Blake sighed before hugging the wall even further, mindful of where she stepped more than anything as she came dangerously close to the now startled demi-elves, who all seemed to be talking about what to do in their raspy language. When she reached the other side, rather than searching for the ramp leading up, she jumped and began scaling the wall. A few pebbles came loose, but barely caught the attention of one Falmer who went back to the group's discussion.

Once she reached the top, Blake was about to pull the lever before noticing the one across from her current position, just above where her team was standing. Internally groaning, she took out her scroll and sent a quick text to Yang, who saw what her partner was doing and checked. She then looked up and saw it as well, pointing it out to the other two before texting back.

 _What do we do?_

 _I think both have to be pulled at the same time. A lot of gears are gonna start moving though. Need to be careful. I can send over Backpack, unless one of you want to climb up there._

Blake waited for Yang's response, but the blonde suddenly started typing something frantically.

 _Guess I'll tosONUR5_

Blake's eyebrows went up, then she quickly looked to the side in realization and saw a Falmer coming up the ramp toward her and the lever. He didn't have any weapons at the ready, meaning he likely wasn't after Blake, but she still wasn't keen on getting caught. The Faunus immediately clambered down the edge, completely out of the way and out of reach. Safe, she looked back over and saw another Falmer heading to the other lever. They yelled something at one another, then spoke at the same time in what Blake assumed was a countdown before they both pulled their respective handles. Gears near both of them and at the gate spun and then the way was cleared, allowing a single runner through. Quickly and quietly, the four made for the entryway.

"Well, that was convenient," Brynjolf quipped.

"Easy for you to say," Blake grumbled.

"Guys, I think that one was sent to either warn the others or get help," Yang began. "This is probably like their outskirts. There's bound to be way more Falmer deeper inside, and they're all about to get a heads up on someone or something having killed one of their own."

"Ah, good point," the Nord conceded. Blake missed what he said next, as her ears picked up on footsteps coming near, making her turn around and see a fully armored Falmer with a sickle weapon in hand headed their way. She shot out her hand, getting their attention and silencing their whispers. The Falmer seemed to have noticed something was up, and began waving his weapon around slowly as he walked forward. As he closed the distance, Blake took a few quiet steps out of the way, the Nightingale Armor making her every moment as silent as possible, if not quieter. The other two did as well, but Yang stayed perfectly still. As the guard drew closer, he waved his sickle less and less, seemingly coming close to concluding that nothing was there before he took a wider step and walked face-first into Yang's side.

Blake felt her heart leap into her throat, prepared to fight for their lives against however many Falmer, but the one just seemed to shake his head a little and reach up. Everyone was wondering what in the world was going on as the Falmer seemed to just prod at Yang's leg before they all seemed to collectively realize that the woman was donned in Dwemer metal, something the Falmer would have been used to running into in this place.

For his part, the Falmer seemed baffled at first, but then began tracing his fingers along the metal, as though trying to read it. Yang's face contorted as she forced herself to remain still, her fists balled up and shaking. The Falmer ran his hand up, stopping at one of the larger scales at her hip before plucking at it. He put his weapon to his belt and began cupping his chin and muttering as he kept feeling around, Yang's face going redder with anger with each passing moment. Blake readied herself to grab him in a chokehold, but the Falmer then took off his helmet, seemingly to better listen as he tapped at Yang's armor, only to receive a fist to the head, knocking him to the ground.

Yang then shuddered and walked away, rubbing her arms as curses hissed through her teeth. The Falmer groaned, and Blake recalled one of her newest potions, taking it out and pouring it right onto the dazed being's face. One inhale later, and he was out cold.

"Was that a knock-out potion?" Brynjolf asked as the tension seemed to run out of him.

"Started keeping a few, just in case. Doesn't last too long, but just enough to get out of here before he wakes up."

They left the scene, catching up with a slowly cooling off Yang.

"You didn't just kill it?"

"Falmer aren't exactly…the best, but I don't want to kill anyone if I can help it."

 _"_ _Yet you're off to kill someone,"_ Blake felt the honeyed words of the Ebony Blade reverberate through her body, but she ignored them.

"Current mission notwithstanding. Yang, are you okay?"

"No!" the blonde hissed, obviously trying hard not to yell. "I just got…felt up by some wrinkly mole-elf!"

"I don't think-"

"Uh, we better move," Brynjolf warned them, pointing towards two others apparently moving in to investigate why their fellow had suddenly gone quiet. Karliah concentrated and cast a silent spell over them, before waving them forward, a strange sort of bubble staying around her.

"That'll muffle our presence more. Next time we'll be able to get out of the way without them hearing you, so long as it isn't extremely loud."

"Thanks," Yang breathed out. "Ugh, that was just so…wrong. What the hell was that anyways?"

"He probably thought you were a pillar he never ran into before or something," Blake explained, though it didn't seem to set her partner at ease any. The hall gave way to another open area, this one with a lot of debris and rubble near the entrance and some chitin huts set up. Blake saw several more glows ahead of them all over the place and gulped. They had just set foot in a highly populated, very hostile area that was about to be very on alert.

"There's a lot, isn't there?" Yang asked.

"It's like a Falmer city," Brynjolf told her. "We need to tread carefully here. Up to the side."

The group followed him with Karliah at their center, going to the side of what seemed to be a well-trodden pathway. At a pause, Blake noticed a pair of totems, one looking like a pelvis with a dead bug strapped to its center and several ribs set around it almost like flower petals. The other one seemed to be a mishmash of items set around each other, including carved bones, chitin, what seemed to be snakeskin leather, a strut of Dwemer metal, and a series of hanging moss knots tied together in a trio of triangles. Blake wondered what it could mean before she realized that the Falmer wouldn't even be able to see it.

"Huh, I think he might have thought you were art," Blake mentioned while pointing out the totem. Yang eyed it and then looked at her partner.

"Let's just…not talk about it for a minute," Yang insisted, and Blake felt a pang of regret course through her.

"…Sorry."

"It's fine. I'll probably be laughing about it in a couple days, but…right now, too soon."

Blake nodded, and the discussion ended there. As they made their way further in, it became apparent that this was much like the last room, only to an even greater scale. The once Dwarven underground city had high towers connected by bridges and ramps and several domiciles along the ground level. The four were almost taken aback at seeing the Falmer going about almost like everyday citizens, if universally hunched over. Blake nearly did a double-take when she saw a few children running around with their hands forward, smooth-skinned and far less emaciated than many of their elders. Between several totems a group of female Falmer were surrounding two others, one looking decidedly more aged than most. The younger of the two had a swollen belly that some of the others touched with wonder and joy as the elder mixed together some concoction of mushrooms and plants. Nearby, a pair of males were putting together more totems almost reverently, one of them seeming to give guidance to the other. Way out in the dirt-covered edges, Blake saw some others working what seemed to be fields of mushrooms, tending to them almost like crops.

A sound of crashing stone rang out, forcing Blake to cover her cat ears and sending up a state of alarm throughout the Falmer. Several scattered in a panic as the armored ones made their way towards the disturbance, but soon all of the males and even a few of the females were grabbing something that could be used as a weapon and followed after their warriors.

"What the hell?" Yang nearly exclaimed.

"Come on," Blake ushered them forward. The four powerwalked towards the sound, staying well out of the way of any Falmer, and looked forward to see settling dust and fresh rubble.

"So that's what it was," Brynjolf mused. "The entire tower collapsed."

"The only reason he'd do that is to block pursuit," Karliah muttered. "We'll have to find another way around."

"Mercer was able to knock this thing down?" the Nord questioned before looking back over the rubble. "Gods…"

"Even for me that would've taken a lot of work," Yang stated.

"It's the Key," Karliah explained. "In his hands, there's no telling what he's capable of."

"I knew that thing was gonna be hax, but… Is it literally the cheat code to the universe?"

"I guess when you can unlock anything, the only limit is how many ways you can think of unlocking as," Blake figured as she looked around. "Okay, I think we have to go up and over. Let's head for the ramp."

"You're sure?" Brynjolf asked as they followed her along.

"No, but we have to start somewhere. Get ready to backtrack."

"…Right then."

They went up in a tight line, coming uncomfortably close to several Falmer who had come out to investigate the fracas. One, strangely enough, had a skeever on a leash. It stopped to sniff at the four, causing them to go still, but lost interest when its master tugged it along and said something to it. They made it up to the top and went past a set of doors opening into a hallway that led down again.

"Glad the Dwemer's lights are still working," Yang commented as they passed under a chandelier into a room that looked as though it may have once been some sort of office. "Gotta figure out how they made stuff like that."

"Lass, people have been trying to figure that out for literal Eras," Brynjolf said.

"I know, but still," Yang replied, then continued on.

Past there they exited into another cavern city section of about similar size to the last one. A stream burbled up from nearby and flowed down and along a road, going past a large, man-shaped automaton.

"Shor's Bones! Look at that monstrosity," Brynjolf pointed out.

"It's a Dwarven Centurion," Karliah identified it. "Very tough and very deadly."

"Must not be activated," Blake noted, seeing as a few Falmer were going right past it and the station it was set in. She looked up at a tower placed upon four pillars just next to it and the bridges leading from either side of it, then to her side where three strange objects were next to the stream. "Okay, let's try to see if we can find any trace of Mercer. Yang?"

"On it." The blonde took in a deep breath through her nose and began looking around. She hummed and then hopped down from the dais they were on. Just as she touched ground, one of the organic objects shook, catching her attention. While the other three came down after her, Yang investigated it, finding it to unsurprisingly smell like chaurus, as their chitin seemed to be what almost nearly everything in Falmer society was made from. However, it began wriggling again, making her take a step back.

"Uh, guys?"

Green ichor burst out as a pair of mantis-like arms shattered the shell and pulled out an insectoid body. The chaurus hunter let loose a high-pitched shriek as it yanked itself free and began buzzing its wings. Falmer warriors immediately rushed towards them with weapons ready.

"Shit!" Yang yelled before taking up Holy Ardon and cleaving off a claw coming for her. The chaurus hunter shrieked again and backed away from the dangerous woman even as the other two chrysalises began to shake and the Falmer closed in.

"Nocturnal, guide my hand," Karliah seemed to pray before loosing several arrows. A few Falmer went down, but others raised their shields as they charged. Blake pulled out Gambol Shroud and the Nightingale Blade before slashing at the nearest opponent then kicking him away.

"We've got to get out of here!" she called out to the others.

"Where?"

"I don't know, but we're out in the open here." As if to punctuate her point, Brynjolf knocked an arrow off course from hitting his neck. "Yang!"

"One second!" the blonde said as she smacked the giant insect away. She then turned and rushed towards an opening in the Falmer attack, knocking an under armored one away with a backhand. The Nightingales followed her, defending against attacks and striking back at overextensions. The Falmer were beginning to become more wary of the intruders, yelling warnings to each other as they tried to surround the running quartet. A chaurus ran up to snap at their legs, but Yang kicked it hard enough to send it over one of the lower bridges, shrieking. More Falmer were coming out and around them, and some were leading in a mass of chaurus.

"We're going to get overwhelmed like this!" Karliah warned them as something made her violet Aura flare up.

Yang yelled as she uppercut a Falmer and then spin-kicked him into his fellows. A fireball followed him and exploded in front of them, sending a few flying and frightening a good few of the growing army. Still, they recovered, some of the ones hit even getting up to their feet. Females and children were running opposite of where they were, and the two Huntresses were reminded of their foray into Mzulft.

"They're not going to give up," Blake realized.

"Not under normal circumstances." Yang pulled off her helmet and turned towards the Falmer as she put her axe away. "Okay, thieves, no telling or I'll eat your hearts."

The two were taken slightly off-guard by her statement.

"What?!" they asked at once, but almost immediately they got their answer.

Golden fur began sprouting as Yang's face morphed into a snout and her limbs began extending and expanding. Faint cracks of bone could be heard, along with the shifting of armor plates and scales, and despite themselves Blake, Brynjolf, and Karliah couldn't help but step back in fear as Yang finished her transformation into a werewolf. Her claws hit the ground before she lunged forward and swiped several Falmer away, alarming those near and behind them before several more were knocked to the side. She then roared, the sound echoing throughout the caverns and hitting those right in front of her the hardest. Several fell back as they scrambled away while others screamed in an almost human manner as they turned tail and ran. Even the chaurus had taken off. Some Falmer were able to stay facing her, but even they were retreating as she roared again. Soon, the Falmer had gone, leaving the four to themselves, a few wet spots smelling of ammonia left with them.

Yang huffed a few times then shook her head before looking back at the others, who were all looking at her in apprehension.

"Come on, Blake," she said to her partner, her ears drooping in disappointment. "You know it's me."

"Yeah, but… I never really got a good…look at it before." The Faunus scratched at the back of her head. "You're…like a big…dog."

"I'm sorry, but you're a werewolf?" Brynjolf questioned. "And…not trying to kill us?"

"Some of us can control ourselves, ya'know," Yang pointed out. "And like I said, tell no one."

He paused, then shrugged and nodded. "Well, I can keep a secret," Brynjolf agreed. They all looked towards the Dunmer, who seemed to be fighting through speechlessness.

"Ye- yes."

"Great! Now, let's go kill this bastard," the golden werewolf said before sniffing at the ground. "Ah, much better! This way. That's definitely human I smell."

As Yang took the lead again, the other two looked at Blake. Though she couldn't see their faces, she knew they were holding inquisitive gazes.

"We can talk about it later," she decided before going after her partner.

"I'm a little concerned about our stealthy approach," Brynjolf brought up, hoping Yang didn't hear him.

"I'm an ambush predator. Of course I can be sneaky," Yang huffed, having heard him.

"Sneaking up on something is different from sneaking around something," the Nord argued.

"…Fair enough."

They headed up and crossed a few bridges, leading to a door with large words etched above it. Blake eyed it for a moment before deciding to take a snapshot for future reference, seeing as she had a key for translating both Dwemer and Ancient Falmer. The door led them into a hallway that went into a dirt-filled area. Yang then guided them into a room where two Falmer seemed to be holding a conversation, though none of them could even begin to understand it. The pit they were in was overlooked by a dais with a railing and some chairs, where the four could look down on them from. Karliah recast her muffle bubble to better hide them as they looked for a way past them. As she did though, she noticed the objects set around the room.

"Torture chamber," Yang revealed, scowling in disgust.

"Wait, torture?" Blake asked as she looked over at them.

"Yeah," Yang said, pointing at a human body on a Dwemer-made stretcher rack. "Smelled him. Mercer's scent is still hanging around though. He went through here." She stood up and put a foot to the railing. "Didn't stop very long, though." She leaped over and smashed into the two, grabbing them and slamming them into the ground before dragging them to a wall where she slammed them against it as well, knocking both unconscious.

"Yang! Stealth!"

"Torture chamber," she said while indicating the table holding scattered implements of pain. "They expect loud noises from here."

Still a little unnerved, they continued out and went around a small gathering of huts. The Falmer were on high alert, but they weren't paying attention to their mushroom fields, which the Nightingales and Companion trekked through carefully before silently jumping behind a chitin gate. Yang made sure to steer clear of the chrysalis and eyed the egg sacs with disdain before they made their way down the tunnel.

"I can hear water running through these pipes," Karliah stated as she touched one of them. "We must be under the lake." More pipes were just outside of the tunnel in a cavern where more Falmer had settled and apparently had begun farming and ranching. Blake and Yang weren't sure if the spider webs off to one side meant they had also tamed spiders, but neither wanted to figure that out. They began walking along the top of some pipes, staying above several Falmer patrols and their chaurus pets. As they jumped down, Yang shifted back to human form so that she could fit through the next tunnel.

"Does that hurt?" Brynjolf asked her.

"Nah, it's kinda like exercising a muscle. After a while, you get so used to doing it that it doesn't even sting."

"Don't you have the Ring of Hircine?" her partner pried, to which Yang waved her hand.

"Hey, I had it down pretty good even before then." Back to her smaller size, Yang squeezed through the tunnel, emerging from the other side and going through another chitin gate and a Dwemer door, only to pause upon opening it. Beyond the doors was a large statue of an elf sitting in something akin to a lotus pose while holding a book in one hand and a torch in the other. Two stone stairways were at either side of it, leading to the back of the statue and letting people reaching as far its shoulders. On its face, however, was a man currently trying to pry out the huge gem that made up its right eye, the left one already gone.

"He's here, and he hasn't seen us yet," Karliah whispered despite her bubble still being up. "Brynjolf, watch the door."

"Aye, lass. Nothing gets by me."

The jewel eye suddenly popped out and Mercer dropped to the scarf of the statue to catch it, putting it away in his bag. Karliah looked over to Blake.

"Climb down that ledge and see if you can-"

"Karliah, when will you learn," Mercer said as he turned around towards them, a spell glowing between his hands, "that you can't get the drop on me?"

The spell went off, shaking the cave they were in. Blake felt the ground give way and jumped forward as the ledge beneath them fell. The others managed to land more or less intact, with Yang looking as though she was only mildly inconvenienced. The Breton walked down from the scarf to the book, looking at Blake.

"When Brynjolf brought you before me I could feel a sudden shift in the wind," he explained. "I thought you might have been a curse, or maybe a useful idiot, but now it's obvious I was right with my first instinct. At that moment, I knew it would end with one of us at the end of a blade."

"You know what they say about self-fulfilling prophecies," Blake said as she drew her swords. "If anyone's to blame, it's your own self."

"Revenge is it?" Mercer scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Have you learned nothing from your time with us? When will you open your eyes and realize how little my actions differ from yours? We both lie, cheat, and steal to further our own end."

"I am _nothing_ like you!"

"Are you not? Didn't you kill dozens of people in a raid on the Brotherhood? Didn't you extort and steal for the Guild, all for your own gain?"

"I was protecting my friends!"

"So, you protected a few instead of one. Does that make you better than me? Does it make you _honorable_?"

"I don't care what it makes me. You did this to yourself!"

"Fine. Then the die is cast, and once again my blade shall taste Nightingale blood!"

He charged another spell, and Blake readied herself.

"Karliah, I'll deal with you after I rid myself of your irksome companions." He threw the ball of magicka forward, hitting neither of them, but instead the Nordic man who was completely unprepared. "In the meantime, perhaps you and Brynjolf should get better acquainted."

Brynjolf shouted as his body glowed red and seemed to move of its own accord, drawing his blade and swinging at Karliah haphazardly.

"What…what's happening?! I can't stop…myself!"

"Damn you, Mercer!" the Dunmer yelled as she was forced on the backfoot. "Fight it, Brynjolf! He's taken control of you!"

"Yang, help them!" Blake shouted as she saw Mercer coming for her. She rolled away from his landing strike, which sent a rumble through the ground as his blade and a magic spell hit where she once was.

"Alone then? You're making this too easy!" he taunted her. The two swung towards one another, clashing blades as water began to pour in from above. Mercer seemed surprised that Blake held and pushed back against her. The Faunus stepped back then dipped in with a stab that the man dodged before slashing, only for him to duck under it and draw a dagger that he aimed for her face. Blake moved into a tumble and kicked at him before springing back. The Breton charged her with an upward swing that she parried, but his blade flickered right back on path to hit her just to be blocked by her other sword. Blake found herself stepping back as she went on the defensive against his rapid strikes. Just as she felt herself nearing a wall, an axe smashed into his side and knocked him away with a shout of pain.

"Damn!" Yang cursed as she hefted Fiery Kain back. "He really does have Aura."

"Yeah, he does." Blake looked over to where Mercer had landed and saw him brush a bit of soot from where Yang hit him. "He's really good."

"Yeah, but there's two of us now."

"Karliah?"

"She remembered she could jump high." Yang nodded over to where Karliah had found sanctuary up on a rock ledge that Brynjolf wasn't letting himself reach.

"Then let's get this guy!"

Blake ran in, jumping to the side before letting her Semblance take a double stab. Her blades were still blocked though, and Yang's heavy swing was bashed aside before she was pushed back with a kick. Mercer's dagger came at Blake's neck, but she pushed in and rammed him before leaving a clone in her place and aiming for his back. He managed to twist out of the way and nearly kicked Blake's face in the process, only to hit her arm. Yang came back in with Holy Ardon and Silent Whisper and began swinging and chopping, only to find her blows either blocked or turned aside by Mercer's fluid movements. He pulled her into an overextension and stabbed down with his dagger into her back, making her hit the ground with a yelp. Blake yelled and came at him with a quick series of slashes, but Mercer got through them and hit her torso with a slash that would have normally split a person in half, but only knocked Blake into the wall behind her. Yang rolled away and got to her feet at Blake's side, making sure that her partner was fine with a glance.

"So, you found out how to get your own Soul Shield? Of course Nocturnal would want to give her little champions what she thinks is an edge. You're still nowhere skilled enough to even begin challenging me, though."

"Might have a point there…you dirty cheat," Yang huffed out before smirking. "Not with these, anyway." She put her axes away, hooking them back to her belt, then raised up her fists and activated Ember Celica's full form. The thief eyed her suspiciously for a moment but then grinned and charged. Yang ducked under his swing, coming back up with a right jab in his sternum and an uppercut into his chin. Mercer stumbled back while grasping his jaw, looking surprised for a brief moment before having to bring his focus back to the fight. Yang was on him, keeping herself close, swinging and jabbing rapidly. He was finding it hard to block her with his blade, forced to use his arms and elbows more often than not to brace against the bludgeoning blows. Small explosions then began dotting the hits as Yang fueled her fists with fire magic.

The thief leaped away and turned the dagger in his off-hand while adjusting his grip on his sword. Yang closed with him again, one fist hitting a shoulder as he turned into it and the next missing him as he dipped to the side and slashed his dagger. It hit her neck but slid off of her Aura before she backed away and rubbed the spot with a small cough. Mercer went after her, but then Blake was back in, trying to keep him occupied. Yang then came around at his flank, but the Breton managed to slip away from her fist and then punish her with a kick in the face. Blake found his blades still coming at her, though with less power and frequency, as he somehow began using some form of martial art to guide his legs to combat Yang. She swore the bastard was actually getting more skilled as the fight went on, with how he kept pulling these ridiculously esoteric moves out of his ass. After a few moments of the awkward dance, Blake thought she had found an opening.

"Now!" she called out, hoping her partner was following her move. Two black blades were coming towards his midriff in a pincer move while a flaming fist hooked around aiming towards his back. Somehow though, the man spun out of the way of it all, and the swords' edges glanced off of Ember Celica. As the two girls were absorbing this, the crook of Mercer's knees hit Blake in the face and pulled her off of her feet. Yang was hit at her center of mass when she tried to interfere, the kick sending her back and through the air. The man spun on his hands and kicked out, throwing Blake down several stairs as Yang hit a wall with a loud crack. The blonde growled and stood up while wiping the corner of her mouth, her eyes now bright red, which seemed to catch Mercer's attention for a moment.

"All right then. No more playing." Yang began transforming, and Mercer's eyes widened. The golden werewolf roared as she came at him, but the Breton spun out of the way and slashed towards her back. Yang managed to stay ahead of the strikes and turned around in her leap before charging back as Blake came at him from the side, back on her feet. The man ducked and dodged out of the way of Yang's claws even as he continued blocking Blake no matter which angle she swung from or how rapidly. Yang went for a bite, but his knee came up and smashed into her jaw before he kicked out and knocked her down the stairs they had been climbing. Blake's next move was then shoved aside and she was hit with three rapid strikes that sent her stumbling.

Mercer went in for her, but was stopped by an arrow that he knocked away. Brynjolf then came in with his dagger, rapidly slicing towards the former Guild Master as Karliah continued releasing arrows at him. Some managed to find their mark as Brynjolf kept him busy, but even those bounced off of his dark grey Aura. Karliah seemed to notice and, in one swift motion, shouldered her bow while pulling out another one. It was strung a moment later and she loosed another shot as Blake got up to continue the battle. The arrow grazed his shoulder as he moved out of its way, but it still cut through his armor and drew blood with a yelp. Blake was reminded of when the same bow pierced through her Aura as well, and she cursed herself for being in such a rush to catch Mercer that she hadn't even considered getting a Soul Trap weapon for this battle. Even if that kind of magic still turned her stomach, as long as there were no Black Soul Gems involved it would have been an acceptable advantage.

The Breton snarled before jumping forward fast enough to crack the stone he was standing upon. Karliah was smacked away and her bow sent flying by his shoulder charge, but the other three still moved in on him. Blake's rapid slashes combined with Brynjolf's and Yang's swipes were just a little too much for him, and the three began making hits. After one of his stumbles, Brynjolf dived in with a low slash that Mercer stabbed towards, only for the image of Brynjolf to fade and his true self to stab higher up, hitting Mercer's gut.

"Wait, what?" Brynjolf asked himself in surprise.

"Did he just use a Semblance?" Yang wondered aloud.

"I don't- Watch it!" Blake warned them as she tried to stop Mercer's retaliation. Brynjolf was hit with a palmful of lightning from the charging Breton and sent flying through the air to hit the far wall, thunder echoing out and shaking the cave. Yang swiped toward him, but the man ducked under it and came up in a headbutt. Blake attacked him from behind, but as she was parried, he jumped up and caught her neck with the crook of his knee. Blake was forced to bend with his spin and was thrown over and into the elven statue's shoulder. Yang snapped back at him, but he suddenly took something from a pouch and threw it into her eyes. The werewolf let out a howl of pain as she clutched at her face, then was kicked back into the cave wall and slashed down.

"Silver powder. Good for trading and werewolves," he taunted. Suddenly, he turned around and saw Karliah back on her feet and heading towards the statue's book. Blake looked and saw that her Soul Trap bow was on top of it. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted before launching a spell at her. Water was summoned in a cascading spray as Karliah was sent back down with a scream. Blake looked back at him and ran at him with a yell. As she swung, he knocked her blow away and Gambol Shroud was sent backward. Her now emptied hand started to reach up towards the daikatana on her back, but Blake stopped herself and grabbed the sword at her side, Chillrend, and used it instead.

"Hey! That's mine!" he accused her before blocking a knee aimed at his groin with his leg. His dagger came at her gut, forcing her back as her body reacted vehemently against such a place getting hurt again. His sword came around and knocked her blades down before he stabbed at her chest and knocked her back against the statue, where her Aura flickered for a moment. "Steal from me, will you?!"

"Here, have it!" she snapped before stabbing at his feet. He barely noticed that she wasn't even aiming for him and only moved to keep from being hit. The wet stone froze where the blade sunk in, freezing his feet to the ground. Blake then yanked her ribbon and pulled herself toward the arm where Gambol Shroud had hooked itself. She landed, grabbing one of the stray arrows and the bow as Mercer broke his feet free.

"Enough!" he screamed as he leaped at her, shattering the stairs where he had been a moment ago. His blades aimed for Blake's exposed back, and both hit and sank in when he collided, only they had sunk into the bronze-like statue as the clone Blake had left disappeared. Mercer looked up to see Blake pulling back on the bow and time seemed to freeze for both as her fingers let loose. The next thing Blake knew, Mercer was stumbling away from her, an arrow deeply embedded in his chest. His expression shifted from one of shock and surprise to pain as he clutched at the wooden shaft sticking out and nearly collapsed, his knees straining to hold hm up. His eyes landed on Blake, and, for a moment, his face was pure rage

"Shadows take…" he got out as the color began to drain from his face, "me."

As all emotion left his countenance, he fell back, off of the statue and into the water that had been gathering beneath them, and the last thing he saw through the rippling surface of the water was the eyeless statue of Irkngthand, before all went dark.

* * *

Blake reached into the water to take Mercer's bags and bandolier from his corpse. The man was certainly gone now, his light no longer showing in the armor detection enchantment. Nearby, Yang was doing her best to furiously wash out her eyes and nose in human form, coughing once in a while both from accidentally inhaling a little water and what little bits of silver she may have breathed in.

"Oh god, this sucks!" she decried when she pulled herself up and sniffled. To Blake, her face looked like a case of severe seasonal allergies with puffy eyes and a red nose and cheeks. "Why'd it have to be silver?!"

"Sorry, Yang," Blake apologized as she searched the bandolier pouches. She already had the Eyes of the Falmer accounted for in the largest sack, along with some notebooks, bags of coin, and an assortment of vials. "If I knew how to get it out, I'd help."

"Yeah, I know." Yang then looked around herself, noticing how the water had just come up waist-high to her and still seemed to be rising. "Uh, speaking of getting out, we should go. I don't remember the water being nearly this deep."

Suddenly, a pipe burst from above them, pouring in even more water. Brynjolf ran up to Blake and handed her Chillrend as he looked around in worry. "Not good."

"Damn!" Karliah cursed. "This place is coming down! You have the Key and the Eyes?" At Blake's nod, she headed towards the doors. "Then let's get out of here."

The others all made their way to them as well, however, Karliah was unable to push them open. Brynjolf joined her in trying to force open the doors, but they didn't so much as budge.

"No luck here, lass," the Nord realized as he backed away. "Something must have fallen on the other side of the door!"

"Here!" Yang offered before going up and shoving against the doors, her voice growling as she strained to move them. With a creak, they were pushed open slightly, only for dirt and pebbles to flow in through the minuscule crack, all the way from bottom to top. The four looked at it in disbelief, then looked back at the room.

"Maybe there's a back way," the blonde suggested. "There almost always is in these places."

"I didn't see any," Brynjolf answered as Blake sped forward, going all the way around the statue. However, behind its head was nothing but cave wall, moss, and mushrooms. The others came up with her via both stairways, only to discover the same disappointing truth.

"We have to find a way out of here before the whole place fills with water," the Dunmer said. Another pipe burst open as the cave shook, and everyone looked over to see the water now steadily climbing up. "Oh gods…"

"Wait, maybe one of those empty pipes?" Yang suggested, pointing out one that looked to have been broken off some time ago, almost adjacent to where they stood.

"That could lead us straight into a furnace or a piston or some other unpleasantness," Brynjolf cautioned.

"You got a better idea?"

The group looked around for some other way out, but none were immediately forthcoming. Just as they were beginning to really consider Yang's idea, Blake started listening closely. The roar of water seemed to cover everything, but she closed her eyes and began listening closer. There were tinking noises coming from the door, likely Falmer or Dwemer machines digging at the massive cave-in. Metal grinding on metal came from nearby, a Dwarven sphere rolling through the chutes. Above, bats were flapping around and-

Bats!

"There's a cave above us!" Blake announced before looking straight up. She saw tiny lights, some moving about quickly and others holding still near each other. She pulled back the veil and pointed her ears forward while looking at the ceiling. Dirt seemed to be shaking loose from it, and she noted how in the next little tremor some of the rocks seemed to shift. It was definitely loose, but she didn't know how well they could pry it open. They couldn't reach it from where they were, and pretty soon the whole cave was about to be filled.

A thought came to mind, and she reached into the pouch holding what she believed to be the Skeleton Key. It was a bronze-colored object, vaguely key-shaped, but like someone had gone crazy with the head's shape. The handle had a round, black end with five blue spiral seashell-shaped images imposed around it.

"What are you doing?" Karliah asked her.

"I have an idea. When the water comes up, swim over there," the Faunus indicated. Said water had come up past the statue's shoulder and was now filling up past the neck. Everyone looked down at it as it began to cover their shoes.

"Gods, I knew I should've practiced more," Brynjolf groaned.

Soon, they were all floating in the water as it covered the head of the statue. Blake swam over to the place she had picked out. A moment later, the brazier within the bronze torch was put out, but Blake could still see perfectly with only the glow of a few bioluminescent mushrooms. She had to wait a moment for the water to bring her up to the right height, but when it did she began probing at the ceiling with the Key in hand. Her mind focused on finding a way to open up a path, and she tried pressing the key into the rock and dirt. Nothing happened at first, and Blake began to feel worry overtake her. However, something seemed to guide her hand, and she found herself tracing a curved line from her starting point and over to a large stone. The key's point pushed against the stone's edge and Blake felt something _pull_ , then it fell out, quickly followed by tons more dirt and rock. The Faunus moved out from under the worst of it, but then looked up to see sunlight coming in.

"Well done, lass," Brynjolf cheered as the others swam over.

"Let's get out of here," Yang said as she stopped and waited with the others to be lifted up through the hole. "Remind me to thank Yngvarr for the hypothermia lessons. How the heck are you guys not freezing right now?"

"Armor enchantment," the thieves replied simultaneously.

"Thought so," the werewolf grumbled. Things were actually calming down now that the danger of being drowned in a cave was averted, giving them all some time to breathe. Within the stretch of quiet, Yang was reminded of something. "Hey, when we get a moment, can you send your weapons specs to Ruby?"

"What for?"

"Reasons."

* * *

"Started to think I'd never get those specs," Ruby said after having drawn out the plans and handing them over to Eorlund. The man was looking at them with great interest, a smile having crept over his face a while ago and never leaving it. "Think you can forge the parts?"

"Certainly, but some of it will take a good bit of effort to get just right. I'm looking forward to the challenge." He rolled up the blueprints and then looked over the stack of ebony ingots Ruby had provided him. "You gave me more than what I would need for this, though."

"Well, I figured the rest might cover at least some of the payment."

"Ah, so you were paying me for this?" The old Nord then chuckled.

"Well, yeah. I mean…that's what you're supposed to do, right?"

Eorlund just laughed again. "Don't worry over it, lass. Perhaps you'll need another blade or suit of armor soon enough."

Ruby shrugged but figured that it was all set as it was. "Okay, so just let any of my friends know when it's done if they're around, and I guess they'll get the message up to me. Have a good day, Mr. Eorlund." As Ruby left, the Nord nodded toward her.

"Wind guide you, child." He peered back at some of the plans and laughed. "Spring pressure closing from seven centimeters to four, thirty centimeters down the length… You really know how to make a smith excited."

* * *

"Eorlund accepted it?" Lydia asked her Thane as she came down from the mead hall's hill.

"He seemed pretty excited by it, actually. I guess he's made so many of the same things that seeing the chance to make something unique was a breath of fresh air. He must have been overjoyed when Yang brought him all those dragon scales."

"I could imagine." The housecarl nodded as they began to head out. "Our horses are ready and everything we need is packed up. We should be able to reach Solitude within two days."

"Gotta repay Rorick for sending them here," Ruby noted to herself as she took out her scroll to see a message from Yang.

 _We lived. Bad guy's gone. Got some big diamonds._

 _Vukahriik says hi_

Ruby typed up a response and smirked before pocketing the scroll, then stopped and checked it again before making another message.

 _Who's Vukahriik_

* * *

" **To think that mortals would finally learn how to decently cook while I was gone,"** the wine-red dragon mused before snapping up a large bass from a pile of seasoned and cooked fish.

"I shudder to think of what sub-par cooking you must have endured back in the day," Rumarin responded with genuine empathy as he carefully watched over the currently cooking batch. "They probably thought salt was enough seasoning."

" **They did not even know of salt!"** the dragon declared with some passion while spreading one wing in emphasis. " **We had to teach them what it was! They thought seawater was poisoned and that it had to be 'burned out' of anything they caught from briny waters."**

"I almost pity the fools."

Yang chuckled at the thought of a dragon teaching a class of Nords the basics of cooking before digging in to her own fish. Apparently, Vukahriik had seen Rumarin fishing and that led to a conversation that then led to an agreement. Vukahriik was a great net fisher, using a net he had 'bought' from the nearby town to snatch up a huge mess of fish from the lake, which Rumarin had started cooking for the two of them. The ruin-diving quartet emerged from Bronze Water Cave to the sight of a dragon and elf discussing what herb worked best for fire-roasted salmon. Yang and Blake rolled with it, Yang a little quicker thanks to already being acquainted with Vukahriik from when they helped mediate his conflict with that other dragon, while the two thieves just sort of sat and slowly took it in while warming up by the fire.

"I can't believe it's finally over," Karliah muttered out to her associates. "Twenty-five years in exile and just like that, it's done."

"At least now you no longer have to worry about Mercer looking to put a blade in you," Brynjolf told her. "No one has to worry about him anymore."

"I'm just glad it's all over," Blake stated before continuing to dig away at her fish. Already a pile of bones was stacked up next to her seat, proof of her recent piscivorous gluttony.

"Not quite," the Dunmer corrected her. "There's still one more thing that remains; the safe return of the Skeleton Key."

Blake's ears went up before she reached into her pouch and took out the Key. "Well, that can't be too hard."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Karliah shook her head. "When the Skeleton Key was removed from the Twilight Sepulcher, our access to the inner sanctum was removed. The only way to bring it back would be through the Pilgrim's Path."

"Oh, well what's that like?"

"It wasn't created for Nightingales, but to test those who wished to serve Nocturnal in other ways. As a consequence, I have no idea of what you'll be facing."

Blake was silent for a moment before shrugging. "Well, it can't be worse than normal. We didn't know anything about Irkngthand and we made it."

"Yes, but I'm afraid we won't be going with you this time."

At Blake's raised eyebrows, Bynjolf spoke up. "I need to get back to the Guild. Even if it's just temporary, I'm still the one in charge right now. Hopefully, we can fix that soon. That's not mentioning the expedition we're going to have to set up to retrieve everything Mercer stole."

"Glad he wrote that down." Blake picked up his more recent notebook and looked it over. The man had a lot more plans to enact after getting the Eyes, including a venture through the kingdoms of High Rock and Hammerfell before reaching Cyrodiil. Thankfully, he had been keeping note of all his stashes. The Guild would be 'confiscating' those soon. He also had several years' worth of notes regarding his 'Soul Shield', nothing of which was anything new to the Faunus, but it was a neat curiosity at least.

"And I… I can't bear to face Nocturnal after my failure to protect the Key," the Dunmer explained sadly.

"Hey, don't be down on yourself," Yang spoke up from where she sat. "There was pretty much nothing you could have done to stop him all those years ago."

"Yes, I know, but…that doesn't stop the shame. I think it best I wait…until I'm sure."

"It's all right. I'll get the key there," Blake promised while pocketing the Daedric object away. "Where is this place, anyways?"

"I'll mark it down for you. In the meantime, take this with you." Karliah unshouldered her black bow and passed it over to Blake. The Faunus looked it over, noting the ebony in its construction and the small Nightingale sigil etched into its side. "I'm not sure if it'll help in the walls of the Sepulcher, but I certainly don't need it as much as you do." Karliah looked at it fondly and sighed. "I've had this bow my whole life, and it's never let me down. I hope it brings you the same luck."

"Karliah, I can't accept something like this," Blake declared, knowing that the weapon must have meant a great deal to the Dunmer.

"Please," Karliah insisted, holding it forward. " At the very least, wait until you've returned the Key before giving it back."

"I… All right." Blake looked back down at it and held it in her grip as though readying it. The enchantment within was strong, cold, and electric all at once. It could probably freeze anything that was not a Nord in one shot. "I'll get it back to you soon, then."

"A little unrelated, but…should we be fine with others knowing about this?" Brynjolf asked his fellow Nightingales while tilting his head towards the others.

"Yang's perfectly fine. If Gallus could trust Enthir with the Nightingales' existence, then I can trust Yang with anything."

"Ah, thanks, BB," Yang said with a bright smile. "Besides, you've got my werewolf secret now, so tit for tat. As for Rumarin, he probably wasn't paying the least bit of attention."

"I heard my name. There'd best not be gossip," Rumarin called out, proving Yang correct. The blonde laughed and shook her head.

"Nah, we're just saying nice stuff."

"That might be worse. If you're complimenting me, I want to know about it," the elf seemingly faux complained.

"Sure thing," Yang agreed with a thumb up.

" **And I do not care of what little secrets muz ahrk faliille wish to keep,"** Vukahriik said while picking between two of his teeth with a wing claw. He then took a thoughtful look. " **Siigonis, under the other wing, are not something I would enjoy having secrets near me. They remind me too much of those snakefolk."**

"Ooh, sounds like an interesting story," the elf considered.

" **Ge. Let's see… It was back when many of us were still at the land across the eastern ocean, what you call Akavir. It was before Alduin established his dominance; thus, we were but a collection of poorly constructed and ever-conflicting…clans, I believe you would call them. Well, the Tsaesci had just begun expanding their own empire…"**

* * *

Weiss focused on the ice in her hand. Her fingers had gone numb a while ago, yet it had taken a good amount of time for them to get to that point. She was sure it had been at least an hour, but it may have been longer. Her meditation had gone in and out for the most part, though she had found a few moments of clarity. Jarmak had her focusing on the 'essence of ice' while he was readying something in the room he had opened.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted her focus. She opened her eyes and looked over to see an Imperial man. "Lord Jarmak said that he is ready for you, now."

"He's a lord now?" Weiss wondered aloud as she set down the chunk of ice and stood to her feet. Seeing as he summoned it out of thin air, she doubted it was important.

"He's a lord to me," the man explained. "To some, he's a master or a mentor. I suppose it depends on how you look at him."

"I see." Weiss rubbed her chin as she saw some other people pass them by in the hall. A few of them seemed alive, and one of them was carrying a large pig. "Where…?"

"Oh, they're from one of the farms," the man explained before she finished her question.

"You have farms?"

"Well, thralls need food." At her glare, he held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong, a lot of us are unwilling and unwitting, but they're mostly outlaws. We got the idea to start cycling them out with a chance at a new life after that group you sent."

"And before you were… Wait, we?"

"Yes, I'm a thrall. Well, I say thrall, but I'm not under anyone's control. I'm actually just indentured right now." The Imperial paused, then looked to the side sheepishly. "I also _just_ _happened_ to have had a mite too much knowledge on some vampire-related locations, such as the farms."

Weiss lidded her eyes and slowly breathed. That certainly explained his presence. "And now you're down here?"

"I was frightened at first," he admitted. "Spent every waking moment fearing that I'd either be drained or turned, but now… Well, certain ones still frighten me. But most of you aren't all that bad."

Weiss figured that was high praise coming from someone raised in a culture where vampires were considered irredeemably evil. She read and heard more than enough to understand how vilified they were by the majority of Tamrielic society. It seemed like people believed that they just died and then reawoke craving death and destruction.

It felt almost like a brick thrown into her face when Weiss, once again, realized that she had died months ago. It seemed there would be no getting used to that simple fact. Her hand absentmindedly went to her chest, where she felt the faint beating of her heart. Sometimes she thought that was merely an illusion, and in times like that it took every ounce of her will to remind herself that it wasn't.

"Not all of the farms feed us, though," the living man decided to continue. "The blood is caught in every slaughter to help feed the vampires as well. And there are the ones that bring in materials."

"Materials for what?" Weiss asked, almost grateful for the conversation taking her mind off of her more morbid thoughts.

"Wool, cotton, and flax for textiles and such. There are some things I don't know the use for, but those mages in their labs like to study them and pull them apart and whatnot. They make a good deal of potions and medicines and sell them with the mage college."

"Really? I'll have to look into that."

As Weiss wondered how advanced their laboratory was compared to what she normally saw in Skyrim, they came into the room where Jarmak was awaiting them. He nodded toward the man, who bowed and left. Weiss waited patiently for the Altmer to begin, hearing him hum to himself for a moment as he looked over to her.

"Were you able to focus?"

"A decent amount, I believe." She rubbed her still cold fingers together, just beginning to regain the feeling in them. He looked directly into her eyes, and Weiss held his gaze for a moment.

"Hm, you…have begun to have a grasp on it, I believe." He nodded. "Very well. Your first lesson is to learn that power which all Volkihar vampires, no matter how diluted, have: phasing through ice."

"You're going to teach me how?" Weiss asked, remembering the raid against the Direnni woman a few weeks before when Crux had used that very same power to drag a terrified Dawnguard into the water below.

"It cannot be taught. Hm, not in the way you think of teaching. You must…refuse to be held by the ice. It is simply something that you do."

"That's not exactly encouraging," Weiss said with a blank stare.

"Nothing will be. Listen to me on this, even if you never listen to me again." Weiss looked at him with frightened curiosity, seeing the normally neutral look on his face turn into the slightest of frowns. "We. Are. Vampires. What does that mean about our powers?"

"I don't… What do you mean?"

"I know you understand, but comprehension is not acceptance. Where do our powers as vampires come from?"

Weiss stayed silent for a moment, but her face soon shifted to be grimmer as well.

"Molag Bal," she answered quietly.

"The Lord of Domination, the Master of Slaves, and Breaker of Will. Every single one of our abilities is a reflection of his dark being." Now Jarmak's face took on a look of silent fury, the glow of his eyes brightening ever-so-slightly. "If you are to use these powers, then you must have great and unbreakable willpower, or they will consume you. You must hold your dominion over them, or you will become their slave."

"I won't give in to some special powers," Weiss objected.

"These are no mere powers," Jarmak shot back. "These are the claws of Molag Bal, sunk into your soul. When he claimed you as his own, you became his 'child'. But you must make them yours. You must take them as your own and lay down your dominion upon them. You cannot simply 'have' them. You will fight for them, all of your days, 'til you fall or somehow come upon a miracle. Do you understand?"

Weiss recalled the other day when they had stopped Gilly from draining a man. She was such a sweet girl, yet even she was on the precipice of becoming a monster. If a girl so timid, soft-spoken, and kind could turn into a killer in a mere instant, then what danger of falling was she in?

"Yes," Weiss finally answered with absolute resolution. Jarmak looked deep into her eyes and found something acceptable to him.

"Good. Then that is the first step." Jarmak looked at the icy room. "Now for the next. I need you to accept that in this test, there are only two outcomes."

"Which are?"

"You will phase through the ice to exit this room."

"Or?"

"You will die."

"Excuse me?!" Weiss shot back, affronted, but Jarmak took her response in stride.

"You can turn away right now, if you wish," he explained to her. "I would not hold it against you. Hm, momentary disappointment, at best. But if you go through with it, nothing will stop it but your success."

"I…see." With more than a little anger, Weiss was reminded of the 'test' her own father put her through. This was different, however. She could feel that Jarmak was truly looking forward to her success, whereas Jacques only wanted to dissuade her from her chosen path. "Well then, I better succeed."

"Then step inside to the center," he instructed her. "The walls of this room are all made of ice. Once the door is shut, the test will begin."

"Anything else I should know?"

"All you need to know is that the only escape is to phase through."

"Very well then." Weiss walked inside of the frozen room. Surprisingly, Jarmak walked in after her, and the door slammed down behind him. He turned and pressed a hand to it, and Weiss watched as ice magically grew out from the point of contact, soon freezing the door into place and beginning to spread out across the walls.

"This is the last chance to turn back," he said while looking at her.

Weiss took a moment to breathe deeply, then stared into his eyes. "I'm ready."

He hummed and then stepped towards the door, going through it as though it was only an illusion. Weiss walked back over and pushed her hands against the door, but it felt as solid as any stone wall. A spike of ice suddenly grew out from nearby, making her jump back in fright. She watched as it slowly grew larger, then two more sprang out from the wall and ceiling. The ice seemed to crawl along every surface save for the floor, like some sort of living thing. It almost gave Weiss the feeling of being inside of an organ.

"Well, I should get started." She pushed against the door again, trying to focus on different ways she could envision phasing through it. She thought about her molecules slipping past its own, then tried to think of it as her 'clipping' through. When that didn't work, she thought of it as being liquid that she could pass through. Still, she didn't succeed and backed up with a sigh.

"Would've liked a little more direction on how this is meant to work," she griped while looking around the room. Spikes of ice covered almost every inch of wall and ceiling, now. In some places, spikes were growing from other spikes like branches on a tree. A couple sprung up from the door, and Weiss took a few steps back from it. She groaned and walked back up to stare at the sealed entrance. "Well, how am I supposed to reach-"

Her words were caught in her throat when pain shot up her leg. She looked down and saw that a branching spike had hit her thigh. She backed away with widened eyes and pressed her hand to her leg. Her Aura protected her from being harmed, but the sharp point had hit with more than enough force to pierce human flesh. She looked back around and realized that Jarmak was not exaggerating in the least with his warning.

"Oh god," she muttered. The spikes were slowly closing in, but it seemed far too fast for her. "Oh god!"

She began charging up a fireball, but the spell flickered out before she could cast it. She tried again, but noticed a glow in the walls as it went out as well. Grinding her teeth, she went back to the center and watched as they came towards her. Her mind was spinning, trying to think of a way out. Her sword and bag were back in the room she was lent, and she doubted she could simply punch them away.

A spike came frighteningly close at about chest-height. The bases of them had all begun fusing together, essentially making the room shrink behind their deadly trails. The spikes also seemed to growing more rapidly, but she couldn't be sure if that was true or if her mind was just conjuring more fears. She tried pushing against the spike, even as more grew to its side. What felt like moments later, Weiss found herself pushed to the very center. She felt a few slowly growing to poke at her, her Aura up and keeping them from punching into her skin, but she wasn't sure how long that would hold. Wiggle room slowly disappeared, and Weiss screamed and she tried to break away a piece aimed at her neck. She managed to snap off the pointed end, but the jagged edge left behind was still coming towards her and others still pressed against her flesh, essentially pinning her in place.

 _'_ _I can't- Can't-'_ her thoughts screamed as her arms tried to push at the incoming death, only to get pinned as well. A thin spike branched out and was heading for her eye, forcing her to watch as it closed in. Her lips drew back as a cold rage built up in her.

 _'_ _I can't die like this! Not in some training accident! Not to ice of all things!'_ She pushed all of her limbs and stared at the spike threatening to blind her. Logic left her brain as she seemed to dare the ice to try. Her teeth were bared as she screamed in rage and _demanded_ the ice to get out of her way.

Then she slipped through.

Weiss didn't notice it for a second as she walked into the ice that had been growing all about her. When she did, she slowed in her steps and looked around, only to see nothing but a white blur. Her senses were confused and muffled, but she suddenly understood and so kept walking forward. Moments later, she stepped out of the sealed door and took a deep breath before nearly collapsing to her knees. Jarmak turned to her and hummed.

"Ah, you made it," he calmly noted, as if he expected this outcome.

"Are you insane?!" she yelled at him as her hands pressed against her knees and she took several deep, calming breaths. "I nearly died in there!"

"Yes. I warned you of the possibility," he stated neutrally. Weiss wanted to scream at him more, but could already tell by looking at him that they would be wasted words. She huffed and stood up straight as he crossed his arms. "Now you know how to phase through ice. It will never be an obstacle for you again."

"Maybe, but… Are all of your 'lessons' going to be like this?" Weiss accused, thoroughly irritated. When Jarmak nodded back at her, she rolled her eyes.

"Some," he admitted. "But if you persevere, you will learn and grow."

"I will, huh?" She looked back at the now solid deathtrap she'd just occupied, her reflection staring defiantly back at her from within the frozen surface, and turned back to meet his gaze. Something about the way he looked at her made her steel herself. "Yeah. I will."

* * *

 _11th of Evening Star_

* * *

 **muz ahrk faliille -** men (the race, non-masculine) and elves

 **Siigonis -** Argonian, lizard


	70. Hear Your Absolution

Okay, things are looking back up despite everything, and do I mean everything. Gratitude going towards xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor for sifting through it all.

* * *

Chapter 63: Hear Your Absolution

* * *

 _12th of Evening Star_

* * *

Blake was in the midst of packing her things when she heard footsteps coming up from behind her. She turned to see her golden-haired teammate getting ready to pounce, Yang herself freezing in place upon being spotted. The two stared at each other for a moment before Yang jubilantly leaped at the Faunus and wrapped her into a tight hug. Blake huffed at the soft impact, then hugged her back as a smile crept onto her face.

"You've really gotten way more affectionate," she said with a soft laugh.

"I'd be hugging you even if I was a werecrocodile right now." She patted Blake's back and then stepped out of the hug. "I know I'm gonna miss you, because I missed you before."

"I'll be sure to call." Blake's ears then tilted in curiosity. "Werecrocodiles?"

"They're a thing!" Yang defended. "Really rare, though. They're almost solely in Argonia."

"Glad we won't run into any of those out here." The idea of a bipedal crocodile with claws was suitably terrifying to Blake. She went back to tying up her bedroll and strapped it to her pack before shouldering it. As she did, she saw a thoughtful look cross Yang's face.

"You sure we can't use that Key?" Yang asked, her eyes tracking towards the pouch that housed the Daedric artifact, but Blake shook her head.

"I made a promise," Blake countered. "Besides, even if everything unlocked by the Key wasn't supposed to close back up after it's returned, there's no telling what side effects there are to 'unlocking' our potential. For all we know, it could be the one thing that gives Nocturnal a grip on my soul. Or anyone else's."

"Yeah. Sucks. Especially how returning it would just switch everything right back off. Guess that's why Mercer didn't just put it back when he was done." Yang paused, then shrugged. "That and the endless greed."

Blake nodded, and the two went over to where the others were smothering the campfire. Toggle was leading Lucky Day back to them by a rope, and Yang patted the boar on the head as she took it from him.

"Good piggy." Yang turned to face her partner. "Right. We'll be heading down to Riften with your buddies. Then I'll get Yngvarr and Gunmar and head to Fort Dawnguard. We'll figure out what to do from there."

"I'll be heading toward the Sepulcher. I might also make a quick stop by Lakeview and check on how M'rissi and Inigo are doing." Blake lightly sighed. "Kinda worried about the state we left Inigo in."

"I'm sure he's fine," Yang countered. "If not, it's probably just an evil wizard somewhere we'll have to beat up and/or send to Oblivion."

"Honestly, I'm hoping for a change of pace there."

"Yeah. They're starting to get old, aren't they?" Yang smiled brightly before giving Blake one last parting hug and then mounted her steed. "Stay safe, Blake."

"You, too." The Faunus watched them head off before going and getting Patches to head south.

* * *

"So that's when I realized the song is about 'finding' or even making a new, better world, not going back to an old one. About making one in the real world that once only existed in the singer's mind."

Lydia only nodded, truly engrossed by Ruby's explanation but not having much to say on it herself. She was used to music being fairly simple and straightforward, but it seemed Remnant's bards had taken the art to incredible new heights. The closest thing to it she ever beheld was the Harpy music that she heard in their rare travels to Skyrim.

The two stopped as they came close to a man in dark robes standing in the middle of the road. Lydia eyed him suspiciously, then dismounted before approaching, feeling for her Aura hidden just below the surface.

"What's up?" Ruby asked her.

"Just wait. I have a bad feeling about this." Ruby listened and simply dismounted and stood next to her horse as Lydia went on to approach the hooded being.

"Is everything all right, sir?" Lydia asked the figure.

"I heard the Dragonborn was traveling this way," he answered, a smile peeking out from under his hood. "I was hoping to meet her. You wouldn't happen to be her, would you?"

Lydia's eyes narrowed, and her mind immediately plotted out her next move should it become necessary. "And what if I am?"

The cloaked man shrugged. "Well, I suppose safe is better than sorry."

Noises came from the brush on both sides of the road and Lydia felt her instincts scream at her to move. As she leaped back, a black beam blasted the area she was just standing in. The hooded man snarled and raised his hands. As prismatic beams fired from his palms, Lydia summoned up her shield, deflecting them away from her. One hit a tree and charred a deep gash into it while the other raked across one of the other robed figures' legs, leaving a burning line as he shouted.

The man gave up his attack and made a new spell. Lydia moved as an Umbral Orb came to be, her surprise making her hesitate just enough for him to magically throw it at her. She skidded back against the dirt but quickly regained her bearings and pulled out her sword and shield. Ruby had sent the horses away and began engaging with their attackers as well, sending up a set of Rods of Power and summoning a Servitor, a ball of light that followed behind her and blasted her enemies.

The Dragonborn ran around the dark mages, hitting one with a Sentinel and Shockwave Cascade before kicking him towards some of his fellows. After the second volley of flares impacted him, he exploded in a burst of energy that sent two flying and another towards her Rods. Feeling her magicka running low, Ruby took out Crescent Rose and charged towards one of the mages who was readying a pair of Umbral Orbs. One flew towards her head, easily dodged, but the other landed in front of her then exploded. Ruby pushed up her Aura to absorb the blast and ran through it. But as her scythe came around towards the man, something slammed into her from the side and sent her flying into a nearby rock, shattering it.

"Lord Biidurvul!" the mage happily greeted the dragon as Ruby got back up to her feet. "You're just in time!"

" **You all attacked too early,"** the dragon reprimanded him before looking down at Ruby. " **The Dragonborn is no mere mortal, though mortal her body may be. Keep her servant distracted and watch for her as I finish her off. For the Dark Archon! For Ilmaasi!"**

"For Ilmaasi!" the remaining mages cheered. Lydia soon found herself dodging a bombardment of spells as they refocused on her. Ruby went to help her, but a wall of blue fire suddenly leaped out of nowhere at the call of Biidurvul.

" **Dragonborn, this time you do not have your mages to back you, and I have brought my own."** An expression Ruby recognized as a draconic smile was drawn across his face. " **Things will be different this time."**

"I can still beat you on my own," she declared as she shifted into a familiar combat stance.

" **We shall see. Vul Kun Nil!"**

Ruby ran away from the Crushing Dark Light as it smashed everything in its path. When it ended, she quickly threw a pair of ice spikes and followed it up with a Shout.

" **Yol Toor Shul!** " The concentrated rush of flames headed towards the dragon, but he met it.

" **Fo Krah Diin!"**

Steam exploded out from the meeting point of their Shouts, spreading across the area. Ruby gritted her teeth when it ended and she found that she couldn't see her foe.

" **Laas Yah Nir!"** Biidurvul almost whispered, letting Ruby know that even if she didn't see him, he could see her now. She moved, aiming to get out of their fog bank while keeping a serpentine pattern. When she could see the sky clearly, Biidurvul burst out of the steam bank after her, rearing his head back.

" **Strun!"**

Ruby dodged out of the lightning's way and turned as she jumped, throwing up a firebolt then charging lightning up. Biidurvul turned to follow her as she launched it, but the dragon merely ignored it, the spell spraying across his scales as he readied himself.

" **Fus Ro Dah!"** he Shouted, sending Ruby and much of her surroundings flying through the air. While she managed to land on her feet, Biidurvul rushed up and bit down where she was. Ruby screamed as she reached up to keep the jaws from crushing her, managing to just catch his snout and hold him back, at the expense of dropping her scythe. Struggling against a much larger opponent, who was now pushing her back and down after finding he couldn't quite bite her as intended, Ruby tried to focus her magic purely through her mind and _reached_ for Crescent Rose. The scythe was telepathically lifted and pulled through the air at speed. The ebony blade sliced against Biidurvul's neck, making him flinch back as scales and skin were flayed, leaving a spot that bled profusely. He cursed her in Dovahzul as he backed away, but Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose and leaped towards him, planning to clip a wing if she couldn't land any other hit. At the arc of his last jump, an Umbral Orb slammed into her side.

Getting up from her roll in the dirt, Ruby saw that two of the mages had left Lydia to their fellows and came to assist the dragon. Lydia, for her part, was being forced to take cover against so many mages. While two more bodies had joined those from before, there were still many more to take their place. Ruby tried heading towards the mages, planning to remove them from the equation, but Biidurvul's Lightning Breath forced her to stop before even getting halfway to them. She turned back to him and saw one of the mages send a healing spell into the dragon, stopping the bleeding from the wound she gave him. The other tried to hit her with a Prismatic Beam, but Ruby met it with one of her own. After a moment though, she began feeling the tug of her magicka running out. To make matters worse, Biidurvul was moving towards her.

Ruby spun out of the way of the beam just as her magicka flatlined and aimed to get some distance from them, only to end up inside of an Event Horizon. She turned to face the mage, but Biidurvul's head had peeked over its side, his next Shout aiming at her.

" **Vul-"**

 **"Bii Dur Vul!"**

everyone heard echo across the area. Said dragon's eyes went wide as he turned to its source, only to take a spiked tail to his jaw. Ruby looked over and saw a white dragon turning through the air to stare at the black one he had just attacked.

" **Aakdremsot?! (This is not your battle)!"**

 **"(I have made it mine, brother),"**

Aakdremsot answered. " **(Too long I have hidden away. I will not let you bring an end to all worlds. Our Father coils as he does for a purpose beyond us. It is not up to you to end it)."**

 **"(You do not know what I have learned. I will break us free from our prison. But it seems I must break you first)!"**

Biidurvul leaped up and took flight as he and Aakdremsot Shouted at one another and began flying above and around the battlefield.

"What in the Dark Archon's name…?" the mage wondered aloud.

"They're argue-fighting. It's a dragon thing," Ruby explained before remembering who it was she was speaking to. The mage seemed to remember too as both went back to a fighting stance. He began charging a pair of spells in hand while Ruby ducked down and Shouted.

" **Wuld!** " She went by him while slicing through with Crescent Rose, then the mage fell over as his head rolled away. His Event Horizon collapsed without him there to power it, and the other mage looked at Ruby with fear as she slowly backed away. Ruby turned her attention back to the mages attacking Lydia and rushed towards them, using her Semblance to flit between the first three and cut them down before running at the others. Five were down before they knew what had happened, and suddenly they were being attacked from two sides. Finally finding relief, Lydia charged out with her shields up and into a mage, who she ran down before impaling him against the ground.

Biidurvul and Aakdremsot crashed into each other, claws sending scales and blood flying as they spoke and Shouted. Biidurvul went to bite, but where his long neck made such offense easier, Aakdremsot's shorter neck let him defend himself better than he could attack. The white dragon caught the black one by the neck behind his horns and then pulled as he spun. Biidurvul fell through the air before righting himself and the two Shouted, their Unrelenting Forces clashing in the air and neither betraying the name, instead exploding out with the sound of thunder and hitting the earth below. Ground was churned and trees uprooted. Two mages were caught up in it and disappeared below the wave of dirt while Ruby ran away from the hazard.

The mages found themselves on the backfoot, their number now reduced to half of what it was at the start of the ambush. Now they were the ones hiding from Lydia and Ruby as they systematically cut down one after the other.

Biidurvul roared in rage as he flew above Aakdremsot, the white dragon turning and aiming a Shout at him.

" **Kun Shul Ag!"**

Biidurvul dropped beneath the Burning Light and reared back for his own attack.

" **Vul Kun Nil!"**

Seeing the beam coming, Aakdremsot almost calmly turned his head to let the Burning Light Clash against the Crushing Dark Light. The two opposing energies released heat and gravity at their meeting point as purple and white saturated the area around them. For a moment, everyone could only stare in awe, but then Ruby snapped out of it and stepped up.

" **Strun Kun Qo!** " she Shouted at the black and blue dragon. Biidurvul saw it coming out of the corner of his eye, but was unable to move out of the way or stop it in time. The Lightning Breath hit his chest, interrupting his own Shout and let Aakdremsot's Burning Light reach him. He moved his head out of the beam's direct trajectory, but it still hit the side of his face and jaw, burning away part of his horn and scorching his scales. He roared in pain as he flew back and saw his mortal allies in their own dire straits.

" **Fall back!"** he commanded. " **Fall back for now!"**

 **"Do you run, Biidurvul? Will you not fight until the end?"**

Aakdremsot mocked. Rather than answer him, the dragon turned and seemed to focus as he glided forward.

" **Bo Wuld Strun!"** with that Shout, Biidurvul suddenly shot away, trees bending and breaking at his passing and a whirlwind of dust and debris shooting up in his wake. Ruby guarded her face and then turned towards the place where the ambushers had been, only to find that the survivors had disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" she asked her housecarl as she came up to her side.

"I think they had teleport scrolls. I just checked one of the bodies, but the scroll he had disintegrated when I touched it." Lydia looked over at Ruby and sighed. "That was close. If we had been caught off-guard, we might not have gotten out of that so well. Those people were prepared."

"Yeah." A small shake of the ground was felt by them and they turned to look at the white dragon who had come to their aid. "H-hello, I mean… Drem Yol Lok, Aakdremsot."

" **Drem Yol Lok, Dovahkiin."** The dragon replied, bringing his head close. **"Yol Toor Shul."**

Ruby felt the harmless, warm flames wash over her as Lydia jumped back with a yelp. Ruby took it in and felt the protectiveness and fraternity that seemed to emanate from the fire and Aakdremsot himself. When it ended, she took in a deep breath to offer him her own.

" **Yol Toor Shul,** " she greeted him, her fire managing to coat him completely. The dragon seemed pleased and make a rumbling sigh.

" **Zeymah,"** he seemed to sadly contemplate.

"So, you knew what Biidurvul was up to?" Ruby asked him. "You knew he was going to attack us?"

" **Yes and no,"** he answered. **"I was informed of his intentions and your opposition to him and this dark Magne-Ge, this Ilmaasi. I knew he would seek to destroy you, though I did not know when or where. Now he knows that I Shout against him, assuming he did not know beforehand."**

"Wait, who told you about this stuff?" Ruby asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That would be Astetu and me," they heard. The three looked up the wrecked road to see Seletar emerge from behind a series of boulders and begin approaching them. "Forgive me, Dragonborn. While I have knowledge of many magics and spells, I fear my practical application of them is not nearly enough to match the likes of a dragon or his army of mages."

Ruby and Lydia looked silently at Seletar, the housecarl giving him a soft, irritated glare while Ruby pursed her lips in thought, then nodded.

"Yeah, that's fair. Glad to see you're fine, at least." Ruby looked back at the dragon, then at Seletar again. "So how did you find Aakdremsot?"

"Ah, I did not find our flying friend. He found me after Astetu spoke with him. The war between him and Ilmaasi is escalating, as I feared."

"Who is Ilmaasi, anyways? Astetu is from the Blend Sign and a child of Scintil, like you said."

"Ilmaasi is a Spirit of Y, a cursed Penumbra," Seletar explained. "He is a fragment of the shattered Mnumbrial, once the Mother Dawn. She lost her Dawns to the Critic Mark, darkening her light forever."

"Mnumbriel?" Ruby wondered aloud before going into her sack and pulling out the book on the Magne-Ge.

 _Mnumbrial was once revered as the mightiest of the Y-spec Spirits. Then her issue, the Dawns, succumbed to the Critic Mark, a curse of Nana Null that has yet to be lifted. The Untime Folk still propitiate Mnumbrial, depicting her as a gigantic Mother Dawn holding an urn of endless M that feeds into any nearby sliver, wake, or dream. The Wise say that this M is a symbol of the loss Mnumbrial feels for failing her children… and a perhaps even as a path to curing them._

"Oh…wow," she muttered after taking that in. Even without working around the weird terms, of which there were several, she got the gist of it. "That's terrible. No mother should lose her children…"

"The Magna-Ge do not have emotions like you and me. It is more…complicated. When a star goes out, another Dawn succumbs to the Mark."

"That's not how I learned it in science class, but I guess things work differently here." Ruby closed the book and put it away. "So, I need to keep finding the Skyshards, right?"

"Yes, that is correct. You will also need to practice the magic of the Magna-Ge in order to combat Ilmaasi or any other Spirits of the Untimes. Merid's blade will also be helpful in that regard."

"That's good to know. So how-" Seletar offered Ruby a map, which she took in hand and unfurled. "Oh, thank you."

"I enchanted it myself," Seletar explained as Ruby began to examine the map. "It will more clearly mark out the locations of the Skyshards connected to the psionic guide the Marker gifted you. It is connected to your mind alone, so others will not be able to use it against you."

"Cool. Is it supposed to be showing where my friends are, though?"

"So long as you are the one holding it and have approximate knowledge of where they are or should be."

"So Lydia can't?" Ruby handed the map to her housecarl, who looked at it in her own hands.

"I don't see the Skyshards, but I do see where Yang, Blake, and Weiss are, as well as many of my friends back at Whiterun," Lydia revealed. Seletar shrugged and shook his head.

"Well, attuning something to _only_ work with one person is very complicated."

" **A good effort for a mortal mage,"** Aakdremsot complimented him. " **Ge. Many of the greatest mages from the height of our power would have been hard-pressed to create such an item."**

"Thank you, my friend." Seletar smiled. "It means much to hear words of encouragement from a child of Aka."

"This'll definitely help a bunch, Seletar." Ruby rolled up the map and stashed it away. "Lyd, you mind getting the horses?"

"Right away," the housecarl answered.

"You are probably tired from your journey as well," Seletar stated. "I will see about preparing a space. I've managed to clean up much of the temple in my time here."

"Thanks," Ruby told him as he walked away. She then looked toward Aakdremsot, who met her gaze. "So, do you…hate me?"

He shook his head. " **Nid, Dovahkiin. I have nothing to hate you for."**

"But I killed Mirmulnir," she reminded him. "I know, from his memories, that he was your friend. You two saw each other for thousands of years with…some others I can't remember as clearly. You two would talk for hours or just sit and perch in silence. And I…"

" **Mirmulnir's death was the result of him attacking a city with sufficient defenders. He wanted to please Alduin and cow the mortals for him. He did not fear death, for he knew Alduin, if no one else, would bring him back from his slumber. Your presence was something he did not account for."** The dragon's head drooped down sadly. " **Yet, I cannot be angry at him, either. His Strong Allegiance made him wish to Hunt for his Thur. All the same, he was faced with one Born a Hunter of Dragonkind."**

Ruby felt her heart leap into her throat as her soul understood the words he spoke. Her breaths came shallow, but she managed to control them and look at Aakdremsot as he continued.

" **Mirmulnir, as I knew him, is no more. What is left of him remains a part of you, Dovahkiin. I only ask that the memory of Mirmulnir strengthens you as you move ahead."**

"It- It will. I promise it won't be in vain."

* * *

Weiss was positively taken with what she found waiting for her in the various laboratories of the Duskfall Haven. Some were dedicated to finding new medicines and potions. Others were researching energy sources and machining. One, to her surprise, was actually trying to find a way to miniaturize Hammerfell cannons. She had become tangentially aware that cannons using a substance called 'black powder' was employed by Hammerfell militias and the Imperial Legions as siege weapons, but hadn't really considered the fact that guns existed in Tamriel in some form at any point. Never mind the fact that they had somehow created a brand-new propellant for such weapons, one not even Remnant had developed. Ruby would be thrilled to learn that the vampire looking into it had gotten as far as making a gun barrel bore and was simply lacking the means to power it aside from a hand crank.

Weiss ended up helping to focus on the development of a low-cost, low-effort cleaning spell and enchantment. Such spells actually did exist but were normally very hard to do, either because of the complexity of getting rid of dirt without also ripping up your floorboards or clothes, thus effort, or the power needed to get that sort of precision with far less time spent on it. Telvannis did it all the time, but they were also among the most powerful groups of mages on the continent as well as one of the most secretive, so it was expected that they'd either use spells with power most others couldn't exert or have made an easier one and simply not told anyone about it.

Frankly, if her dreams of the Nerevarine's interactions with the Telvannis were indicative of anything, they were a bunch of jerks, with the one doing human/meri experimentation being the nice one. Powerful, but jerks nonetheless.

"So, if we have it woven like… No, that just makes a small dust devil," a vampire observed as a tiny funnel appeared at his feet.

"Impressive in its own way, at least," another said while she and those in the group took note of the spell. Weiss tried copying it and felt her own small wind funnel form, then applied some of the weavings in her clothes drying spell, making a warm swirl of air appear before her.

"Good for drying clothes," she mentioned to the others, not caring to take full credit for her spell.

"Maybe that could work if we make it concentrated and move it about the floor?" someone suggested.

"That might get up dirt and loose trash, but it won't clean up stains or anything caked on."

"Sometimes that's all you need."

They went over a few more things, simultaneously feeling like they progressed while getting nowhere closer to their goal. When they split up for other things, Weiss decided to head down and see if Jarmak was ready for the next phase of her training. After the ice trap, he mostly just tested her knowledge of vampiric blood magics and looked over her Vampire Lord form. He hadn't actually taught her anything else, though she had a feeling he would soon enough.

When she came into the room, there was a strange fountain placed at its center that wasn't there before. It seemed to be carved from black marble, with a pearl finish on the inside of the basin. A couple of clay jugs of water sat nearby, Jarmak setting an empty one down next to them before looking up and seeing her.

"Hm, Weiss, I was just about to send for you," he greeted her before picking up another jug and pouring it into the basin.

"Is this another test?" she asked as she walked in and looked into the fountain's water to see her reflection.

"No, it is a lesson. And, perhaps, an explanation." He poured in a third jug and hummed. "Serana mentioned you found a journal of Valerica's."

"Yes, it mentioned you," Weiss recalled. "It said you fled after figuring out Harkon was committing Diablerie." Weiss then recalled something else mentioned to her by the Altmer vampire. "Diablerie… Isn't that what you called… Oh what was his name? Aaron?"

"Aargin," Jarmak corrected her. "And yes, he was also given to…committing that crime."

"So, both of my 'sires' are offenders of the worst crime to vampires," Weiss groaned in annoyance. "I don't quite get it, though. I understand why having it happen to you is horrifying, but what's with the fear of being the one doing it?"

Jarmak actually guffawed for less than a second. Weiss looked at him as he reached up and pulled back his hood before rubbing his thin, close-cut hair. Weiss realized she never really got a good look at the elf's face, but now she could see how worn down and withered he appeared.

 _'_ _Did he always look like that throughout his unlife, or was it his unlife that did it to him?_ ' she wondered just as Jarmak began to speak once again.

"Weiss, our souls are destined for Coldharbour upon our deaths," Jarmak explained. "But for vampires, this alone is not so horrible. We are ranked just below the Daedra that serve Molag Bal and only subject to those who can make subjects of us. For ones like you and I, we would be very high in such a hierarchy. Only the most powerful of vampires, the Dremora, and the Titans would stand above us. The worst of it is the lack of blood, driving us further into our thirst and monstrosity with every passing day, until even the pain of blood-starvation becomes numb."

Jarmak's expression turned grim. "However, those who commit Diablerie have committed an offense against Molag Bal himself. They stole from him, even if only temporarily, and he will not let such a slight against him go unpunished. His infinite attention and the most transcendent of agonies the God of Torture has ever fathomed are theirs for all eternity. Few have ever escaped his wrath, and I doubt Aargin is among them."

Weiss took all of this in with mounting horror. She wouldn't say she'd experienced the worst pain in the world already, but she definitely knew of pain. Both physical and emotional. She couldn't even imagine what a being whose entire existence revolved around tormenting others would think up for the people who angered it. All she could envision was someone screaming in agony, endlessly.

"But, if they-" she began, but Jarmak cut her off.

"I can already guess. Yes, Harkon believes he may have a way around it all. In fact, I believe I know what it is, but I do not yet have all the pieces. For now, I want to show you something. A piece of my own history and the history of Harkon."

Weiss' interest was piqued as the vampire went up to the fountain and pressed a finger to his forehead. He pulled the finger back, leading out a line of nearly transparent green. It touched the surface of the water and the line became opaque as incandescent lights began to shine from the pearl basin. An image formed in the large pool of water, showing a younger-looking Jarmak wearing a tricorn hat and a longcoat, standing on the portside of a ship.

"When I was young, barely in my eighties, I was a privateer from the Direnni Empire. The crew I served with normally made a living taking Atmoran merchant vessels or escorting the Empires'. However, things took a turn some time after the war between Ysgrammor and the Snow Elves. Word had reached us that a group in the north had managed to survive, but were in dire straits. Our captain believed we could use our ships to safely transport them and be rewarded handsomely by the Falmer and the Direnni nobles."

The moving image showed Jarmak being rocked by something and then turning to see an incoming fleet of longboats and larger, old-fashioned vessels. He pulled forth his sword as others came up and readied themselves for battle, some taking up bows and others throwing spells.

"The Nords had caught wind of them as well, but they were on their way to destroy them. At first, it seemed like a battle in which we would struggle, but could definitely pull though."

Elves and humans fought in a brutal melee as they closed in with each other, arrows and spells flying between them as blades clashed. For a moment, it really looked like the elves could have pulled off a win, but then a thunderous voice rang out and one of their ships was crushed and capsized.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** " a large and burly Nord Shouted, destroying another skiff with almost no effort.

"It was too late, but we knew then that the Nords were not aiming for battle but extermination. For the few of us that managed to get close to their ships however, this just spurred us to act fiercer and swifter. I was frightened beyond anything I'd ever felt. I had experienced battle, but never something like this. I was young and feared for my life. Yet, I had enough presence of mind to know that running would do us no good."

Through the frantic battle, which was beginning to push the Nords back, Jarmak cut precisely and kept looking for the ship with the Nordic Tongue. It came close to them, the man looking at them with disgust before turning his attention to a ship that wasn't too close to one of his allies.

" **Fus Ro Dah!** "

Another capsized vessel, its occupants either dead or easy targets in the freezing water. The ship came near the vessel they were in a pitched battle with, and Jarmak managed to break through, a Chain Lightning spell aimed in such a way as to hit as many men directly in front of him as it could. He then rushed through, a Lightning Wall trailed to one side of him to keep attackers at bay. He ran across the whole width of the ship and then jumped towards the passing ship holding the Tongue. The men were shocked by his brazen attempt, but many were distracted by being actually shocked before he ran toward the bow, where the Tongue stood.

Jarmak rushed him, seeing the anger and hatred in his eyes turn to fear as he made to utter his Shout once again. Jarmak though, was faster. Having gone full tilt, the Altmer reached him in less than a second and sliced his sword through his throat. Crimson blood gushed out, and the Nord clenched the wound futilely with his hands before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he collapsed onto the ship's deck. The elf had given it all in that moment, and so his momentum carried him over the end and into the water, where he looked up at the sun shining through the waves.

"At that moment, I felt more alive than I ever had before. I had slain a Tongue, one of the most feared forms of Men to ever walk the world. I had looked death in the face and seemingly slit its throat." Jarmak paused, then shook his head.

"That elation was not to last."

The younger Jarmak surfaced, taking in a deep lungful of air and looked around himself. He started to swim towards one of his people's ships but when he came close, Nords looked over its side at him. He started trying to swim away, but one had managed to lasso him by the neck and drag him back. They pulled him up then beat on him with their fists and feet, but then someone barked at them to stop. The crowd parted, revealing a man holding Jarmak's sword and looking it over.

 _"_ _You killed Turifn, elf,"_ he stated while walking over to him. _"_ _Sent the old man to Sovngarde. Well, we should reward such a brave warrior. Take him to the ship."_

Jarmak looked at Weiss with a resigned expression. "I would soon learn that this was not mercy, but a twisted form of spite. They took me alive, believing themselves to be robbing me of a proud death while condemning me to where all elves taken alive by Nords at those times went: slavery."

Weiss gasped as she watched them tie him up below the deck of one of their larger vessels. Time then seemed to pass quickly, showing him being freshly imprisoned one moment then haggard and dehydrated the next.

"It was some time before I realized that no one else had been taken alive in the battle. Only I was deemed worthy of such a fate. The Snow Elves were different. I heard the slaughter even from the ship. Then they dragged in more prisoners. They killed everyone who could fight back, killed some more, and then took from the survivors only those who looked useful, and killed the rest. Out of thousands of elves, only a few hundred survived."

Pale-skinned men, women, and children elves were soon stuffed in below deck with the captured privateer. Many were dragged in screaming, sometimes split from their families when it became too crowded. More than once someone was slain when they were judged to be unfit. Once it seemed sufficiently filled to the Nords, they shut it up, leaving the elves below with almost no light.

"We were taken to Dawnstar and sold off. Falmer slaves were seen as cheap labor. But an Altmer like me would have to be extremely lucky for anyone to even think of doing anything but killing them." Much to Weiss' surprise, Jarmak let out a soft chuckle and smile. "My luck hadn't quite run out, it seemed."

A man wearing a gold circlet looked Jarmak over with interest, cupping his chin as he questioned the slavers.

"I had caught the interest of a jarl - then a title akin to a sovereign king - Jarl Herron. He heard about how I'd killed the Tongue, and so he bought me. But it was not just his martial interest. His kingdom bordered the Direnni lands, and so he wanted someone who could advise him in dealing with the elves and manmer."

The young Jarmak changed, going from the haggard slave stripped of his possessions to a well-dressed mer speaking with the jarl with confidence.

"The faith I had lost in mankind was rekindled in him. Herron believed in peaceful resolutions, even between man and mer. He understood that war had a time and place, but only considered it as the last resort. My time serving him was happy, despite the loss of my old life.

"It was in this time I met the youth…who would become Harkon."

There was a young boy with a wooden sword, practicing his swings under the guidance of an old man with Akaviri features. He smiled brightly as his father entered and began speaking with the swordmaster, Jarmak waiting back near the door.

"He was smart and skilled, a talented child who grew into a clever young man. All his life, he never wanted for anything. All that he desired was his nearly the moment he wanted it. But there is always something out of reach for mortals."

Herron seemed to stumble, gripping his forehead before almost falling forward. The boy Harkon moved to help his father, even as the jarl continued falling to his knees. Harkon looked scared to death as he watched his father gasp as sweat poured down his brow.

"The rot struck Herron suddenly, but made its way through him slowly. For years he fought against it, withering away before our eyes."

Weiss saw the same man, now more resembling a draugr, laying in a bed and looking towards a nearly grown Harkon. Jarmak and some others stood opposite of them, watching as the jarl's life slowly slipped away from him.

"After Harkon assumed the throne, the direction of the kingdom changed. He expanded his borders greatly, becoming a feared name to the rest of Skyrim. He also began…indulging in practices most would deem taboo. Herron had allowed a limited freedom of religion, with the Nordic pantheon above all else, but Harkon's focus turned to the darker aspects of the gods. When he took a wife, many said she fueled his dark desires, but in truth, they fed into each other."

Harkon was standing still next to a woman who greatly resembled Serana, the two holding between them a little girl that was Serana herself, all posing for a painting.

"All his life, Harkon never wanted for anything. It was too late to teach him of restraint now that nearly no one had the power to stop him. As he and Valerica delved deeper, their acts became more and more questionable. It started with chickens and goats, animals meant to be slaughtered whose sacrifice to dark gods would only be…frowned upon. But they soon felt the need to sacrifice mortal lives, as that would be what pleased the dark gods the most."

A man in sackcloth was held over a stained altar before his throat was slit, his head being held to let the blood run over it.

"Criminals, men meant for execution were the first. Innocents came later, but only in secret, and I…did nothing to stop them. I kept seeing myself as having somehow ending up back on that boat, but this time…I was a participant."

The image showed a young boy crying before his head was held back and his throat slit like the grown criminal from before, only now it was done by golden-skinned hands. Weiss saw Jarmak holding him over the altar to let blood coat it, most of it pouring upon a statue of Molag Bal.

"This may have been the end of it, if things had continued as they were. But one day, Harkon faced an enemy he could not cow or conquer."

Harkon fell to his knees near some of his courtiers. Serana ran up to him and helped him up, but his face showed abject fear as he shook and sweated bullets.

"The rot," Weiss realized, and Jarmak nodded.

"His fear of falling as his father did pushed him that final distance. We were already almost solely dedicated to Molag Bal, but now Harkon meant to gain the Prince of Domination's undivided attention. So, we gathered together a thousand innocents…and slaughtered them."

Men, women, and children were shown being herded by warriors towards a single spot, before Harkon gave the signal and they began butchering them. The commoners tried to flee, but they had been totally boxed in, with more than enough soldiers surrounding them to keep them at bay. Weiss saw Jarmak, a dead look in his eyes, cut through one unarmed civilian after another. A woman clutching a young boy seemed to fall to her knees to beg for mercy, but he simply cut off her head and ran the child through, not a hint of hesitation or a change of expression on him.

"I had gone from being unable to stop the atrocities I loathed to committing them. Perhaps I did not enjoy it as many others did, yet I never breathed a word in protest against it." The present Jarmak looked downcast. Weiss could see the shame that now filled his eyes and swallowed. For a moment, she had thought of him as a monster, before remembering that what she was viewing was memories from nearly five thousand years ago.

"This was enough to gain his attention, and Molag Bal was summoned forth into the world." A miasma of darkness and teal light began to spread forth, parting to reveal a being taller than a Giant, with cold glowing eyes, horns, reptilian skin, and a maw of razor-sharp teeth. With wide eyes, Weiss remembered an image shown to her in the Book of Fate, and she realized now that the massive being she had been shown facing was this very same creature. Her mind spun wildly for a moment around the thought of how in the world she was meant to face _The God of Domination_ at any point in her future, but the displayed memories did not pause to let her figure it out. The warriors responsible for the massacre and the royal family all kneeled before him, and the Daedric Prince began to laugh. Even as a memory, the laugh shook her very bones.

The shimmering ended, and the images disappeared.

"After that, Molag Bal bestowed the Volkihar family with his gift; pure-blooded vampirism. They then shared it with the rest of us who had helped them. That wasn't the end of things, though. Soon enough, much of the known world learned of what we had done, and we found ourselves beset upon from every side. Only a series of enchantments that hid the castle and its island saved us from extermination. That was also when Harkon first learned what it was to lose, after he thought he'd finally had everything."

Weiss shivered and held her body close. "That was… It was all so horrible," she muttered.

"It truly was. And yet, it may have been the beginning of…change for me." Jarmak looked at his hand and rubbed his fingers across his thumb. "We were monsters even before we became vampires. Many lusted for greater heights of power. Some, like me, had simply grown heartless." He closed his eyes and pulled his hood back over his head. "And Harkon feared. Not just of losing everything, but of seeing it all slowly being dragged away from him. Of succumbing to that aptly named disease and rotting away. In doing this, he began to truly lose all he had, and I began to fear again."

"You were afraid?" Weiss asked.

"Not at first. Not for…a hundred years or so. But it was why I left them. Not a sense of guilt or a change of heart, but fear." He hummed and looked across the room. "I've pulled up enough old memories. For now, I want to show you something that I've learned. And I have good reason to believe no one else has."

Weiss followed the elf as he walked away from the fountain, stopping as he turned to her and held up his arm.

"What I'm going to show you must never be spoken of outside of this place. Would you still like to know?" he asked with complete seriousness.

"What is it? Nothing diabolical, right?"

"Nothing of the sort," he answered with a shake of his head. "But it may place a burden upon your heart."

Weiss thought it over for a moment, looking at the offered arm.

"Can you say anything else about it?" Weiss asked, hoping for clarification.

"Not without showing you, first," Jarmak insisted.

"Does it have to do with the memories you just showed me?"

The elder vampire hummed. "Hm, in a way, I suppose it does."

The heiress sighed and pushed her hair back from her eye. "If I say no?"

"Then we are done for the day, and I will teach you something else in the future," Jarmak answered immediately.

"I really have nothing to lose then," she figured.

"Only ignorance, and the bliss with it."

Weiss paused and ruminated over her choices. Then, with a final shake of her head, she came to a decision.

"No, I can't ignore it now. I'll see what it is you want me to see." With only a small hesitation, Weiss reached up and placed her hand on the Altmer's arm. He nodded and walked them forward, placing his hand in a stone indention on the wall. A moment later, Weiss turned at the rumbling sound behind her to see a spiral staircase lower itself from the floor.

"A secret passage?"

"I've tested it many times," Jarmak said. "Only the touch of an Altmer has ever opened it. I believe a Falmer's could as well, but there has not been a way to test it."

He led them down the stairs into a room that felt even colder than those above it, actually bringing Weiss to shiver a little. At the bottom, they walked in through a doorway, and Weiss paused at the sight of two perfectly-shaped ice sculptures, both resembling elven warriors standing guard.

"Did you put these here?"

"I did not."

Inside the room were more sculptures. All around, facing outwards and towards the exits, were icy soldiers, as though standing guard. Huddled between them all was an array of other sculptures, taking the form of men, women and children. Some stood, looking tall and proud, while many sat, bundled up as though waiting out the cold. Toddlers were held close to mothers. Children and teenagers stayed near their family members. Men stood or knelt protectively over their charges. A number of elderlies were near the center, with children held close to them as well in places.

It was as they walked toward the center that Weiss stopped in her footsteps and looked to her side. It was the likeness of a woman elf holding her child, like several others, but this one had the child reaching for something that wasn't there, the mother reaching for his arm to stop him. Only, where Weiss would have expected the hand to already be holding the appendage, the woman's fingers did not touch the toddler's arm. Instead, they hovered, mere inches away from grabbing on, splayed out and ready to grasp.

Other details didn't make sense either. The hair looked strange. Some of them looked as though they hadn't bothered to brush theirs. In one case, it looked like a bit of static had made some girl's hair begin to stick out the side, separate strands of ice suspended between others. Looking closely at the nearest one's eyes, she saw how each individual lash stuck out away from them.

"Hm, have you noticed it, then?" Jarmak asked her from near the center.

"These… These aren't sculptures," she realized with growing horror.

"No." Jarmak shook his head. "They are Falmer. Snow Elves, frozen in time."

"H- How did this…? Who did this?" Weiss nearly demanded.

"They did," the Altmer answered to her surprise. "The secret lies here, in this pedestal, and the mind of this elder."

Weiss walked up to his side and saw the pedestal in question. Writing in a language she did not know covered its side, and the majority of a sword stuck out of its top, hilt up and blade tip sunk into the stone. Before it, an elder elf kneeled with his arms spread wide, as though in prayer.

"What is this?"

"The reason for the Haven's existence," Jarmak explained. "Since the fall of Mereth, and perhaps before, the elves have remained here. I could not read Falmeris, but I can read minds. I gently searched the minds of the warriors, elders, and every other adult here until I learned all that I could. They came down here to escape, but it was never meant to hold a large population for long. This was a secret shrine to Azura, housing her artifact, the Duskfall Blade."

"Duskfall?" Weiss looked back at the sword and saw the Daedric lettering down its length. She didn't study the Daedric alphabet too much, but she was willing to bet the word read out 'Duskfall'. "So that's where the name comes from?"

"It is. I first stumbled upon it…long ago. There were only a few vampires living here at the time, hoping to avoid the ire of mortals. They…capitulated to me quickly, even if they hated me for my heritage. I found this place by accident one day, and…I remembered."

Weiss waited in silence a moment, looking up at the Altmer expectantly.

"What did you remember?"

"A time…when I cared. When I hoped. I peered into the sleeping minds of these elves and saw…hope, despite it all. They held onto it, believing that one day, their kin would be able to bring the Dwemer to the fore and drive back the Atmorans who threatened to wipe them out. The priests prayed for a single boon from Azura, to be able to ride out the tides until the safety of the Falmer was guaranteed, and she granted it. They all came here, even the non-believers, and let her artifact's power be used to freeze them, until the day the Snow Elves' continued existence was assured."

"But…they're still frozen?" Weiss asked, trying to take it all in. "I know Skyrim's not the kindest place for elves, but there are some Holds that would be more than willing to help. The Empire would definitely try to assist them. Or even-"

"Weiss," Jarmak interrupted her. "This is _all_ there is. There are three-hundred and forty-nine frozen elves in this chamber. There are none in any other place in the Haven. Thirty-two of them are old. A hundred and sixty-three are children. Of the able-bodied adults, fifty-four are warriors. Even if all goes well, this is not enough to begin a whole race anew. The Ayleid had thirty times this number when they retreated from Cyrodiil, and now all their living descendants are Bosmer or Bretons."

"But they… They would…" Weiss' voice trailed off in mounting horror as realization struck. Jarmak nodded, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"Go extinct in a few generations, absorbed into the bloodlines of other mer races. Even if they and all their descendants live happy and fulfilling lives, all the way through to when snow-white skin is replaced by gold, grey, and brown, and the last vestiges of their culture is forgotten by all but historians, there will cease to be any Snow Elves. Their closest kin are twisted creatures who've sunk further than the Goblins ever were, and a population held in the thrall of a repressive regime. Even if the Aldmeri wanted their race to continue and got a hold on every last one of these souls, they would strictly control their lives and breed them like exotic griffins. Those Snow Elves would never know freedom again, and they would become puppets to the Dominion."

"Then…" Weiss looked at the sword and gulped before reaching out and touching its azure blade. She closed her eyes and hoped she wasn't pushing too far as she breathed out a request. "Azura, your champion asks for your guidance."

The blade seemed to hum, and a musical voice flowed out of it and into her mind.

 _"_ _And you have it. The words are before you,"_ Azura proclaimed, then fell silent once more.

Weiss blinked and looked back down at the pedestal. "I can't read Falm- Blake could, though!" she recalled before quickly texting her friend, hoping that she was right. A few minutes later, a few image messages were sent her way, snapshots of pages labeling translations and alphabetical transitions that made Weiss smile.

"Okay, this may take a bit of work, but-"

"If I may?" Jarmak requested, holding out his hand. Weiss nodded and then set her scroll into this palm.

"Right, well, you can see all the pictures from this screen and touch them to-"

Silently, Jarmak began waving forth a spell, green magicka springing forth between the scroll and the word-covered pedestal. Holographic-like words appeared above them in the air, letting Weiss read them, only to frown.

"It's…nothing we didn't already know," she got out with a sigh. "They really thought the Dwemer were going to come out and save them."

"They may have been half-right," Jarmak muttered, looking at one of the pages. "'Ilpen av sou meldi nagaiale as guntumnia, spantelepe-laelia arani Morae, ye sou liebali racuvane, ye nu rautane sye, ye nu hautalle nou buroi gume sou gravuloi, sa metane sye garlis. - Many of your people had perished under the roaring, snow-throated kings of Mora, and your wills were broken, and we heard you, and sent our machines against your enemies, to thereby take you under.'" He hummed and looked back at the words he had magically translated before ending the spell. "Perhaps it was better they did not find them, then."

"Maybe, but…Azura hasn't lied to me yet. She's not direct, so maybe the answer still lies with the Dwemer." She looked back at the sword, taking in its visage. "Maybe somewhere secluded, where no one has yet to return from, there are still Snow Elves unaffected by whatever the Dwemer did to the others. Maybe even in one of the Dwarves' own ruins. I just know that there has to be a way, somehow."

Jarmak smiled to her before handing back the scroll. "I was right."

"Right about what?"

"You, Weiss. I could still see that spark of light within you from the moment we met. Hope and kindness have not left your heart, even in the grip of the one who, more than all others, wishes to extinguish such things. Never lose that hope, child."

Weiss couldn't help but smile, then nodded. "I won't. And…I appreciate you letting me know about this place. You… You let me know about them because you believe in me?"

"I do. I did say I see the kindness within you. It runs…deep. I cannot explain it in so many words. There are simply signs we learn to see after so long." He hummed. "If the day ever comes, I know you will be there to help them, even if I'm not."

"I will, I mean…" Weiss took in a deep breath and looked out and around at the crowd of frozen elves. "No, not just be there. I'll look for the way myself. If it exists, then I'll find it."

He laughed, actual joy in his voice. "You sound so certain."

"Of course," she answered with a smile and crossing of her arms. "After all, I have all the time in the world."

* * *

 _13th of Evening Star_

* * *

 **Bo Wuld Strun** \- Fly Whirlwind Storm - Mach speed flight


	71. Secrets Born in Blood

Got another one out before Thanksgiving, whoo! Wonder if I can do it again. Always remember xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor and that Epstein did not kill himself.

* * *

Chapter 64: Secrets Born in Blood

 _14th of Evening Star_

* * *

Blake pulled Patches to a stop and looked at the abode before her in confusion. She took out her scroll and rechecked the directions Ruby had texted her, wondering if she had taken a wrong turn somewhere, but then saw the sign near the stables.

'Welcome to Lakeview,' it read, with a smiley face drawn under it. Blake looked back at the mansion, balking at it.

"She _built_ this?!" the Faunus asked herself in disbelief. She knew Ruby was good at building things, Crescent Rose was a monument to that, but she didn't think actual buildings were a part of her repertoire. "How in the world…?" she muttered as she tethered Patches near the stables.

Blake began walking up to the manor, looking around as she did. There was a pen holding a shaggy cow and a few goats, along with several chickens scattered about and clucking. There was also a large crate nearby, which caught Blake's interest for a moment. She went over next to it, ready to get to her tip-toes and peer over the edge. When she neared it though, a black blur shot out and she found herself hitting the ground with a scream, her vision becoming completely blocked out as she was pinned down. A loud growl sounded out above her, pulsating through her body with the power behind it. Light returned, but her upper-arms were still held down as her vision refocused to see a black-furred, saber-toothed feline face above her.

"Lirry?" she realized in surprise just before the large cat butted her face into Blake's and began rubbing it against her while purring. The Faunus sputtered at first, but as Lirry stepped off of her and just began rubbing against her, she laughed.

"Well, I guess you remember me -Doh!" The giant cat suddenly laid down, and Blake realized that Lirry had to weigh several hundred pounds at this point. She managed to sit herself up and tried to push the massive cat off of her, but Lirry refused to budge and just watched Blake struggle.

"Okay, you have to get off of me. I missed you too, but I have things to do."

Lirry just let out a chuff and started rolling over, to Blake's horror.

"No, no, no, nonono!" Blake huffed as she was squashed by the large cat. "Ugh, why?"

"Lirry? Who are you- Blake!" M'rissi cheered as she came around from the back of the manor. She rushed up to their side and squatted down next to Blake's prone form. "Oh, she missed you dearly! But she's glad her letter reached you and that you wrote her back. How has thieving been?"

"I'm not…" Blake sighed then looked at M'rissi. "Can you get her off of me?"

"Oh, yes," M'rissi nodded, then turned her head towards the melanistic sabrecat and wagged her finger. "Lirry, stop squishing Blake now."

The sabrecat made a rumble of acknowledgement and rolled up to her feet. Blake took a couple of breaths and stood up as well, noticing how the big cat's head came up to her shoulders.

"Gods, she's huge!" Blake exclaimed, while M'rissi beamed in pride.

"We made sure to feed her well," M'rissi commented while rubbing her head to Lirry's, who rubbed back against her affectionately. "Inigo grew exhausted with all of the hunting and the fishing. We almost had to feed her the chickens and goats, but we did not."

"I think about feeding the chickens to her sometimes anyways," Inigo said as he walked up, a large net over his shoulder and a bucket of fish in hand. "Here you go, you freeloader."

Lirry smacked her lips and tromped over to begin eating the fish out of the bucket as he set it down. Despite his words, he was smiling and patted the creature as he went by.

"Good to see you again, friend," Inigo greeted Blake. "Did they ever work out the whole Karliah thing?"

"Yes, actually, but not like we imagined," Blake admitted. "I didn't mention it in my last letter but…Mercer tried to kill me."

"What?!" M'rissi screamed, startling the animals, including Lirry.

"He's dead now, don't worry." Blake's clarification did little to soothe M'rissi's or Inigo's concerns, who both looked at the Faunus intensely.

"I'm beginning to notice that many people from the crime world keep trying to do that," Inigo stated with a cocked eyebrow. "Perhaps it is better to refrain from helping them any further."

"Maybe, but it was a little deeper than usual. Turns out, he framed Karliah all those years ago. She actually saved me, though it was kinda her fault that I got stabbed in the first place, but I'm not sure. Mercer had Aura."

"Ooh, like you and your friends?" M'rissi asked in interest. "Wait, but how?"

"Super-secret Daedric stuff. I don't want to get into it right now. Well, anyways, she helped me and Brynjolf stop Mercer after he stole all of the Guild's money."

"All of it?" Inigo asked with raised brows and ears.

"All of it," she confirmed with a nod. "It turned out there was a secret passage leading from the Guild vault to his house. I found it by accident. They're trying to straighten everything out while I'm on a special assignment. You guys were on the way, so I decided to drop by." She looked back at the manor and her ears went up. "I have to ask, what's up with the house?"

"Oh, that is how it was when we got here," Inigo explained. "Ruby and Zora did a good job, did they not?"

"They only worked on this for about a week. How does someone build a two-story mansion in a week?"

Inigo just shrugged. "If it's any consolation to your sanity, I think Rayya may have finished up a few things before we arrived. She is as handy with a hammer and nails as she is with those scimitars."

"The cellar is also not all done," M'rissi spoke up.

"Cellar?" Blake blinked and shook her head. "Never mind. I'll worry about this later." She took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "How have you two been?"

"You mean aside from the backbreaking work of making sure that beast is fed?" Inigo asked while nodding his head toward Lirry.

"Oh, we do some fun things besides the work," M'rissi began. "Today we were fishing, but yesterday we went to the lakeside to have a picnic. A few days ago, we went to the town and had dinner and some drinks. Inigo did not drink much, but ate many many sweet rolls. She did drink, though, but not too much. Urm, before that, we did rod fishing and relaxed together."

Blake looked from her and towards Inigo with an arched eyebrow. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounded like you two were dating."

"Rrrrow?" M'rissi trilled. "That was weird to say, Blake. M'rissi did not say anything about call-enders."

"That's not what I… Never mind," she surrendered with a smile. "Let's just head inside. You guys look like you could use a break from work. Everything been all right with your vision stuff, Inigo?"

"Eh, I get small flashes, but not the painful, drawn out ones from before. It is still the same place, however."

"Yeah. Maybe we should look into that," Blake figured while brushing back her hair. "Yeah. After I wrap this up, we'll investigate this thing. Shouldn't take too long."

* * *

"Well, the master bedroom wasn't _quite_ finished, but anyone could've gotten the walls filled in within a day or so, if that long," Ruby explained.

 _"_ _I think you're missing the basic premise I'm trying to convey here,"_ Blake responded flatly.

 _"_ _Wow, Rubes,"_ Yang added, her voice filled with pride. _"I knew you were good at that old base-building game, but I didn't figure you'd actually throw together a whole mansion."_

 _"I'm more concerned with where you got all of these materials,"_

Weiss mentioned.

"Mostly from Falkreath and Riverwood, but some of it came in from Helgen. There's also a big clay deposit and some useful stone near the build site. Tiff did a lot of magic to gather those up, and her golem hauled things around." Ruby saw the riverside house as she rounded the bend and waved, hoping to get anybody's attention should they be around to see her.

 _"_ _That doesn't really… Never mind, I give up. Next time you build a house, I want to see it so that I know what the heck you're doing."  
_  
"Sheesh, it's not that big of a deal," Ruby groaned. "Well, I'm at Capric's house, guys. Don't know how long this'll take, but I'll call you guys back after a bit."

 _"_ _Okay. Remember the oath for him,"_ Weiss reminded her.

"Got it written down. Bye guys!"

After everyone gave their own good-byes, Ruby hung up and pocketed her scroll just before reaching the manse. Syndergoth, the butler, had just stepped out and took the reigns from both Ruby and Lydia as they dismounted.

"Hey Synder. Is Capric around?" Ruby asked.

"He is in the foyer with some of his agents," the bald Bosmer answered. "Your arrival triggered some of his security spells, thus he is expecting you."

"Oh cool. Thanks," she said to him before she and Lydia walked up and into the building. Capric was there, as he said, but so were a few other beings. One looked to be either a Bosmer or an Ohmes, the facial markings enough to confuse Ruby, two looked like women about a generation apart, only sporting bird-like legs and feathered wings in place of arms. The last was a male Altmer in Thalmor robes.

"Who is this?" the Thalmor demanded. "Wait, is that the Dragonborn girl?"

"I did say I had a professional working with me on the dragon situation," Capric answered him. "Welcome, Ruby, Lydia. Don't worry, we're almost done here."

"Only for now," the Thalmor added. "Let's not make fools of ourselves, Thorn. Between the dragons and the vampires, our hands will be full. I'm expecting your cooperation here."

"And you will have it. I don't want a sudden surge of vampires spreading beyond men lands any more than any other living mer."

"I don't doubt it. It's the others who doubt." With that, the Thalmor left the house, shutting the door behind him.

"Sorry about that," Capric apologized. "He means well, so don't worry too much."

"What was that about?" Ruby asked.

"Coldir, who works under Iirerande's supervision on vampire-related problems. With the recent rise of vampiric activity in Skyrim, they've been expanded a little, but they're still effectively toothless when compared to sections like the Anti-Talos Inquisition or Daedric Counterforces. They're trying to get my assistance despite the fact my resources aren't even fully emplaced. Speaking of, let me introduce you to my friends here."

"Oh, hello everyone," Ruby greeted the other beings. "I wasn't ignoring you, I swear. I was just interested in- Not that any of you aren't interesting…"

"Oh by Alkosh's whiskers," the nearly-confirmed Ohmes muttered. "There's two of them now."

"No, this one is less self-assured," the older Harpy stated with an accent not dissimilar from most Khajiit, but without the third-person pronouns, just before her younger counterpart leaped forward and landed in front of Ruby.

"Hi! I'm Vertina!" she introduced herself in a higher-pitched voice while raising one of her feet and offering it like a hand.

"Wings, Verty, not feet," Capric gently reprimanded her.

"Oh, sorry." She laughed while placing the foot back on the ground and offered the two clawed fingers at the bend of her wing. Ruby took and shook them while looking her over. Her feathers and hairs were mostly brown, but she could see where some sort of pink dye had been applied as highlights, though the roots of her hair had now grown out enough to be noticed. Gold bangles were tied at the ends of four braids behind her head, and there were a few gold bands that partly wrapped around the fronts of her wings. Her ears were tapered, much like an elf's, and pierced with around half a dozen decorations. Her skin was fairly tan, just a little darker than Capric, but not quite enough to make her think of most Bosmers' skin tone.

"Nice to meet you," Ruby said. "I'm Ruby Rose."

"It's nice to meet you, too! You're cute!" Vertina replied through a smile, continuing to fervently shake Ruby's hand.

Ruby blushed. "Oh, uh, thank you," she stuttered out.

"Don't worry," Capric reassured her. "She simply doesn't have a filter."

"I don't know what that is!" the young Harpy added.

"And I'm Maarah," the older Harpy introduced herself, offering her own wing. Ruby shook hers as well while giving her a once-over. She was a lighter brown with grey and black speckled about, and her hair was similar with two brushed back bangs tied off from the rest with simple ribbons, giving her an owl-like appearance. Unlike the younger Harpy, she wasn't as decked out in jewelry, but she was eye-catching in her own way, including the one that would probably make even Yang feel inadequate.

"This one is La'shaina, Ohmes," the Khajiit introduced herself while offering her hand.

 _'_ _Knew it!'_ Ruby internally cheered.

"It's nice to meet you all. Oh, this is my housecarl, Lydia," Ruby introduced the quiet Nord.

"Wah, where'd you come from?!" Vertina suddenly shouted.

"I came in with Thane Ruby," she answered evenly.

"How did I not see you?" Her surprise seemed to disappear as she smiled. "You're pretty!"

Other than raising an eyebrow, Lydia didn't respond to her as she turned to face Capric. "Does she…always greet people that way?" the Nord asked the half-Faunus.

"Usually," Capric admitted. "Would it help if I mention she's a scout, meant to pick up on details most miss?"

"I'm honestly not sure how to feel about that."

"Okay, it's just a quirk," Ruby figured before looking at the other two. "So, what do you guys do?"

"I look through reports and images for anything of use. Sometimes I investigate scenes of events to help put together a picture of what occurred." Maarah adjusted her bangs with a dignified brush of one wing while keeping the other tucked against her side, and for a moment Ruby was struck with the image of Professor Goodwitch pushing up her glasses.

"Ooh, so you're like a detective?" Ruby asked in interest.

"Essentially, I suppose."

"Cool!"

The Khajiit looked over to Capric as though for permission, and he nodded. "La'shaina is an infiltrator. She is good at getting in and out of places with important things without being seen."

"Neat. I got a friend like that." Ruby noticed another feline walk up from another room, this one just a little higher than her ankles and covered in fluffy, calico fur. "Hello. Who are you?"

"That is Tinny," La'shaina answered.

"He catches mice," Vertina announced loudly.

"Ah, all right. Do you have any other jobs, though?" she asked him while bending down.

"…He is a housecat," the Khajiit explained.

"…Oh."

"Well, now that really is everyone," Capric figured while walking over and indicating some chairs the two could take. As they sat, he placed himself in a cushioned seat near the fireplace. "So, now that you're here, we can get something done about a few problem spots that've popped up."

"More dragons causing problems?" Ruby huffed. "We had to fight one off not far from here."

"I heard that, literally," Capric stated. "Much louder than I expected. Also, reports say that two were spotted?"

"Yeah, but Aakdremsot was an ally. The black, blue, and glow-y violet one is a bad guy. Aakdremsot came to help us out when he attacked."

"Oh? Well, that's good to hear." Capric nodded, then began to walk over to a table with a map unfurled atop it. "However, there's some other reports. One dragon on the west side of the Rift has been seen stealing cattle, somehow. Another in the northern parts of the Pale has apparently gathered a following."

"Wait, a following?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"Yes. Apparently the people of a village-town called Berg are saying that after the appearance of a black dragon, several of their youths have gone missing. They think there's a resurgent Dragon Cult cropping up and that their children are being taken or corrupted."

"Black dragon?" Ruby wondered aloud, wondering whether the dragon was perhaps Alduin. She doubted it, as it didn't seem to be his M.O., but still she knew something had to be done. She looked back up at Capric then nodded. "That's terrible! I'll look into it, definitely!"

"Good, good," he said while nodding. "But I also wanted to bring the matter of Winterhold up with you."

"Oh, okay. What's up?" Internally, Ruby already figured she knew what Capric's request was about, but out of politeness waited for him to explain.

"I've tried requesting temporary entry, but I've been stonewalled. The Jarl himself has put his foot down and made it clear that no more Thalmor will be allowed entry into the hold, on pain of death and all that. He even rejected the College's political immunity in such cases. I can't go in there, and I can't send any of my official agents there without risking their lives." Capric sighed. "Part of me can't really blame them, after what Ancano did. Damned fool."

"La'shaina believes she could maybe get inside, but there are many mages and only one La'shaina. She cannot defeat or seduce them all."

Ruby paused then turned towards the Ohmes. "What?"

"Don't mind her," Capric waved her off. "Anyways, seeing as you and your friends are members or at least associates of the College, one of you could get in there and find that piece of the artifact we need."

"Wait, which artifact are you talking about?" Lydia asked, suspicion rising.

"Ah! Where'd you come from?!" Vertina shouted, but again Lydia paid her no heed.

"The artifact that could potentially return us to Remnant," Capric answered while also ignoring the young Harpy's outcry. "Part of it is somewhere in the underside of the College of Winterhold. Everything I've found has led me to that conclusion. After getting that one, there's only one more piece somewhere in Morrowind, and then it will be complete."

"And we can get back to Remnant?" Ruby asked, totally enthralled.

"Yes. It's more than certain. I've already verified the power within the rest of the pieces. But it needs to be complete in order to be usable."

"Don't worry. We'll be able to find it. Weiss has been all over the College. Oh, I just remembered!" Ruby pulled her pack around and took out the complete communication device. It wasn't as streamlined as the ones Weiss and her college friends managed to put together, but it got the job done, as her tests confirmed. "I got you one of our laptop phones like I said. But, also…" Ruby then took out a jar of troll fat, a jarred Daedric heart, and an orichalcum knife. "I found an instruction book on how to make a Bloody Oath. This is about as binding as it gets."

"You mean to make the Justicar swear an oath by Daedric means?" La'shaina asked while bristling.

"Technically, Malacath is not a Daedra," Maarah offered. "A corrupted Aedra, yes, but not Daedra. Even before the apparent corruption, Trinimac was a god of oaths and allegiances."

"She still does not like this…"

"It's of no great concern, Shaina," Capric said as he took the note Ruby passed to him in hand. "'I swear by my life and name to never replicate or give away this device without first the approval of Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, or Yang Xiao Long, until the day I am released from my vow. So swear I, Capric Bambietta Thorn, or may Malacath drag me to the Ash Pit for my betrayal." He then took the dagger and pressed it to his palm, drawing blood that was spilled over the troll fat and Daedra heart mix that Ruby had put together as he read the oath. Snapping a magic flame onto her thumb, Ruby lit the mixture, which set to flame and slowly turned green.

 _"_ _I hear you, and hold you to your Oath, mortal,"_ Malacath's voice rang out over them, making the Harpies jump and the Khajiit fall back.

"Tavana eep chiba ka'ah!" Vertina yelled and chirped.

"Well, guess I can't just pass this around to anyone then," Capric figured before looking at the three agents. "Suppose we could go ahead and get permission for those three and Syndergoth?"

"Uh, sure. As long as you're around."

"That's good. So, how do I…?" Capric opened up the device and looked at the control panel for it.

"Oh, here, I'll show you," Ruby offered while reaching over and poking a button. "This turns it on. These numbers are for putting in phone numbers, but I've already got my team and the College's in your contacts, which are here," she demonstrated. "So, you can just pick one of these and call us. Oh, I just had an idea!" Ruby pulled out her scroll and called Capric's device, causing it to trill out its ringtone that sounded like an old-fashioned telephone. "This is how you answer. And now we're in a call. Tapping this will turn on and off your camera, letting us see you or not, and you can switch whether or not you see us. Now, I haven't done this before with any of these we made, but I'm going to try and sync them."

"Sink it into what?" he asked his voice barely betraying his confusion, but Ruby shook her head.

"No, synchronize. I'm gonna put the music in my scroll on your device, so you can listen to them whenever." She smirked. "Just keep an eye on the charge. And… Whoa, it's done!"

"Is that surprising?" he asked, genuinely not knowing if it should or shouldn't be.

"Well, I was planning to send you all of my music. I thought it would take a while. Like, I wouldn't have been surprised if it took half an hour. I guess the magic must have made it instant or something."

Ruby's scroll suddenly vibrated, and she saw that it was a call from Weiss. Answering, she decided to use this as a demonstration.

"Hey Weiss. What's up?"

 _"_ _Ruby, why did my scroll suddenly receive seventeen gigabytes worth of music files?"_ Weiss asked, her voice a mixture of confusion and irritation, but Ruby's mind drew into a blank.

"Uh…?"

Blake then joined into the call. _"_ _Ruby, you never told me you listen to My Biological Desire. I've been wanting to listen to them for months, and you had all the albums this whole time?"  
_  
"Er…"

Yang popped in. _"_ _Okay, seeing as you're all here, it's not just me."_

"Sorry, guys." Ruby sighed. "Didn't know that would happen."

 _"_ _I'm only mad it didn't happen sooner,"_ Blake interjected.

 _"_ _I'm not mad at all."_ Yang admitted. _"_ _Somehow, my scroll's memory is holding more than its maximum. I think it's probably magic, but still! We have unlimited hard drives now, apparently."  
_  
"Ooh, tiny people are in the scroll!" Vertina said, having gotten next to Ruby. With the team's focus on her Ruby indicated the Harpy.

"Guys, this is Vertina," Ruby introduced the Harpy, who happily waved.

"Hello! You are all very pretty!"

While the other two took that in, Yang just laughed.

* * *

Yang stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom in her shorts and t-shirt with a relieved sigh. "Ah! Nothing like washing off all the dirt and grime of the road."

"Wasn't the day before yesterday Loredas?" Gunmar asked, looking up from his packed bag.

"Seems Yang likes to be a bit cleaner than normal," Yngvarr commented. "Woman takes a bath every chance she gets."

"Well, where I come from, people bathe every day," she explained while further drying out her hair, trying to use Weiss' spell for it. Flames popped up for a moment before being just as quickly extinguished by her. "Ooh ooh, ow! Gotta be careful with that."

"Personally, I prefer it," Rumarin added while stuffing a saddlebag. "After about the fourth day of constantly moving, it becomes too much to ignore."

"Perhaps, but how do you make time for it?" the werebear asked.

"Uh, in case you didn't notice, I tend to not take half the day bathing," Yang pointed out. "Maybe that's good once in a while, Gods know sometimes I want to do just that, but we're usually quick about it. Back home, it's usually done at the end of the day or the start. Some people do both."

"There are people who bathe twice a day and still have time for other things?" Yngvarr laughed at the idea. "What are they, like Imperial nobles?"

Yang chuckled. "Like I said, we're quicker about it. Anyways, I'll get dressed so we can head over to Fort Dawnguard." She headed upstairs where Sorine was going through her own belongings and changed into an outfit more suited to traveling.

"So, you're good with crossbows?"

"Making them? Sure," Sorine admitted. "Using them is another matter, but I suppose it's hard to be bad with one. You aim, shoot, and reload. A lot easier than a bow, at least."

Yang nodded at that, having personally found it difficult to properly aim a bow, and Sorine continued, "However, what I've really been looking into is Dwemer artifacts."

"Cool. Been down a couple of their ruins," Yang revealed. "I was in one with my friend not too long ago."

"Really?" Sorine glanced around Honeyside's interior, then nodded to herself in understanding. "Kinda explains the house. A good haul out of ruins like those can set some people up for a long time."

"Yeah, I noticed," Yang agreed. "You should see what one of my other friends is like. She'll pick a place clean. Huh, now that I think about it, I have no idea how much money we all have." Yang scratched her chin and then shrugged. "Whatever. Got more septims than I know what to do with. Probably gonna leave some at the orphanage just 'cause." Yang took up her pack and headed downstairs. "Well, how are we lookin' for getting ready to go?"

"Seeing as I have nothing but cooking pots and a bedroll, I was physically ready once we arrived last night," Rumarin explained. "Spiritually, however, I have become greatly attached to the beds here. I fear for my soul should we leave them behind."

"There are beds at the fort. You'll be fine." Yang laughed, shook her head, then looked over to the two burly Nords. "You guys?"

"Ready to depart," Yngvarr confirmed. "Can't leave Bjarni by himself for too long."

"I'm good as well." Gunmar stood and shouldered his bag. "Let's go and see what Isran wants."

* * *

The five men and women headed out from Riften and toward the old fort. Outside of a pack of wolves chasing down a deer just within their sights, the ride was uneventful. Upon reaching it, Yang noted that they had since installed a portcullis near the cavern entrance and were working on a second and third one out in the valley path to the doors. It made perfect sense, given that now the location of the place was known and it had already suffered one attack. If the vampires wanted to take out their biggest threats, the Dawnguard was definitely near or at the top of that list. The refugees seemed better taken care of than before, with some thrown together shacks and a field of winter crops for them to tend.

"Place is becoming a right castle," Yngvarr commented before they entered the fort itself. They walked in a ways, before stopping at the commanding voice from above.

"Hold it right there!" the booming voice shouted.

Everyone stopped in their tracks in the center of the room and looked up to see Isran standing on the upper-level balcony. He seemed to activate something that opened up a skylight far above them, allowing the sunlight to pass through a glassy device near the top that concentrated the light like a magnifying glass.

"What're you doing?" Sorine asked, annoyed as she guarded her eyes with her hands.

"Making sure you're not vampires," Isran answered while peering down at them all. "Can't be too careful."

"Uggh! As welcoming as ever," Gunmar groaned.

"Wonder when he got _that_ installed," Yang mused as she tried to look up at the magnifying lens. She could see that it was attached to a primitive crane, though the details were difficult to make out exactly. After a moment, Isran seemed satisfied and switched something back, causing the lens to retract after a moment and the skylight to close.

"So, welcome to Fort Dawnguard," he greeted them now that his suspicions were quelled. "I'm sure you've heard what we're up against. Powerful vampires, unlike anything we've seen before. And they have an Elder Scroll. If anyone is going to stand in their way, it's going to be us."

"This is all well and good," Sorine started, crossing her arms, "but do we actually know anything about what they're doing? Do we even know where to start?"

"We'll get to that," Isran answered her gruffly, to which she rolled her eyes. "For now, get acquainted with the space. Sorine, you'll find room to start your tinkering on that crossbow design you've been working on. Gunmar, there's an area large enough for you to pen up some trolls. Get them armored up and ready for use." His gaze then landed on Yang. "In the meantime, Long, we're going to get to the bottom of why a vampire showed up here looking for you. Let's go have a little chat with it, shall we?"

Yang smirked. "Well, looks like I better take this. I guess you guys can go hang out."

"I'll see if I can't find their pantry and help organize it," Rumarin quipped before heading off, the other three doing the same a moment later. Yang walked over and up the staircase, following Isran as he walked from where he'd been speaking to them down a hallway. She saw Durak standing guard over a room with a crossbow at the ready, and he nodded to them as they approached.

"You got this from here?" the Orc asked the Dawnguard leader.

"We've got it," Isran assured him with a pat on the shoulder. Durak huffed and walked away, and the other two rounded the hallway into the room. Upon entering, Yang saw an unharmed but thoroughly annoyed Serana leaning against a wall, but Yang's attention shot towards what was next to her.

"O-kay, why is there a torture rack here?" Yang asked in alarm upon seeing the device behind Serana.

"Don't ask me. It was here when I arrived," Serana answered with a small twirl of her hand. Yang couldn't help but smile at her sarcastic tone, but before she could continue, Isran cut them off.

"This vampire showed up while you were away," Isran began, ignoring their banter. "Told my men who it was and that it knew you, so I'm guessing it's the one you found in Dimhollow Crypt. Says it's got something really important to say to you." He turned to glare at Serana while crossing his arms. "So, let's hear it."

Serana looked at both Yang's encouraging expression and Isran's hardened gaze, wondering which one to focus on. Eventually, she settled on staring down both. "All right. So, you've already been informed about the basics, but this is going a lot deeper." Serana nodded to herself, then swallowed. "Well…it's about me and the Elder scroll that was buried with me."

"Wait, what's up with you?" Yang asked in interest. "What are you trying to say?"

"Well, it's about the reason I was down there…and why I had the Elder Scroll" Serana admitted with a small frown. "It all comes back to my father."

"Your father," Isran groaned in contempt. "Harkon."

"Yeah, him," Serana confirmed with a sigh. "I'm guessing you figured this part out already, but my father's not exactly a good person. Even by vampire standards. He wasn't always like that, though. There was…a turn. He stumbled upon this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it."

"What prophecy is that?" Isran asked, actually finding himself interested in what she had to say.

"It's pointless and vague, like all prophecies. Which obviously means it _must_ be true," Serana joked, but only Yang chuckled at it while Isran remained unamused. Serana shook her head then continued, "The part he latched onto said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. That's what he's after. He wants to control the sun, and have vampires control the world."

"And you expect us to help you?" the Redguard asked in suspicion.

"I'm sorry, I had heard there were vampire hunters here," Serana responded, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I thought they might want to know about a vampire plot to enslave the rest of the world. Was I wrong?"

"Yeah, dude," Yang agreed. "This is the Dawnguard's whole thing. We've got to make sure they can't move forward with this."

The man grumbled. "And what do you suggest we do?"

"Well, I guess the first step is getting everyone together and coming up with a decent plan. We have some insider information, and Serana also has the Elder Scroll."

"Not like I was hiding it this time," the vampire said while thumbing the Scroll on her back.

"So, we've got the advantage there," Yang continued, gesturing with her open palm towards Serana while looking as Isran. "We also know a bit about what Harkon wants, and he's going to be after someone who can read this thing."

"A Moth Priest," Isran mumbled while stroking his beard. "One problem. All of those are on the other side of the Jeralls."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Serana argued. "Right before I snuck out, my father announced that he was spreading rumors of an Elder Scroll, hoping to get their attention and capture one to read it. While the duplicate I left might fool them for now, the moment they get a Moth Priest, the ruse is up."

"If one's in Skyrim," Isran mentioned.

"He seemed certain that it was going to work."

"I picked up on a couple of rumors," Yang mentioned. "Heck, there was a loud debate about it in Pargran. Some people are saying it's in Solitude, while others think the College of Winterhold is hiding it. I'm betting nobody suspects it's on the back of a vampire who's helping vampire hunters."

"I see…" Isran hummed to himself, then nodded. "I suppose you're right, there. But I can't afford to send out men searching for it. Finding the location is up to you. Once it's confirmed, _then_ I'll send someone to secure the Moth Priest." His glare returned to Serana. "Now, what do we do about you?"

"You, currently, nothing," Yang declared with a pointed gesture, stepping between Isran and Serana.

"So now you're standing up for it?" Isran pointedly asked, and Yang growled slightly.

"I'm standing up for the _person_ who risked everything, their life included, to bring us valuable information and get a very important asset away from our enemy," Yang countered, but Isran stared her down.

"And what's to stop me from killing it right now?" Serana definitely tensed at that, but Yang stood resolute.

"How about my fist in your jaw for a start?" Yang threatened him before catching herself and taking a breath. "Look, I get that this seems unnatural, but you're going to have to let go of your hate for a minute here and think about the bigger picture."

"I'll never let my hatred go," he swore darkly. "Not a chance. It's what keeps me strong."

"Then don't. That's your problem." Yang thrust her finger into Isran's chest. "But don't let it get in your way and become everyone else's, either."

He snarled, his gaze boring into the vampire across from him. "I still don't trust it."

"You don't trust her? Fine. Trust me."

The two stared each other down. For a moment, Serana was worried that they would come to blows, especially as Isran's fingers twitched towards the mace strapped to his hilt. Then he huffed, breaking the tension and gave Yang a sideways glance.

"Fine. It can stay for now, but if it so much as lays a finger on anyone, I'll hold you responsible. Got it?" Yang nodded, and he focused on Serana. "You hear me? Don't feel like a guest, because you're not. You're a resource. You're an asset. In the meantime, don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity."

"Thank you for your kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry," Serana dryly retorted. Yang couldn't help but crack a smile, even if she was still feeling heated about having to fight Isran on it.

"Right." Yang clapped her hands. "Let's figure out how to thwart some vampires looking to catch a Moth Priest."

* * *

Blake looked at her map, the approximate location of the Sepulcher being her main focus, but she occasionally looked towards the north, where Inigo's visions had been pointing him.

 _'_ _Definitely looking into this,'_ she thought to herself. _'_ _Once I'm back from returning the Key, that's going to be the next stop.'_

 _"What if you didn't return the Key?"_

 _'Then I'd either have to go on the run, forever, or I would have to kill basically the entire Guild. I'm not keen on either of those actions, and I stand to lose more than I gain.'_

Blake sighed. It wasn't the first time the Blade made such a suggestion. Unlike the first couple attempts, she could clearly tell the source and couldn't mistake them for intrusive thoughts.

She rolled up the Adventurer Map and walked out of her room to head downstairs. S'ahara had baked some fresh bread and sliced and buttered it up to go with some poached eggs, and her nose had convinced her mouth that it was going to be the best thing. As she sat down to help herself, she looked over and noted the Khajiit was sewing up some tears in a blanket. Next to her was also a basket of feathers and some cloth shreds. Blake recognized the pattern and felt her ears droop.

"She's still having nightmares?" she spoke up.

"Yes," the elder admitted sadly. "While she is bright and alive in the day, this one fears her dreams are still plagued by the old memories." She whimpered. "Oh, if only M'rissi dear could find peace with her old life."

"I thought she had," Blake murmured as she slowed down her chewing. "Memories…? But…the Aldmeri Sarcophagus…" She mulled it over a moment then took out her scroll. Luckily, the booth at the College of Winterhold could take text messages, so she quickly typed one up and sent it to them, letting them know she'd need to speak with Collette and Riane later. She had figured she might need to visit them to ascertain what was going on with Inigo if the search turned out to be a bust, but now it was looking like she had more reasons to seek magical aid.

"I'm going to do what I can, but I'm not sure what we can do to help her from here," Blake admitted, but the elder Khajiit didn't mind.

"Thank you, friend," S'ahara said to her with a smile. "She appreciates your kind heart and thoughts. She knows M'rissi is also comforted by them."

Blake smiled and nodded to her and proceeded to finish up her breakfast. Once she was done, she set her used dishes in the kitchen and started to head out to catch up with the other two, pausing at a thought and then going back upstairs. She opened up the room M'rissi slept in and looked to see a bed that had been patched up more than a few times and claw marks across the walls near it.

"M'rissi…" the Faunus muttered sadly before shutting the door and heading out the side exit. She soon spotted the other catfolk tending the animals. A basket of eggs was set aside, and now they were working on milking the mammals, with Inigo taking on the goats while M'rissi worked with the cow she had named Kimma.

"Everything coming out okay?" Blake asked as she walked up to the working Khajiit.

"Yes! Kimmy is a good girl being so patient while M'rissi gets the milk," she praised the cow.

"If only these hard-heads would be half as patient," Inigo griped as he moved his foot away from the goat's stomping hoof. "I know it is not me, because Kimma is just as easygoing when it's my turn to milk her as when M'rissi does it. These goats are greedy and ungrateful!"

Blake quietly laughed while shaking her head. "I'd help, but I'd probably get in the way. Where's Rayya?"

"She likes to check on Tiff," Mrissi explained. "She does not trust her witchiness. M'rissi understands, but Tiff is a nice witch who keeps her witchcrafting to herself and sometimes helps M'rissi to learn magic."

"Witchcraft, right." Blake wasn't sure about the distinction between regular magic and witchcraft. Daedra seemed involved, somehow. The Hagravens were rather obvious, but she wasn't sure how someone would be able to tell a normal, everyday female mage apart from an actual witch.

 _'_ _Something to look into,'_ Blake decided, then moved to sit down on a nearby chair.

"At least she's attentive. Well, sorry to say I'll be going south after lunch, but once I'm done, I'll swing back here. I wanted to bring that up, actually. What do you guys say we try to find out what's been messing with Inigo's mind?"

"What do I say?" the blue Khajiit spoke up while looking up from the goat. "Yes, followed by another yes. If we can get rid of whatever is plaguing my brain, then I will be a happy cat." A hoof came down on his foot, causing him to hiss and snarl as he clutched it. "Stupid…horn-headed…"

"Then that's what we'll do." Blake's eyes went to M'rissi, who was holding back a bit of laughter. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject at the moment, so she decided to leave it for another time. "Ah, that reminds me," she spoke up, distracting herself as a side benefit, "I got permission from the others. Before I go, I'm going to unlock your Auras and show you both some basics."

"Fffrrrreow? Your magic soul shield?" M'rissi asked with piqued interest.

"Yeah, that exactly," Blake agreed, not bothering to correct her on the magic part. "In fact, I recently got a little book that might help you guys along."

* * *

Weiss watched the rats move around the 'Rat Haven' as it was called. Someone had decided to do research on the effects of Skooma, Balmora Blue, Pit Fungus, and other such illicit substances and their addictions. It reminded her of the experiments done by scientists testing Angel Dust, an illicit narcotic made from tampered Dust combined with an extract from plants known as angel flowers, only here someone ended up throwing out all the results when they took in the environmental factors and started from scratch, making a large enclosure where several dozen rats could live out enriched lives full of fun stuff for rats. The results, of course, were completely different from what had been observed from the solitarily confined rats who had nothing to do but drug themselves to death, and now plans to replicate Rat Haven at the College of Winterhold and their results be sent to the College of Whispers were being formed.

The rats also doubled as snacks for some vampires. Apparently, for those who managed to work around the fact that they were drinking rats, they were basically candy.

Weiss had yet to even think of tasting them and was more taken with observing them. Plenty of rats were having fun in little wheels or pushing around tiny balls, while some just seemed to generally be socializing with other rats. A small common skeever had gotten mixed in but didn't seem to be a big disruption for the other rodents, who just seemed to treat it like they would one of their own. Yet the goal of the experiment was easily measured with a set of large, glass tubes outside of the enclosure. The one that fed into their water troughs was the most drained, likely needing a refill by the end of the day. The ones filled with mead and wine were far behind it, but still way ahead of the containers holding skooma or Balmora Blue.

Where the vampires got so much of either substance, Weiss did not know. Still, the results were promising. The enriched rats rarely ever drank from the drug troughs and sipped sparingly from the alcoholic beverages. The few that seemed to go for the drugs more often normally turned out to have some injury or were rather old for rats.

As Weiss watched one pie-bald rodent lead on a game of ball-pushing, she noticed some vampires eyeing her. One looked like a Bosmer, though of a lighter skintone than normal, while the other two were humans of some sort.

"Can I help you?" she broached them, figuring that she could quickly get whatever they wanted out of the way.

"Sorry," the elf apologized, seeming to abashedly realize what they had been doing. "You're new here, correct? You came with that Montalion-Volkihar girl?"

"You mean Gilly?" Weiss had heard that they'd confirmed the girl's original strain/clan. Apparently, Montalions could teleport much in the same way that Volkihars could phase through ice, and others from that strain were trying to teach her how. "Yes, we came together. We got out of the Volkihar Castle."

"Whew, that's a place!" one of the men said.

"About as cutthroat as Thalmor politics," the other joked.

"Ah, so I was right! What were you, then?" the Bosmer asked Weiss, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"Pardon?" Weiss requested, wanting clarification.

"Sorry, I meant which bloodline were you?" The elf explained. "We know how those pure-bloods can override a bloodline, so to speak, but it's actually more of a mixing from what's been observed."

"You're Volkihar, but you'd still have the bloodline of your first sire," the first man added.

"Ah… I'm actually…not sure." Weiss thought it over, picking out what she recalled about that first 'sire'. "Well, to start, I wasn't turned on purpose. I killed the vampire attacking me, but…" She figured telling them that they hadn't known about vampires would only lead to more questions, so she held off from that. "Well, I didn't get treated fast enough. I woke up, feeling weak in the sunlight and thirsty, not even realizing I had become a vampire until I drained a bandit of almost all his blood."

"Ah, Auri-el save us, that had to have been a shock."

"Yes." Weiss frowned, the terrible memories of that fateful day creeping back up, but she shook it off and continued. "I later found out from someone that he was called Aargin."

The three gasped and backed away a step from her in shock, surprising Weiss with the reaction.

"Wha-"

"I'm sorry, but did you say Aargin?" the second man asked. "Aargin Pinder? The Diablerist?"

"Jarmak mentioned he had committed that crime, yes." Weiss looked over the three, who were now looking towards each other for answers. "What do you know about him?"

"Aargin…used to be one of the Kindred," the elf explained. "Years ago, he was just another vampire in Duskfall Haven."

"Something happened, though," the second picked up. "Most of us didn't even know what Diablerie was before then. All the ancient ones kept a tight lip on it. But Aargin learned about it, somehow, and went on a rampage. He drained three other vampires, one of them was one of Jarmak's old childers, pretty ancient herself. He must've felt it or something, because he went right for him after that and chased him off."

"It was something else," the other human commented. "He somehow got her ice powers and they were fighting inside of the frozen areas as much as the air. Eventually they disappeared, and Jarmak came limping back and had us start filling in gaps we once just iced over with stone. After that…" He rubbed his neck, looking off to the side.

"There's no shame in it," the elf assured them. "The Haven hired a vampire hunter. Had to do it through proxy. Couldn't even use a thrall, because any vampire hunter good enough to take down someone that could match Jarmak would've seen right through it. Kept getting word of the exploits, and we were starting to think Aargin would become unstoppable with all the bloodlines he was consuming. He even got some Whet-Fangs, which we didn't even think was possible. But then we didn't hear anything else for a while, figured he was dead, but then got confirmation a few months ago. That must've been…"

"Me," Weiss realized. "That vampire hunter…he managed to weaken him but died. Aargin was little more than a feral, shriveled up corpse." She reached up and rubbed her neck. "I…need to go speak to Jarmak." As she started to walk away, she paused and looked back to the trio. "Would you…happen to know what strain he was?"

The elf shrugged while the two men shook their heads. Weiss nodded and continued on, heading towards where she believed Jarmak would be. She found him in their training room, meditating in front of the memory fountain. As she entered, he looked at her and stood to his full height.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, noticing the unease in her body language.

"Aargin," she started, not entirely certain about where to begin. "He was here. He was one of you."

Jarmak blinked slowly, then nodded in confirmation.

"Yes," the High Elf admitted. "Aargin was once one of the Kindred. But no more."

"You said you didn't know him," she accused the elder vampire. Jarmak looked to the side and sighed.

"It…was true. I did not know him."

"He was _here_!" she insisted.

"As are over a hundred other vampires," he calmly explained. "I could remember maybe half their names right now. Perhaps if they were before me, I could put a name to each face, but I cannot know that many people. This isn't even taking into account the thralls and associates who I must deal with as well."

"You made it sound like he was just some common vampire that stumbled upon some dark secret. You never said you fought him or that it was you and your Kindred that sent that vampire hunter after him. The same vampire hunter whose brother sent me after him when I didn't even know what a vampire was! Which is why I became a vampire _in the first place_!"

For a second, Weiss saw a flash of teeth under Jarmak's hood. She stepped back, a tingle of fear running up her spine as his presence enveloped her own. Everything seemed to go quiet as she felt his power eclipse everything within the Haven. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone, and Jarmak held a look of shame upon his face.

"Maybe you are right," he agreed. "If anyone deserved to know… I just…feared what may come of it." He hummed and pulled back his hood. "You know the tale of the first vampire, Lamae Beolfag?"

Weiss swallowed before answering, "Yes. The priestess…raped by Molag Bal and left for dead."

"Others like her were made, both given and taken. Daughters of Coldharbour. You've even met one. None though, were like her. She was the very first." Jarmak hung his head and looked back at the memory fountain. "Do you know the bloodlines descended from her?"

"I… No," Weiss realized. "I don't. What are they?"

"Extinct," he answered. "The first three came from three of the men who she had violated after reawakening, taking them both in death and after, Lyrezi, Selenu, and Vraseth. The last bloodline, and the one she made with full intention, was known as the Scions. They were…unpopular to mortals and other vampires alike."

"Why would…other vampires hate them?" Weiss wondered. "Were they all…?"

"Diablerie was not known in Lamae's time. If it had been, she would have taken advantage of it. No, they were hated because they stood against Molag Bal himself, attacking those who worshipped him as much as they attacked mortals. Now, they only remain in Coldharbour, whether through second death, exile, or banishment. With…one notable exception." Jarmak looked back at Weiss, who blinked in surprise.

"What? You mean…?" She shook her head. "How? You said they were extinct."

"It was believed that they were. But…Aargin found something." Jarmak pulled a green line from his forehead and led to the basin. "I interviewed and mind-searched for information about him after his betrayal. I managed…to put the pieces together." The image of a man showed, looking somewhat like a Colovian with strong Nordic influences. "Aargin Pinder was once a member of a large family that had moved from Bruma to Falkreath, years before the Great War. They had ties running back to the Five Heroes, with some members having served as stewards over properties before the Empire reclaimed them for public use, often as museums."

The smiling man was then shown frowning, and red decorated the area around him as he seemed to shrink in fear. "Without warning, a massacre occurred. His family was slaughtered. Brothers, sisters, cousins, and more were killed, seemingly for no reason. He had talked about seeing even the bodies of children littering the ground as he tried to find a way to escape."

The man was shown running with a sword in hand, being stopped by some cloaked figure who crossed blades with him. "All he could recall was that they all wielded Akaviri katanas and wore robes. He managed to kill one and slip away, hoping that he would find the nearby town and safety, believing that any other survivors would flee there as well.

"He never made it."

A much clearer image now was seen, as Aargin walked through darkened woods, barely a sliver of each moon shining off to his left. "He shared this memory with…another, who shared it with me. As he was trying to find his way, something began to draw him in, pulling him towards an old cavern." Aargin seemed to veer off, looking towards something and squinting to see, barely noticing as he walked from out of a forest and into a cave mouth. "A vampire had set up there. She seemed especially skilled at illusion spells. Aargin felt a sense of comfort as he approached, walking right into her arms."

The vampire embraced him and sunk her teeth into his throat. Aargin screamed, which seemed to surprise her, and then he ran her through. The vampire screamed as she let go and clutched at the wound after pulling herself off of the blade, giving him time to swing his sword at her. She dodged out of the way of his first two attempts, but the wound made her stagger and ended up with him lopping off her head on his third. He yelled out and touched his bleeding neck, fear taking the place of rage as he realized what had happened. The infected man then staggered out of the cave and tried to find his way.

"He was lost in those woods for several days. After the third, he died. Some time later, he awoke within a grave that had been dug up for him, some hunters finding his body just too late to help him. They had been planning to bury him, and he knew what had happened. For a time, he tried to hide. But after several years of feeding on livestock and the occasional bandit, who he would kill afterwards to ensure no spread came from him, he came across one of our farms and was recognized. They brought him to us."

Weiss saw the man turned vampire being introduced to several others in the Haven. A golden-skinned hand came up and shook his own, before the view backed away.

"I met him then, but to me, he was but another lost vampire that had found his way to us. He genuinely wanted to do better and not be lost to the thirst. For a time, he seemed to fit in well enough, but soon found himself…isolated." Aargin was seated alone, looking at the other vampires who spoke among each other. "While we are one community, most feel more drawn to those of our bloodline. Quarra, Khulari, Garlythi,…Volkihar. But we also have traits that can be traced back in our bloodlines to help identify us. And, in our time here, we have made blood tests that can help us determine which one we are."

Aargin was shown adding a drop of his blood to a small, glass bowl similar to a petri dish. The mixture changed and then split into a rainbow of colors. Other vampires looked over it, comparing it to their own and shook their heads. The man looked disappointed, staring down sadly at his reflection.

"He eventually turned to a more mystical way to discover who he was. My…friend was there when he tried the ritual. He was looking for the Daughter of Coldharbour from which his bloodline had come from, which he believed would help him. She shared the memory with me, because what happened was unbelievable."

Aargin was doing something over a flaming brazier, but the flames jumped up at him, making him back away in fear. From the blazes an image of a woman appeared before him, grabbing all of his attention.

"The ritual was meant to give him a name, perhaps a face with it. But somehow, it had called _her_ , Molag Bal's Unwilling Bride. The first vampire."

 _"_ _My child,"_ the ghostly image spoke softly, _"_ _I am Lamae Bal."_

Jarmak cut off the memory, rubbing his face for a moment as he did. He looked back at Weiss, and she looked back to him.

"She told him how, didn't she?" Weiss guessed, earning a nod. "But why did he…?"

"To free her and the others," Jarmak explained. "With enough power, he could have torn open the gates of Oblivion. Not much. Just enough to let her and a host of Scions through. A host of…his bloodline." The ancient vampire closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "She promised him vengeance against all who had wronged him and a new family. The others tried to caution him, and I…believed he would not go to such lengths. I was wrong. And for that, I lost one of my oldest friends."

Weiss blinked, recalling what she had heard.

"Your childer?"

"No. She had come from somewhere else. Perhaps from someone else who ran from Harkon's court. Still, she had been here for a very long time. Aargin…had consumed two others before he took her. There was…nothing left." He looked up and across the room. "I could have killed him then. He did not have enough power to match me."

"Then, what happened?"

"As he was weakening, I heard her crying out." He breathed in through his nose and released it slowly. "I…hesitated. I couldn't bear the thought of hurting her. Too late, I realized that I had condemned her when I did not finish him off." He rubbed his eyes and sniffed before refocusing on Weiss.

"To commit Diablerie… It's more than stealing a soul from Molag Bal. It's more than taking all the power from another vampire. Those souls stay within. They do not simply disappear. Each one taken in must be…dominated. A vampire must have the willpower to hold dominion over each and every one that they take, or it will drive them into madness. Perhaps a stronger soul within may even take them over. Even as they live, they have to stamp out the will of every other vampire within them, becoming a prison for each soul they take for the rest of eternity. To do such a thing, to coldly dominate a soul and callously beat them down day after day? Ask yourself Weiss, what kind of monster can do such a thing? What kind of being can do that to another?"

Weiss had maybe a hundred words, but not one of them seemed to really encapsulate what kind of being they were talking about.

* * *

Lydia summoned her Semblance forth, moving the shield around with movements directed by her mind and hand, testing how fast she could get it around and how far away she could reach out with it.

"What do you think of the name 'Shield of the Red Rose'?" she asked her Thane, who was munching on a sandwich. Ruby looked up and swallowed her bite before speaking.

"You mean your Semblance?"

"Yes. I thought that having a name for it would be good." Lydia then hummed in thought. "What do you call yours?"

"Uh, well, I never made up a name for it. Some folks just call it 'speed', while others called it a 'rose petal burst'. I just always thought of it as…my Semblance."

Lydia raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You mean you all came up with names for your weapons, and even for your armor in your case, but you didn't think to name your power unique to yourself and shared by no one else?"

"Uh…" Ruby drew a blank on that one. "…I guess? Oh, I know Weiss' Semblance is called "Glyphs"! Although that's probably because her Semblance is hereditary, so her family just ended up naming it after awhile."

"Wait, you mean it runs in her family?" Lydia's brow furrowed, "But I thought each Semblance is supposed to be unique?"

"Welllll I guess you could say that it's unique among Semblances by _not_ being unique...if that makes sense."

Lydia chuckled and shook her head before re-summoning the shield. "Well, it's a bit of a mouthful. How about…Floating Guardian? Hm, no… Wing Shield? Nah, doesn't fit. Ah, how about…Banner Shield? Shield Banner?"

"Sounds more like something that would destroy shields," they heard Capric say before turning to see him. He looked at Lydia's Semblance with interest and nodded. "I'm honestly amazed. I always thought there was just something different about people born on Nirn, but I guess I wasn't trying hard enough and gave up too quickly. Would you mind if I talk to your Thane for a while, housecarl?" he asked the Nord while gesturing to Ruby. "It should only take a moment."

Lydia looked over and Ruby nodded. Lydia nodded back and collected herself.

"I'll be in the atrium," she said as she left the two alone. Ruby set her lunch on a plate and walked over to Capric.

"What's up? Can't be nothing on the dragons."

"No. Hm, somewhat?" Capric closed his eyes a moment and sighed. "It's more about…what you already did. You received my letter about the dragon harrowing the White Shore?"

"Horvutokinah," Ruby recalled. "Yeah, we were at Rorickstead, but we got a couple of teleportation scrolls to take us to Whiterun and we rushed from there."

"Yes, but that's the thing. I had asked that you come and find me so that I could assist you. I knew that dragon was planning something and, from what you told us, I was right."

"Well, it turned out okay in the end," Ruby argued. "We beat him and the Dragon Priest."

"Yes, specifically because your housecarl unlocked her Aura at the exact right moment and her Semblance happened to be just the kind needed for the situation. If she hadn't or her Semblance turned out to be something entirely different, she may have died right then and you would have faced Horvutokinah alone." Ruby balked and made to object, but stopped when she recalled how his Burning Light had reduced Krosis to ash and turned his armor to slag. Only the mask, a dragon-made artifact, came out unharmed. "Could you have taken him on alone?"

"M- maybe." Lydia's death wasn't something she wanted to consider, but the possibility that it could have occurred then was too real.

"Distraught at the death of a friend and already tired from fighting so far?"

"Maybe," she quietly insisted. Capric tried to meet her gaze, and she looked away. The elven Faunus sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Look, Ruby. I'm not trying to berate you. I just want you to keep in mind that I'm here to help. If helping you means me teleporting to the middle of Windhelm to fight off a dragon you and your allies can't quite handle, then I'll do it." As she looked back up, he smirked. "I'll have to leave my work uniform at home, but I'd help."

Ruby chuckled at that, and Capric moved over to sit on the edge of his porch. She went back to her earlier seat and sat down as he got comfortable, and the two looked out across the river.

"Thanks, Cap," she said to him before picking her sandwich back up. "You're pretty cool for a Thalmor."

"I suppose it's not a high bar in Skyrim." He looked up and took in a deep breath. "Tell me Ruby, do you know what's a _very_ common trait across man, mer, and even Faunus?"

The Dragonborn tried to think it over while chewing her bite. She ignored the more obvious things like two eyes, two arms, or two legs, but nothing she could think of veered off much further than that.

"We…stand up straight?"

Capric grinned and shook his head. "We all cry as babies."

That certainly caught Ruby off-guard. "How's that… I mean, how does crying make us similar?"

"Think of all the other animals in the world and how their own babies function. Creatures like horses can run within hours after being born. Some are camouflaged, others stick out so that their parents can find them. Kittens and puppies are small and blind, but don't move much, and even when they make noise, it's so that they can picked out of the litter. Our races however, cry out about everything. We cry…so that our elders can know that something is wrong. Do you know what that means?" At the shaking of Ruby's head, he continued, "Before we learn to talk, walk, or even have the strength to hold up our own heads, our most basic instinct is to cry out for help." His smile deepened.

"That's what we are," he explained. "We are creatures who survive by helping one another." He looked back at Ruby. "So, all I'm asking is that we work to help each other."

Ruby took it all in and nodded, a smile stretching over her own face.

* * *

Yang cracked her knuckles as they all looked over the map and the plan set out above it with wood-carved pieces. The Dawnguard symbol was carved into several, most of them set on the location of the fort. Others were painted red, representing suspected vampire locations. A new one had been made for the occasion, a moth carved into its top, only it was off to the side.

"Okay," she started. "Right now, we've got next to no idea where our mothy friend is. I've got some contacts who I can instantly communicate with, so they'll let me know if anything turns up. In the meantime, we've got some vampires rearing their heads and Sorine thinks she knows how to improve the design of the crossbows with some old Dwemer schematics. You said Broken Helm Hollow?"

"Yep. At least, that's what I heard."

"Good, good. I've actually been there before. I can be there and back like that," she said with a snap for emphasis.

"There's the matter of a vampire showing itself near that new settlement, Onsen," Isran explained next. "Seems to be turning people rapidly. Possibly trying to build an army. It has to be stopped."

"Yeah, seems a bit imperative," Yang figured. "I can always swing around. Maybe the dragon Vulgahrotru can help out there? Probably doesn't like vampires messing with the flow of business."

"I can head them off," Yngvarr inserted. "Gunmar's already got one of those trolls trained. Apparently, the man just had one around, trained to wait and fight on command. Don't know how you did it, my friend."

"Coming from the guy with a pet bear," Serana muttered from her shadowy corner.

"Well, if you can." Yang turned to look at the lone elf among them. "Rumarin, wanna back him up or head out with me?"

"Sorry, Yngvarr," the elf apologized to the werebear. "But between fighting an army of vampires and finding some notes in a cave, I think I'll take the notes. Besides, I might just slow you down."

"Oh, so you'll slow me down?" Yang teased him.

"Honestly, you need to slow down sometimes."

"Save the banter for later," Isran said. "Yang, how 'instant' is your communication with your friends?"

Yang took out her scroll and called up Ruby while staring Isran straight in the eyes. "Hey sis, how are ya? Where you at?"

 _"_ _Hey, Yang. Uh, still outside of Solitude. Lydia and I were about to pack up and head over to Berk,"_ Ruby's voice answered over the speaker, not seeing how the entirety of the Dawnguard's attention was focused squarely on her.

 _"_ _Berg,"_ Lydia corrected her from a distance _. "Seriously, my Thane? That one wasn't even difficult."_

Ruby chuckled. _"_ _I did that one on purpose to mess with her. Oh, cool thing! Did you know Harpy feathers are naturally magical? It's how they can fly even though their wings aren't nearly big enough to lift something of their weight. Vertina gave me some and I stitched them to my armor, and now it's a bit lighter."_

"Oh, that is cool. You'll have to tell me more about it later. I was just giving these guys an example of how fast we can communicate."

 _"_ _Oh. Vampire hunter guys?"_

"Vampire hunter guys," Yang confirmed.

 _"_ _That's cool. Tell 'em to keep up the good work but not to go crazy with it."_

"They read you loud and clear. Love ya, Rubes."

 _"_ _Love you, too. Bye."_

She hung up and saw Sorine staring at her scroll in wonder while Isran stroked his chin. From the look in his eyes, his thoughts were racing a mile-a-minute about the potential use of such technology, then quickly came to a decision.

"Where can we get something like that for the Dawnguard?" he asked. Yang nodded, having expected this response.

"It'll take a bit. They're pretty expensive to make, and the ones we've been putting together are bigger than this."

"Write up a bill, then," Isran replied immediately. "We could use it. Knowing where your men are on the battlefield at any given moment is an asset that cannot be overlooked."

"Sure. I can even put in the order with the College of Winterhold if you'd like. Quickest way to get it at the moment, since my friends are on the other side of the country right now."

"Good." Isran looked back at the map and nodded. "We have our missions for now. Everyone, rest up and head out the moment you're able."

The gathered group began to disperse, but Yang went over to Isran and caught his attention.

"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," she started.

"What is it?" he demanded gruffly. Yang, by now used to that aspect of him, took it in stride.

"About when we entered," she clarified. "You had that thing shining down on us to check if we were vampires. Just…what would you have done if one of the other two turned out to be vampires?"

"You probably think I would've had them killed then and there, right?" Yang didn't answer, figuring it was rhetorical. "Well, that would've depended on _their_ next action. I would've offered a cure, and see if they take it."

 _That_ surprised Yang. She looked at him in shock for what felt like a solid minute.

"Did you say…a cure?" she asked incredulously.

"Surprised?" He laughed mirthlessly. "Yes, there's a cure. An old associate of mine discovered it. Works with any strain, but there is a cost to it."

"Oh my god! Who?! Where?!" she shouted, causing Isran to back away from her and grimace.

"Calm down," he demanded. "Stendarr's mercy! Why do you want… Oh, I see. You want someone to be cured."

"Yeah, no shit. Now where is this guy?"

"Morthal. He's an alchemist who goes by the name of Falion."

"Falion?" Yang almost felt embarrassed. "Geez, I've been through Morthal a dozen times. I'm a _Thane_ there. Heh, I guess this means he's the opposite of what everyone accuses him of being."

"Don't be so sure," Isran warned her. "He discovered this ritual as a result of nearly going into necromancy. He stopped himself from going too far, and I'm not bragging when I say I helped there, but this ritual skirts on the edges of the profane. It's still bringing the dead back to life, in a way, after all."

"Hey, as long as we don't have to sacrifice a little kid or something like that." Yang took a deep breath. "All right. I need to go make a call."

"Don't go spreading this too far," Isran warned her before she could take off. "There are those who believe vampires should have no chance at returning to life on both sides. Some of them will go to great lengths to ensure that Falion's work can't be continued."

"Hey, I can keep a secret," Yang assured him. "You only figured out a bit of one because of the situation."

"Yes… Which only brings up _many_ more questions about you."

"Sorry dude, but…secrets." Yang shrugged and walked away, taking out her scroll when she figured she was far enough from anyone who could listen in.

"Hey, Weiss? Yeah, listen," she whispered. "I think I've found a cure."


	72. Truths Bitter and Sweet

You better watch out. You better watch out. You better watch out! You Better Watch Out! Christmas is coming and I will never be ready. Early present for all of you lovelies. Also from our favorite xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor

* * *

Chapter 65: Truths Bitter and Sweet

* * *

 _14th of Evening Star_

* * *

 _The cave was dark and damp, and the two creatures said to live within it stood before him several feet away, a Winged Twilight and a Frost Atronach, shaped almost like an armored man. Between the odd couple and himself lay a body, the face pointed his way with the jaw slack, revealing two fangs._

'The vampire,' _he figured. He knew what the undead had been after. Molag Bal had, essentially, put out a bounty on his own daughter and her lover, the very two Daedra before him at this moment._

 _He shifted his footing and looked to them both, both sides watching the other to see what they might do. Slowly, he let go of his hilt and let his hand sway by his side before reaching up._

 _Everything changed. A desolate landscape dotted with wicked-looking architecture and blue pyres stretched out in every direction. Screams echoed out across the land, rising and falling with such frequency that there was never a moment of quiet. A woman came into view, cloaked in white and giving off a sort of radiance even as her eyes burned with red rage. Some emaciated souls saw her coming and moved from her path, looking at her in a mix of awe and fear._

 _Lamae Bal barely paid them any heed, walking with purpose towards a goal. She passed by scenes of torture, where Xivkyn were doling out torment after torment to the mortal souls under their custody. One was having the skin peeled off his body, going from the fingers and toes and gradually being ripped away from his flesh. Another was being stretched from his hips and shoulders, tears in his torso speaking of the threat of his body being ripped in half. A woman was being shoved into a boiling cauldron, trying to rip herself free of them to no avail before a lid was slammed atop and locked on. The cauldron wobbled as her muffled screams reached out, but stayed on its feet. Other horrifying scenes were abound, but Lamae paid them no heed as she continued forward._

 _Within the entry chamber of a massive castle, mortals hung from the ceiling among a forest of chains in a way that seemed almost comfortable to the earlier goings-on. Vampires roamed among them, sniffing and taking bites, trying to draw out whatever vitae could be found lingering within the damned souls. Further in, more tortures were being applied by vampires and Daedra alike, ranging from common torments like flogging and beating to the most unspeakable of actions._

 _Past there, however, was a massive chamber in which a single device was restraining one being, which was being tended to by the monstrous form of Molag Bal. The Daedric Prince was setting the newest of several hooks with the precision of a tailor into the torso of a being with Aargin's face, which was somewhere between the normal look he once held and the shriveled visage he bore just before death. Molag noticed Lamae's entrance and paused in his actions for just a moment._

 _"_ _ **Ah, my lovely bride!"**_ _he greeted her, making his way over to the vampire with a smile on his gruesome face. "_ _ **Have you come to see how your child fares in the care of your lord?"**_

 _"You are not my lord," she denied with venom. Rather than seem angered or offended, Molag Bal laughed at the objection._

 _"_ _ **I love that fight in you. Oh, I hope it lasts for many more millennia before…you…break,"**_ _he enunciated, leaning over and whispering the words into her ear. Lamae simply kept walking forward until she was at Aargin's side. He looked up at her, his eyes begging her for help. She reached out and caressed his cheek in a motherly fashion, which seemed to calm him, at least somewhat._

 _Molag reached over and pulled some sort of lever, activating pulley devices above, and the chains began clinking before they began pulling the hooks. Pain overtook Aargin as he screamed, his intestines being ripped out and slowly pulled from his body, trailing out of the holes ripped through his skin. Lamae looked up from him, her countenance cold even as the man next to her screamed himself hoarse._

 _"Must we suffer here for all of eternity?" She turned, and Weiss suddenly felt her gaze upon her as she saw crimson tears leaking from the Blood Matron's eyes. "Will you leave your family here, my child?"_

Weiss awoke screaming.

* * *

Cold breath left her lips, going forward like a hazy mist and freezing the Altmer before her solid. The young woman took a few breaths, and then Jarmak stepped out of the ice, leaving behind a hollow shell shaped like him.

"Well done," he complimented her before turning back to look at the ice. "You grasped our freezing breath technique far more easily."

"I guess I did," Weiss agreed before wiping her mouth and gazing down. Jarmak looked back at her, and she tried to look up and meet his gaze.

"I… I had…a nightmare." Her eyes turned down again before she brought her face back up. "It… I thought you might have…heard about it."

"Hm, I did," he admitted. "Nightmares are not so uncommon for our kind. I wanted to see if you would be the one to bring it up."

"If I didn't?" Weiss quietly asked.

"Then I would have considered whether it was worth asking. After all, you may have not considered it worth mentioning for a reason."

"I suppose." She crossed her arms and leaned on her left leg. "Well, uh, I… It was about… It started as one of the…Nerevarine Dreams that I have. There was…a cave, where someone called Molag Grunda was."

"Molag Grunda. Said to be the daughter of Molag Bal," Jarmack said.

"How does… How would that work?" Weiss wondered, both disturbed and genuinely curious.

"Hm, it is nearly impossible to know of the goings-on in the minds of the Daedra, much less the Daedric Princes. But, if I were to guess, she once served as an extension of Molag Bal's will in a specific form that took on an identity of its own. This is mere conjecture, however." He hummed as he scratched his chin. "Molag Grunda _was_ noted to be in Vvardenfel during the time of the Nerevarine's rise. Rumor had it that Molag Bal was offering a cure for any vampire that slayed her and her Frost Atronach lover."

"How does that wo- No, actually, I'd prefer to _not_ know how that works." Weiss tried to shake the unbidden images of an Ice Atronach making love to a Winged Twilight. It was hard enough stopping herself from remembering what she once read about a man summoning a Fire Atronach… And now she was remembering that! She began smacking her head, then opened her eyes. "Wait… He was offering a cure…for anyone who would kill his own daughter?"

"Hm, well, as a Daedra, she would not so much die as be sent back to Oblivion, where she would be under his direct influence. A few of the Kindred tried to venture out to take advantage of this. A few returned, having been too late. She was whisked away under the protection of Azura, thanks to the Nerevarine. No one knows what deal passed between the refugee demi-prince and the Prince of Twilight, save perhaps those two and a select few witnesses." He hummed. "You said this was how it began?"

"Yes, well, everything…changed," Weiss continued on. "I began seeing some dark, gloomy world and…I just _knew_ that it was Coldharbour. There were screams everywhere. Torture going on all over the place. The… The things that were being done… Jarmak, it was Hell. There's no other way to describe it." Weiss clenched her arms and rubbed them, as though trying to warm them back up as she shivered at the memory. "It was like how the Temple of Deus describes Tartarus and the Mountaineers' vision of Hel combined to create some cold realm of agony. But…" Weiss took in a deep breath before slowly, painfully describing the nightmare step by step to the elder vampire, who listened patiently. When it was over, he hummed and closed his eyes.

"Troubling," he concluded after a moment of thought.

"Troubling?" Weiss asked in disbelief. "What if… What if somehow by finding out what I am, what my original bloodline is, she's made a connection to me and is going to haunt me for the rest of my days?"

"Then that is what happens, and you must learn to live with it."

Most of her fear replaced with annoyance, Weiss managed to scoff. "Seriously?"

"I am sorry, child, but there is really nothing in my experience that could help us here," he explained. "It may be that this is how your nightmares have chosen to manifest. It is not unusual. In fact, that you have dreams that could be seen as pleasant is what's truly unusual. Most of us must suffer nightmares if we view anything in our sleep at all. Perhaps this is only you and not the actual Lamae Bal reaching for you."

"I'm not sure which is worse," Weiss admitted. "Part of me…doesn't want people to suffer so horribly. Even wicked vampires like some of them must have been. But a better part of me knows bringing them back to Nirn, no matter the way it's done, would be worse for so many more people."

"That is true," Jarmack agreed and hummed. "Even if the process of opening the way for them was harmless, letting them back would not be. Truly 'good' vampires are few and far between. I would chance that even most of the Kindred refrain from their more wicked tendencies simply out of self-interest rather than a wish to actually be good."

"A rather…cynical way to think about it," Weiss noted grimly.

"At least I should never be disappointed," he pointed out with a slight laugh. Weiss slowly shook her head when she felt her scroll vibrating. She took it out of her pouch to see that it was Yang calling, then answered it.

"Yes?"

 _"_ _Hey, Weiss? Yeah, listen,"_ the blonde began in a rushed tone.

"Yang? What's the matter? You sound like you're-"

 _"_ _I think I found a cure."_

Everything seemed to stop at that moment. Weiss' breathed hitched as all went silent. It seemed as though all of time had decided to cease as the heiress took in what her teammate just said and tried to process it. It seemed so simple a statement, yet something with far more meaning behind it.

 _"_ _Weiss?"_

"You mean…for vampirism?" she finally, slowly got out. Weiss' statement seemed to catch Jarmak's complete and undivided attention, and the old Altmer quickly began to realize that whatever this 'Yang' was telling his latest pupil, it was of great significance.

 _"_ _Yes. I just learned about it."_

Weiss turned toward Jarmak. "We need a Muffle over this room."

"Silence would do more, I believe," he said before casting the spell. Weiss felt the magic surround them, then set her scroll to speaker.

"Where did you hear about this?" Weiss practically demanded her friend.

 _"_ _Uh, just learned about it from Isran."_ Video feed then popped on-screen, showing Yang's confused face. _"_ _Wait, who's that guy?"_

"This is Jarmak. Don't worry, I trust him," Weiss explained to her. "Yang says she thinks she's found a cure."

"You do?" he inquired with a hum, stroking his thin beard. "It seems Azura's dream had purpose."

 _"_ _Yeah, well, like I said, Isran just told me about it. You sure we can trust him Weiss? Not casting doubt on your judgement or anything, but this is some sensitive information."_

"It's fine. He's been searching for a cure for millennia, Yang. We can trust him."

 _"_ _All right."_ Yang nodded on the screen; an utmost serious expression plastered on her face as she regarded both vampires. _"_ _The guy who knows it is Falion, in Morthal. Don't have any real specifics, but I know the guy. He's a good man, despite the rumors."_

"Rumors that he is a necromancer abound the Hold," Jarmak commented. "Of course, to us, that would hardly matter, but it seems he brings another sort of dead back to life."

"Are we sure this is right?" Weiss asked, practically pleading. "Isran is that vampire hunter, isn't he? Would he really want vampires cured?"

 _"_ _Isran can be a huge ass, trust me, but he's not the kinda guy to lie. He was pretty genuine about it, and the conversation leading up to it could've been avoided if he made up basically anything else. Besides, if Falion_ is _the one with the cure, then you can bet he'll be good to you."_

"He did act favorably towards you," Weiss commented as she remembered the brief visit to his shop back during her short time in Morthal. Yang had explained that he was just so thankful for not being immediately accused of anything within the range of Daedra worship, necromancy, or pedophilia that he warmed up to her almost instantly. Apparently, the number of people who had never looked down upon him could be counted on someone's fingers, and one of them was his sister.

 _"_ _Yeah, so at the very least, it's worth checking on. Heck, isn't there like a couple dozen vampires looking for a cure there?"_

"More like a couple hundred," Weiss mentioned off-handedly. "All right, well, we're fairly close to Morthal, and Ruby was about to head this way." She nodded. "Yeah, I think I could fly over there and regroup with Ruby while looking into it. If it turns out to be legitimate…" She lifted her hand and watched herself clench and unclench her fist. "Well, we know what happens next."

"I am…surprised," Jarmak admitted, the faint hints of hope filling his voice. "I never would have guessed that a cure was so close to us." He hummed and nodded. "We'll keep this quiet for now. We don't need all of the Kindred rushing into Morthal. That could…easily cause a misunderstanding."

 _"_ _And if word gets out and someone who would rather vampires didn't get cured learns about it,"_ Yang added _, "they might try to stop it all."_

"Who would do such a thing?" Weiss wondered aloud.

"Vindictive vampire hunters," Jarmak suggested. "Overzealous purists. Believers of predetermined punishment. Or, simply, vampires who don't want there to be a cure."

"…Oh," she slowly realized. If there was any one person who would've wanted a possible cure destroyed, Harkon would definitely be a candidate.

"You'll be wanting to ready yourself for travel," the elder vampire then stated.

"Yes, I will. Thank you for understanding." Weiss' eyes then widened. "Wait, if this works, then that will make all of this training…"

"It will not be pointless, trust me," he assured her. "While they are abilities of the Volkihar clan, they are not without their equivalents. Material phasing is a known, if advanced, Alteration spell. And freezing something solid is certainly not outside your range of abilities."

Weiss smiled and nodded. "You're right. Either way, thank you for everything." She stood up straighter and looked him in the eyes. "I'll let you know once I've confirmed whether or not this is a true cure. Until then, I suppose I'll be up on the surface."

 _"_ _While you're at it, we still have your pig,"_ Yang reminded her. _"_ _And you can bet Toggle misses you. You guys should be heading here after Ruby's stop at Winterhold, so you can get him then."_

"Ah, yes." Weiss recalled how much she preferred riding the great boar compared to a horse. Sure, she could fly – actually fly now with how her wings developed – but being able to relax on a trip left her more time to think and do things. Plus, she actually did miss the beast a good bit. "I'll get him back from you, then."

 _"_ _Please do."_ Yang stated plainly. _"_ _He's eating everything. Literally, everything."_

Weiss covered up a laugh. "Don't worry. I'll take him off your hands."

* * *

Blake stirred the campfire as Glathriel, the small Bosmer woman she had met while traveling last night, came out and started to skewer some meat to warm over the flames. She happened upon the elf's camp just as the sun was setting the previous night, and she was willing to share her fire. Blake was cautious, of course, but the night was getting cold and she likely needed to stop and rest anyways. The Sepulcher was nearby, if Karliah's instructions were right, but she didn't want to go searching for it in the dark with hungry predators prowling about in the freezing cold. She ended up taking a few naps up in a tree, further from the fire than she would like, but secure in the knowledge that she was safe and hidden and that warmth was just a hop away.

It seemed she didn't need to worry, though. Glathriel was nice, if a bit quiet. Still, as the sun finally started peaking over the tree line, Blake was wondering about the Bosmer. She didn't tell the Faunus much, and what little she shared made more questions in Blake's mind.

"You're sure about those vampires?" she asked, her ears flicking around, trying to pick up any strange sounds.

"Yes. They're nice," Glathriel answered before sticking some apple on her skewers. Blake waited a moment before pressing further.

"It's not that I don't trust your judgement," she said, even though that was exactly what it was, "but I'd feel a bit better about it if you extrapolated a little."

The elf stopped and looked up for a moment in thought, then went back to adding to her meal. "There were other vampires that were bad. They got rid of them."

"…That works, I suppose." Blake figured they should be looked into just in case, but that was something for later. She could do it on her way back to Lakeview. As sunlight finally started to pour in and turn the frost it touched into mist, Blake prepared to set off.

"Well, thanks for letting me stick around. Hope you find what you're looking for."

Glathriel was still for a moment before nodding. "Thank you. Safe travels."

Blake took off towards the south, soon following the edges of the mountains as they turned in. Several wild goats and deer scattered as she came in, some of them heading up the mountainsides only to pause and look back at her as she continued on. The edges slowly came together to form a short ravine, at the end of which the animals that had gone forward were forced to turn and either rush past Blake or struggle up steep cliffsides. Where the feet of two mountains joined, Blake saw an ancient-looking door. The sigil on it seemed to glow to her before the door opened. She walked into the cavernous tunnel and into the winding way until she emerged into a massive chamber, the head of which had a wide set of stairs leading to a hallway entry that led further in, At the foot of the stairs stood a ghost, it's ephemeral attire an exact match for the Nightingale Armor.

 _"I don't recognize you,"_ the spirit said as Blake approached, _"_ _but I sense that you're one of us. Who are you?"_

"Blake Belladonna," she answered before tapping the symbol on her black vest, causing it to expand into the full Nightingale Armor in wispy shadows. "And who are you?"

 _"_ _The last of the Nightingale Sentinels, I'm afraid,"_ he answered. _"_ _I've defended the Sepulcher alone for what seems like an eternity."_

"The last?" Blake asked in surprise. "What happened?"

 _"We were betrayed by one of our own kind. In fact, I'm to blame for what's happened here."_ The ghost hung his head at that. _"I was blinded. Blinded by dark treachery masquerading as friendship. Perhaps if I had been more vigilant, then Mercer Frey wouldn't have lured me to my fate and stolen the Skeleton Key."_

"Wait, hold on a second," Blake requested as she came to a realization. "You're Gallus?"

The ethereal being turned its head up, as though in deep thought and remembrance. _"I haven't heard that name in a long time. How do you know of me?"_

"Well, first from Brynjolf and the others, then from Karliah," she explained.

 _"Karliah... She's still alive?"_ Gallus asked in disbelief. _"_ _I feared she'd befallen the same fate, ending up a victim of Mercer's betrayal."_

"No, she managed to escape him." Blake reached into her pouch, the magic of the armor letting her hand do so, somehow, and pulled out the Daedric artifact nestled there. "We fought Mercer, and I've brought the Skeleton Key back."

 _"The Key!"_ he shouted in surprise and joy. _"_ _You have the Skeleton Key! I never thought I'd see it again. And Mercer Frey?"_

"Dead," she said simply.

 _"Then...it's over and my death wasn't in vain."_ Gallus nodded gratefully, and despite the cowl covering his face, Blake knew he was smiling. _"I owe you a great deal, Blake Belladonna."_

"Don't mention it. It was the right thing to do." She made to hand it over, but the ghost did not move to take it. "Um, do you want to return it?" she asked awkwardly.

 _"Nothing would bring me more pride than to return the Key, but I'm afraid it's impossible. From the moment I arrived here, I've felt myself... well... dying."_

"But…you're already dead. How can you be dying?"

 _"The Sepulcher isn't merely a temple or a vault to house the Key,"_ Gallus explained. _"_ _Within these walls is the Ebonmere...a conduit to Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam. When Mercer stole the Key, that conduit closed, severely limiting our ties to her."_

"Ah great," she moaned before looking behind him at the beginning of the halls. "That means I've got to take it all the way there."

 _"I'm afraid so. I'm weakening, and I can feel myself slipping away. The years without restoration of my power have taken their toll. Whatever damage has been caused can only be corrected by following the Pilgrim's Path to the Ebonmere and replacing the Key."_

"All right." She sighed and started moving her muscles around to limber up. "Anything you can tell me? Karliah said she's never used the Pilgrim's Path."

 _"I wish I could help you, but I've been a prisoner in this very chamber for the last quarter century. The only possible help I've come across are the remains of some poor fellow who was trying to follow in your footsteps."_ He looked over to the side of the cavern and Blake followed his sight, seeing a near-skeleton with shredded and decayed clothes and a sack. _"_ _Perhaps his journal can help?"_

"Thank goodness for the Temple of Akatosh, right?" she joked while walking over and checking the body. Along with a journal that she leafed through to check the legibility of, there was a handful of coins scattered among now useless items like a weathered quill and dry inkpot. Next to the decomposing corpse was an old war axe, but she wasn't sure if it was his or the reason he died.

" _'_ _Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers,'_ " Blake read aloud when she reached the clues this apparent Nystrom had penned.

 _"_ _The Nightingale Sentinels,"_ Gallus said.

"Is something wrong with them, or is it like a test?"

 _"_ _Normally they would be cognizant, and you could have been diplomatic as you passed through,"_ Gallus explained, a regretful tone in his echoing voice. _"But with the Ebonmere closed, and their sudden severance from the realm of Evergloam, I fear they've undergone a drastic change. They're shadows of their former selves. They no longer remember their true purpose or their original identities."_

"Every day I hate Mercer a little more," Blake groaned before closing the journal and putting it aside. "You didn't end up like that, though."

 _"My spirit didn't manifest itself in the Sepulcher immediately, so fortunately I wasn't present when the Ebonmere was sealed. However, ever since that day, I've felt my power waning... slowly draining away."_

"I see. Don't worry, I'll get the key where it's supposed to go." She nodded to him and started heading towards the hall. "Wish me luck."

 _"_ _I shall. Good luck, Nightingale."_

Blake smiled as she entered the Path. Her veil began showing human-shaped glows behind walls and the like, and so she immediately began softening her steps and kept mindful of the height and width of her surroundings, ducking down when she left the walls and hid in the shadows of an urn. Below, she saw what looked like a small auditorium, with a strange podium at the head of it. A Nightingale-like ghost stood near the bottom, seeming to watch a hall entrance that likely led further into the Pilgrim's Path. Blake drew the Nightingale Blade quietly and slowly snuck up behind the spirit, driving it into his back while trying to grasp the ghost's mouth. It seemed to work, and the Nightingale Sentinel moaned in apparent pain before dissolving into ectoplasm.

"Sorry," she whispered before continuing on. Further in, she spotted a feminine form ahead of her with a bow in hand. The archer saw Blake approach and nocked an arrow.

 _"_ _Who walks among the dea-"_ Blake dashed by, swiping the sword through the ghost's neck and leaving her to fall and dissolve.

Things changed significantly past the next door. The place was pitch black in places with braziers giving off bright light that seemed to be unable to fully illuminate the room. Blake saw a fresher body just outside the darkness close to her, so she went over and reached out to it. However, as the light washed over her arm, she began to feel burning as steam rose off of the limb. She screamed and drew back, the pain disappearing almost instantly, but not the sudden fright it had given her. She looked back at the light cast by the brazier and then pulled the journal back out to check it again.

 _Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden the murk yet contentious of the glow._

"Stick to shadows," she mumbled to herself before looking forward. "I can appreciate poetic prose, but why couldn't he have just described the death trap warnings plainly?" She walked carefully, mindful of the light and how far it reached and staying in the darkness. It wasn't too much of a problem for her, but she knew that in a lot of the places where she was having a little trouble a human or elf would probably not see anything. She was able to see and step over some tripwires, likely connected to some traps, and stuck to the shadows all the way through, coming across another body out in the light just before she exited.

Further down Blake came up to yet another body and an old, bronze statue that she assumed was of Nocturnal. A plate was set before the statue with some septims and gems on it, but the place looked like a dead end. She may have even assumed it was the end and try sticking the Key in the statue somehow, but the journal still held more clues.

" _'_ _Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt, or carried.'_ " While Blake wasn't completely sure what that meant, she figured the answer was in the room itself. Looking around, she found a chain next to one of the large sconces and pulled it. The fire went out immediately, and so she looked at the one on the other side, found another chain, and pulled it as well. With the hall bathed in shadows, a secret door behind the statue opened up.

"I'd argue about not being able to _see_ a shadow, but…"

As she walked into the next room, she recognized a flagstone that looked looser than its neighbors and avoided it. Unfortunately, the trigger to a narrow hallway of pendulum axes must have been a lot more subtle as they activated. Blake sighed and readied herself, jumping through immediately after one of the shorter swings, coming to stop just before she almost stepped on another loose flagstone. She sighed in relief, then opened the double doors next to it, only to have to drop onto her knees and back, watching as a ram trap passed over her, going through where her chest would have been. As it reeled itself back up, she got back to her feet from her limbo position and glared at the deadly trap before shaking her head and moving on.

As Blake snuck beneath the notice of another ghost, she came across a door and tried it to find it was locked. Deciding it wouldn't hurt, she took out the Skeleton Key and unlocked it. The door swung open, and she realized she was looking at the place right before the pendulums. She had somehow gone in a circle and not even noticed. As a few curses ran through her mind, she rechecked her steps and came upon another hallway, following it all the way until she reached a deep pit. A decayed corpse was at the bottom, in a similar state to Nystrom. Blake opened the journal again and looked at the last clue.

 _The journey is complete, the Empress' embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion._

 _'For an average person, this would be a death trap,'_

Blake figured. Even if they didn't break their legs after dropping down, few people she had in mind could hope to jump or climb out of a pit so deep. Of course, she was one of those few, so she hopped down. For a second, she waited, but when nothing happened she went over to search the other corpse. An old, frayed note was left nearby, so she read it.

 _I can't believe it. I came all this way, solved all of those ridiculous riddles just to end up here! After I memorized Nystrom's clues he'd collected from Lythelus, I slit his throat. Now I guess the joke's on me, because I'm stuck here and I don't see a way out. Hope someone comes by soon, I'm getting hungry._

Blake shook her head and stood up straight before looking around. The idiot got himself stuck in a religious test and was somehow surprised to find that he didn't pass. Well, she probably wouldn't have either, but she wasn't here for that. Blake took out the Skeleton Key again and looked over it before looking at the cracked surface of the stone beneath her. She held the Key tightly and crouched down before pressing its teeth to the center. The ground underneath her seemed to simply disappear, and she landed on her feet onto an iridescent indigo disk, encircled by gold plating, with a single brass slotted circle at the center. She gazed upon it for a moment, then took the Key and set it into the slot. The disk began to shift, going up from the center in a wave of circles that then came down, becoming enveloped by a liquid-like pool of glowing blue as three spikes came out equidistant from each other around the circle. Crows and ravens, or some facsimile of the creatures, practically poured forth from the portal, flying straight up through the skylight above before the shapely form of a beautiful woman rose out and hovered above the opened portal, a crow perched on one arm and a raven on the other.

 _"_ _My, my. What do we have here?"_ Nocturnal began after she emerged. _"_ _It's been a number of years since I've set foot on your world. Or perhaps it's been moments. One tends to lose track. So…once again the Key has been stolen and a 'champion' returns it to the Sepulcher. It's almost strange. Were you not at all tempted to use the Key on yourself? To unlock your true potential as the betrayer did?"_

"Honestly, the temptation was there," Blake admitted. She figured lying to the Daedric Prince wouldn't go over well. "I saw the things he was able to do. Hell, the handful of things I figured out with it were..." Unable to really find the words, she sighed. "But it wouldn't have done much in the end. I agreed to return the Key, and once it was back everything would have been locked again, all the potential powers included." She shrugged, feeling a little more comfortable now that the surprise of being in a literal god's presence had worn off. "Besides, I figure using something like a Daedric artifact on myself like that would have...unwanted consequences."

 _"_ _Mm, how cautious. You presumed correctly, child. A deal was struck, and delaying the return of the Key for your own use would have been...unwise. Dear Mercer caused more than enough trouble on his own, and I will be visiting my displeasure upon him throughout his eternal stay in the Evergloam."_ Blake felt a shiver run up her spine at that. She had almost forgotten his connection as a Nightingale, and even then wasn't sure if it was still there. Now, she had just had it confirmed to her own ears. She had basically consigned the man to some sort of Hell.

 _'Not your fault,'_ she told herself. _'He would have ended up there one way or the other. He could have stopped at any time, and you were defending yourself.'_

 _"Such is the fate of those who would betray me. I have little patience for such foolishness. Ah, now that Ebonmere has been restored, you stand before me awaiting your accolades; a pat on your head...a kiss on your cheek."_

"No," Blake cut in. "I don't need anything. I don't really _want_ anything, either. I did this as a favor to a friend."

 _"_ _Did you? Quite the favor it is, then. And yet, this would have occurred all the same. Whether you cared for a friend, for riches, or for yourself, there was still the Oath you struck, altered or otherwise. This was simply completing your end of the deal."_

"Yeah, that's true I suppose," Blake admitted.

 _"_ _And it is done. See to it that the Key stays this time, won't you?"_ the Daedric Prince said before sinking back down into the portal. Blake wondered for a moment if she could step into it herself, then decided that was definitely not a good idea, even as a hypothetical. She turned, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw another, corporeal Nightingale standing nearby.

"I'm glad you were able to bring the Key back safely," she said, Blake recognizing it as Karliah. "Nocturnal seemed quite pleased with your efforts."

"When the he- Never mind," she said in defeat as she just accepted that Karliah was a whole other level of stealthy. "Honestly, she didn't sound all that pleased to me."

"I wouldn't take that to heart. It's her way. Think of her as a scolding mother continually pushing you harder to be successful; outwardly sounding angry but silently content. I assure you, had she been displeased with you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Well, _that's_ reassuring," Blake groaned before looking around, noticing three, magically glowing, doorway-shaped constructs around the room. "Portals?"

"Yes. Each can return you either to the entrance of the Sepulcher or to a portal connecting this place to Nightingale Hall."

"Convenient," she noted before thinking over something for a moment. "Don't suppose I can bring a friend through?"

"No. It is exclusively for the use of the Nightingales. Even if they were able to somehow enter one of these places, I would not risk Nocturnal's wrath by letting through the uninitiated. Only Nightingales or her priests may enter safely."

"Where are those guys, anyways?" Blake wondered aloud.

"Possibly fled. The Sepulcher has gone without its protections for many years. It may be a while before things return to normal."

"Yeah, probably." Blake walked over to one of the portals and looked at it for a moment. "So, how does it work?"

"Turn the dial to a half-moon for the Hall, and a full moon for the entrance."

With it set to a full moon, Blake poked her head through and looked around to see that she was looking at the large cavernous entrance of the Sepulcher.

"Huh, neat," she said after stepping back in. "So, what now?"

"Now, your life as a Nightingale begins," Karliah explained. "With the Ebonmere reopened, we will regain the full range of Nightingale powers, and luck will return to the Guild. Should the need arise, you'll be summoned to the Sepulcher in order to defend it."

"Okay, and how about you?"

"The Guild has welcomed me back with open arms." Blake could almost feel the smile on her face as she spoke. "I feel like a void in my life has finally been filled. I only hope that this isn't an ending to things, but actually the beginning."

"Beginning of what?"

"Why, perhaps the greatest crime spree Skyrim's ever known," she said with excitement. "There are pockets brimming with coin and coffers overflowing with riches ripe for the picking."

Blake couldn't help it. She burst out into laughter and received a glare from Karliah for it.

"What's so funny?"

"Sorry," the Faunus got through her winding down chuckles. "Just…normally, when you imagine making the last step in a grand quest like this, you don't imagine one of the heroes saying, 'welp, time to commit crimes.'"

"For shame, Blake," the Dunmer chided. "We may be Nightingales, but we're still thieves at the end of the day."

"Yeah, well, for me it's a bit different." Blake saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a ghost stepping through one of the portals. He looked over to the Dunmer and went still.

 _"Karliah?"_ he asked in surprise

"Gallus!" she exclaimed before rushing towards him, pulling back her hood and taking his ghostly hands in hers. "I feared I would never see you again. I was afraid you'd become like the others."  
 _  
"If it were not for the actions of this Nightingale, your fears would have come true,"_ he said while nodding towards Blake. _"_ _She honors us all."_

"What will you do now, my love?"

 _"Nocturnal calls me to the Evergloam."_ The ghost looked over to the Ebonmere as he said it. _"_ _My contract has been fulfilled."_

"Will I ever see you again?" Karliah asked, mournful regret filling her voice.

 _"When your debt to Nocturnal has been paid, we'll embrace once again,"_ he promised her. She shut her eyes, and then the two wrapped their arms around one another. Blake almost felt like she was intruding by being there for such a tender moment, and fought the urge to shuffle back. After they separated, Gallus walked over to the edge of of the portal, stopping to look back one last time.

"Farewell, Gallus. Eyes open... walk with the shadows," Karliah said, tears threatening to pour out of her eyes.

 _"Goodbye, Karliah."_ He stepped forward, and then he sank into the indigo light, disappearing from the mortal realm. Karliah walked over and looked down at the Ebonmere, remaining silent for a long moment.

"Gallus's Oath has been paid. His actions have satisfied the terms," she said, probably as much to herself as it was to Blake. "Now his spirit becomes one with the Evergloam, the realm of perpetual twilight and the cradle of shadow."

"He's gone."

"No, not gone." She turned back to Blake while replacing her hood and veil. "He's become one with the shadows. This is the greatest honor a Nightingale can possibly achieve. In death, he's become a part of that which we use to live."

"Wait, you mean…" Blake looked around herself. "They're literally part of the darkness?"

"Absolutely. When we say 'walk with the shadows', we are asking those Nightingales that have passed on to protect us. It's believed that they are literally what guides our uncanny luck...by placing their hands in ours." She looked at her own hands before dropping them back by her side. "That's why the Ebonmere needed to be reopened. Without it, there's no way Nocturnal was able to allow them through."

"That's good." It certainly wasn't the worst afterlife out of the ones she knew about so far. She didn't know all of the rules for it however, and it wasn't like she could change her mind on it anyways. Her ears dropped when she recalled what Nocturnal said before about the claim already staked upon her soul. "I…guess I'll go to Riften, now. The, uh… The Guild still have to straighten out their leadership."

"Are you sure you won't take it?"

"I'm not a career thief," Blake explained. "I joined for benefits and information. Not to be mean or anything, but most of this was circumstance. Honestly, if that whole thing at Snow Veil Sanctum had gone down differently, we wouldn't be here right now."

"Really? Well, not to say I'm glad he stabbed you…"

"I meant with the arrow," Blake pointed out. "Mercer stabbing me definitely convinced me to get a move on. I wouldn't have been so keen to help bring him down, but I would have helped if you proved the truth of the matter."

"In that case, I suppose I'm glad that I shot you," she offered instead. Blake shook her head and put her hands to her hips.

"All right. I'll head off, then. Yang should be in the Rift, and she expects me to be near Falkreath. Guess I'll give her a surprise." She nodded to her fellow Nightingale. "I'll see you later, Karliah."

"Farewell. Eyes open and walk with the shadows."

* * *

Weiss flew low, her pale skin blending in with the snow almost perfectly. Her wingtips brushed some of the fresh powder as she flapped them. The vampiric magic helped to keep her aloft, but her forward momentum was definitely a result of the natural air currents that most birds and bats used to fly. If she had to describe it, she was partially levitating and gliding forward with the slight falling she experienced, her wings picking her back up from time to time.

Morthal came in sight fairly soon, and she stopped at the designated meeting place she and Ruby had agreed to at the mouth of some cave just outside of the town. At this hour, only a few patrols were around, and she had been keeping track of them with Sense Life and some vampire blood magic equivalent. It was stronger sensing, but shorter ranged. It also made everything look blood red.

"Weiss?" she heard as Ruby turned and walked over to her. "Whoa! You're really white!" she exclaimed, then tilted her head and narrowed her eyes in confusion. "And you're…wearing a bikini?"

"It's something about the transformation," Weiss explained exasperatingly, Ruby quickly noticing that her voice was much lower and gruffer than normal. "Also, this is a tasset," she explained while indicating the lower garment.

"So, a fancy bikini. Still too cold for that. Also impractical, I don't know what that's supposed to protect."

"For the love of…" Weiss brushed her hair back, stopping a moment and pulling a lock in front of her eyes. She quickly changed back to human form and looked at her hair again, sifting the stands between her fingers.

"Uh, you okay, Weiss?" her partner asked in concern.

"I think so… Yes." She brushed her hair back and straightened herself. "Well, enough of that. Is Lydia around?"

"She's getting us set up at the inn," Ruby explained. "We only just got here. Oh, Vertina sold us a bunch of her shed feathers. I put a few around Qahpeyt," she pointed out the feathers now attached around the collar and shoulders of her armor. "But I had a lot and I already got Qahpeyt down to feeling almost like normal clothes, so I thought, 'Who else could use some magic Harpy feathers?', and then I remembered that you can fly, so…" Ruby reached into her pack and pulled out a rolled up cloak, unfurling it to reveal all of the feathers attached to its back, each one dyed white to match the white fur of the cloak, and sewn in a pattern reminiscent of her snowflake sigil. "Ta-da! Now we're cape besties!"

"Ruby… It looks wonderful." The Dragonborn handed over the cloak to her friend, and Weiss spun around and set it onto her shoulders. Immediately, she felt the effects. She simply felt lighter all around. She had to be careful with her first step, having almost jumped up into the air on accident. "This fur looks natural, too. Where'd you get it?"

"Capric had some lying around," she answered with a smile. "It's pretty cool how their feathers are magical, huh?"

"Well, it at least explains how they can fly," Weiss figured. "Going by what I've seen, their wings weren't big enough to give lift to something that big."

"Don't let Maarah hear that," Ruby warned her. "She'll beat you up."

"Would she, really?" Weiss asked while raising her eyebrow in amusement.

"She knows some kinda special Harpy kung-fu," Ruby explained while holding her arms up in some mock martial art style. "Vertina was messing with her, and she went watta-ta and then Verty was on her back and dizzy."

"I'll be cautious, then," Weiss promised as they headed into town. Lydia was still at the Moorside Inn as they passed through the main thoroughfare, going through most of the town before the street turned back and led them onto a dock, where Falion's house was situated over the pond. Weiss knocked on the door and waited. It swung open a moment later, the Redguard Conjurer there.

"Yes? Oh, good morning, Miss Schnee, and, uh… Sorry, I can't seem to recall your friend's name."

"This is Ruby Rose. She's Yang's younger sister," Weiss told him.

"Oh yes! Thane Yang's sister! I should've recognized her by the description. Yes, yes, come in where it's warm." The two Huntresses entered the man's abode, seeing the young Agni reading out of a small book in the corner while a few others were opened on the table nearby, cluing them in to what he'd been doing before they arrived. Falion closed the door behind them then walked around to get closer to the fireplace.

"So, how may I help you ladies today? Scrolls? Tomes? Some lessons on Conjuration?" he asked them jovially.

"Not so much today," Weiss answered. "You see…" Her eyes went over to Agni and then she cleared her throat. "I heard from a friend that you know a good deal about vampires."

Falion's smile slowly morphed into a serious expression. "Ah, I see. Uh, Agni. I think my sister was planning to make us breakfast today. Go ahead and tell her I'll be there shortly."

"Okay," the young girl answered as she set a piece of wood for a bookmark and stood up. Weiss looked back to Ruby, who nodded in understanding.

"I'll walk with you," Ruby offered the younger girl as Agni reached the door, the two walking out at the same time. "Hey, you ever meet a Centaur before?" she started just before closing the door. Weiss turned back to Falion, his expression having grown quite grim.

"I know many things," he admitted. "I have studied things beyond the reach of most humans, traveled the Oblivion planes, seen things that one should not see." He straightened up in his stance, meeting Weiss' eyes. "I have met Daedra and Dwemer and everything in between, and I know enough to see a vampire where others would see a man."

"You never said anything before," she informed him.

"About the friend of the newest and most popular Thane? The same one who had just rid us of vampires looking to enslave the Hold?" he proposed. "But not just that. I know what it's like to be accused of being something you're not. While I could rightly call you a vampire, could I call you a monster? A killer?"

Weiss closed her eyes, not too sure about the answer to that. "I came looking for a cure."

"I had guessed as much. Once I told you what I knew, you didn't grow angry or try to kill me. That's what the ones who would want it to…go away would have done." He was silent a moment, crossing his arms just below his chest. "Very well. It is possible. I know of a ritual, but, in order for it to work, you will require a filled Black Soul Gem."

Weiss' head whipped up as her eyes went wide, staring at Falion in disbelief.

"You… You mean…?"

"Yes. You will need to kill someone. When you have one, return to me and I will perform the ritual."

Weiss' mind spun around what she had just learned, trying to deny it had been real.

"What… What if I…"

"I…know what you're thinking," he cut in. "No, I'm afraid another vampire's soul will not work. It's been tried before. No, this soul will be the one to take your place in Coldharbour. The undead will not work for that, especially one whose soul Molag Bal has already laid claim."

"Oh…gods…" Finally faced with a cure, Weiss felt only cold and heavy with the knowledge. Falion noticed her distraught look and shook his head.

"I'm not telling you how you should go about things, but if you were to check the bounty board in Highmoon Hall, I'm sure you would find more than one soul with a price on their head whose sins are worth this sacrifice." The Conjurer turned around and opened a drawer in his cupboard, pulling out a dark crystal and handing it over to Weiss. As she took it, she could almost feel a hunger in the Black Soul Gem.

* * *

"So that's why Harpies don't like most Bretons," Agni finished explaining to a rather enraptured Ruby.

"Wow! I'm glad the Empire's laws were updated then." Ruby could only imagine how horrible it would be to constantly be on alert for something like that. The Iliac Bay in the Third Era was a truly awful place for people neither human nor elf to be.

The door opened and Weiss walked in, looking as though she had just seen some of the worst things imaginable. Given Ruby's imagination, that could be pretty bad.

"Weiss, everything okay?" she asked her partner in concern. "Did you get everything straightened out?"

"I'm all right, Ruby," she answered, definitely not looking it. "We… We should probably move on. There's plenty of daylight ahead of us."

"Really? I thought that would take longer." Ruby shrugged and hopped up to walk over to their room. "Hey, Lyd, Weiss wants to go ahead and leave."

"That's good, because I haven't actually gotten anything out yet," the housecarl said before standing up out of the chair. "And I was just about to. My legs were finally rested."

"Huh, caught you just in time then. So, ready to go?"

"We'll just have to re-saddle the horses," she explained while grabbing her pack from off of a chest.

"Good, good. Hey Jonna, we're gonna have to cancel that room."

"And here I was looking forward to hearing your friend show up Lurbuk again. All right, but I'm keeping one septim."

"Sounds fair. Sorry for the trouble." She went over to her friend, noting that she was still looking downcast. "Hey, ready to go when you are."

"…Thank you, Ruby. Sorry about this."

"Eh, it's fine. We were gonna stay for you, we'll leave for you." She patted her on the back. "So, let's go and save the Pale from dragons."

Weiss nodded, offering a slight smile that got Ruby moving. The three trailed out, and Agni and Jonna watched them go.

"Next time we can talk about Lamias if you want," the young girl called out.

"Ooh, that actually sounds cool," Ruby admitted right before she was gone. After the door shut, Jonna looked at her adopted niece with a smirk.

"Or maybe you should play tag?"

"Oh, sweet Mara, no!" Agni shivered, holding her body close while Jonna laughed. "I'd rather the Pale Lady take me away!"

* * *

Yang knew something was wrong when they entered Broken Helm Hollow and she smelled fresh death. It wasn't like she was surprised by death being there itself. She half-expected it. What she didn't expect was to find a few corpses laying on their sleeping mats and some scattered items, most of them of Dwemer make. If she had to guess, these three had been simple scavengers looking to make some money after managing to get in and out of a Dwemer ruin in one piece. Not a terrible idea, as far as she was concerned.

Unfortunately, the schematics she was going to get from them were nowhere to be found. It seemed whoever had robbed these people were better at gauging value and took all of the good Dwemer pieces that Yang remembered Weiss going on about while leaving the 'scraps'. Schematics would be pretty high up on there when it came to worth, so it wasn't surprising they were gone with all of the good stuff.

"Damn it," she cursed quietly while looking around. A few sniffs however, picked up something, and she focused in on the scent before shifting her face into a lupine muzzle. She sniffed again, this time picking up fainter scents.

"Vampires," she concluded after shifting back and standing up. Serana was already looking over one of the corpses and turned his head.

"Yep. Got fang marks," the vampire princess pointed out. "Looks like they were all drained dry. Someone was hungry…"

"Doesn't that bite look a little small to you?" Rumarin asked. "A vampire goblin, perhaps?"

"No, there'd be tusk punctures, and it's even smaller than that." Serana got up from the corpses and put her hands to her hips. "So…what now?"

"If vampires nabbed the schematics, then we definitely can't let them run off with them," Yang decided, slamming a fist into her palm. "I've got the scent. We should be able to follow it. Vampire is distinct from regular dead and tends to linger, if faintly."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Rumarin asked. "Let's head into the danger I was trying to avoid."

"Not starting to regret coming with me, are you?" Yang asked him as they began leaving the cave.

"Not at all. While I do appreciate the way Yngvarr admires my rear, sometimes it's just a little more desirable to be in the company of two beautiful ladies fully capable of easily killing me."

"A High Elf with a sense of humor," Serana commented. "I like him."

"Good. Skyrim could use more of it," he answered. "Humor and sense."

* * *

Yang's nose led them to Riften, which worried them, as that meant the vampires had gotten inside the city. It seemed they had climbed down into the sewers or something, but they had left the rope behind that they'd used to climb down. Hoping that meant they were cornered, Yang started climbing down with Serana right behind her.

"Ugh, I can't stand this sunlight," the vampire complained.

"Ah, come on," Yang said to her. "You could use some rays. You're pale as death.

Rumarin made a few tiny claps from his position on the ground above them. Yang smirked, but Serana just groaned. The blonde figured she'd get in a better mood once they had sufficient shade.

Setting foot on the stone the three began to search. Some hungry vagrant, definitely not a vampire, tried to attack them, but she was quickly knocked out by Yang in an almost pitifully easy manner. Rumarin figured he would leave the woman with some rations, seeing as it was either hunger or madness that drove her to action. The werewolf led them on through the halls and tunnels, squinting in confusion as they came up to a section with a hint of something familiar.

"I think I smell Blake. Is this the Ratway?"

"Probably," Rumarin figured with a shrug. "It's not a place I frequent, so I couldn't tell you."

"Either way, I'm picking up a scent of death," Serana mentioned. "You smell it?"

"Yeah, but…" Yang wasn't sure how to describe what she was smelling, except that it didn't smell like vampire. "Let's take a look."

They walked up a short flight of stairs and stopped before something that looked almost like…a man, though his face was hidden by a hood. Not in that it cast a shadow over his features, but it was more as though there was no face underneath it for the darkness to hide. He was robed in black from head to toe, his wrists and fingers the only visible flesh on him, and they were white and pale. The hooded being turned his face towards him, or she was sure he did, and then spoke.

" _Out with it, then._ "

Yang shivered at the unnatural voice. Whatever was standing before her couldn't have been human or elf. At least, not anymore.

"Uh, hi?"

" _Why do you disturb me, mortal,_ " the being complained. " _I've nothing to discuss with you._ "

"Sorry, but we're pretty sure some vampires came this way," Serana butted in with a tone of mock apology. "Would you mind telling us if you've seen them come by so we can track them down before they kill more people? We'd appreciate it."

" _Peh, those pests?_ " he scoffed. " _They left last night after spending most of yesterday cutting down on the population of homeless vagrants. I was going to destroy them myself, but they left before I could muster up enough will to care._ "

"Any idea where they went?" Yang asked, hoping they could find them quickly. She also wanted to get out of the sewer sooner rather than later.

" _Towards the cistern, I believe. They may have run into the Thieves Guild on their way out, unless they managed to somehow sneak past them. You would do better to ask the thieves, or you can just keep following their scent like a simple hound._ "

"Thanks," she said before turning and leaving, going towards the smell of a multitude of people. Serana looked at her and sighed before catching up.

"Well, wasn't he a ray of sunshine?" Rumarin joked as they left.

"Freakin' weird is what that was. What even…" Yang groaned.

"I've seen stranger things," Serana assured her. "Not even among the oddest."

* * *

"Ah come on," Delvin complained. "Why wouldn't you want the position, yeah?"

"Because I'm constantly on the road. Because I might travel to another country and not return for a while," Blake listed off. "Or maybe because I might disappear off the face of Nirn all of a sudden one day, and you guys will have to deal with that."

"From what I gathered, lass, wasn't that a big possibility for your friends and you?" Brynjolf asked while rubbing a thumb over the part of his shirt where the Nocturnal sigil was hidden.

"It is. Heck, we're kinda hoping for it. Long story," she told Delvin and Vex when they both looked like they were loaded with questions. "Point stands, my fame in the Guild is almost wholly coincidental. You need someone who's been here a long time, knows the ropes, and can help watch out for the footpads." Blake tossed something forward and Vex caught it by reflex. She then opened her hand to find that it was Mercer's key.

"Wait, hold on!" the woman objected. "You can't be-"

"I know you guys all probably each have your reasons, which is why I'm suggesting a solution," Blake explained. "It can be temporary, or you can keep it from here on, but I got the idea from your system with the keys. Three people with three keys, and at least two are needed to open the vault. Seems like the setup for a Triumvirate leadership."

The three senior thieves looked towards each other and then at the key in Vex's hand.

"Wait, so you're suggesting that we _all_ be in charge?" Vex inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"That could get messy real fast," Delvin said. "Trust me. We don't agree on all that much."

"I'd say I agree with either of these boneheads only half the time at most," Vex added. "How are we going to get anything done?"

"That's part of the point. You guys won't agree on everything. No one always agrees with someone else all of the time. But you guys know each other. You know your strengths and weaknesses and each other's. You've already been practically running the Guild together as it is. All I'm saying is that you split the job of Guild Master until you either find someone who can claim the title or you settle into having it like this." She reached over and tilted up the key in Vex's hand. "Think of it like the vault. You need at least two of you to make a decision, and having all three is preferred. It'll keep anyone of you from having a bad idea without it being challenged, and it'll keep you all from being overwhelmed."

They looked at the situation again and seemed to mull it over. While Blake awaited an answer, her ears picked up familiar footsteps, and she turned to see Yang entering the Cistern.

"Yang!" she called out as she walked over to her friend, who was shocked to see her.

"Blake? I thought you were near Falkreath," the blonde said before the two wrapped each other in a tight hug. After a moment, they separated and looked at one another closely. "What _are_ you doing here? How did you come over so fast?"

"Trade secret. Maybe I can tell you later. Right now, I was just straightening out Guild matters."

"Ah." Yang nodded in understanding. "Cool, but uh, did anyone see any vampires running through here lately?" she asked the thieves. "We're kinda tracking them and they apparently came down here."

"Oh, so that's why you're down here," Blake figured. "I was wondering. Not just anyone comes down to the Ratway. Mostly because of the smell. And the rats."

"There were a handful of vampires that showed up the other day," Brynjolf explained. "Looked like they were caught on the wrong foot. I suppose they didn't know where the Guild is and were just expecting beggars. Well, we ran them off. Killed one, but we've thrown out the body since. They ran out through the sewers, probably went from the channel and into the lake."

"Well, that's something, at least. Hopefully we can catch them soon. We've already found three bodies in their trail, and I'd rather find them before it gets worse." Yang sighed and put her arms behind her head. "Better get back on it, then."

"I'll go with you," Blake offered. "It sounds serious, and you could use an extra pair of ears."

"All right, but we're going to be moving and quickly," Yang warned her. "These vampires have at least a day on us, and I'd rather we close that gap ASAP."

"I can deal. How about you guys?" she directed towards the three senior Guild members. "You think you can work with this?"

"Only one way to find out," Delvin figured. "Well, I guess we can't make you, and you've got a good point about headin' off. If you're about to go help in vampire slaying, then there's not much else you wouldn't go out to fight."

"Well, I suppose this means I have something else to hold over the fresh bloods' heads," Vex said before hooking a belt through the key's hoop handle.

"I suppose we're fine as we can be, lass," Brynjolf told her with a nod. "We're already starting to scrape back everything Mercer stole. It's slow-going, but we should have everything back in a month or so. I imagine you'll be back by then."

"I should at least pass through." Blake nodded. "All right. I'll head off then. I'll see you all again another time."

"Take care, Belladonna. Shadows walk with you."

"And shadows walk with you, Brynjolf."

* * *

After leaving Riften and following the scent the vampires left behind at the lakeside, Yang walked over to her partner, trying to make sure they were out of earshot of the other two.

"So what gives?" she asked. "How did you…get here so fast?"

"There's a portal between Nightingale Hall and the Twilight Sepulcher," Blake explained. "It made getting here from Falkreath Hold practically instant, but…Nightingales only."

"Aw man," Yang groaned. "So, how do I become a Nightingale?"

"I'm fairly certain that there can only be three official Nightingales at a time. Besides, you're not exactly Nightingale material."

Yang grinned brightly. "Okay, I'm going to have to show you how stealthy I can _really_ be when I put my mind to it, now. My Companion honor demands such slights be answered for."

"Yang, you cannot get the drop on me," Blake playfully objected.

"Oh, just you wait and see. Or not. Because you won't see it coming."

* * *

"What're they talking about?" Serana groaned, eyeing the backs of the two girls who had gone up ahead of her and Rumarin. The sunlight was making her feel irritable, and two young women yammering away just far enough for their words to be unintelligible yet close enough to be heard was definitely getting on more than a few of her nerves.

"Hm, If I were to guess, they're discussing who gets to sneak into whose tent tonight," the High Elf answered.

"Okay, seriously?" Serana shot him a look.

"Seriously," he defended with a cheeky expression. "Don't tell me you didn't notice the spark hanging between them this whole time?"

"I noticed it, but it's not that far along. You can tell by the way they were beating around the bush when we were getting supplies." The vampire groaned and pulled her hood further over her head.

"Oh, yes I see it now." Rumarin stroked his chin and hummed while tilting his head. "Do you think we can pretend to lose one of the tents and have them share so that they can-"

"No, we shouldn't be pushing them into anything," she said in opposition. "They need to figure this stuff out on their own."

* * *

 _15th of Evening Star_


	73. Bridges Left Unburned

Sorry this took a while. Holidays, a second job, and other stuff I won't get into in an author's note have all caused a bit of a stall. Bunch of thanks to xTRESTWHOx and NaanContributor

* * *

Chapter 65: Bridges Left Unburned

 _16th of Evening Star_

* * *

Blake slowly opened her eyes as she woke up to see a head of blonde hair and wolf ears hanging over her. She nearly ignored the presence to close her eyes again, but shot them back open and looked past Yang's wolfish (not literally, thank the gods) grin to the ears on her head.

"…how?" Blake quietly asked, stupefied beyond all belief. When the two of them fell asleep, Yang certainly did _not_ have a pair of wolf ears replacing her human pair.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Yang greeted her before leaning down and nuzzling against the Faunus. Blake tried to push her off and groaned as she knocked the giggling Yang to the side. The werewolf immediately slung her arm around Blake and pulled her close.

"Yang!" Blake protested, trying to push the blonde off, but Yang cheekily pulled her closer.

"What? I'm just making sure you're awake."

"In the most annoying way," Blake complained.

"That's just part of the process," Yang countered with a smile. Blake gave her a lidded stare then looked back at her head to confirm the presence of canine ears.

"How?" she repeated, more clearly this time.

"Oh, you mean my ears?" Yang flicked them a bit while giving the Faunus a grin. "I've got basically perfect control over my transformations, so I can do things like change just one body part."

"And you decided to change just your ears?" Her curiosity getting the better of her, Blake brought her hand up to the side of Yang's head. Sure enough, unlike her own set, Yang's human ears were now missing, the Faunus' fingers passing through golden locks uninterrupted. Growing more and more resigned by the second, Blake raised an eyebrow, and Yang mirthfully wiggled her own in turn.

"Thought you might find it neat."

"Well, it certainly isn't _not_ neat," Blake admitted. "But it's too early for me to focus on stuff like that. So please, get off." As she tried to relax, Yang brought her face over and nipped down on one of her cat ears. "AH! No!"

Blake tried to pull herself free, but they rolled in such a way that Yang was on top of her, then she felt fingers digging at her ribs.

"No! No! Ahahahahaha!" she cried out as Yang began to mercilessly tickle her, forcing the laughter right out of her. "I- Hahahaha! Can't- Hehehahahaheha!"

* * *

Serana glared at the tent in annoyance as Rumarin readied their breakfast.

"Noisy," she complained, trying to block out the sounds as she packed her tent away.

"Well, turned out we didn't have to do anything," he told her.

"That's not what's going on right now," she insisted, but Rumarin shook his head and threw his arm behind his back towards the tent in question.

"Disbelieve if you want. I'm not sure how to convince you of what's happening right before your eyes."

"There's nothing to-" Serana began to protest, but Blake suddenly popped out of the tent while straightening out her clothes. Yang closely followed, a huge grin on her face, and the elf gestured to her with a 'told you so' expression pointed toward the vampire.

"So, what ya cookin', Roomie?" Yang asked as she sat down with them. Serana, meanwhile, sighed and pinched her brow.

* * *

The trail led them past Shor's Stone and into the forest west of the village, Yang leading them almost solely by her nose, though there were other signs that even the other three could pick up on, such as footprints and broken underbrush. It led them up the foot of a mountain, and soon the trail was pretty much closed.

"All right, I see it," Yang warned the group as a cave with a wooden door set into it came in sight. The smell of corpses was in the air, which she followed to find a sort of pit nearby. Old and fresher bodies had been dropped into it, but all were recently placed. Going by the robes, the fresher corpses had been mages of some kind. The skull painted on one of them screamed necromancy.

"Must have taken over," Serana figured. "Doesn't look like they got along well."

"Nope," Yang agreed. "All right, let's check around. Serana, Roomie, you guys keep watch outside and look around the nooks and crannies. Blake and I will head inside and see if anyone's home. If we run into anybody, you'll probably hear it."

"Right," Rumarin responded. "We'll stay out of the possible vampire-necromancer cave and make sure no one gets too close."

The two Huntresses then headed up and into the cave. As they went, a voice could be heard up ahead. Blake could make it out perfectly fine, but Yang had to morph her ears to pick it up better.

"What is the meaning of war?" the voice seemed to ask no one in particular. "Is it an opportunity for triumph, or evidence of our greatest failure?" They came up into a chamber and saw an Argonian standing near a corner among what seemed to be a livable setup, facing the cavern walls. "Ours is to vanquish the unliving, but is that the true path? Is our way, our world, something worth saving? Answer my query, strangers, and I will know the difference between triumph and failure."

Yang and Blake cautiously approached the being, the former turning her ears back to normal as they did. He turned to them, and the two paused as his eyes focused in on them, though both saw the small body lying near his feet.

"Answer my query," he continued, "and I will tell you if wars have any meaning."

Blake seemed caught on the question. She wasn't sure herself, but the bodies around them were distracting her. She looked over at the man in a chair, who looked dried up and had a small bitemark on his neck, and then the child next to the Argonian's feet. Blake's body tensed and she reflexively reached for Gambol Shroud, but before she could, she noticed the fangs in the child's mouth and blinked when she realized that the girl was a vampire. She gulped, but Yang was the one to step forward.

"I don't know much about wars," the blonde admitted, "but I know that sometimes, you've gotta fight for what's right. And this world, it's worth saving."

"Then perhaps all is not lost, and our path is still true, if people hold on to hope," he concluded, his eyes blinking sideways before his brows bent in what Blake recognized as an Argonian smile. "Divines forgive me for my doubt. In the world's darkest hour and mine, I did not expect to find a friend."

"Well, it's good to meet you too, then," she greeted him. "I'm Yang."

"Blake," the Faunus introduced herself as Yang went over and checked out the child vampire's corpse. It seemed she had figured it out before Blake did, as she was sure the blonde would have exploded with anger if she thought for even a moment that they had caught a child murderer. Much like all of them did the first time they encountered a hagraven nest. While she had mixed feelings, Blake knew from experience that vampires could appear childlike while technically being centuries old.

"And I am Among-the-Hist," he told them, closing a hand over his chest and nodding his head in some unfamiliar gesture.

"If you don't mind me asking," Blake spoke up, catching the Argonian's blank-eyed attention, "what war are you referring to?"

"For the past two years, I have embarked on a single road. Ours was to walk its twists and turns… overcome its many obstacles. All the while believing that if I followed to the end, I would find redemption," he explained before releasing a small hiss that was like a sigh. "Only it appears the road ends here. In this hollow cave with the corpse of the child I was asked to save." He looked down at said corpse. "It was rumored that the child left for Eastmarch to join the Stormcloaks, in defiance of the father's alignment with the Empire." He turned and bent down next to Yang, who had stopped her observations, having found the cause of final death to be a single stab wound to the heart. "For a lord's house, the truth was far more incriminating, and for a loving father, one far more heartbreaking." He stood back up with Yang and looked at them both. "Thus the lord could not trust anyone save an Argonian prisoner. One guilty of the child's same crime. Vampirism."

"Wait, vampirism?" Yang resisted the urge to sniff, and so breathed in normally, but could only pick up regular Argonian scents. "You don't look like a vampire."

"Yes, the skin, eyes, and fangs are telltale signs, but some men can't be sure the same is true for other races." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms before recounting his tale about how a Nord accused him of being a vampire when he refused to accept his challenge to a brawl. While it unnerved people, it seemed to be forgotten with the night. Then two bodies showed up the next morning, and he was used as an easy scapegoat and arrested to calm the populace. The guards then proceeded to starve him, offering him food in exchange for a false confession.

"It was better to die by the axe than starvation, but few can stomach either," he went on. "So I did what all mortals do when there is no logical escape: I prayed. To Julianos for temperance. To Stendarr for mercy. To Mara for love. And when I awoke the next morning, my cage was gone, as was my hunger."

Blake felt the anger that built up from the story of false accusation and arrest cool off while Yang tilted her head and cupped her chin.

"Wait, you said you were looking for redemption," Yang pointed out. "But you didn't do anything."

"Not according to the laws of mortals," he confessed, "but the Gods hold us to a different standard."

"Uh huh. And how were you freed?" Yang asked, tilting her head. By now, all of Team RWBY had encountered indisputable proof of the Tamrielic gods, but she also knew that unless one was a Daedra or the situation was dire enough, the Aedra didn't tend to directly interact with the world.

"The night before, I was paid a visit by a man, his face shrouded by the hood of his robe. In his arms he cradled an urn, filled with the dust of a vampire. The dust was to be scattered around my cell, as proof of my demise. I knew not how much coin he had passed to my jailors, but it was enough to carry on with the ruse. Outside the barracks, a carriage awaited us both. It took us to a nearby chateau, where I would meet my true employer."

"The lord guy," Yang guessed. "So, he thought you were a vampire and that you could help find his daughter."

"In essence," Among-The-Hist admitted. "He asked me several things about vampires to confirm if they were true, but also if I knew where his daughter was. I told him 'No,' but I could find her. After all, I was a hunter, a member of the Order of Virtuous Blood." The organization name sparked a little interest in both women, but the Argonian continued. "So I told him why I came to Skyrim and my desire for penance. Then he made an offer. A second chance for him, his daughter, and for me."

"Wait, I'm still lost. You keep mentioning that this was supposed to be your way of finding redemption," Blake pointed out to him. "What…did you do?"

He hummed to himself and scratched at his chin before closing his eyes for a moment. "Before coming to Skyrim, I had spent my life hunting vampires for The Order. Much like the Vigilants, we often hunted in pairs. My partner was a nightblade named Arlas. He used stealth and shadow to eliminate our targets while I covered him from a distance." He laughed a bit at the memory. "His was a remarkable courage. Many in The Order prefer long-range attacks, to avoid the chance of infection. Arlas never deterred from his methods." His smile then disappeared, replaced by a tilt of sadness in his eyes. "Courage alone, however, was not enough to prepare us for what lay in that den, nearly four winters ago.

"I watched Arlas scout ahead from afar, melding to the shadows in search of the enemy. The den was for all intents and purposes empty, yet the center table showed not a fleck of dust, and the torches on the wall were recently lit. A shiver swam up my tail like a cold fish, but I knew Arlas was safe so long as he stuck to the shadows. Until I saw the shadows themselves move." Blake felt a small shiver run through her, and the Argonian seemed to wince at the memory. "The shadow spread its wings, as did the others, cloaking the room in darkness. They came from above. Like bats, descending on their prey. Ours was to call for my friend and reach for my staff, trying to shield his escape with fire. We barely made it out alive, but not unscathed."

"He got hurt," Yang deduced.

He nodded. "One of those foul demons had raked its talons across Arlas' back." His expression went downcast again. "All I had to do was look into his narrowing pupils to see the infection had taken root."

"He was turning?" the blonde asked, thinking back to when Weiss was infected. They hadn't known what was going on at the time, believing it to be a normal disease that they tried to find treatment for. Later reading let them know that they had been too late either way. Weiss had turned into a vampire right under their noses without one of them even noticing. "You couldn't get him a potion?"

"It was progressing faster than any case of vampiris I had ever witnessed. Potions had no effect. There was no time to take him to a healer." He took a breath and released a sigh. "Ours was to ask for his last request. He said, 'Cure me.' I thought it was a joke. He always made me laugh. Now, I know the extent of my folly."

Blake and Yang waited patiently as the reptilian man seemed to wrestle with his own emotions.

"Months later, I discovered his journal while putting away his things. It seemed he had anticipated infection from the moment he joined The Order. He had been corresponding with a mage named Falion. A mage who was studying a cure."

Yang felt her throat tighten while Blake felt herself almost go limp. Weiss would have stopped by with Falion by now, if not soon. Isran had pretty much confirmed that he had a cure as well. The fact that Among-The-Hist's friend had known about it before he was infected…

"Hey," Yang spoke softly. "You didn't know. You did what you thought was right."

He offered her a smile. "Yours is a statement I am thankful for. Perhaps as the Divines work in the shadows, there is a greater purpose to be found. I thought Arlas' death brought me to Skyrim to save the nobleman's daughter. Now, I wonder if they have a different purpose for me…"

* * *

"Hey, everything go well in there?" Serana asked as Yang and Blake exited the cave.

"Yeah. Don't go in. Vampire hunter's waiting inside," the blonde warned her.

"Glad I stayed out, then." She looked around and pointed towards the west. "Found some tracks going that way. Rumarin says it looks like three people."

Yang sniffed. "Probably. I'll have to go full muzzle to be sure. We know the other vampires are out right now. Hist is going to stay here in case any return so he can ambush them."

"Hist?" Serana asked, tilting her head.

"Among-The-Hist," Blake explained. "Argonian vampire hunter. Apparently, he was after one of the vampires we were following."

"Yeah." Yang closed her eyes and scratched at the side of her head. "Serana, if you met a 'wild' vampire who was completely fit, looked healthy, and seemed happy…what would be your impression of them?"

"That they either had a lot of mortal friends who cared about them, or that they were feeding often and without remorse," the vampire princess answered. "Until I met you all, I thought the first option was close to impossible."

"Thought so." Yang recalled the girl's body. If it wasn't for the fangs and the dust that her heart had crumbled into, she would have thought she was just a normal little girl. Thinking about how often she saw Weiss and how underfed she tended to look after turning, the comparison was stark.

"So, what's our next step?" Rumarin asked as he walked over towards them, dispelling his bound bow.

"We're going to chase down that group and make sure they don't hurt anybody," she told him. "We found the plans with their stuff. Looks like they were planning on staying here for a while. Once we get them, we'll be able to head straight back to the Fort."

"Where many more vampire hunters await," Serana said with dripping sarcasm. "Joy."

"What about your friend?" the elf asked.

"We told him he could head there once he was sure he got all the vamps he could from this coven," Yang answered. "Dawnguard could use some mages. …And he could use some friends."

Serana quirked an eyebrow at that, but followed along as Yang and Blake headed towards the trail, Rumarin bringing up the rear.

"Wonder how things are going for Yngvarr?" he wondered aloud.

"Probably already finished up," Yang figured. "can't imagine too many vampires would stand a chance against that old bear."

* * *

The trio rode mostly silent. It was clear to Ruby that something was eating at Weiss, though she wasn't sure what exactly. Seeing as it happened right after she talked with Falion about the cure, she figured that she could safely assume that it had something to do with that. Of course, that bit of speculation was worrying in its own right. Did he not have one? Ruby was sure Weiss would have mentioned by now if he didn't. Was it extremely complex? She was sure that Weiss wouldn't be down because of that. She might have even enjoyed a complicated ritual. If not, she would have just been annoyed about it. Finally, after a couple of hours of Weiss brooding in silence, Ruby figured it was time to seek out answers.

"Hey, Weiss?" she said to her friend. The blancette looked up to her.

"Yes?"

"Is everything okay? You've been down in the dumps ever since you spoke with Falion."

Weiss sighed and brushed back her hair. "I… I suppose I should tell you, then." Ruby waited patiently while her friend took a few breaths to collect herself.

"Falion told me the cure."

Ruby smiled brightly. "Weiss, that's some of the best news…" Her eyes snapped open as she recalled Weiss' countenance. "Wait, then why are you so sad? Did you change your mind?"

"No, Ruby. I'd like almost nothing more than to stop being a vampire." Weiss shook her head. "No, it's…what the cure requires. I need a…filled Black Soul Gem."

Ruby flinched back as she took the gem out from her satchel.

"Oh…"

"That's highly illegal, you know," Lydia spoke up from the side. "The usage of Black Soul Gems is restricted to the highest offices of government for-"

"Well, being a vampire is a death sentence, so what does it matter?!" Weiss shouted, a snarl forming. Lydia was momentarily taken aback, but Ruby quickly moved between the two women while waving her hands around to dispel any bad air that could've formed.

"Weiss, it's okay! Lydia doesn't mean anything by it!" Ruby tried to calm her. "It's just… Are you really…"

"I don't know, Ruby. I just don't know," Weiss answered while hanging her head. "I… If I do this, I'll be throwing a soul in my place. I went to get the bounty papers on some of the worst people I've ever…" Weiss closed her eyes and sighed, then took out her binder and opened it up. "At Frostmere Crypt, where we're headed, there are several individuals wanted dead or alive. If anyone deserves to end up in Coldharbour, then I can't imagine someone more deserving than a man wanted for rape, murder, and child-murder. Among other horrid things." Ruby went silent for a moment, and Weiss looked over to her. "I-"

"I can't say it's right," Ruby admitted, cutting Weiss off. "But I'm not… I haven't had to go through what you have. I don't know what it's like. You've told us a little, and we've seen a little, but I don't really understand what you're feeling." Ruby looked up and stared forward along their path. "If being a vampire really is that bad, then I...I trust you in whatever you decide to do about it."

Weiss nodded and looked back at the bounty notes. "Thank you, Ruby. I-" She wanted to say she was sure about what she had to do, but she wasn't, actually. While she had made her peace when it came to having to take a life when necessary, the idea of sacrificing someone's soul was nowhere near settled.

"We're coming up," Lydia told them as an ancient stairway appeared. The distant sound of steel clashing reached their ears moments later, and the girls started urging their horses on before Ruby hopped off and dashed forward with her Semblance. As she emerged out of a cloud of rose petals, a man in mismatched leather balked, seconds before an axe hit his throat. The woman responsible backed away as he fell forward, still defending against two others with a shield on one arm and a now bloodied axe in hand. A Redguard woman stabbed at her, but the strike was deflected downwards before a knee rose up to meet her face, knocking her onto her back. The last man looked more unnerved than he had at the beginning, giving the woman the chance to bash his arms aside and chop down at him. Only his frightened leap back kept his head from being split open, but the blow still raked his chest. As she made to finish him off, Ruby spoke up.

"Wait!" The woman paused and turned around to see the Dragonborn and the other two warriors coming up to her side.

"Who in Dagon's name are you?" she demanded of them. "Speak, or I'll cut you down where you stand."

"Calm down," Ruby told her. "What's going on here? Are you fighting the bandits?"

The woman stared at Ruby for a moment, allowing the others to catch their breath, then sighed. "I was part of the gang in the ruins here. Friend of mine went crazy and stole the boss' sword. They blamed me for it. Look, I'm done here. Mop the floor with these idiots for all I care. Just get out of my way." With that, she began heading away, going down the stairs and then the path, holstering her axe and shield as she did. The woman bandit started struggling up, but Ruby walked over to her. The Redguard looked up in fear and reached for her sword only for Ruby to kick it away before spinning her over.

"Please! No! I'm too young to-!" she started to plead before stopping. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Tying a knot," Ruby said as she finished up with the leather strap. She tested it to make sure it would hold, then picked up the woman and carried her over to a nearby tree. "Lyd, get the other one."

Lydia walked up to the man and began doing the same for him. He cried out as he was rolled to his belly.

"Gods, I'm done for! Take me, oh Shor!"

"It's not nearly deep enough to kill you," the housecarl grumbled before dragging him off as well. Both bandits were tied to the tree and then their, admittedly minor, wounds were healed.

"So, what was the deal with your friend?" Ruby asked them after they were set.

"Eisa?" the Redguard started. "Well, I'm not too sure. The boss said she and her friend stole his sword and said it was a hundred septims for whoever brought back their heads."

"I thought it was two?" the other bandit asked.

"One for each. At least, that's how I understood it."

"All over a sword?" Weiss asked with a grimace.

"Well, it's something special," the bandit woman continued on. "Found it in the crypt's forest thing. Has this nice, curvy blade and some frost enchantment. And, uh, a fear enchantment of some kind?" The last part she said with uncertainty.

"Oh, I heard of that," the Nord man recalled. "One of the mages said it was an enchantment that would make 'anything weaker than the wielder flee in fear'."

"Oh, like the Spear of Might," Ruby recognized. "Neat."

"You said there were mages," Weiss pointed out while taking out her binder. "How many names can you give us?"

"Oh no, you're bounty hunters," the woman said in deflation.

"Thank the gods I took to wearing masks during raids." He then looked over at them nervously. "It's nothing you can prove!"

"I don't care about you two. Let's just say I'm after bigger fish," Weiss decided to tell them. "Now, what can you tell us?"

* * *

Most of the bandits were easily taken down. The first few didn't even notice them coming in, instead embroiled in a conversation about Eisa and her apparent friend, Ra'jirr and how the two were in deep for trying to take their boss' sword. A couple were able to put up the smallest amount of resistance before the three took them down as well. All in all, it was going rather smoothly despite the bad sign at the start.

As Lydia tied one man's arms behind his back while holding him down with a knee, Weiss leafed through her binder to check each one's face. Several were wanted for more minor crimes, but banditry was also there for the majority of them. A couple had murders under their belts, meaning they'd likely face execution after they were turned in, unless they could plead their case well enough and just get a lengthy jail sentence instead. It wasn't uncommon from what she'd heard.

She tried to keep herself occupied by thinking of the amount of coin this would be bringing in. Even petty thieves had half of a denar for their capture. The murderers were worth a thousand septims each if taken alive. However, one took her attention. One gritty-looking bandit was separated from the rest, who were mostly kept in one room almost free of tools and sharp edges. He had been the hardest, relatively speaking. Lydia ended up blackening one of his eyes and breaking his knee before he went down, and he received quite a few cuts in the process. They tied him down to a chair, securing each wrist and elbow individually as well as his ankles and torso. Still, she could see where he had been trying to pull himself free, giving himself ropeburn in the process. He glared at her with eyes full of hate and Weiss looked at his wanted poster for what felt like the thousandth time.

 _For the crimes of multiple Murders, Child Murder, Rape, and lesser crimes.  
_  
She met the man's glare before closing the binder again. He matched the description, and more than a few of his fellows corroborated the charges against him. It seemed he wasn't particularly well liked.

"Well," Weiss began, not sure what to say, if she even should say anything. She reached over to the pocket holding the Black Soul Gem, and the man yanked himself up with a grunt, causing the chair to jump.

"When I get out of here," he growled, and Weiss simply snarled back.

"What? You'll run at us and get pummeled half to death again?" He didn't answer, just keeping that enraged stare. Weiss sighed and crossed her arms. "You've been accused of many high crimes, some of the worse things that can be done to another person included."

"Who cares?" Weiss narrowed her eyes at his second interruption.

"The law cares. The families of those people you've violated throughout the years care!"

"Well I don't." Then he grinned, and Weiss felt her head growing hot. "Well, I guess I do care. Time of my life, just finding a nice little bitch and-"

Weiss' blue blade was at his throat, the tip touching on his Adam's apple and making him lean back. His smile was gone for a moment, but it came back.

"So, you're going to kill me? After all that trouble?" He chuckled, and Weiss felt her teeth grinding. "Eh, no matter. I always knew it'd come down to something like this. I'd either die on someone's blade or at the gallows."

"All those people… And you don't give a damn about them," Weiss muttered.

"Why should I?" It took Weiss a moment before she realized he was completely serious. His expression showed not incomprehension, but a complete lack of interest, as though simply thinking about other people's considerations was an annoyance. "Weren't anyone I knew. Well, maybe that brat was mine, but he was screaming so much. Wouldn't have ever happened if they hadn't grabbed me before-"

His eyes saw Weiss' right hand pull out the Black Soul Gem from its resting place, then they widened. As she lifted it closer to him, some deep part of her felt a tinge of satisfaction that he began squirming uncomfortably and looked at her in fear.

"No, no… You can't be! That… That's illegal!"

"What do you care about what's legal?" she hissed as she held it forward, ready to cast the spell that would pull his soul into it upon his death. He went still, terror taking him over as Weiss was poised to end his life and steal his soul. And she stood there, in that position, not moving an inch. Her jaw clenched tighter, and her grip shifted, but she made no move to cast the spell. Part of her was trying to convince herself to move forward, to end it. It wasn't a difficult spell. She had cast it plenty of times before when helping to hunt. Casting it on sapient beings was no different. It was even how they were taught. The teacher made them cast it _on him_ for practice. Yes, it would be the first time she ever went all the way with taking someone's soul, but if anyone deserved it, it had to be this man. Shouldn't it?

Gradually her jaw loosed and her sword arm lowered. The hand holding the Soul Gem practically dropped to her side as she stared forward.

 _'_ _I can't do it,'_ she realized. _'_ _I can't just…'_ Tears began to sting the edges of her eyes and she turned away while closing them tight as the man appeared to be filled with relief.

"Hehe," he laughed. "Well I-"

Her sword flashed out, and his head rolled off, leaving the stump of his neck to shoot up spurts of blood like some macabre fountain. Weiss glared at the corpse a moment before flicking the blade clear of blood and sheathing it. She then looked at the Black Soul Gem in her right hand and clenched. It began to crack, then shattered into pieces, a whiff of dark magic dispersing from its destruction. Ruby walked in to see what the noise was and blanched at the body before noting the Soul Gem shards scattered around Weiss and gripped in her hand. Not saying a word, the girl walked up to her friend, took her hand while pushing the remaining shards out, and led her out of the room.

* * *

"I couldn't do it," Weiss mumbled as the three pressed on into the tomb. Ruby looked over to her and squeezed her hand.

"It's okay, Weiss," she assured her. "I…don't think I could do it, either, if it were me."

"But I still killed him." Her voice felt a little darker, now. "He didn't deserve any mercy. Maybe killing him like that was merciful, in the end. But… Whenever I think about it, do I have any right to throw someone, even a person as evil as that, into Coldharbour in my place?"

"I don't know," Ruby admitted quickly. "I don't know how bad it is, though."

"Have you ever heard those Church of Ash descriptions of Hell?" When Ruby nodded, she sighed. "That, but Daedra instead of demonic Grimm, and less fire."

"Oh…"

"But at the same time, vampires…are privileged." She winced. "For lack of a better term. Can I really excuse myself sending some common soul to be eternally tormented when I…wouldn't be?"

None of them really had an answer for that. After a moment of silence, they came across a table with a journal on it and Ruby let Weiss' hand go to pick it up.

"Oh, this was Eisa's," she said after opening it. She flipped towards the back and started tracing lines while poking her tongue out of the corner of her lips. "Hm, looks like she and Ra'jirr were part of a different group of bandits near the White River, but left them and came here."

"That explains why neither were mentioned in the bounties," Lydia figured. "Different Holds have different criminal records. Only the worst get their crimes recognized by the province as a whole."

"Apparently the guys were trying to dig out the tomb but weren't doing too well, but Eisa had done time in someplace called Cidna Mine, so she was able to direct them better."

"And that's in Markarth," Lydia explained. "It's the largest silver mine in the Reach, if not all of Skyrim."

"Does it explain why people blamed her for their boss' sword being stolen?" Weiss asked, pulling her mind away from the recent whirlwind of emotions she had just experienced. "None of them had the answers."

Ruby flipped through a few more pages before stopping and pulling out a folded piece of paper that didn't fit with the rest of the notebook. She opened it up and scanned over it before reading it aloud.

" _'_ _Eisa,_

 _I see her in every shadow. Hear her voice on every breath of wind. In my dreams, in my ears, in my mind. The Pale Lady - we have to stop her. Just return the sword, and we can shut her away forever. I can't take this any more._

 _I have to do it._

 _I must._

 _Ra'jirr'_

"

Ruby looked up with pursed lips and focused eyes.

"Okay, it's possible he was cursed," she figured.

"So, he tried to put the sword back in the tomb and Eisa was implicated with him," Weiss deduced. "He tried to get her to go with him, and even though she refused, everyone still believed her to have helped."

"They must be further in," Ruby figured as she set the journal and note aside. "We haven't seen any Khajiit so far, and Ra'jirr is definitely a Khajiiti name. …I think."

They moved on, pushing open a door at the end of a catacomb that led into an open area with a surprising amount of foliage. Despite seeing a few grottos with trees within them before, Ruby was still caught off-guard by the beauty of the underground sanctuary of life, guarded from most of the cold of the outdoors. Weiss stepped in after her and let the sight of the subterranean forest take her before the smell of nearby blood seized her attention. She looked over, and the man lying there groaned and coughed, catching the other two's attentions. Ruby rushed over to him, and he looked up at her through squinting eyes, claw marks across his face and neck and deep gouges pockmarking his body. Weiss saw the pool of blood around him and knew that he wasn't going to make it no matter what kind of potions they gave him.

He gasped in when he saw Ruby. "Finally, someone came… I…" he got out through ragged breaths. "That cat…" A deep gasp. "Ra'jirr…ambushed me. He's trying to take the sword back! I…can't…" He gasped out another breath, then slumped over. Ruby went to check his pulse, but a bright light seemed to come out of the man and speed away.

"What the-"

"Wisp," Weiss recognized. "I don't know what it was doing…inside the man, but they're known to drain people's lifeforce. It must have taken whatever was left of him, and now it's going to its wispmother."

Lydia kneeled down to look over the man's injuries. "This is recent," she noted. "This Ra'jirr is probably still around." The housecarl readied her shield and drew her sword. "Stay alert. If he can do this kind of damage, then he's very dangerous. We shouldn't let ourselves underestimate him."

"Right," the two agreed before they moved out. It was only a short time later that they saw the form of a Suthay-raht Khajiit ahead of them. He was walking towards what looked like an altar with a wavy sword in hand, but then a ghostly form that seemed to be made of ice and mist emerged from in front of it as wisps began to gather, partially surrounding him.

"No! No!" he cried out as he sliced the sword towards the wispmother, though it seemed to do almost no damage to it. Several wisps flew at him, and the Khajiit dodged around them for a moment. Ruby began running towards the fight, intent on helping who she assumed to be Ra'jirr. However, one of the wisps flew down and latched onto her head, blinding her for a moment, making her face cold, and slowly filling her with a sense of lethargy.

"It's draining you!" Weiss warned her as she threw a Firebolt into the thing. It let out a sort of shriek as it was knocked away. Ruby refocused and saw the Khajiit being sprayed with a cone of frost magic by the Pale Lady, covering some of his fur in ice, before two wisps crashed into him from either side and then the wispmother sent a spike of ice into his stomach. He grunted while clutching it with his free hand and fell back. Ruby slashed Crescent Rose at the two wisps that seemed to be draining energy from him, then turned her attention to the Pale Lady. She sliced through her one way, then the other, eliciting two shrieks as she left cuts through her like a hot knife through ice. Before Ruby's eyes, however, the cuts began to close. Several wisps came at her, each one either knocked away or shattered by her swings as she was forced to step back.

She felt something grab her ankle and looked down to see the Khajiit just behind her. He weakly held up the sword as pain spread across his face and blood pooled around him.

"Seal…" he got out past the pain. "Put it…back."

Ruby grabbed the sword by the hilt and looked around. On the altar, she saw a swordrack and put two and two together. She knocked away another wisp and noticed how her friends were fighting off dozens themselves, even as the Pale Lady readied her magic. As she fired a frosty beam at Lydia, who guarded against it with her shield, Ruby rushed past in a burst of petals and set the sword on the altar. The wispmother seemed to gasp, then disappeared. The wisps around them all lost their luminescence and fell like rocks to the ground, lifeless. Ruby sighed, and looked back to the Khajiit, who seemed to have died with a slight grin.

"That was something," Weiss said as she began gathering up the wisp cores. "The sword must have been used to seal that thing away."

"I never knew the Pale Lady was an actual thing," Lydia admitted. "I always figured it was a tall tale about a particularly strong wispmother. I guess that wasn't far off the mark, but I hadn't expected it to be unkillable."

"It wasn't unkillable, I think." Weiss held up one of the wisp cores. "Wisps drain life energy from living things and feed it into their wispmother, giving her more power and, well, life. This one had so many wisps feeding it, probably little by little from the bandits, that it might have just _seemed_ unkillable. It…reminds me a little about some of my readings to do with liches."

"So, we could kill it?" Ruby asked while looking back at the sword. Now that she wasn't in a rush, she could observe it in detail. The blade was wavy like a Kris, the ricasso and chappe having thin iron bands wrapped around them and a pearl inset at their center. The cross-guard was a straight piece for the quillon with parts from the hilt fused to it, the top of which looked like a figurine of the Pale Lady, her arms held up with the hands touching the cross-guard as well as the ghostly clothing in thin metal strips. Gems carved to resemble wisps rested in the figure's palms and above her shoulders on the bottom of the guard. The rest of the hilt flowed from the bottom of her cloak-like clothing and spread into a wrist-guard near the bottom, with the pommel being made from some sort of crystal. Ruby reached over to pick it up and take a closer look, but as soon as she had it in hand, the Pale Lady reappeared behind the altar. Ruby shouted in surprise and put it back, the ghostly being glaring at her as she did before fading once again.

"What the…" Weiss got out. "Why'd you do that?"

"I was going to put it back," Ruby defended. "I just thought it would take her a while to come back."

"This…actually bodes ill," Lydia said as she ran her fingers down her chin. "These bandits had to dig this place out, but the next group to come here won't have such an obstruction. Someone else may take the sword later, and the Pale Lady will come up again, killing them if they haven't gone already. There's no telling what it could do once it's loose."

Ruby looked back at the sword in worry, then snapped her fingers.

"I've got it!"

* * *

Lydia reached out and took up the sword. A moment later, the Pale Lady appeared, looking ready to strike her down. As the wispmother readied her magics, a sword burst through her chest from out her back, glowing white hot. Ruby held Dawnbreaker in place as the Pale Lady shrieked, fire covering the ghostly being and reducing it to ash as an explosion of blue energy ripped out from it.

"Huh, so it is undead," Ruby said before sheathing the sword. "Weiss, it's safe now!"

The vampire came down from the hillside looking at the bits and pieces scattered around the ashes of the wispmother and shivered. "That sword scares me."

"It's just a sword," Ruby reassured her. "It can't do anything without being used, and I'm not going to use it in a way that endangers my BFF."

"Thank you for that."

Lydia handed the Pale Blade over to Ruby, who looked it over and ran a thumb over the blade.

"Yep, like the guys up front said. Powerful frost, stamina drain, and fear enchantment." Ruby held it out and gave a practice swing with it before holding it over to Weiss. "Here," she offered.

"Are you sure?" the heiress asked while taking it in hand, getting a feel for the weight and balance of it.

"I've got half a dozen swords already," Ruby assured her. "And the Spear of Might. This suits your theme more anyways, and it can be a backup in case anything ever happens to Strahlendjuwel."

"Did you not give her that ghostly sword?" Lydia asked. "What happened to that?"

"I sent it back to the College for study," Weiss explained. "The…balance was different from what I'm used to, on top of it being a single-bladed weapon. I figured I didn't need it anymore when Ruby finished Strahlendjuwel."

"Not even as a backup?" the housecarl pressed.

"…I didn't think about it. And I'm genuinely curious as to whether or not it can be replicated." Weiss looked back down at the sword and made a few katas with it. Despite its elegance, the feel was different from a rapier, actually reminding her somewhat of the early days of her training, when she first tried using sabers in imitation of her older sister. Winter had quickly dissuaded her of that derivative impulse in favor of finding her own style, but that experience should still allow her to wield the Pale Blade competently enough. "Thank you, Ruby." She strapped it to her side and looked back up the stairs she had gone up to avoid Dawnbreaker's effects. "Oh, by the way, there was one of those Word Walls up there."

"Oh, cool What'd it say?"

Weiss gave her a dead stare and Ruby giggled. "Kidding. All right, then. Let's go."


End file.
